Anyone have any reccomendations for a GOOD utility to clean-up and restore some of the speed to a system. My wife keeps downloading crap to her computer and it's to the point where I need to do something with it, (short of re-formatting and re-installing everything.) Running Windows XP Pro SP3. Thanks.

Absolute shield internet eraser, lite version is good for wiping temp files and other crap.

Also you should download and run the free version of this:

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

You'd be surprised at the crap websites load on you computer without you knowing about it.

I'll give that a try, but I think it needs more. Probably need to clean all the garbage out of the registry to start. I just didn't want to to spend 2-days reloading all her software and setting it all back up again.
(I figured someone here must do cumputer maintenance at work and would know of something that works.)

No need to reinstall software. I have PC's still running after 9 years (yes 9).

XP is temp file pig. IE is even worse. Try to use Google Chrome or Firefox.

To clean stuff up:

1) Create a user on your pc say "admin" that has max rights & permissions.
2) Do not use this account for anything other than cleaning up you PC.
3) Keep the pw to yourself so the family does not use it.
4) Reboot PC.
5) login to "admin"
6) Open My Computer
7) locate c:\Documents and Settings directory
8) There is a directory for each user
9) Goto C:\Documents and Settings\{USERNAME}\Local Settings
10) Delete all files & directories under these directories for each user directory :
Temporary Internet Files
Temp
History
11) This will delete temp files and cookies but you need to purge cookies once in a while anyways because some are bad for your PC.
12) goto c:\windows\temp and delete all the files in this directory except any files created today (cannot delete open files).
13) right mouse click on C: Local Disk icon
select properties
14) Click on Disk cleanup ... this may take some time
15) When the window comes back check off all items in the list except for "Compressed files"
Click ok
16) Now click on TOOLS tab
17) Click on "DEFRAGMENT NOW" to open window
18) Click ON "DEFRAGMENT"

This last process could take anywhere from 1 mins to 5 hours, so let it run with nothing else running.

Note: It's good practice to always have at least 30% free disk space on any drive. If your drive is less than 30% then buy a new drive.

Question: How fast can a car with 1000hp go if it on has 1st gear? In other words the transmission in this case is the weakest link.

Your computer's weakest link is memory and hard drive.
Get at least 2-4 GB of RAM and the fastest hard drive you can afford and I guarantee the family will think you just put in a turbo charger!

It's also a good idea to run Spyware freeware to get rid of that crap as well. Also run your full scan of Antivirus.

I have been configuring PC's since 1984.

Thanks Gus.
I used to work in the computer repair business, but that has been a lot of years ago and I haven't kept up that well.
This one is just her computer, she doesn't get to use mine.

Malware bytes was the ONLY software I found that would effectively remove all the crap and pesky Trojans that would not be erased by other software. I keep it on the desktop and run it every few months. There is another good simple DOS one for Trojans, cant recall the name as it is a funny name...and its on my home unit...I'll try to find it...all freeware.

DO NOT search google for freeware clean up utilities, many are worse than the affliction and add more then make you pay to remove em!!! Bastards!

Sooooo this!

I am so tired of having to repair family member computers because they thought they were being smart by trying to clean up their computers. I swear I could have a second job doing this kind of stuff.

Yea, I agree on that, which is why I asked here. I don't mind buying one as long as someone can tell me it actually works!

Me too! I only own about 5 myself, but have to maintain about 15. And I really hate doing phone "tech support!"

I use the free version of this product:

http://www.lavasoft.com/?domain=lavasoftusa.com

Used it for 5 years now

I just found Microsoft Security Essentials (free at http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/support.aspx?mkt=en-us ) and it finds stuff scans with McAfee, Lavasoft AdAware, and Malwarebytes all missed.

There is a bad one going around called ALUREON.H or TDSS that really slows things down and messes with redirecting sites. Only the Security Essentials both found and removed it.

Also, I'm not real computer literate so I subscribe to the Kim Komando newsletter, use her website and occasionally catch her radio show for all kinds of computer advice explained in plain language. http://www.komando.com/

Security Ess is Anti-Virus. Adaware is Anti-spyware.

Be careful...MS is new to this space and they tend to bury there apps into the O/S and run like pigs and difficult to remove.

Good example of this is IE. Ever tried to uninstall the pig? Try Chrome to see the huge difference in performance.

def of Pig - big memory user that will slow down your PC.

Gus, I suppose I don't really know the differences between virus, trojan, adware, malware, worms, rootkits or spyware. I do know my McAfee stops and eliminates some of them, my SBC Yahoo online protection finds more, AdAware finds a few more, Malwarebytes finds even more and now MS Security Essentials found about six (including that ALUREON mess) that they all had missed for I don't know how long. Since I ran the MS SE two days ago the computer and internet is faster.

I will have to see what Chrome is. I have and tried Firefox but was disappointed with it.

Actually I like Firefox, switched about 12 months ago and have had far fewer viruses and NO popups so far...once it's set up I forget I am not using IE

I hear a lot of people like Firefox. To me the appearance looks like a grainy low resolution screen capture. Maybe there is an adjustment for that?

I have been using Firefox almost exclusively for 7-8 years now and think it is a wonderful product. I have never had any issue with resolution. I cannot imagine that it is a Firefox issue at all. There must be something else wrong with your system I would also highly recommend Firefox's sister software, Thunderbird for email.

another vote for Firefox, lite, clean and fast.. but I haven't tried chrome?

plus you can get detailed cookie information about each website and remove the ones you don't like, keep the helpers you do

I support over 1000 desktops across the country for our company.

Corporate-wide we use ESET for antivirus, but I use Microsoft Security Essentials at home. I am a low risk user, as I am familiar with the social engineering methods used to push malware.

For spyware removal, I use both Malwarebytes.org and superantispyware.com.

IE can be tweaked to automatically clear temp files on exit, it's in the Tools-Advanced menu. This helps a great deal.

In addition to keeping a dedicated administrator account for install and cleanup purposes, it's a good idea to boot to Safe Mode before scanning with many utilities, as it is less likely that malware services and processes will start at boot. Safe mode is accessed by pressing F8 as the computer first starts.

I tried chrome but was not impressed....removed it almost immediately...can't recall specifically why but I seem to recall them trying to package a lot of Google style tool bars with it. I like my browser relatively clean.

Thanks everyone. I think I have it running better now.
Been running McAfee this year for virus protection but it doesn't seem to catch much, including the "fake virus" trojanASPX.JS.win32 that was on there.

Vikki, Thanks, I always use the Safe Mode when I need to clean up or get rid of a virus. I used the Malwarebytes on this one, Didn't try the Superantispyware but I think I have used that in the past. Does ESET work well for you?

ESET has been much more satisfactory as a corporate shield than Symantec could have dreamed of being. It has a threat shield that will disconnect the network connection if it senses a threat, and can be programmed to alert, shut down, or other action. After cleaning machines that were compromised while Symantec was in use, we have had ZERO threat incidents (per independent audit and testing) on the covered machines. It also has a central management and monitoring console.

I have not tried the personal edition of ESET.

Thanks Vikki, I'll have to look at that some more.