Ways to improve PC performance

[Winmar]

What are the best ways to:

a) resurrect a PC thats loaded with stuff and performing very badly
and
b) keep regular maintenance of a PC.

My late grandad's one's pretty fucked, and I'm trying to take measures to get it into a condition where it's worth using again. I'd also like to know what regular tools I should be using to keep my PC in good shape (other than anti spyware and virus programs).

Muchas gracias.

 

[salty]

back up whatever you want to keep from it.

clean install.

Then just make sure you keep everything organised and don't install shitloads of useless applications and tools.

 

[Mark]

Yeah, a clean install will help heaps - especially if it's had Windows installed for a while.

Basically follow Mr Salt's advice

 

[Lord Tim]

Thirded!

 

[Winmar]

How do I conduct this clean install procedure? Seems to be a popular option!

 

[MeKaChrOme]

When you do finally do a clean install, defragmenting the hard drive every so often is a good idea too! I'll let the others detail the clean install, i'm less knowledgeable

 

[salty]

If you have a windows disc, when you put it in it should give you the option of upgrading windows, installing windows or repairing windows (not sure about the last one, havent done one in a while).

If you have everything backed up, just select instal windows and it should run through the whole instillation process from scratch, and reboot and run some dos stuff and warn you that you're going to lose all data and such.

Like I said, i havent done it for ages so i dont really remember how it goes, i just remember chucking in the windows disc and going from there. it's pretty simple.

 

[Winmar]

Ah ok cool, I'll give it a go when I back up stuff.

 

[Gavin]

Before you do that, download a program called Spybot, Search and Destroy. Its free and it removes spy ware and all sorts of other shit running in the background, slowing things down.
Give it a go

 

[Lord Tim]

*seconds that suggestion*

 

[Winmar]

I've done that part...I have about 3 anti-spyware programs. I'm still to get to the other part, but it's on my list of things to do asap when I've got a bit of time.

 

[Gavin]

Actually, rebuilding windows isn't always going to be much to help you. Windows XP and 2000 are very stable, and as long as you are not launching a bunch of processes from the regestry that are running in the background, your files are not fragmented, you have enough ram and enough hdd space for your pagefile. There is no real reason why rebuilding the pc is going to make any difference to the performance.