The guide for spring cleaning windows XP

This thread aims to serve the purpose of providing a solution to most problems. If you have done ALL of the steps listed here to spring clean your pc, then please post your problem and I will try to help.

1. Cleaning

1.Download diskkeeper
http://www.majorgeeks.com/Diskeeper_Lite_d1207.html

Defragment C: drive

2.Download Revo uninstaller
http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_..._download.html

Tools/Junk files cleaner/Scan/Delete all

3. Download Ccleaner (During installation untick install yahoo toolbar)
http://filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/

Cleaner/Untick all torrent programs you have/Tick prefetch if the 1st time use this program/Run cleaner
Registry/Scan for issues/Fix all issues

Tools/Startup/Google all startups/delete all bad startups

4.Download Tweakui
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...powertoys.mspx

Taskbar/Start menu/Disable balloon tips
Logon/Unread mail/Disable show unread mail at welcome screen
Repair/Rebuild icons

2.Settings

1.Folder options
Folder options/View/Untick automatically search for network folders

2.Visual tweaks
Start/Control panel/System/Advanced/Performance/Settings/Visual effects/Untick animate resizing windows and more

3.Recover memory from system restore
Control panel/System. Set recovery to 1%

4.Banish error reports
Control panel/System/Advanced/Error reporting/Disable.

5.Refresh rate
Desktop/Properties/Settings/Advanced/Refresh rate/Set at max

6.Temporary internet files
Internet explorer/Tools/Internet options/General/Temporary internet files/Settings/Set days to keep files to 0

7.Paging file
Right click My computer that is on desktop/Properties/Advanced/Performance/Settings/Advanced/Virtual Memory

Change both max and min to 1.75 times of your ram. (You should have seen your ram when you right clicked My computer)

8.Hibernation
Control panel/Power options/Hibernation/Disable

9.Services
Run services.msc

Google all services and delete invalid ones, disable not needed ones.

To delete

Start/Run cmd
Type: sc delete <service name>

OR by registry

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services

Warning: backup your registry in case you screw up)

If you're using home computer, disable these

Alerter
Apple mobile device
Clipbook
Error reporting service
Task scheduler

Please note that these services are legit:
Npkcsvc (There’s a Trojan with the same name. If you get popups then it’s the Trojan, if not, its nprotect gameguard)

3.Registry settings

Increase Internet Download Connections


[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings

Create DWORD: MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server
Setting for Value Data: 10

Create DWORD: MaxConnectionsPerServer
Setting for Value Data: 10
Exit Registry and Reboot

Automatically Close Applications Not Responding at Shutdown


[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop
Find, AutoEndTasks, change value to 1

Exit Registry and Reboot

Modify Shutdown Time for Services to Close


[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
Change WaitToKillServiceTimeout value to 1000
Exit Registry and Reboot

4.Deleting unnecessary files (my favorite part =D)


Browse through EVERYWHERE and delete files you don't want/use anymore like text files, pictures, music. Also look through your program files you folders that are left behind even after uninstalling. How about sorting your favorites in your internet browser?

Do note the xerox folder is a driver "purchased" by windows that is installed when you connect a printer and has to do with print preview. It is safe.

Delete undeletable files: Unlocker
http://www.filehippo.com/download_unlocker/

See where your memory is being used up: Jdiskreport
http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/

Delete Shared Documents Folder


[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\My Computer\NameSpace\DelegateFolders
Locate key {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}
Right click the key and select delete.
Exit Registry and Reboot

5. Protection (Kindly ignore 1 and 2 if you're using Firefox, since Firefox has other plugins that has these function)

1.Site advisor: Site advisor
http://www.siteadvisor.com/

2.Popup blocker: Google toolbar
http://toolbar.google.com

3.Antivirus: NOD32
http://www.filehippo.com/download_nod32/

4.Spyware remover:Spybot
http://filehippo.com/download_spybot_search_destroy/

Click mode, click advanced mode, and click ok.
Go to Settings, Settings. Make it like this:
https://2img.net/h/i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...settingone.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i120.photobucket.com/albums/o.../settings2.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i120.photobucket.com/albums/o.../settings3.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i120.photobucket.com/albums/o.../settings4.jpg

Click tools, go to resident. Tick sdhelper. When you visit sites a popup may occur telling you Spybot blocked a threat. Clicks deny to stop spyware being downloaded to your computer.
Go to system internals, scan, and fix all problems.
Click system startup, look for red highlights. If not, skip. Check the highlights. If the description has ONLY negative remarks delete the startup.

5. Adware remover: Ad-Aware
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ad-aware/

6. Speeding up other things

More icons on start menu (For easy accessibility)
Right click taskbar, start menu, small icons.

7. Programs

Media players

Flv viewer: Flash movie player
http://www.eolsoft.com/freeware/flash_movie_player/

Swf viewer: Swf player
http://www.browsertools.net/Flash-Saving-Plugin/

Multi Media
Vlc player
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Winamp
http://www.winamp.com/

Media convertors

All sound formats to mp3: CDEX
http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/

VCD-MPEG:Iso buster
http://forum.videohelp.com/topic141726.html

3GP, video to mp4, youtube to mp4, youtube downloader
http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/

at3-mp3 (read the guide you also have to install sonic stage)
http://marcnetsystem.co.uk/cgi-bin/m...9?drs=,83,39,2,

Zamzar online converion
http://zamzar.com/

Youconvertit online converion
http://youconvertit.com/

Downloaders/sharing/p2p/extraction

Bittorent
Azureus
http://azureus.sourceforge.net/

Downloader
Orbit (I reccomend downthemall plugin for firefox over this)
http://www.orbitdownloader.com/

Extractor for compressed files
7zip
http://www.7-zip.org/

Misc

Remove advertisements in msn messenger:A patch
http://apatch.org/

Password tester/cracker: Ophcrack
http://ophcrack.sourceforge.net/

Iso extraction, ripping, burning: Isobuster
http://www.isobuster.com/

CD recovery:CD recovery toolbox
http://www.oemailrecovery.com/cd_recovery.html

Reduce noise CD/DVD makes when played: Nero drive speed
http://www.cdspeed2000.com/download.html#nerodrivespeed

Audio editing: Audicity
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Easy printer sharing:Printer anywhere
http://printeranywhere.com/download.sdf

View foldersize: Foldersize
http://foldersize.sourceforge.net/

8. Useful run commands list

ipconfig -see your ip
msinfo32 OR dxdiag- Your computer stats
msconfig- Tweak your startups
netstat -b 360 -It shows you where your network is being used. You can replace 360 with any number, its in seconds between checks.
regedit - Tweak your registry
. - Opens your folder under documents and settings.
explorer.exe- Restarts your desktop if it has crashed (start menu missing, tool bar missing, icons missing)
services.msc- View and disable services

9.FAQ

1.My screen resolution keeps reseting after playing XX game
(The icons on the desktop have been enlarged and magnified after quiting my game)

Press your monitor->image control-> auto adjust.
Why this happens because resolution of your game and your desktop is different. Sometimes windows forgets to switch back resolutions so let your monitor auto adjust the resolution for you.


2. My window is missing as I dragged it off to the far corner of the screen.

First make sure you've alt-tabbed to the window, or clicked on it once to bring it into focus. Then right-click on the taskbar and choose Move. At this point, you should notice that your cursor changes to the "Move" cursor, but you still can't move anything. Just hit any one of the arrow keys (Left, Right, Down, Up), move your mouse, and the window should magically "pop" back onto the screen.

10.Lastly...update!

Update EVERYTHING

This also includes windows update: http://www.update.microsoft.com/wind....aspx?ln=en-us

Update your drivers too using radarsync
http://www.radarsync.com/