while the computer adepts are awake..

The local telephone service has been less than reliable over the last few days; lots of crackles and some disconnects.

It was particularly flaky this afternoon and I got *broadband speed checker* to do a test. 500k rather than the usual 5 meg.

While I was there I downloaded *PC speed check* on the basis that Norton said it was OK and it claimed to be free!

The check is free however, to activate the program of improvements you have to cough up some money £19?

The report gave high importance to 17 unidentified items on system startup. As it is a desktop PC and runs permanently I don't see this is an issue.

It was happy with background applications, unnecessary services and disc defragmentation.

System and network settings, 102 items, were said to be of medium importance.

High importance was given to 17876 *junk files*!

What does it all mean? What is a junk file and why can't I get rid by other means?

Reply to
Tim Lamb
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AVG are promoting a "Speedup" toolkit which does and claims similar things. Almost enough to make me jump ship to Avast or Avira

Reply to
newshound

Probably duplicate, temp & deleted files. There are many dupe locators out there.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

On Friday 14 June 2013 22:05 snipped-for-privacy@care2.com wrote in uk.d-i-y:

And upgrade service packs and hotfixes, plus the rollback files - I found this can amount to a very large number of files and quite a lot of disk space.

Reply to
Tim Watts

I run cCleaner periodically, which seems to work without swamping you with ads and follow up stuff.

Reply to
newshound

Useful program, see:

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Reply to
Old Codger

Hello! What are you doing in here?

I have a vague idea I tried cCleaner once before and was presented with a list of files requiring a decision to delete or not.

Fear won so I abandoned the effort:-(

How does a normal *user* discriminate between junk and useful?

Reply to
Tim Lamb

Been using it for many years with not problems. I just delete the lot.

Reply to
Mr Pounder

I used it yesterday. Supposedly got rid of a lot of duplicates and broken short cuts.

Reply to
Mr Pounder

probably the majority of which are Temporary Internet Files which can be easily deleted with two clicks from within your browser. Same for cookies.

It's always a good idea to delete these files *before* you run a malware or anti-virus scan, it halves the time needed.

Reply to
Mentalguy2k8

"Mr Pounder" wrote in news:kphgpm$9hu$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

+1
Reply to
DerbyBorn

In article , newshound writes

I can sympathise with that view but wouldn't recommend a switch to Avast at the mo, currently buggier than a Turkish kebab shop with several machines I look after crippled by recent updates requiring intensive care to recover.

Reply to
fred

On Saturday 15 June 2013 18:27 fred wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Been using Avira which seems not bad - as in it does not knacker the machine.

Reply to
Tim Watts

Hi Tim, it is one of the groups that I monitor and occasionally respond if I think I can add anything useful.

Mr Pounder has hit the nail squarely on the head. Just cross your fingers and click "go".

The only problem I have found with that approach is that it takes out all the cookies so there may be the odd site that suddenly requires a sign in again.

I think most cleaners/repairers list the problems and ask permission to sort so you always have to decide.

Another useful utility is Advanced System Care by Iobit

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It lists the problems in various categories and, again, you have to decide to actually repair. Again, I kust click "go" and, so far, have had no problems.

If you do install anything from Iobit read every window at each phase of the installation very carefully. Various "extras" will get installed unless you take the appropriate action at the right time (tick/untick as necessary before clicking "proceed" each time).

Reply to
Old Codger

Been using Avast for years without any problems, currently on version 8. Also have it on my Android phone.

Reply to
Old Codger

I too now use Avira as a backup having ditched Avast a couple of years back when they bloated out the application.

Why is it that software houses think they are required to redesign the interface and architecture for a product that already works well? Some of the virus checkers are almost becoming a virus in themselves.

I think it was Avast that with a new version they inserted a file in every folder on the computer and then bloated out the registry. An un-install of the program left behind all its droppings and I had to spend a couple of hours removing all traces.

My current favoured checker is Malwarebytes and their Anti Rookit utility

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Reply to
alan

Useful group in my opinion.

Most on my original list now have a resident troll and become useless.

OK. I'll give it a go.

Hmm.. I'll keep it simple.

Reply to
Tim Lamb

I'd take what these say with a very large pinch of salt myself. Often some files are used by the operating system and windows forgets to let go of them, this can end up looking very messy, but in practice getting rid of them might not help as windows just puts new ones there. That has been my experience. Cclean is a good bit of software in its free state and seems to do all you would need. Be careful about its extra bits though, don't bother with toolbars or other google crap.

Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Junk Files ? is a very common term that describes any files that is orphaned or has no real values to the user of said computer. Junk Files are also commonly refereed to as ?ghost files? or ?phantom files? for the main reason they don?t scream I am a junk file and you don?t need me. Junk files can be have pretty much any file extension such .tmp , .exe. But what they all have in common is that they are created from regular use of your computer or Internet and will after awhile will take up memory and slow down your computer and or clutter up your registry.

In Windows use Disk Cleanup. It removes temporary files, empties the Recycle Bin, and removes a variety of system files and other items that you no longer need.

Third party:-

Free solution:- On Windows I use Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) with Spybot and Malwarebytes (free edition), ran now and again to detect and clean up . Use both as one will detect 90% of baddies and the other will detect 90% of baddies but not the same 90%. If really paranoid a third "scanner" can be used such as Ad-Aware.

Ccleaner or Glary utilities will clean up the registry (have never had problems letting either have free rein in the registry but if totally ham-fisted it is best to leave the registry alone).

Paid for solution:- I have heard nothing but good things about Malwarebytes paid for edition (lifetime subscription).

On Linux I use the "security by obscurity" method. ;o)

Reply to
soup

Not just Iobit. All download sites seem to have their fair share of toolbars, home page re-setters etc, 'helpfully' downloaded for you as a matter of course.

Reply to
soup

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