CompuClever Blog

Improve Startup

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Why settle for a computer that is slow?  Maybe we come to expect that our PC is just not as fast as it used to be – but why?  There are a number of reasons why you are getting poor performance.  We are going to narrow it down in this article to one area of concern: Startup time.  Typically, we download applications and they will by default run when you start your system.  Do you need these to be running every time you start the computer?  It is not likely.  There is no advantage to having them run prior to when you need them and software programs are designed to start very quickly on demand.  Software programs are designed to start very quickly.  So let’s use your available tools to trim this list of startup items.  If there is still an issue with performance we can try out a few other available tools.

Even Microsoft makes the point:

No matter how fast or shiny computers might be when they’re new, they all seem to get slower over time. That state-of-the-art PC you bought last year might not feel like such a screamer after you install a dozen programs, load it with antispyware and antivirus tools, and download untold amounts of junk from the Internet.
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Spring PC Cleaning

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It’s spring time. What a wonderful time of the year. We tend to feel energized from a restful winter season and it’s time to take on chores that were neglected or “to do” items that set the stage for our busy endeavors ahead. One of these tasks is cleaning your PC so that it runs efficiently. Believe it or not this process does not have to be equivalent to tearing one’s hair out and it can be very fast using the right tools. In the end you may have two important chores accomplished – a better organization of personal files and dead weight that we can refer to as “clutter” is removed.

We’re going to start off with some information on clutter and how to assess how much free space you may have on your PC. Keep in mind that you may have plenty of free space and still have plenty of clutter on your PC. Assessing the situation can help in determining how your PC is performing and how well it responds to some clean up!

Clutter – Time to Clean

By “cleaning” we are not talking about throwing away things that may have some importance. We are referring to removing what can be considered clutter and organizing files we want to keep. Continue reading...

Looking back and moving forward

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During the year 2013 we covered a wide range of topics and moving forward we think there are many suggestions and recommendations that can be used in dealing with PC issues you may be facing right now.  So, we embark on a two-part adventure: to review the best of our articles and to highlight what PC tips and tricks you can take advantage of immediately.  What better way to step up to the plate when asked: What is your New Year’s resolution?  We hope it’s to take charge of your computing needs so that your PC works for you! This summary of our top PC stories for us is a celebration of a year’s correspondences to you our readership.

The following topics include our top stories that we find will give you an upper edge on PC good practices and regular use:

Security & Privacy

Digital security – updates and trends
Edward Snowden hit the news this past year and opened up a whole can of worms in relation to surveillance and the reams of digital information that is readily available.  Our information article broached the subject of the digital universe and our level of exposure to surveillance.  We have become participants and are increasingly more involved in the creation of digital information that can be accessed from online means.  Continue reading...

SyncToy – A free tool for PC backup

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Synopsis:  In some of our previous articles we have advised our readers to perform a backup of files for a variety of good reasons including to avoid loss or destruction of data file and to better organize files so as to reduce clutter and free hard drive space.  We have also recommended Microsoft’s Sync Toy and have encouraged users to run this free tool when doing backup procedures.  In this article we are going to go in to some depth on how to use this technology.  While we do not benefit from others using this program, we do feel its merits are to be shared.  There are some terms and actions that require explanation and instruction.  Once you get familiar with this program you can be backing up files on a regular basis and you’ll be impressed by just how fast and easy it is.

What to Backup:

When thinking about backing up your PC we suggest you visualize types of computer files in three categories: system files, application files, and other files (including your personal data).  System files are those items that are critical to your PC for it to run and operate as you expect it to.  These files are part of the operating system and they are typically hidden and are not meant to be modified, moved, deleted, or tampered with. Continue reading...

Foistware – Messing Up Your PC Experience

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Synopsis: How often have you experienced changes in your computer without knowing how it occurs? It could be that your Internet browser opens to a new homepage or your search engine is no longer the same. Or maybe there are more items in your Browser toolbar or you are getting popup messages appearing. It could be that, in general, these changes have slowed down your computer performance in one way or another. These changes are the direct result of something now known as foistware. This is also known as “crapware” and is appropriately named. In this article we will begin by describing the condition and then move into methods of detection and prevention. In our follow up article, we will get into more details of how to remove these items and restore your browser settings.

What is foistware?

Our CompuClever support team is dedicated to assist our customers who experience a noticeably slower PC in terms of performance. Recently when performing our initial investigations with the use of our support tools we have frequently come across common changes that result in poor PC “health”. Examination revealed that these changes were the result of what is currently considered foistware.

Having foistware on your PC can range from a mild annoyance to a real impediment.  Continue reading...