Printable Computer Clean-Up Instructions

Opening Note: If this is your first time doing this, it will take a long time. Sometimes several hours, depending on how bad your computer is. After the first time, if done weekly, it will take about 20 - 30 minutes.

INTERNET EXPLORER

If you are using Internet Explorer as your browser, keeping the current version up-to-date is very important. It is free, and can be done by clicking here:

WINDOWS UPDATE

It is very important to make sure you have all windows updates. Even if you have automatic updates selected for your system, sometimes there are some that don't come in. Windows update can be found on your start menu. If you have updates, download and install them and then run it again. Sometimes more updates become available after you download the updates. Make sure to get all of the updates, there are 3 categories - critical, hardware, and software. Keep doing this until it says you have no updates available.

STORE FILES ON DISCS

Any e-mails and files in "My Documents", that you want to save, should be saved to a disc. Insert a blank disc in the drive and right click on the files. Select "Send to" and then the appropriate drive. After all files and e-mails have been moved, delete them from the computer. The more free memory you have on your computer, the faster and better it runs. Extra files, such as music and photos, really bog down the hard drive. This clean-up will not delete these files. This step is purely to make more room on your hard drive so it can run better.

CLEAN OUT UNNECESSARY FILES

1. Open the Control panel (usually found in the start menu or My Computer)

2. Double click "Internet options"

3. Under Browsing History, select "delete..."

3. Click "Delete cookies" (wait for the hour glass to disappear from the cursor before going on)

4. Click "Delete files" check the box that says delete all offline content. (wait for the hour glass to disappear from the cursor before going on)

5. Click "Delete history" (wait for the hour glass to disappear from the cursor before going on)

6. Close the control panel.

Clear Cache

1. Close all running programs, including the small icons in the task bar (e-mail, messengers, etc.). Task bar items can be closed by right clicking and selecting "exit". If that option is not available, the program will not interfere with this step, so you can leave it.

2. Click "Start"

3. Select "Run.."

4. Type: %temp%

5. Go up to "File", and click "select all"

6. Push the Delete key on your keyboard. Close the window.

RUN PROGRAMS FOR MORE CLEAN-UP

1. From the start menu, Go to "Programs".

2. Then go over to "Accessories"

3. Then over to "System Tools"

4. Then go to "Disk Cleanup"

5. Make sure all boxes in the list are checked and click "OK".

6. Download Ad-aware program(http://www.lavasoft.com/products/select_your_product.php)  This is free to download and use. NOTE: Skip this step if you already have ad-aware installed on your computer.

7. Open the Ad-aware program, follow the directions. If it prompts you for a registration code, close the window and continue using the program. The registration is for the paid professional version, and is not necessary in the free personal version.

8. From the start menu, Go to "Programs".

9. Then go over to "Accessories"

10. Then over to "System Tools"

11. Then go to "Disk Defragmenter"

12.  Click "Defragment"

13. When the Defragmenter is done, you want to run Scandisk.

14. On computers that are running below Windows XP, Scandisk can be found on the start menu under system tools, where disc cleanup and defragmenter were. If you are running Windows XP, follow the next few steps.

15. Go to "My Computer"

16. Right click on drive "C"

17. Select "Properties"

18. Select "System Tools"

19. On error checking, click "Check Now"

20. Check both boxes and click "Start"

21. It will ask if you want to schedule error checking on the next reboot, select "yes"

22. Restart your computer.

FREE ONLINE ANTIVIRUS SCANS AND VIRUS CLEANUP

1. Trend Micro Housecall - (Windows XP and Vista users - find the link on the page that says to try the new version.)

http://www.trendmicro.com/hc_intro/default.asp 

2. Panda ActiveScan -

http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/activescan.htm

For both of these, just follow the directions. They are free to use, and both offer free cleanup during the scan. Trend micro is the best, But if you still think you may be infected use the panda scan for a second opinion.

You should now be good to go! The computer will run faster and load pages better. This can be done as much as needed. I do this at least once a day. Good Luck and feel free to write us if you need help. customerservice@midwestpetfinder.com

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