Your Computer Health!

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Have YOU Defragmented your hard drive lately??
YOU SHOULD!
For Windows XP.......
Goto START.....
Goto PROGRAMS....
Goto ACCESSORIES....
Goto SYSTEM TOOLS....
Goto DISK DEFRAGMENTER

Boom badda BANG...... Choose DEFRAGMENT!

Red is BAD.... Blue is GOOD! Dont worry about the GREEN. Its there for a good reason.
The process could take a LONG time. (ie 30 minutes)

Once done, you should see a noticable speed improvement.

 

[kitchenelf]

What does the red mean?

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Red is fragmented files that need to join their own. Its like a pizza thats been cut into TINY bits. Who wants a pizza in TINY bits?

 

[kitchenelf]

Oh - thanks.

 

[turtledove]

I usually defrag at least once a month and clear temp files along with caches once a week at least.

 

[lulu]

HUH?

Oh well, looks like this one is on its way out now.....my screen has failed, I can barely see what I'm typing as its all dark blue now....just hpoing I can get it to limp along til we can pick up my old IBM thinkpad from uk, then it will be RIP mac!

 

[Barb L.]

Thanks Sushi, I am pc illiterate, but followed your easy directions. ----- Weeee, I did it !!!

 

[YT2095]

you could do worse than run Adaware once a week too.
it`s Free, and you`de be surprised what it catches!

 

[Buck]

In addition to Adaware, I run Spybot Search and Destroy. It catches some things the others don't. It's free, too. Just google the name.

 

[turtledove]

C Cleaner is another good one to run.

 

[Buck]

Thanks, turtledove. I got C Cleaner and it made a world of difference. Katie E says it helped her machine too.

BIG THANKS

 

[GB]

I have been told by a number of computer experts that while defraging was uber important a few years back and prior, it really does not do much anymore because of how large drive sizes are now.

 

[candelbc]

I have been told by a number of computer experts that while defraging was uber important a few years back and prior, it really does not do much anymore because of how large drive sizes are now.

This is quite true..

When computers slow down these days, it's generally a result of Memory Resident Programs (Like everything down in your System Tray) and Spyware/Adaware..

I have done a lot of research on the value of running a Defragmentation on Hard Drives, and it's suprisingly of low value.

Of course, every PC Geek will tell you something different, but I tend to Defrag once every 1-4 years.. Even then, I don't notice any significant improvement. I work in the IT department as an Application Developer, and our PC repair technicians don't even bother Defragging any more.

On the other hand, several years ago it was very important.. Hard Drives have definitely come a long way!

My 2 cents...

-Brad

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

A combination of both actually.

To 'see' what is running in YOUR resident memory do this.....
See that bar on the bottom of your XP screen?
-----RIGHT-click on the part that is between the START button and the clock.
-----LEFT-click on PROPERTIES
-----IF... "HIDE INACTIVE ICONS" is checked, UN-check it.
-----Click APPLY
-----Click OK
Now you will be able to SEE whats running. (most of it at least) If you have MORE than 6 or 7 icons next to the clock, you most likely have too many applications running in RESIDENT memory.
RESIDENT memory is like short-term memory. The more the computer has to remember short-term.... the slower it will be. (PLEASE NOTE: Resident memory is NOT on your Hard Drive. It is using RAM (RESIDENT [or random] ACCESS MEMORY)

Think of it this way:
Short-term Memory = RAM
Long-term Memory = Hard Drive

 

[Dove]

I did that and nothing showed up...I always get rid of cookies anf history every time I start to shut down. I also defrag but most of the time I'm told I don't need to..
My real problem now is when I click on a link or URL my pc freezes up after it tells me "Microsoft needs to shut down etc." All this started after I downloaded IE7