How to maintain my pc?

[SilentDeath]

Changing startup programs is probably the best way to keep your system running quickly. Why have acrobat reader hogging precious RAM for a 5 second boost in load time?

Software firewalls don't interfere with anything and work fine with a hardware firewalls, why take it out? You lose lots of functions if you do. A good softwall doesn't take much memory or CPU time and is a hundred times easier to configure than a hardware based firewall. My router blocks DDOS, ping scanning and keeps my network secure but I wouldn't dare take out my ZoneAlarm.

Also, WMP is great for me, got real and quick alternative so quicktime and realplayer are toast and it actually only has a few registry entries.... it's hardly bloatware.

Ive fixed and repaired many pc's for family and friends and I have formed the opinion that if you get hacked, or get a virus, it your own fault for doing something stupid like downloading dodgy programs.

Zonealarm is imo bloatware. There are better software alternatives. From using it in the past I have got the impression they spend more time on the UI than on the acctuall firewall code.

I must admit I am using a nforce4 ultra mobo which has built in hardware firewall which I have set to anti-hacking only which should be very effective when paired with my router.

I would never bother with products from the compays: norton, mcaffee, zonealarm, etc..

For AV I use AVG which I do a full scan about once every two months, and never had any problems on any of the 10 pc's I maintain.


For video, media player classic is perfect for every use I have for video.
for stuff like cd ripping and others stuff included in WMP7+ (e.g bloatware - the combination of many crap utilitys into one large program, for convineince of chavs.) I use small programs usually from sourceforge.net that will usually do it a lot better....

Winamp5 for music etc...

[DaftpuNk]

Yes it's safe to delete everything in the temporary folders. Hence the name temporary, and hence it being full of crap.

[mike_w]

Take it I'm the only one that formats and reinstalls nearly every 2-3 monhts then ?

I do it every so often, either when things go wrong, things go slow or hardware gets changed. The most I normally leave it is six months, it tends to slow down after that.

[Jonny]

I tend to do it about every 4 months. Also, I use a program called Free RAM XP Pro. It's brilliant - puts a little icon on the taskbar and when you double click, it clears out your RAM. It also does it automatically if you're running low. Speeded my PC up no end.

[scotty6435]

You probably need a RAM upgrade if it helps by taking out files.... 1 gig and I've not found any difference with the programs.... different story with 512 though.