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Advicenators discussion: FAQ: speeding up a windows computer
theymos wrote Friday June 8 2007, 2:58 am:
I won't give you all my secrets, but here's how I speed up my computer. It will also make your computer reasonably secure, and give you some of the best applications. Do these things only once:
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►Go to start, then run(I will just say "run" from now on). Type
msconfig
Go to the startup tab. UNcheck things you don't use. You can't permanently break anything in this section, but you can stop some things from working temporarily. If you don't know what something in there is, google what is in the "startup item" column. When you're done, press ok. You don't need to restart.
►Run:
sysdm.cpl
Go to the "advanced" tab. Click "settings" under "performance". Go to the "advanced" tab. Click "change". If you have a different(not the one windows is on) *hard disk*(not a partition or floppy/cd disk) with more than 6GB of free space left, choose that at the top; if not, leave it. Click "custom" and put 4095 in BOTH boxes. Click "set" and then ok on all the windows.
►Restart the computer.
►Download tunexp:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
In the various menus, activate:
-disable paging executive
-faster shutdown
-file allocation size tweak
-optimize prefetch
-increase NTFS performance(If you know your drive is NTFS, or you bought your computer in the last 2 years)
-defrag boot files
-ultra-fast booting. When you get a black box, which defrags the computer, hit CTRL+C and then close the black box, if it doesn't close by itself. We will be defragging a different way.
-speed up windows IRQ handling
-dns cache increase
-If you don't have any other users on the computer, "disable" fast user switching. Otherwise, set it to "manual"
-disable messanger
-if you have your windows install(not recovery) disk, put it in the computer and run "system file checker"
►Run:
services.msc
To set something to "disabled" or "manual", right click it and, using the drop-down, select it. Then click ok. Don't worry if things are already set how I describe them, or if a certain item is missing.
Set these to "disabled":
-Alerter
-Clipbook
-Distributed Link Tracking Client
-Error Reporting
-Indexing Service
-Messenger
-Netmeeting Remote Desktop Sharing
-Network DDE
-Network DDE DSDM
-Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
-Remote Registry Service
-Routing and Remote Access
-SSDP Discovery Service
-TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper Service
-Telnet
-Terminal Services
-Universal Plug and Play Device Host
-Upload Manager
-WebClient
-Windows Time
Set these to "manual":
-Portable Media Serial Number
-Removable Storage
-Secondary Logon
►Run:
control netconnections
Find the connection you use to connect to the internet. It's not "local area connection", unless that is the only one there. It will probably be the name of your ISP. Right click it and select "properties". Go to the "networking" tab. Select "internet protocol(TCP/IP)", and click "properties". At the bottom, click "use the following DNS server addresses". In the first one put 208.67.222.222(the dots are there already). In the second one put 208.67.220.220. Click ok on all the boxes.
►Download tcp optimizer:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
After it's downloaded, right click the file, and "cut", then go to "my computer"(located in the start menu on most computers), then your windows disk(usually C:), and right click>"paste". Open C: and leave it open.
►Stop any downloads you have open. Close limewire and any bittorrent applications you're running.
►Go to:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Select the pyramid nearest you(will usually be gold) and wait. Remember the download speed it gives you
►In C:, run tcpoptimizer.exe. On the top slider, slide it to the speed that was nearest yours at speedtest.net. In the middle, click "modify all network adapters". In the lower right, make sure "optimal settings" is checked. Click apply changes, then ok.
►This is very important. Uninstall real player and quicktime.
►Restart your computer
►Download all of this, and install it. If it opens the actual application, close it.:
- [Link](Mouse over link to see full location) When you choose the components to install on this, select "lots of stuff" from the top drop-down menu
- [Link](Mouse over link to see full location) Set this as the default for "all images", when it asks you.
- [Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
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In the next section I'll guide you through installing applications you will need to run often
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►Download and install spyware terminator: [Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Install updates, and do not integrate clam av. Set it to "beginner"(it doesn't actually matter, since we'll modify this later). Allow anything it says(in the lower right) for now. Open spyware terminator. Start a "full system scan". When it's done, skim the results to make sure it didn't pick up any false positives, then click "remove". Go to "real time protection" in the upper right. Make sure ALL of the checkboxes are selected. Go to the "advanced" tab. Make sure everything except "show blocked alerts" is UNchecked. Click "save changes". Go to "application guard", on the left. Go to "startup'. Move the slider to the left. Go to "services", move the slider to the middle. Go to "system guard" on the left. Put "sytem.ini" and "host file" to the middle, "file extensions" to the left. Put everything in "internet guard" to the middle. Go to "settings" in the upper right. Go to "scheduler on the left". Make sure the top 2 checkboxes are selected. Click save. Exit spyware terminator. If it asks, say you want it to minimize, not close. Run a full system scan with spyware terminator every 2 weeks.
►Download and install spywareblaster:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Open it and update it(on the left). Go to "protection". Click "internet explorer, and check both boxes, and then do the same for restricted sites and mozilla/firefox. Close it. Update spywareblaster every 2 weeks.
►Download and install spybot search and destroy:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Install sdhelper, but not teatimer(this is default). Run it and close the little wizard thing in the upper left. Update it(left) and install all updates. It will probably restart itself. Go to immunize(left) and immunize everything. Run a scan and remove everything. Run a scan and update this every week.
►Download and install the most recent version of DirMS-S here:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Run it every 1-3 weeks. More often if you use the computer more.
►Download and install the free version of antivir:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Update it and run a scan right away. It will update itself automatically in the future. Run a scan every week.
►Download and install the free version of WindowsCare:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
When you run it, uncheck "optimize windows" and "personal information". Run this once every 2 weeks, or more often if you install a lot of applications.
►Download and install ad-aware free:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Run it every 2 weeks.
►Download a firewall.
-For computer novices, zonealarm:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
-For intermediate users, COMODO:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
-For advanced users and users that use peer-to-peer programs a lot, don't use a firewall. Use a hardware firewall, like a router or a computer with smoothwall installed if you really need the security(you probably don't).
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The next section is optional. Using the programs I recommend will enhance your experience, but might take some getting used to. Some may be unnecessary for you.
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►Use agent ransack for searching your computer, instead of windows search:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
►Use the best browser for you:
-For beginners, users who don't care which browser they use, and people on extremely low-end computers, Opera:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
-For intermediate+ users who want customization, firefox:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
-For firefox users who can live without their extensions, k-meleon:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
-For people who want to use IE, IE7:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
(Opera is the fastest, the most user friendly, and the least resource-intensive. Firefox is customizable, but big. K-meleon is a faster firefox without extensions. I'm sure you're familiar with IE. See my browser comparison:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
)
►Instead of using all the different IM applications, use Pidgin or qnext, which combines them:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Pidgin handles more IM protocols and is open source, but qnext has more features. I use pidgin.
►If you want to browse anonymously, use tor or I2P:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Make sure you set up a tor server, as well.
►Use mozy to backup your computer, for free:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
►Use infrarecorder to burn cds:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
►Get money for just being on the computer:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
►Contact me for technical support:
theymos@lycos.com
theymos wrote Tuesday July 3 2007, 5:55 pm:
Before doing things in the second section, remove all of your antispyware, antivirus, firewall, and other security applications. To remove applications, go to start, then run. Type:
appwiz.cpl
And click the "remove" button next to whatever you want to remove.
If you use a paid product, I doubt they are superior to the ones I recommend.
theymos wrote Tuesday July 3 2007, 6:09 pm:
Update:
I've had bad experiences with it, but you might like miranda IM instead of the ones I mentioned:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Please use this mozy link instead of the one I mentioned, it allows me to get more storage(I *did* write this guide for you):
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Opera is a good browser for advanced users too, I highly recommend it.
I recommend strongly against a software firewall if you use peer to peer even a little bit. It only offers a small amount of protection.
These antivirus are also good:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location) (AOL=teh suck, but this isn't developed by them, it's kaspersky with the AOL logo on it)
You should run DirMS immediately after you install it.
theymos wrote Monday August 20 2007, 9:20 pm:
Do not install the K-Lite mega codec pack from the site I mention above. There is a new version, and Free-Codecs is stupid and doesn't update. If you have it already, uninstall k-lite. Then install this:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Follow this guide to install Quicktime:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
If you use Avast antivirus, you don't have to also use spyware terminator.
theymos wrote Thursday August 30 2007, 7:06 pm:
Uninstall and *restart your computer* before installing the new version of K-Lite.
Check out my antivirus comparison for more antivirus options:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
theymos wrote Thursday August 30 2007, 8:32 pm:
Mozy has redesigned their website and have hidden the free option, you can still get the free version by clicking here:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Cux wrote Monday September 3 2007, 1:28 pm:
I didn't do all of it- but some of it actually helped.
Thanks theymos!
theymos wrote Tuesday September 4 2007, 9:09 pm:
You're very welcome!
Cux wrote Tuesday September 4 2007, 9:16 pm:
By the way- I downloaded Firefox- and I love it. Like its on my mom's computer- but I like it a lot more now that my computer moves faster and its just a great browser.
theymos wrote Tuesday September 4 2007, 9:31 pm:
Glad you like it. It is a bit memory intensive, and I wouldn't recommend it for systems with under 512MB of RAM.
Matt wrote Thursday September 6 2007, 12:45 am:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Does that actually work? I'm not sure if it does... I just leave it there for the timer.
theymos wrote Friday September 7 2007, 5:09 pm:
Some of the settings fasterfox applies work, and some ruin servers. Remove fasterfox and follow this guide:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
These are the settings I have personally changed:
►editor.singleLine.pasteNewlines=2. If you copy something that is over 1 line long, only the first line is pasted into the address bar. This fixes it.
►layout.spellcheckDefault=2. Firefox only spellchecks large text fields. This makes it check small input fields too.
►layout.word_select.eat_space_to_next_word=false. When you double-click a word, firefox also selects the space to the right of it. This makes it not do that.
All the settings in the guide I linked will either slow firefox down or make it use more RAM, so I keep them at the default values. I did at one time use nearly every tweak that guide describes, but firefox would often freeze and use in excess of 1GB of RAM.
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