Keeping your hard drive clean is important in maintaining computer performance and running speed.  Follow these simple steps to clean your computer’s hard drive:

1. To start, do a Windows Update on your laptop.
2. Go to the Start menu, All Programs, Accessories, and in System Tools, select the Windows Update option.
3. Make sure you get all available security updates.
4. To make sure automatic updates are on, go to your Control Panel.
5. Select Performance and Maintenance.
6. Go to System.

While You’re at it, Clean up Your Temporary Files
While you’re in the Control Panel, select Internet Options.  Delete temporary files and cookies to clear up disk space.  Also, going to the Start menu and selecting Search, if you select All Files and Folders and type “tmp” and search.  Delete all temp files on your computer.  When you’re done, empty the recycle bin.

Disk Checks, Defragmenting, and Computer Clean Up
Next, perform a disk check, defragment, and disk cleanup on your hard drive.  To do this:

1. Go to My Computer.
2. Right-click on the C: drive, select properties.
3. On the General tab, next to the pie chart showing how much disk space you are using, click the Disk Cleanup button.
4. When the cleanup is done, delete the suggested files and empty the recycle bin again.
5. Still in the properties for the C: drive, select the Tools tab.
6. In turn, perform the Error Checking option and the Disk Defragment option.

Keeping Your Computer Clean
Perform this simple system cleanup to leave your PC running more smoothly by clearing up disk space and correcting errors on your hard disk.  Avoid the need to clean your computer in the future when you download and utilize a good registry cleaner.  The registry cleaner will perform many of the tasks you had to do manually with a system cleanup.

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Have you ever wondered what makes Windows XP slow?  In reality there are a number of things which make Windows XP slow, and there are many things you can do to remedy this problem.  This should come as a big relief to those of you who find yourself watching the minutes tick by as you wait for your computer to respond to your commands.  Even speeding up your computer minimally saves you a significant amount of time over the long haul as the time you save begins to accumulate.

One of the reasons which makes Windows XP slow is an unused network connection.  You may have set up a network in the past with another computer so that you could share files between the two computers.  Setting up a network can be helpful in many instances but it nevertheless causes your system to slow down.  This slowing down is particularly noticeable when you are restarting or booting up your computer.

Many people find they no longer have a need for their network but they neglect to disconnect the unused connection.  This means that their computers slow down for a network with no practical utility.  The remedy to this dilemma is quite simple – disconnect the unused network connection.  Follow these steps to disconnect the network:

• Open the Tools menu from My Computer.
• Click on the tab Disconnect Network Drive.
• Select the unused network drives and click OK.

Following this process is one step to optimizing your system.  A more thorough optimization requires the assistance of Regcure.  There is no better way to fully optimize your system than by utilizing Regcure.  Optimize your system with Regcure today.

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If you are presently reading this then you likely are wondering how you can speed up your computer.  Learning how to speed up your computer is not as difficult as many people believe it to be and it can greatly improve your efficiency as you use your system.  Think about how many minutes of every hour on your computer you waste sitting and waiting for your computer to respond to your commands.  By eliminating these wasted minutes you can add precious time to your day and create space to do any number of things.

Most everybody who uses a PC has Windows installed on their system.  As such, these people are all waiting for Windows to load for at least a portion of every single day they use their computer.  Let’s say you turn on your computer five times a day, and each of these times you must wait for Windows to load.  If this is the case, you are spending several minutes waiting for your computer to catch up.  What if you could effortlessly speed up this process?

The fact of the matter is that you can very easily speed up the loading process for Windows.  Here is how:  1) Click “Run” from the Start Menu.  2) Type in “msconfig” and hit enter.  3) Click on the tab labeled “BOOT.INI”.  4) Change the box labeled Timeout from 30 to 3.

These simple steps will significantly speed up Windows loading process.  But to go a step further, cleaning your registry will be necessary.  Regcure will do what you alone cannot to make your system run optimally. Download Regcure to speed up your computer and fully optimize your PC.

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Scared that you might get fooled by a worm on April Fool’s Day?

Security alerts have been blinking since last week, warning users of another strike by a new strain of the Conficker worm on the first day of April. The C-strain is expected to be more resilient than the previous ones, making it hard to detect or remove. An infection will most probably be fatal as it would require you to reformat your hard drive in order to completely eradicate the bug.

While antivirus and anti spyware makers are sounding the alarm, all you need to do in order to avoid being a victim is to be extra vigilant in checking the files that you download, the Web sites that you visit, and the portable storage devices that you attach to your computer via USB or Bluetooth.

Microsoft has already released patches and updates that could ward off a Conficker attack. If your OS is receiving automatic updates from its maker, then chances are is that you’re already protected. Of course, Windows cannot stave off an attack alone. A good and reputable antivirus software would be an excellent (and indispensable) complement to the built-in defenses of your operating system.

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No matter how fast your processor is, chances are is that your surfing speed would soon drag down due to unwanted data build up, plug-in issues, or failure to update your browser. You don’t need an antivirus or anti-spyware program for these problems. Putting grease into your laggard browser is as easy as clicking a few buttons.

If you’re using Internet Explorer, just click on Tools • Internet Options then click on Delete Browsing History. If you’re using a third-party utility suite, such as Norton Systemworks, then you have to open up its control center and choose the appropriate option to delete unwanted browser clutter.

For plug-in problems, all you have to do is disable it. In Firefox, just choose Tools • Add-ons, then Disable. In Internet Explorer, click on Start • All Programs • Accessories • Internet Explorer (No Add-ons).

As for the updates, you don’t have to worry about Internet Explorer if you’re using Windows and Windows Update is set to automatically receive patches. For Firefox, just click on Help • Check for Updates.

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In a bid to entice people to search and retrieve their laptop, a brewer in New Zealand has recently pledged a lifetime of beer to anyone who could bring its portable PC back. Croucher Brewing Co. pleads for the return of its laptop since it contains all of the company’s financial details.

So what does this got to do with the PC?

Hole in One, Twos, Threes…

Well, do you ever remember a time when your PC crashed because Microsoft or some other software maker forgot to plug some holes in their creations? While some crashes are benign, requiring you to just reboot your PC to get rid of the glitch, other meltdowns take your computer and all its contents down the drain.

I’m sure some of you have already experienced the worst case scenario that I’ve just said. You probably spent the night thereafter trying to look for your back up disks or the installation CDs of the applications that used to rent space in your hard drive. However, if you forgot to back up, then you most likely spent the night giving the customer service lady at Microsoft’s hotline a very big piece of your mind.

e-Samsonite

PCs, especially the portable ones, are the modern day bags and briefcases. It contains things that are essential to our work. To some (like the workaholics), the very foundation of their lives are built around their PCs and on the information that are stored therein. Thus, a hard drive crash for them is life-altering, to say the least.

How much, do you think, would those persons offer to anybody who could retrieve their lost data? For big companies, I assume that they would be very willing to give a hefty figure for the retrieval of the 0s and 1s that they’ve lost in their hard drives caused by malware that were able to get into their system through the unlocked gates and weak walls of their operating system.

Warrant of Arrest

In situations like that, shouldn’t it be the software maker which should make reparations for our loss? There is such a thing as a “warranty” in commercial law. However, I don’t see it being applied in defective software, or at least not as much as with the other faulty goods that are offered for sale. Could it be that there’s a separate law or rule governing computer programs?

It’s not unusual for applications to be littered with errors that need patching up. Take Windows, for example. Everybody knows that it competes with Swiss cheese when it comes to having holes and clefts. They don’t stay open for long, though, because Microsoft makes it a point to lock them up through Windows Update. Maybe the authorities are not too quick to jump the gun on software makers as long as they immediately stitch every hole that they encounter.

Your Own Sentinel

I’m not sure if anybody has already filed a suit against software authors for having lost important data or files due to faulty programming. Until such time that we learn of one, and a successful suit at that, we should take matters into our own hands by making sure that nothing could go in and wreak havoc to our PC. Of course, an antivirus would be needed in this endeavor. A registry cleaner would also come in handy in case the malware would want to rewrite the contents of your Windows registry. But don’t rely solely on these security suites and system tools, though. The ultimate protector of your computer and files is still you, the user. Always make sure that the files or programs that you’re using come from legitimate sources.

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We know what’s best for you.

It would seem that this is Microsoft’s justification for the unauthorized updates that it has conducted on its latest and previous operating systems. Windows XP and Vista users have recently complained that Windows update has modified some of their system files without warning them about it.

Windows Update (WU) is a feature in XP and Vista which automatically downloads and installs patches and updates to the operating systems. Users are given the option to either let WU get the files automatically or prompt them before downloading the necessary files. While many have taken the laissez faire approach, a good number still wants to be warned whenever patches would be installed in their systems.

So the next time you see your PC’s DSL and hard drive lamps blink like crazy, don’t sound the alarm and raise your antivirus and anti-spyware security level to “high.” Chances are, it’s just Bill Gates trying to rearrange your operating system’s files. If you’re using OS X though, then you might want to immediately cut the yellow cable.

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Are you receiving patches and other updates from Microsoft automatically?

I used to be irked at this option when I was still using a dial-up connection because the download slows up everything. I even played with the thought of deactivating the auto-download option of Windows Update. Luckily my DSL subscription got approved immediately so I shelved off the ill-advised plan of just manually downloading the updates whenever I deem it convenient.

Those who turned off the auto-update feature of Windows to save themselves from the bothersome process might have ended up getting more annoyed by intrusive pop ups. In case you don’t know, many of the patches are security-related. Malware authors have been very creative these past few years. Although I’m sure you’re anti-virus software could off ward most of the unwanted applications circulating around the Internet, some could easily bypass it.

The most recent patch that Microsoft issued plugged a hole in many of its operating systems, including Windows Vista. The update was branded as a critical one since hackers could easily access computers without the patch.

The malicious program works by modifying “.ani” files. Files bearing such extension are used in managing cursor processes and appearances. Once installed, the malicious software can record every keystroke that the user makes on his computer. You could just imagine how dangerous this type of malware is. Hackers would be able to know the log in details of your e-mail account, or worse, your bank account.

Security experts did not confirm if the authors of the unwanted program intended to use it to access bank accounts. What they do know is that the hackers are targeting the log-in details of the user’s World of Warcraft account. The log-ins of this popular multiplayer PC game will then be sold to interested buyers.

In case you don’t know, developing online game characters or accounts is a lucrative undertaking. Players spend countless hours trying to improve their account in order to play in the higher levels. Since not all are talented enough to play at the higher stages or to obtain the gadgets or features that are only available to accounts or characters that have surpassed certain tests, some have opted to just buy them off from the skillful players.

Ken Dunham of VeriSign’s iDefense has disclosed that the authors of the malicious software come from China. Microsoft was so worried about the vulnerability that it released the patch ahead of schedule.

The release of the update doesn’t ensure that the Chinese hackers won’t be able to obtain the data that they’re looking for. As I’ve lamented earlier, there are users who turned off the automatic update feature of their operating system. As a result, their units might have already been infected by the unwanted application. Many weren’t aware of this danger. I admit that I wasn’t either. This is quite surprising and alarming though, considering that Microsoft already new of the threat as early as December of last year.

For those of you who don’t receive critical updates automatically, visit Microsoft’s site immediately and install the patch.

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