JonathanT's Cleanup Kit
Tune-up utilities are needed to keep your computer running fast and error-free. There are a variety of tasks tune-up programs can do, such as disk cleaning, disk defragging, registry cleaning and registry defragging. It is especially useful for people who use resource intensive programs, like most modern computer games.
All-in-one packages are an option, but many people find the lack of control frustrating, and it's more likely that you'll be attracted to the use of several specialized packages which offer more settings and better user control. This approach is less convenient than a one-click package that "does it all", but it's more customizable, offers more powerful cleaning functions and most importantly, it's also less dangerous, as it will encourage you to stop and think.
There are many different tune-up utility combinations that can be used. Many of you are using some of these utilities already, but for those who aren't, here's my "freeware clean-up kit" suggestion:
Disk and Privacy Cleaner:
CCleaner
Sweepi
MRU-Blaster
Disk Defragmenter:
JkDefrag
PageDefrag
Registry Cleaner:
CCleaner
Registry Backup and Compactor:
ERUNT
Uninstall programs you don't use with Revo Uninstaller.
Use a startup manager such as Autoruns and disable unecessary startup items. You could look at a startup programs database, such as this one by Bleeping Computers.
These are suggestions only. There are some splendid alternatives in each category, which you can find in the appropriate software categories at this site.
I recommend that you run the cleaning programs monthly. After each monthly Windows update is an excellent time to run a clean up. If you install and uninstall a lot of products, you may want to increase this frequency to weekly or even daily.
Registry cleaning is potentially dangerous and should only be used when your computer does not seem to be functioning normally, e.g. error messages or Blue Screen of Deaths.
Do check the settings for each program before you run it, particularly CCleaner (some people find the default settings a little aggressive).
Remember that cleaning your PC always involves a small element of risk, so backup your data and create a System Restore Point before you start.
If you have never tuned up your PC, then you should see a real improvement in speed and responsiveness the first time you run these programs. However, on subsequent runs the improvement may be much less noticeable.
Related Topics
- Best Free PC Tune-Up Utility
- Best Free File Cleaner
- Best Free Browser Scrubber
- Best Free Duplicate File Finder
- Best Free Registry Cleaner
- Best Free Disk De-fragmenter
- Best Free Startup Manager
- Best Free Program Uninstaller
Product Details
CCleaner
Website: www.ccleaner.com/
Download link: www.ccleaner.com/download
Author: Piriform Ltd.
Version: 2.13.720
Date: October 27, 2008
Download file size: 2.82MB
License: Freeware/Donationware
Operating Systems Supported: Win9x, Me, NT, 2000, 2003, XP, Vista
64 Bit Version Available: Unknown
Portable Version Available: No
Other Languages Supported: English, Albanian, Arabic, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech/Slovak, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Russian, Serbian Cyrillic, Serbian latin, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish
Additional Software Required: None
Sweepi
Website: www.yooapps.ch/
Download link: www.snapfiles.com/get/sweepi.html
Author: YooApplications
Version: 5.4.00
Date: May 29, 2007
Download file size: 4.9MB
License: Freeware
Operating Systems Supported: 98, ME, 2000, 2003, XP, Vista
64 Bit Version Available: Unknown
Portable Version Available: No
Other Languages Supported: Dutch
Additional Software Required: None
Other Relevant Information: Development seems to have stopped
MRU-Blaster
Website: www.javacoolsoftware.com/mrublaster.html
Download link: www.snapfiles.com/get/mrublaster.html
Author: Javacool Software
Version: 1.5
Date: March 30, 2004
Download file size: 496B
License: Freeware/Donationware
Operating Systems Supported: 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP
64 Bit Version Available: Unknown
Portable Version Available: Yes
Other Languages Supported: Unknown
Additional Software Required: None
Other Relevant Information: Development seems to have stopped
JkDefrag
Website: www.kessels.com/Jkdefrag/
Download link: www.kessels.com/JkDefrag/index.html
Author: Jeroen Kessels
Version: 3.36
Date: September 1, 2008
Download file size: 467KB
License: Open Source
Operating Systems Supported: 2000, 2003, XP, Vista, 2008
64 Bit Version Available: Yes
Portable Version Available: Yes
Other Languages Supported: Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Italian, Spanish
Additional Software Required: None
PageDefrag
Website: technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897426.aspx
Download link: technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897426.aspx
Author: Mark Russinovich
Version: 1
Date: June 9, 2006
Download file size: 44KB
License: Freeware
Operating Systems Supported: NT, 2000, 2003, XP
64 Bit Version Available: Yes
Portable Version Available: Yes
Other Languages Supported: No
Additional Software Required: None
ERUNT
Website: www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
Download link: www.snapfiles.com/get/erunt.html
Author: Lars Hederer
Version: 1.1j
Date: October 26, 2005
Download file size: 772KB
License: Freeware
Operating Systems Supported: 2000, 2003, XP, Vista
64 Bit Version Available: Unknown
Portable Version Available: Yes
Other Languages Supported: Unknown
Additional Software Required: None
This category is maintained by volunteer editor JonathanT. Registered site visitors can contact JonathanT by clicking here.
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No problem, I'm always looking to play around with freeware. I think this sort of article is helpful at providing strategy, and it has the advantage of being resource friendly.
Since I wrote before I have become less interested in Advanced SystemCare since they now disable features in their newest Beta version.
Disk and Privacy Cleaner:
1. Ccleaner;
2. Revo Uninstaller file cleaner, Windows Disk Cleaner;
* PC Decrapifier (run at least once).
Disk Defragmenter:
3. JkDefrag;
4. Auslogics Registry Defrag.
Registry Cleaner and Registry Backup:
5. Comodo Registry Cleaner.
For the Extras:
6. Glary Utilities (my favorite all-in-one, for when I'm too busy to mess around with all the other programs, and the context manager, shortcut fixer, and other accessories help).
Preventative Measures (Prevent the Need for Cleaning, as much):
* CCleaner set to NSA Secure Delete (or so): sometimes things that you clean come back automatically unless they get shredded;
* Revo Uninstaller.
Save Space/Resources:
1. Autoruns startup manager;
2. Press F8 before windows loads and select safe mode, then run defrag and it will defrag better;
3. Follow this guide: http://www.techsupportalert.com/make-vista-run-faster.htm;
4. Remember to turn off Windows features you don't want. Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn windows features on or off. Clean the start menus and desktop by deleting unneeded clutter.
Don't forget KCleaner! It's still in beta, but is a great alternative/complement to CCleaner. Does Windows Disk Cleaner clean anything which CCleaner doesnt? It seems redundant to me...
Personally I like the Advanced SystemCare beta over Glary, cause even though it's restricted, it's got a disk defragmenter which Glary doesn't have.
Hi, thanks for the list. Here are my current favorites. These are all Vista compatible and haven't caused me any problems. I also like to minimize the number of programs I use, so some programs are in multiple categories.
Disk and Privacy Cleaner:
(1a) CCleaner
(2a) Advanced WindowsCare 3 Beta (AWC 3)
(2b) AWC 3 AutoCare (but I don't use it now since it is poorly designed; I hope they improve it)
(2c) AWC 3 Disk Cleaner (in its system utilities) or/and Windows' Disk Cleaner
(3a) Zsoft Uninstaller's Disk Cleaner; Revo Uninstaller has one too.
Disk Defragmenter:
(4) JkDefrag
(5) Auslogics Registry Defrag
See Jeroan Kessel's JKdefrag manual for my pagedefrag method (I manually set it up by following the directions under "How do I defragment "c:\pagefile.sys"?")
http://www.kessels.com/Jkdefrag/
Registry Cleaner:
(1b) CCleaner
(2d) AWC 3 Beta (new and improved deep scan)
(6a) Spybot S&D (a mini reg cleaner that searches for a few things that most others do not search for)
I have also tried Eusing and Easy Cleaner, but I also want to stay away from tampering too much with the Vista registry.
Preventative Measures (Prevent the Need for Cleaning, as much):
(1c) CCleaner set to NSA Secure Delete (or so): sometimes things that you clean come back automatically unless they get shredded.
(2e) AWC 3 set to DOD Secure Delete
(3b) Zsoft Uninstaller or Revo Uninstaller or both
(6b) Spybot S&D File Shredder
Suggestions:
*Run the PC Decrapifier at least once, even if you installed Windows from scratch because it cleans a couple wasteful windows programs. It will also give you the option of removing just about any program too, but I prefer to use an uninstaller like Zsoft.
http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/home
* Remember to turn off Windows features you don't want. Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn windows features on or off.
* You could also clean the start menus and desktop by deleting unneeded clutter. Some programs help clean the desktop, but I like to do it myself.
* SUPERantispyware comes with a BootSafe program that allows you to simply restart in safe mode. Safe mode allows you to defrag more files since running files will not be defragged. Or you could press F8 before windows loads and select safe mode.
* Use a startup Manager. The Spybot S&D Startup Manager is pretty good. Also the Ccleaner Startup Manager is pretty good. Also the various AWC 3 Beta system utilities are pretty good.
* Read Gizmo's guides on safe-surfing (whether for at home or in public) since programs like Sandboxie will help automatically delete your web tracks after you are done (this is a good complement to the privacy cleaners at the top).
http://www.techsupportalert.com/safe-surfing.php
http://www.techsupportalert.com/improving-public-terminal-security.htm
*** Only if you like risk taking! If so, then you can clean your system services manually. There is a guide by briard that has a section on cleaning windows services. You may not need to do this at all, because AWC 3 Beta optimizes system services by turning off several.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/make-vista-run-faster.htm
References, Possibilities, and Other Alternatives
For Ccleaner, Defraggler, and other stuff:
http://www.piriform.com/
For AWC Personal, AWC 3, SmartDefrag, and other stuff:
http://www.iobit.com/
For Auslogics' Disk Defrag and Registry Defrag:
http://www.auslogics.com/en/software
For Spybot Search and Destroy:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
Zsoft Uninstaller:
http://www.download.com/ZSoft-Uninstaller/3000-2096_4-10409090.html?hhTe...
Revo Uninstaller (if you want more than Zsoft):
http://majorgeeks.com/Revo_Uninstaller_d5706.html
Hi
Thanks for sharing your information!
Autoruns is also a very comprehensive startup manager.
Personaly I use only Ntregopt. Erunt does not compact the registry like you state in the review. I would also say if he uses JKD he doesn't need Defraggler. SSD is completely outdated.
Thank you for your response. I tried out Defraggler, noticing that its out of Beta testing now and it looks pretty good. I'm not sure what the defrag freespace function is all about, though. I actually think that it is best to stick with just one main defrag program (excepting a registry defrag and/or pagedefragger) and not to use more than one for optimizing and sorting, at least not at the same time and certainly not in different sorting or optimizing modes. So if you know what you are doing then it will probably be fine, but most other users should choose only one main defragger (and that includes not selecting AWC 3's smartdefrag option, but I do allow it to defrag regularly when it cleans). For example, you need to verify that they optimize or sort using similar methods, such as by name or by last access or just whatever. Otherwise you might get the two working against each other and the files just going back and forth, creating more wear and tear.
Though, it should be noted that I don't use Defraggler anymore, and that I just wanted to post the website for the company that makes Ccleaner (it just happens that they also make Defraggler). I personally like to mix and match, taking the best programs from different types of companies/programmers. But I like to know something about the people who make any program I rely on regularly.
SSD is actually up-to-date in a number of ways: it regularly updates, it improves its interface and programming (for example, look at its immunizations now), and it has greatly increased its list of things to search for. That said, most find that it is not nearly as good as SAS and MBA combined at combating spyware. But I rarely get spyware. SAS alone is fine for me unless it find something (but I use AWC 3 and SSD for second opinions), and then I would go looking for a full spyware removal guide. So, I look more at the extras and decide to use a second anti-spyware by what other goodies it has. SSD has a lot of tools that I like, and I am used to using it.
The AWC Automated Care function is now a little improved in the new Beta release on the 19th, but it still displays a large report that does not automatically go away like a lot of other pop up messages. I dislike that because it prevents me from allowing AWC 3 to autostart on other computers I maintain for novice users, who get a little panicky or confused about any pop up message boxes. But I use it now on my computer and it is pretty good.
original poster
Hi
I thought ERUNT bundles Nregopt with it?
Thanks
They are two independent programs, erunt for backup, ntregopt for defrag and compress. Yes, you have a bundle @ larshederer, but you can also do independent downloads, or you can install one and not the other. There are also portable versions of both programs available.
PS: Nice to know your current ID is 'JonathanT' !, I was wondering where 'James Smith' was !
Hi
The link I provided (Snapfiles) downloads a bundled package, so I guess it's OK.
Yes, JamesSmith was a pseudonym and this is my real name.
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