Unclutterer

1. Posted by Another Deb - 05/20/2009

   Erin,
   The link to HP’s article does not appear to work.

2. Posted by skittles - 05/20/2009

   found it here:

   http://government.hp.com/taw_d.....agencyid=1

3. Posted by Tim - 05/20/2009

   I am a Macintosh technician at a good sized university. I know it is easy to be complacent and turn a blind eye to the threat of malicious software, but Macs are not 100% immune to their effects.

   We recently started putting a managed antivirus client on all Macs (to comply with State regulations) and we are running into infections that spread across departments. The funny thing is they are all Microsoft Office macro viruses that are almost 10 years old (remember Melissa?).

   Also, viruses that are spread via email won’t infect your Mac, but if you forward that email to a Windows user you put them at risk. In a mixed platform environment that is a big no-no.

   As far as our Windows tools, we use Symantec AntiVirus, Windows Defender and Super AntiSpyware.

4. Posted by Hippykidz - 05/20/2009

   I use not only defender but spybot and adaware as well. between them and my Mcaffee antivirus I have(knock wood) not had any problems keeping stuff cleaned up. I’m a Vista guy and use the startup manager to keep tabs on the sneaky little devils trying to run themselves. In addition to scheduled scans I manually run each of them monthly. Doing this with a manul search through the “hotspots” seems to keep my pc healthy and happy.

   IMAGINE WHIRLED PEAS

5. Posted by Sheryl - 05/20/2009

   I use Avast! anti-virus, Spyware Blaster, and Spybot (all free.) AND though even “safe” sites can be a cause of infection, I also stay away from the notoriously questionable ones (porn and gaming sites, etc.) and never open unfamiliar or suspicious email.

   So far, I haven’t had a problem.

6. Posted by Dimitar Nikolov - 05/20/2009

   1) Don’t buy huge hard disks. Hundreds of gigabytes of space won’t make your files organized.

   2) Keep everything in separate folders – one for downloads, another one for music, the third one for movies, etc. If your computer is used by more than one person, create some separate disk space for each user. This way everyone will have personal space and you won’t worry if somebody is going to mess up your file organization.

   3) Delete clutter, store important files. If you don’t have enough space for something new, burn a disk. Otherwise feel free to remove the movie you watched yesterday or the free PDF ebook that you won’t read again anyway.

   4) Use online storage. Some important files will need to be stored. But why locally when you can access them anywhere from the web? There are enough online storage spaces such as Box.net where you can upload private files.

7. Posted by gypsy packer - 05/20/2009

   My ISP provides McAfee for a small charge, but it consistently infects me with RBackdoor, a trojan, with each daily update and I have to remove it. I have AdAware on one computer and Spybot on the other, run Windows Defender on both, but Allume’s Internet Cleanup’s “additional cleanup” scan, a purchased program which originally was included free with another suite, catches trojans and spyware that all the rest miss. Unfortunately, Allume still does not provide IC for Vista. Thanks for the suggestion to check Startup Manager!

   I, too, stay away from porn, gaming, and file-sharing sites.

8. Posted by Nic - 05/20/2009

   We’ve been having problems so the nice tech at work suggested both Windows Defender and Malwarebytes.

9. Posted by Ryan - 05/20/2009

   I’ve been shoehorned into the PC whiz of my family, constantly trying to keep their obsolete machines in line through the tangle of email attachments and messenger woes.

   My favorite program is CCleaner for cleaning out the fluff on your hard drive. It’s amazingly fast, after an initial use if your PC is a file dump. Other than that, I don’t use much in the way of spyware removers unless I actually have spyware.

   Here’s my checklist on what to do:

   1. Download and run CCleaner

   2. Delete unused programs and files, turn off unused services (Google works best here).

   3. Run a disk defrag and restart, then run CCleaner again.

   I can’t tell you how well this works on older PC’s or even newer ones that have seen some extensive use. Other suggestions for keeping your PC clean is organizing your data separate from your OS by means of partitioning your hard drive. It’s much easier to organize your own directory rather than use Windows built in My Documents and such. Also use a comprehensive file naming system particularly for photos, music and documents. Keep things together, but try not to get too carried away with file hierarchies.

   Hope that helps.

   Also, you might want to visit a website called TweakHound.com. Very extensive guides on how to both setup and configure your PC for speed.

10. Posted by skittles - 05/20/2009

    zone alarm: I control which programs connect with the internet (especially IE). I decide when a program updates & find out why BEFORE the update.

    ad-aware: I clean what cookies & adware are accidentally accepted on my computer.

    anti-virus: a paid one… but with manual updates, not automatic…

    FIREFOX!! with add-ons…. adblocking, flashblocking, etc. and cookie control.

    partially because of the “dial-up” experience, I absolutely dislike anything that is processor-hogging, memory-hogging, bandwidth-hogging. I dislike moving graphic ads & distractions… love adblocking & graphic blocking abilities. I still block videos until I want to see them, if I want to see them.

    I “fix” computers for friends & associates… They will tell me that their computer is crashing or running slow.. and I’ll see a news, weather or other streaming program running in the background… and I’ll explain that the problem is that program.. but they can’t ‘live’ without that program!! even when it crashes their computer (usually an older one) or makes it run really really slowly…. not to mention explaining that their computer is completely infected with adware… I clean up the computer & I try to explain about “safe computing”… I feel as if I’m teaching sex-ed… “Just say NO!!” (yes, I’m rolling my eyes)

11. Posted by Varun - 05/20/2009

    I use CCleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com/)which seems to work well for me.

    Thanks for the great Shortcut Tips and Tool in the next post.

12. Posted by Dan - 05/20/2009

    @Dimitri, I agree and it works out well. I took my old laptop and put it in the basement with all 3 of my printers and external hard drives. Now that my wife and I are on 8GB netbooks, we keep everything in contextually seperated folders on the external hard drives. Like the physical stuff in our house, if we dont use it we remove it (except pictures). We also use GDrive to backup important docs just in case. So far the system has worked out well. We can share files, access any printer that we may need and keep the house and hard drives free of stuff.

    Like a spring cleaning sometimes a fresh start is the best way to go. Backup what you need and start over from scratch. You’d be suprised how lean and mean your system will run.

13. Posted by Jeff - 05/20/2009

    I’m a gnu/linux and messes are not tolerated as a matter of protocol. The filesystem doesn’t need to defrag, trusted repositories prevent malware, and the packaging and config systems don’t allow for installation clutter.

    Of course, switching to gnu/linux creates more problems than it solves at first, but clutter isn’t one of them!

14. Posted by J Reed - 05/20/2009

    I’m a PC. As unbelievable as it probably sounds, I’ve been doing quite well with no virus software other than what comes with Windows XP for the past four years with no problems. My computer boots and runs faster and I don’t have to manage the additional software. I run periodic free virus scans which have only caught something that may have been an actual virus once. I do have a firewall and am careful about email attachments and websites. I’m also sure to get all the Microsoft updates.

15. Posted by Chris - 05/20/2009

    I use Avira for my antivirus and antimalware needs. I also use microsoft defender. Firefox with adblock plus for a more uncluttered web experience. Ccleaner is another good tool someone else mentioned, I run it every day automatically with windows task scheduler. It is also very important to be sure that windows update is running so you have all the latest patches (they come out every other tuesday)

16. Posted by Rue - 05/20/2009

    I use CCleaner to clean up unnecessary files, Malwarebytes to get rid of malware, and AVG Free for viruses. If I have any problems that those things can’t take care of, I simply Google the problem and follow the suggestions there.

    I found Malwarebytes to be really good, though – my in-laws’ computer had a fake antivirus program installed. I was on Facebook and it started popping up notifications, and the computer got slower and slower until finally it stopped letting me go to any Internet site. I downloaded Malwarebytes onto a flash drive and installed it on their computer – after running just the simple quick scan the problem was gone! (Beware the complete scan, though – on our Vista laptop it took nearly three hours to run. If you’re having problems, though, you should run it.)

17. Posted by Alyssa Day - 05/20/2009

    I’ve been reading your column for a while and just wanted to say thanks! I didn’t even realize I had Defender on my computer. Just ran that and realized what the space problem I’ve been having is and how to fix it. Cleaned up 60 GB on my hard drive – huge difference. Now I can store all my books without fear. Thanks again!

18. Posted by Glenn - 05/20/2009

    I am a penguin. So like Mac users, viruses and malware are not a real issue. However as an IT manager with a lot of PC’s to support and a very tight budget, I get the best results with the following procedures:

    1) No peer to peer file sharing. Set up a file server on your network… preferably some form of *nix with RAID. This keeps the PC’s safer from an infected pc on the network. It also keeps users from clogging their PC’s with individual copies of files and programs that everyone uses. Then once a month or so we can have a cleaning day and purge the junk on the single fileserver.

    2) We run XP Pro and users are set up with “user” level privileges. If they need to install software, they can log in on a separate admin account. That way they really have to decide whether or not they want to take the time to log off to install that extra junky piece of software.

    3) AVG antivirus and Malwarebytes. Spybot and adaware get killed/corrupted by infections right off the bat. Malwarebytes plugs on and finds them, in my experience.

19. Posted by Dan Jolt - 05/20/2009

    For Windows users:

    Try the free http://windirstat.info/

    This will show you a visual map of your entire computer and make it extremely easy to spot areas that need cleaning.

20. Posted by Erin Doland - 05/20/2009

    These comments are great! Keep them coming!

21. Posted by Peter (a different one) - 05/20/2009

    I useful tip is to create a separate user on a PC that is not an admin. This will keep junk from being installed, because you don’t have the privileges. Granted you will have to log in under the Admin account to install new software, but so be it.

22. Posted by Elizabeth - 05/20/2009

    Windows Defender is NOT a good spyware program. It never finds any errors in my system, and on our work systems it frequently locks up and refuses to finish the scan, then continues to yell at us because we haven’t run a scan.

    AVG antivirus, Malwarebytes, Spybot Search and Destroy, and AdAware are all programs I have used with success in the past. But Windows Defender is not. It might find some things but you cannot and should not rely on it as your sole protection. Please don’t.

23. Posted by Jesse - 05/20/2009

    I’m also a helpdesk tech for a good sized company. At work, we use Symantec Endpoint Protection and in cases where we suspect infection, MalwareBytes AntiMalware.

    In my personal life, I’m a Mac. But I’m called on daily to look at PCs, and have found a combination of 4 things helps stop infections:

    1) Use Firefox, not Internet Explorer. There are so many known holes and vulnerabilities in IE, it’s just not worth it.

    2) AVG Antivirus. It’s free, works great, and doesn’t hog system resources on older computers.

    3) MalwareBytes AntiMalware. Use it.

    4) Be conscious. This applies to life in general, but in this case it means pay attention to what you’re doing. If that email looks suspicious, DON’T OPEN IT.

    This has kept the one and only PC in my house working great with zero downtime for 3 years now…

    As for clutter, I use the same rules as for decluttering a room or shelf. If you haven’t looked at or for that file in 6 months, get it off your system. Back it up to external storage, or just dump it. You can probably find it again anyway, especially if it was emailed to you and you use Gmail…it’ll be there as an attachment forever…

24. Posted by infmom - 05/20/2009

    My first computer hard drive was 32 megs. Yup. You can’t even buy a flash drive that small any more.

    Of course, that was in the DOS days when files did not take up vast stretches of hard drive real estate, and you could get fabulous software that fit entirely on one floppy disk.

    Still, I got into the habit of never using my hard drive for dead storage, and that is something I have never un-learned. Besides, although CDs and DVDs don’t last forever, they do tend to last longer than hard drives do.

    Besides running CCleaner at least once a week, I also go through my hard drive with Windows Explorer on a regular basis and just look and see what’s lurking there that I have forgotten about. If the stuff seems worth keeping I put it all in a zipfile, copy that to another location (either a backup DVD or my external hard drive) and delete it from its original spot. If the stuff does not seem worth keeping then it gets the heave-ho (and I make sure to have CCleaner empty the recycle bin next time around).

    I also defrag my hard drive from time to time, especially after I’ve deleted a bunch of junk. I run SpinRite every six months to make sure the drive itself is in good shape. That takes a long time, but I have other computers to use while my main one is chugging away checking itself.

    I have AVG Free antivirus and Spybot Search & Destroy running, and so far neither one of them has ever raised an alarm. I hope that will continue.

25. Posted by John @ Hard Work Blogging - 05/20/2009

    Working as a IT Consultant for the last 10 years i will only work with systems that meet some basic requirements. Systems without these i require they allow me to implement them or i will not work on their machines.

    Business machines:
    Managed Anti-virus (Norton if my preferred)
    Anti-spyware (Windows Defender and Spybot)
    Firewall (Hardware preferred)
    Backup system

    Friends and Family:
    Anti-virus (AVG or Clamwin)
    Anti-spyware (Windows Defender)
    Sync files system (Mesh, Fileshare, Drop Box, etc)
    Firefox, Opera or Chrome

    My own computer has no anti-virus, only has Windows Defender because it is a Windows 7 beta machine. I reinstall Windows 2-4 times a year because cleaning programs like CC Cleaner don’t get systems clean enough. I don’t do things such that i don’t get viruses or spyware.

    I organize files by file type and point Windows to those folders instead of the my docs, my music, my videos, etc. These are all on an 1.5TB external hard drive. I keep everything and move old files to an archive folder i clear out when i run out of disc space.

26. Posted by David - 05/20/2009

    “Is your PC a mess?” seems to ask if you have wasted space on your computer, but it really is about security, which most people have hit upon here.

    My biggest complaint for wasted space is duplicated software/files. How many text editors or word processors do we really need? (For example, G/Vim, Joe, X/Emacs, Kate, KWord, Nano, etc.)

    How many folders do we need to store files in? I would recommend caution/understanding before using Dimitar Nikolov’s second recommendation. I think the idea he is looking for is “everything has a place, and everything in its place,” but what often happens is something like “Well, I have all my photos in this folder, but I keep a copy of the ones I use for wallpapers in a different folder, and the originals for my web work are kept in this folder over here, …” and the next thing you know, you have 15 copies of the same image (sometimes at the same resolution!).

    I don’t remember the name of it for Windows, but I do remember seeing an application which would search for duplicates files on a drive. There are a number of example shell scripts online which would do the same thing for Linux.

27. Posted by Amy - 05/20/2009

    I use only one virus scanning program (Norman) and I rarely run it. But then again, I don’t download movies, music, etc. (which might be a rare thing for someone my age [20 years old] to do) and I stay away from weird looking e-mails (especially with attachments) and I actually don’t have business on weird looking sites. I think that quite diminishes my risks at getting infections when you compare it with people constantly downloading stuff. I do a scan now and then when I feel like it, and I’ve never had any problems with my laptop in the three years I’ve had it, and never any problems with the computer I used before (it broke down last year, but it had been in use for 7-8 years or so, I think it was his time).

    On file organisation: I did a spring cleaning two weeks ago in which I reorganised all my files. I also deleted a LOAD of files. I can really recommend it if your filing system isn’t working for you (or if you don’t really have a system).

    Step 1: Do an assessment of what you store on your computer and then decide what you want to keep (that is, what you need).
    Step 2: Create a new filing system based on your assessment and what you think is important.
    Step 3: Create the new folder system and then start going through all your folders an files. Put them either in the new filing system or delete them. This might take a while. I spent a whole evening, but it’s all very uncluttered now.

    If you feel uneasy about deleting stuff, you could also burn a cd with all your files and think of it as a Maybe-box that you will look at in 6-12 months or so.

28. Posted by neff - 05/20/2009

    windows defender is really not very good spyware protection.

29. Posted by Spyware Blockers - 05/21/2009

    Making sure your your computer is free from viruses,malware,adware,spyware etc. is an important step to make sure your computer is running at it’s optimal level. Antispyware software, antivirus and firewall software along with frequent operating system software updates are all crucial steps to prevent your computer from bogging down. Running routine and scheduled antivirus/antispyware scans can be effective for most potential computer infections, however some of the most damaging viruses may not be detected by any of these software programs. The best spyware blocker software will include 100% “Real Time Protection” to prevent spyware from being installed in the first place. Another vital feature is “Anti-Rootkit” technology. Rootkits can allow a hacker, admin level access to your computer allowing him to take complete control of your computer. And it can even be accomplished without you even knowing it. Although many of the free antispyware programs available are fairly effective in many cases, they usually will not include these top level prevention technologies. The updates of free antispyware softwares may also not be as frequent, potentially allowing a new, undiscovered virus outbreak access to your computer. So the antispyware/spyware blocker program you choose may be tied to the amount of protection that you feel comfortable with. Practicing safe internet operations is a very good step in preventing spyware from being installed on your computer, but you better make sure that no-one else uses your computer without the same level of caution as you!

30. Posted by Suzyn - 05/22/2009

    Thanks for this post! I downloaded CCleaner last night, and it found 415MB of junk on my ‘puter.

31. Posted by hello world.. war - 05/27/2009

    The HP site only lists Defender because the program comes preinstalled on HP machines shipped with Vista. If you want to tweak your security for the better, you really want to download a standalone antivirus package. (Just mind that the free ones (AVG, avast, Avira Antivir) are about as functional and good as the expensive ones. Don’t let anyone rip you off!)

    Recommended free software:

    Browsing: Opera (lightweight, the one I’m using right now)/Firefox (lots of add-ons, views pages that Opera won’t: for example Facebook.com)
    Cleaning: CCleaner (great basic cleaner)/ Revo Uninstaller (excels at a thorough uninstall procedure)
    Security: AVG, Ad-Aware

    It’s good to see a lot of love for CCleaner. It really is the most efficient and user friendly cleaner program out there.

    But in addition to some people complaining that Windows doesn’t uninstall programs thoroughly, I can highly recommend Revo Uninstaller. It goes through the regular uninstall procedure but afterwards it asks you if you want to search for leftover files, and usually it finds a whole list of small files you might just want gone.

    If you just have 5 or so programs that you want uninstalled, the Revo process doesn’t make the biggest difference, but if you’re a casual downloader and you like to try a lot of software out (if you have too much time on your hands, in other words, you lazy young slacker!) Revo can really give you a sense of difference. It just feels good to know you removed the software completely.

    But the real reason I want to mention Revo is that it has an additional file cleaning tool similar to CCleaner. the thing is, it seems to find different stuff (just found 50megs on my PC) than CCleaner does, so I wouldn’t use one of them without the other. As freaky as that is!

32. Posted by nike shox - 06/09/2009

    But the real reason I want to mention Revo is that it has an additional file cleaning tool similar to CCleaner. the thing is, it seems to find different stuff (just found 50megs on my PC) than CCleaner does, so I wouldn’t use one of them without the other. As freaky as that is!

33. Posted by Charlotte NC Real Estate - 06/09/2009

    I use a package of free shareware: AVG for viruses, ZoneAlarms for firewall (most important) and spyware. Windows Defender is OK. Also run windows update everyday. Stay safe!

34. Posted by Allan - 06/16/2009

    You really need to do this type of stuff. Little things can creep onto your computer from the darnist places too. You think you are safe with anti-virus, but things still get on there. It’s like ants getting into the house. All they need is a really small crack.

35. Posted by Seksi Babi - 06/17/2009

    horny 18 year old girl … please IM me, skolopendra@hotmail.com. I have pictures, S2R.

36. Posted by Joey - 06/17/2009

    I got help from http://the-spyware-removal-guide.blogspot.com/. They list a bunch of free programs that did the job.

37. Posted by Kassenrollen - 06/28/2009

    I use Antivir Avira and Hijackthis, works good for me

38. Posted by Aroursigo - 10/04/2009

    Don’t dumb it down. The audience is smart and gets what you are doing.

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