Tweaking for Speed: Removing the Junk

Tweaking for Speed

Removing the Junk

The junk comes in two categories, each created and handled in it's own way. First is Normal Use, then Surprises.

Normal Use:

Just using Windows and other programs, especially on the internet or for productivity (word processing etc), disorganizes and creates plenty of junk to clutter up and slow down your system. Every so often you need to get rid of this garbage and put things back in order.

There are several kinds of junk generated, in varying places. Here's how to find and remove it most effectively.

Temp files: These are generated by programs on installation, generating files and previews, changing skins and themes, and other activities that require a file to be created to store data without using memory. There are several directories to store these depending on the application used. C:\Temp and C:\Windows\Temp are the places designed to have these files. There are mechanisms to remove these automatically or through a structured interface, and others need to be deleted manually.

Cache files and directories: For those familiar with this increasingly arcane word, a cache is a place where things are kept while they are needed to be called on for later, or disposed of. This type of file or directory is most often used by network programs, like browsers, or that display ads.

Logs: Just as it says, logs are file meant to log functions and actions performed on your system. Some of these are critical, others inconsequential, and some even outright annoying.

Applets: These are small programs that you get mainly from internet use. They allow you to do interactive activities on web sites, communicate, view special content, and other extended features. Some you may use repeatedly, others once. In most cases, they can be or are reloaded each time you need them.

Getting rid of these types of junk requires using several approaches, depending on how the programs generate it, where they store it, and if they can take care of it themselves (or were even designed to). Here are the tactics and methods to get it out and keep it out.

Disk Cleanup: This utility comes bundled in Windows from 98 up. It allows you to clean the C:\Windows\Temp, C:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files, C:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files, the Recycle Bin, and more (as in later versions of Windows) in one function. All other programs should be shut down to make this work most effectively. When you open it, it will scan the drive(s) for those directories and any other type of file it can manage. You will be able to choose items from the list to clean. Here are some tips for each:

Downloaded Program Files	If you frequently use web based features like chat, voice, video, or webcam chat/conferences, view interactive media, or anything that gives you a message like "loading/initializing applet" then you may want to keep some of these. You can use the View Files function to check if there are any you need and would be hard or inconvenient to replace. If this is the case then uncheck this option. If you rarely use such features, leave it checked. These can be cleaned out manually as well, based on your needs (details on how later).
Temporary Internet Files	These are created by using your browser, mostly when viewing the internet - but even programs on your own computer can use Internet Explorer and generate them. Unless you plan on storing most of the internet you use on your computer, these can go away. Often if you view a page and it's content is older than what others see, it is because of your settings and the presence of these files. Cleaning them forces fresh content. In any case the best thing to do is dump them. This does not normally remove cookies.
Recycle Bin	This was created to save you if you delete something in error. In most cases you will have realized your error right away and retrieve the item. Use View Files to double check if you like, then leave this checked.
Other Options	Some offered are Temporary Files, Temporary Offline Files, Offline Files, Compress old files, or others based on Windows version. Unless you specifically use special features of networking or databases, it's likely you won't need to use any of these functions. Temporary Files in theory will help you by finding and removing temp files stored in various parts of your computer - in theory. Try it if you like.

Once you have chosen what you will clean click OK and let it do it's thing.

Internet Tools: Found in the Control Panel, you can remove Temporary Internet Files here (as well), clear your Autocomplete lists, and depending on your version of Internet Explorer delete cookies. Internet Explorer and programs that use or plug into it should be off for the best results. Here are the tabs you will need to use:

General	In the section about Temporary Internet Files, you will see buttons for Temporary Internet Files, History, and if available Cookies. Unless you need a 'persistent cookie' that helps you log into a site, you can get rid of those. The use of Favorites, or other browser bookmarks, should make keeping much if any History pointless. In Temporary Internet Files unless you have intentionally saved web pages for offline use, check 'delete all offline content' before you click OK when clearing.
Content	Go to the section for Personal Information. Click the Autocomplete button and you will get another dialog box. The button for Clear Forms will actually clear any info you entered on web pages, and will also clear the web addresses you entered in the address line of Internet Explorer. Unless you fill out a LOT of forms on the web and don't mind personal info jumping on pages immediately, click this. The button for Clear Passwords is pretty self explanatory, but in case you don't know - it won't delete passwords out of existence for your web pages, it will just clear out the saved passwords for those sites that automatically fill in. For greatest security, click this.
Advanced	To save yourself much of this work in the future, you can make settings here to automatically clean up or block functions altogether. Scroll down to Security and you will see something like "Empty Temporary Internet Files when browser is closed/Internet Explorer is closed", put a check in the box next to it and you will not have to clean that directory as intensely or often. Check the list for an entry about Autocomplete, and if you wish you can disable some or all of it's functions there.

Caches and logs: In most programs that use these, you can clean them within the program's Settings/Options/Preferences. Check for the ability to clean them automatically when you close the program. If you don't need a log of what the program is doing, or don't expect to need support for crashes or bugs, turn off the logging function. In some cases the program does not have a way to clear these, which you will have to do manually.

Windows Explorer: This is the best interface for manually removing what could not be removed through the preceding methods. Look for folders under the programs called cache, temp, history, logs, and in those programs with web browsers built in may be a 'browser' folder. Examine their contents to see what you can remove, especially when the files have the extensions .tmp, .txt, .htm/.html, or .log. If Windows Explorer is set to thumbnail/preview some of these files you will very quickly be able to see what they are and determine if they can be deleted. (Using the thumbnail/preview function will slow normal use, so you could turn it on for this then turn it off again.) Programs that use ads very often store them in a folder named as above or even as simply as 'ads'. You may need to keep the folder itself but be able to delete it's contents. Unless you have altered the software not to load them you will get new ones but old ones won't be filling up drive space. Remember to empty the Recycle Bin if you are not holding the Shift key when deleting things.

Surprises:

When you install software, browse the internet, and share files (by any means) you can get more than you asked for. Most often people know when they get the most malicious of these extras - virii, trojans, and worms. For those, you should have an anti-virus program and keep it updated as frequently as the program will let you. Scan often, and everything you get. Aside from those items is a type of software often bundled with other things in the name of commercial viability and 'customer service' described most fully as scumware. Adware is the subtype that sends you advertising, without your interaction in most cases. Spyware is the subtype that monitors your computer and internet activity for the purpose of 'research' to 'better serve you'. Yeah, right. Here's how to tell it goodbye.

Add/Remove Programs: As mentioned previously in Using msconfig you can look for some of these programs there to uninstall them safely and cleanly. This is your first best option to get rid of the more compliant of these programs.

Adware/Spyware scanners: There are a variety of these available, and can be found for download for free in most cases. The one with the biggest name and probably best reputation is Adaware available at http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/. I personally prefer this application, and have used it with good results. (My personal 'endorsement': I installed it, used it, uninstalled it, and checked for any peculiar changes and leftovers and found none - not even in the registry!)

Now that the junk is out of the way: Installing Software

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