Useful Computer Clean Out Tips
Here are the promised tips from iolo.com on cleaning out your computer.
Delete unused, old or duplicate files, emails, email addresses, bookmarks and favorites.
With System Mechanic’s “Remove Junk Files”, “Remove Internet Debris” or “Find Duplicate Files” tools, you can recover a lot of lost space – and a lot of time wasted while looking for files on a cluttered hard drive.
Organize your files.
Make sure to use a logical file naming system and put them into folders that make sense and are easy to remember and access.
Defragment your hard drive.
While it won’t categorize your files (you have to do that manually, see #2 above), defragmentation will speed up your access to them, again saving you valuable time. System Mechanic’s “Defragment Hard Drive” tool defragments even your Windows system files, providing noticeable speed improvements.
Back up your files and programs at least every month.
Imagine all the time wasted if your files are lost. Back up regularly to a separate device like a portable hard drive or set up an automatic online back-up service.
Uninstall programs that you no longer need or use.
To make sure they are completely uninstalled and do not leave any residual clutter, use System Mechanic’s “Remove Installed Programs” to uninstall even the most stubborn components.
Once you’ve uninstalled unused program, make sure to clean out your registry as well.
Invalid or out-of-date registry settings can slow down your computer’s boot time. Use System Mechanic’s “Repair Registry Problems” and “Defragment and Compact Registry” to save valuable minutes off your boot time.
Further improve your computer’s start-up time by removing unnecessary start-up items.
Many programs lodge themselves in start-up without your knowledge. Remove them using System Mechanic’s “Optimize Windows Startup” tool.
Once you’ve organized all your files into folders, make sure all the shortcuts are still accurate.
Use “Repair Broken Shortcuts” to get all your shortcuts in order.
For an ultimate clean out.
Try iolo’s DriveScrubber (a stand-alone utility for permanently wiping data from hard drives, offered also as part of System Mechanic Professional). DriveScrubber can securely wipe out all your hard drive data or you can use a more selective approach, removing only your personal files and leaving the programs intact. Definitely opt for this clean out option if you are planning on donating your computer to make sure your personal information is not recoverable.
For a complete PC clean out on Clean Out Your Computer Day, don’t forget your PC’s outside.
Clean the screen, dust the keyboard, clean the mouse. After all, your computer deserves some pampering too.
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Janet Schiesl
Janet has been organizing since 2005. She is a Certified Professional Organizer and the owner of Basic Organization.
She loves using her background as a space planner to challenge her clients to look at their space differently. She leads the team in large projects and works one-on-one with clients to help the process move quickly and comfortably. Call her crazy, but she loves to work with paper, to purge what is not needed and to create filing systems that work for each individual client.
Janet is a Past Board Member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals and a Past President of the Washington DC Chapter of NAPO were she has been named Organizer of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.
Janet Schiesl
Janet has been organizing since 2005. She is a Certified Professional Organizer and the owner of Basic Organization.
She loves using her background as a space planner to challenge her clients to look at their space differently. She leads the team in large projects and works one-on-one with clients to help the process move quickly and comfortably. Call her crazy, but she loves to work with paper, to purge what is not needed and to create filing systems that work for each individual client.
Janet is a Past Board Member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals and a Past President of the Washington DC Chapter of NAPO were she has been named Organizer of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.
ya you are right we have many files in system which are duplicates, and junk files data also to find manually and delete them is tricky task thanks for the tool
I think one of the most important things to do is make sure files are really organized because they can affect your’s and the computer’s productiveness. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for reading McKenzie.
Great share,,,
Well, Computer repairing and cleaning are not as easy as we think. I always go to computer repair center for fixing any issue. But if you are working on a laptop, netbook, or tablet, be sure to remove the battery, as well as disconnect the AC power, before removing or disassembling anything.
Thanks for sharing such an amazing article.
Keep sharing 🙂
Yes you are correct. This post talks about what you can do on you own, but always consult a professional, if it is beyond your expertise.
Great tips! I’ve been wondering how to get rid of all of my personal information for when I switch to a new computer, so I’m glad you recommended a program to do just that. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading and commenting Heather. You are right to be diligent when getting rid of an old computer. All to often I see many old devices at clients homes because they just don’t know what to do with them.
I liked that you pointed out that it would be smart to try defragmenting your hard drive. I didn’t realize that could help make your computer run faster. Personally, I would want to get help from an IT expert if I was going to try that.
Hi Penelope. It’s always a good idea to work with an expert. They could show you how to defrag your computer and then you could do it yourself in the future.