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Taking care of your system; A Dummy's Guide
Topic Started: Jan 9 2008, 05:04 PM (868 Views)
+Lt. Jessie+
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Jibbering, Troublemaking Ball of Fluff

All right, seems like people are thinking that reformatting is the best way to go to get rid of things. Technically, this is the LAST thing you should be doing...

I'll be doing this walkthrough for the Windows OS. For others, give me time to look them up or ask a friend of mine.

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For Windows 98, 2000, ME, XP, Vista, 7, 8

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  • Update all your scanning software
    • Anti-Virus (Norton, AVG, McFee, etc...)
    • Anti-Spyware (Spybot, etc...)
    • Anti-Adware (Adaware, etc...)
    • Other detection programs (System Mechanic, etc...)

  • Reboot and run System in safe mode

    • On the startup screen, hit F8 and select Safe Mode

  • Scan with everything you have (Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, etc)
  • Run a cleanup
  • Backup all your files
  • Run Defrag
  • Reboot to normal mode

If this does NOT get rid of the virus, that means you will have to do this manually, which is for advanced users only as it requires Ice Sword and HijackThis.

Most of the time, it will get rid of the malware.

If not, then you reformat. Reformatting should ALWAYS be a last resort...

I'll try to hunt around for the other OS people are running.

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+Lt. Jessie+
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Jibbering, Troublemaking Ball of Fluff

So, your software is nice and clean and set up properly, but now, your system seems to be overheating faster than when you first bought it. Solution? A good hardware cleaning.

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Hardware Maintenance

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Might want to do this outside, as things will get dusty. Also, a face mask is very good, especially if you're allergic to dust.

  • Unplug the CPU and let it cool if it was in use

  • Make sure to ground the whole system and yourself
    • Static electricity CAN ruin any component in the system, ESPECIALLY the hard drive
    • Touch the CPU then touch another metallic object so that the excess electricity can be safely discharged

  • With a NON-MAGNETIZED screwdriver, unscrew the case
    • Some systems do not have these, but instead have easy-access panels

  • Carefully remove any of the larger clumps of dust by hand

  • Take the can of compressed air with the little straw attached and blow the components carefully
    • NEVER EVER USE A HAIR DRIER OR A VACUUM CLEANER!!!
      This will lead to static build up and ruin the system with just one shock, not to mention heat damage from hair driers. Anyone who does this should be dragged out and dealt with... >_<
    • Advanced Users Only - Disassemble each part, and carefully blow the dust off, then replace the parts

  • Replace the cover, hook up, and run

This should greatly increase the performance of the computer in terms of overheating as dust is a major heat trap and a bane to healthy systems. Also, if you need to, you might want to buy extra fans to install into your system, like a high RPM (Anything above 2400 RPM) back fan or a cyclone fan that can be placed under the graphics card. Another way to reduce dust buildup is to have an air filter nearby. Those desktop filters will do just fine, but if you're in an environment where dust tends to be a norm (Like myself...), a large room air filter is a good thing to have.

It's also good to do a hardware clean every 3 months or so, depending on how much dust is accumulated in the time. For unusually dusty environments, make sure that there are filter screens for your computer and be prepared to clean the system about once a month.
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+Lt. Jessie+
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Jibbering, Troublemaking Ball of Fluff

=======================

Utilities

=======================

These are some things I use that are available for download to help maintain my computer. Some of these things do require other databases, like HiJackThis, but those are plentiful around the net. I'll update as I find where they can be downloaded, because some of these UCSD ACS gave me so I can troubleshoot my own system.

  • ATF Cleaner - Info Page
    This is a good quick cleaner, made especially for those who run Firefox or Opera web browsers. Also cleans out junk files that Windows generates so that you can have a clean system. You'll be surprised with how much junk you have on your system that you generate without knowledge...

  • VundoFix - Info Page
    Tool developed to remove Virtumonde infections, this is especially good against the .dll files that tend to creep in when other programs can't/don't catch it.

  • IceSword - Info Page
    Displays hidden processes and resources that Windows Explorer would never shows, really good if you can't find out what's making your system slow down as though it only had 64 megabytes of RAM...

  • KillBox - Info Page
    I will warn you now that only advanced users should be using this one, as this deletes process that are in progress, shutting them down and then taking them out. If it cannot be shut down, it will remove upon reboot instead. Use this one as your own discretion...

  • HiJackThis - Downloads Page
    It's not exactly what you think, but rather is shows ALL the processes that your computer is running at the time. Most malware are now made to detect and hide from this. So to run this one properly, it's best to rename the executable to something that that does not imply that it is an analyzer of some sort. There are sites out there that will help read your generated log and give you a step-by-step on how to get rid of whatever is bothering you. A good site to post your log would be at Major Geeks. They're pretty good since they'll get back to you in within the same day, if not the next, which is better than some other places, where they don't reply until a week after posting.
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Because it got old.
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I think it also needs to be said, for older windows systems, anyways, that a periodic reformat and re-install is a very good thing.

I don't know how it works with XP/Vista, but older windows, at least, develop a condition called "Windows Rot"--little bits of whatever that build up over time that make you system run strange, but for no concrete reason. A reformat and reinstall about once a year is good (or, so I'm told).
I also find it refreshing to have a nice and squeaky-clean HD to play with, something that you can rebuild brand-new from scratch.
"If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside."
-Robert X. Cringley
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+Lt. Jessie+
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I already did mention the reformatting, but that is only good AFTER you've done everything else. It is actually quite bad to the hard drive to do that if unnecessary, especially to an older one. I currently have two very old systems (95 and ME), none of which I have needed to reformat in any way. Again, this is why you need to run a clean up and defrag to get rid of these 'build ups'
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