Anti-static tips for all! ;-)

So.. now that the dryer seasons are here.. it will help all yooz computin' types to know...


Static electricity can be fun, as in *Plasma* globes..

Or.. it can be lethal.. as in *Lightning* bolts..

Lightning can get into your house by way of rooftop antennas, or through the household electrical system.  *Especially* if you don't have a lightning rod, or proper circuit grounding.  One of the *main* ways to prevent lighting from getting to your *computer* .. is by using a device called a UPS, also known as an uninterruptible power supply. Commonly sold in all big box stores or medium to large computer stores. Some hardware stores carry them as well.

A power strip will only protect you from surges and line noise that comes from your electric company. A UPS will do that.. as well as blocking lightning from getting to your computer, and maintain your computer's power in the event of a blackout or brownout (power sag). A UPS will keep your computer up for about 5 to 10 minutes for the small units; long enough for you to safely save your work/files and shut down when you want to, not *suddenly* when your power goes out.  Lightning can strike right outside you window.. and your computer will not even flicker.

===================================

Now .. as for the smaller scale static electricity.. Lightning is HUGE for us.. and so too is small scale static electricity to your computer and primarily its chip components .. such as.. the main processor/CPU, RAM, video cards, and hard drives. The dielectric (insulating/non-conducting) layers in chips are at risk of having holes *punched* through them by static electricity. As well, static electricity can bridge 2 or more conducting legs of the chips, and thereby block signals from going in and out. Thus, freezing up printing or other functions.  And printers *by themselves* can have their chips affected in the same way.

Computers and attached devices can be protected from lightning externally. But they still need *internal* protection from small scale static electricity .. by you, using preventative measures.

Something as simple as grounding yourself with your finger, or a metal pen, or car key to a metal object, like a table leg. The reason it is recommended to use a car key or a pen, or even a paper clip.. is because sometimes.. that static discharge can actually be *painful*. The dryer it is, more so the chance of a discharge that you can feel.. on the upper end of the scale.. I have felt discharges to be as painful as a *bee sting*!

Another helpful item for anti-static measures .. anti-static pads that you can place underneath your computer keyboard. When you sit down.. touch the pad before you touch your computer keyboard. Because .. if not, there's a good chance that static can get into your keyboard, travel through the connecting cord, and give a very rude, *static discharge* *hello* to your computer's motherboard.

And.. if your computer is sitting on a carpeted floor.. *very bad* .. most often, carpets are made of synthetic material/something related to plastic/nylon/vinyl, etc. And these can build up and store static electricity. And pass it right through the computer case.. again.. and on into your computer's *expensive* components/chips. So,. you need to break that carpet-computer connection. By either raising the computer to the desktop, into a ventilated cabinet, or place a piece of wood or other anti-static mat underneath your computer, in order to break that connection between the synthetic carpet and the computer.

Another helpful practice.. which may be unavoidable.. yet helpful to anti-static wars.. and.. it has been said.. also helpful to your bod.. wear *natural* clothing (with the exception of wool types).. instead of synthetic.

Welp .. that's it for this session.

Til next time.. when i'll be *briefly* covering the new hard drive tech that's all the rage, and leaving old electromechanical drives behind.. because they are SO much *faster* .. SSD's!!!

This is your ol' computin' pal.. Ol' Doc CPU sayin'

Don't just calculate.. Compute!  It's just so much more fun!

;-)

Alternate Power Sources for Portables

I know.. i'm late again.. stuff IRL (in real life) rides again!

Lotsa stuff goin' on out here.. as i'm sure you've noticed in your own life.

;-)

So.. gettin' right down to it...

====================

Wouldn't it be *great* if there were *other* sources of power for charging phones, tablets, and laptops besides the wall socket and the lighter socket in your car..?  Well there are!  Yeehah!  An' i'm just the kinda guy to tell yah about 'em.

Where do you get power to charge your nifty devices if the power you normally use goes out!?

OY!!

Well, not to worry.. Ol' Doc CPU is here to help yooz wit dat... (sorry.. waxed Jurzee there for a bit)

;-)

Anyway .. it could happen .. most likely due to a power outage as a result of a thunderstorm.. or an ice storm or heavy snowstorm in the winter.. or even flying saucers over power stations!  Yup.. extraterrestrials need power too!  ;-)


So what are your options..?

Well.. good news!  There are several!

1 > Solar power > I actually have one such device that has multiple adapters for several portables; specifically for smart phones, because the solar panel's surface area is approximately the size of 2 covers of a medium sized hardbound book.  But there are *numerous* types of solar power chargers of different configurations.  For example...

Laptop

Tablet

2 > Human power > What if there's no power to charge from the wall, and it's a dark cloudy day..?  Well then .. that's where good ol' elbow grease comes in handy...  That's out there too!  Once again.. a pic is worth a thousand words.. Thusly...

3 > And.. if there's no sun or elbow grease .. Wind!  Yup.. there are actually *wind-powered* chargers!  As you can see...

4 > Concert power!  Yup.. a T-Shirt you can wear to concerts that by way of piezoelectric action.. converts the vibrations from concerts into electricity to charge your cellphone!  Niftykeenareeno!

Here it is right here...

IMPORTANT NOTE: with all the variety of gizmos.. you would be well advised to make sure what the basic electrical charging requirements are for your devices with respect to voltage and amperage. That's most easily found with a Google search for a manual if you no longer have one, or going to your device manufacturer's website to look for the model number's specifications.

Okay.. so.. those are some alternatives out there. There are others that are in prototype stage as you read this.  Such as.. Voice.. so that as you speak into your phone, you are simultaneously *charging* it!  How cool is that!?  And another .. Fuel Cell charging, using a Zippo-like gadget.. for up to 14 full charges!  A face mask that uses the air you exhale to charge a phone.  A heartbeat or pulse charger that actually uses body functions to charge a phone. Also *heat* by using a camping style frying pan that has a USB plug in for transferring the heat energy converted to electric to charge your phone.

===============

So .. like they used to tell me in the Navy.. "That oughta keepya busy for a microsecond.."  And that was a compliment.  Because they knew i'd be back real soon wanting to learn more stuff, to get a bunch more input .. so i could continue to get the smarts!

So until next time Computin' Pals.. stay tuned .. Next Blog update will have more good stuff .. 

"Fall and Winter Anti-Static Tips" .. to keep your devices from bein' fried!

And please.. feel *free* to spread the word and share the Ol' Doc's Blog.. ' one o' the few things in life that *are* free anymore .. enjoy!

And keep on Computin'!

Ol' Doc CPU

;-)

*COOL* Computin' .. :-)

Hey Computin' Peeps!

Hope you're/y'all are stayin' *COOL* out there now that the dog days of Summer are here.

But don't forget to keep your trusty hardware sidekicks.. the gadgets that these days, have become a pretty common extension of our lives/lifestyles.. *COOL* too!

Rather than writing a short novel-sized entry this time.. I'll just stick to some basic tips.  Some you may already know.. some you may not.  Some free and easy; some may cost a wee bit, relatively speakin'.. but well worth it for keepin' your computin' from overheatin' ... ;-)

1> Please give whatever computer gizmo you use (desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone) adequate ventilation. That is to say.. the *space* around said machine. In order to allow lots of airflow.

2> Also.. especially in the case of desktop computers.. if they are sitting on carpeted floor.. that's NG. The carpet acts as not only a static magnet, but a thermal insulator as well. One would be well advised to raise it off the carpet, using the shelf of a cheap computer desk, or some makeshift shelving device.. even a milk crate or two would work in the construction of same if you don't have spare change to just run out and buy a computer desk. Build your own computer desk; it could be an interesting undertaking. *You* get to design it any way you want. So, *nyah* big box stores!  ;-)

3> For laptops.. there are heat sinking laptop devices that can be purchased online. Or, here again, for those in-home artisans out there.. you can build your *own* laptop/lap cooler. I would recommend getting a piece of say aluminum. Bend it to your liking, drill air holes in it.. but do not *paint* it.. at least where the laptop will be making contact with the metal.

And speaking of heat sinking metals.. for even *better* heat sinking/cooling than aluminum.. you could use copper!  And yes, it does cost more.. but you can probably find some recycled copper somewhere.. and.. you will have the confidence in knowing that your *copper* heat sink/cooler is *SO* much more *fashionable* than those *tawdry* aluminum ones... ;-)

4> When you are not using said machines.. for the short term.. put them in 'sleep' mode. For the long term.. shut them down completely.. that includes more than just doing the normal shutdown using software.. but also flipping the computer or surge protector switch to 'off' on desktops.. or unplugging the charger from the wall in the case of laptops, or shutting off the surge protector you may have it connected to as well.

5> For both desktops *and* laptops.. look for a relatively inexpensive location (usually online is best) for buying canned air. If anyone told me 55 years ago, that in the future we'd be buying water in bottles, and air in cans.. I would have thought they needed an escort to a loony bin.  ;-)  But I digress.  So.. use the canned air for blowing out the fans inside your computer at least once every 3 months; once every 1 month if you are a regular computin' type.

For the *really adventurous* .. you could open up your computer and get better access to the fans for more *efficient* cleaning!  For desktop owners.. if at least you remove one of the side panels.. you may find a *wonderland* of dust (also my idea for a computer theme park E ride) inside .. ;-) Of course you would be wise to blow the insides out too.. as well as the internal fans.

NOTE: for a more thorough/in-depth cleaning of fans in particular.. please refer to my blog entry from February of last year (2nd blog entry below this one).. "Mysterious* CRASH problems ..solved!" Even further back in the past.. in July of 2010.. there is another blog entry similar to this one for further reference on this topic.

6> For the tablet and smartphone computin' types.. keep it clean.. so as not to build up a layer of crud that acts as insulation and a cause for overheating. And it will look *so* much more shiny and *nifty* too! You may want to consider either putting holes in the case wherein you keep those tablets or phones, or buy or make a case with holes. Better ventilation!

One type of app that will help keep the smaller computin' types of this ilk cooler.. are battery savers. Because they reduce the amount of 'on' time, not only saving battery, but keeping it cooler simultaneously. Heat is a *battery killer* too. Some battery apps will stop tablets and smartphones from overheating by monitoring and preventing overcharging as well.

7> Common sense.. don't keep any computin' device in the sunlight if you can help it. Unless of course you are using a solar charger for your device.. then, obviously, you would *need* the sun.. ;-)  Keeping a device out of the sun is *especially* a concern when leaving it inside a locked car with the windows closed.

I've read some general articles on interior car temps.. saying it can reach about *140* degrees!  Oy!  You wouldn't submit your child, your animal, or yourself to that.. please don't do it to your computer gizmo.

And that includes the new smart *watches* as well. They may not melt.. but after enduring desert/tropical temperatures.. they may not work.

So here's hopin' you and your computin' machine are *both* stayin' *COOL* out there!

And stay tuned!  Next blog entry will feature *alternative* energy sources for charging your phones, tablets, laptops, and powering your desktops differently as well.

In the meantime.. this is your ol' cyber pal Ol' Doc CPU sayin'

Keep on rootin' tootin' Computin'!

;-)

Windows XP *ALERT* .. and personal update...

Hello again!

Wow.. have *I* been away for awhile or what!?  ;-)

I'm even surprised myself to see that my blog is still here.

Thank you Google!  ;-)

Lots of stuff has been happening since my last post.. a state to state move.. medical problems.. etc.

I guess ol' techs never die.. they just get caught in a 'to do loop' of sorts and our brains get carried away somewhere else.

Oh well.. back to techy stuff...

So.. if you are *still* using Windows XP, you *need* to upgrade to at least Windows 7.  This is due to Microsoft having ceased support for XP back in April of this year; last month last i checked.. ;-)  The cessation of support by Microsoft means they won't be downloading anymore security update patches to XP.  This means your personal data is at risk of being compromised by software security breach.

To perform the upgrade, here are some things you need to do.

#1 > Download, install, and run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor from the link below.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20

This will scan your computer and generate a report that will tell you what software you need to update to be compatible with Windows 7.  And it should also advise you as to what Windows 7 package you need to install.

#2 > On some Windows machines, it will be necessary to backup your personal data, docs, photos, etc.  Then do what is called a "clean install" of Windows 7, which includes formatting before installing Windows from the Windows 7 DVD.

If you do not *have* a Windows 7 DVD, you will need to order one online, or buy it from a 'big box' store like WalMart or Best Buy.

#3 > You will then need to update Windows 7 with whatever Service Pack software that the Microsoft "Windows Updater" tells you to download and install.

#4 > Then.. you will need to reinstall whatever applications you were using before on XP and check to make sure that they are updated to the latest versions so as to be compatible with Windows 7.

#5 > Then.. you will need to update software drivers.  These are small pieces of software that tell Windows 7 what hardware it needs to communicate with.

#6 > And finally, reload all your documents, pics, etc. from backup.

The *easiest* way of updating software drivers is to buy a program like Driver Max, or Slim Drivers, or Driver Detective, or some such.  Otherwise you may be tearing your hair out to find all the drivers you need separately.

All the above is unfortunately necessary if you wish to stay with the same machine.. this is what needs to be done for a major upgrade such as this.  The *good news* is.. you won't need to do this for about another 6 years.. when Windows 7 will no longer be supported by Microsoft.

OR.. you can just ignore all the above, bite the bullet, and buy a new or refurbished PC with Windows 7 or Windows 8 already pre-installed.  And then you'd still have to install applications that you'd like to use if they are not also pre-installed on the new machine.

Either way you choose to go.. be sure you download and install a good antivirus program. I recommend Avast. It's what i use; i don't get any commission from the company that makes any of the software that i recommend.  Avast also happens to be the *most* popular antivirus software at http://www.download.com/  There are 2 other programs i am currently recommending.. 1 for cleanup.. Advanced System Care. And for full defrag and optimize.. Smart Defrag 3.  Also both at the above linked website.

Okey dokey..?

Like they used to tell me in the Navy.. "That oughta keep yah busy for a microsecond."

And that was a compliment. Because they knew i'd be back asking more questions.. wanting to learn more...

Til next time.. Keep on computin'!

Your Cyber Pal,

Ol Doc CPU

;-)

*Mysterious* CRASH problems .. solved! ;-)

I'm baaaack .. ;-)

Yeah, i know, long time no post.  Sorry.

I thought i'd said all there was to say about basic computin'.

WRONG.  ;-)

For about the last 6 months, i've been on a mysterious case of crash, shutdown, flaky stuff happening to my computer for no apparent reason that i could determine.

I keep my computer in *squeaky clean* shape .. daily.  The software is wrung out to the Nth degree!  No virus, no spyware, defragged and optimized with a passion!  I even keep a can of air handy to blow out the computer innards, i make sure to keep adequate space surrounding the computer for decent ventilation, and always make sure to shut down properly (as opposed to what some folks do, just switching off the surge protector, or using the boot button to shut down .. ouch!  ' gives me the willies just thinkin' about it).

So after verifying all that, over and over again on a daily basis .. mystery crashes kept happening.

Bad RAM  i thought..?  Cracked processor?  Video card gone gonzo?  Power supply kaput?  I even backed up and fully low-level formatted my hard drive and *completely* reinstalled Windows, did updates, reinstalled drivers, etc.

Still the mystery persisted.

Okay .. that is IT!  I said.  Time to do a close eyeball inspection like they taught me in the Navy.  Time to get down and dirty.  And that's exactly what happened.

I unplugged everything, sat the machine open on my lap, with the motherboard and other electronic guts just a foot from my wary eyeball inspection.  I mean real *close* inspection.

And boy!  Were those fans ever the *dirtiest* i have *ever* seen!

Yup, it happened even to me.  Blowing out stuff with a can of air is okay occasionally.  But to really do your computer a solid, especially if you've owned it for years, you need to remove the fans, and clean them by hand.  Yup, you need to do that.  There's no magical fan elf that will come in the night and do it for you.

But fear not!  It's easy!

You will just need 2 screwdrivers .. 1 flat blade and 1 phillips head .. a very small container (like a bottle cap size) of white vinegar .. a bunch of Q-tips, and a toothpick or 2.

After shutting down your computer and unplugging it and disconnecting it, unplug the fan(s) power cord(s) from the motherboard.  Then remove them by unscrewing the mounting screws on the computer chassis and/or unsnapping the mounts (gently) from the heat sink (the large cast aluminum thing with fins).

As well, if your computer has a separate video card, remove it also. Just one screw to remove, and a gentle pull to release the video card from the motherboard should do it.  It will likely have its own fan that needs cleaning as well.  Fans on some video cards may not be removable, so it's okay to clean it where it is mounted on the video card.  But you'll still need to remove the card to get at the fan easily.

Then set the computer aside, and using the white vinegar and Q-tips, clean those fans like your life depended on it .. or rather your computer's life depended on it .. because it does.  Because any electric or electronic part that is overheated will have a much shorter lifespan than one that is not.

Also .. before remounting the fans .. take one of the toothpicks and dig out the gunk and dust that is lodged between the fins of the cast aluminum heat sink(s). (the big one on the motherboard now exposed after fan removal, and the one on the video card)

Remount video card and fans.  Use canned air to blow out any dust that may have fallen loosely on the motherboard during fan/card removal.  Reconnect, plug in, turn on, reboot.  Done.

Mystery solved.  No more strange, mysterious crashes.

My machine is running much quieter, fan speeds are constant, and i can essentially *feel* the love as my favorite PC entity is now running cool, smoothly, and quite comfortably.

And *your* PC, or Mac, will give you many more years of trouble free run time as a function of coolness.

' til next time (which won't be so long this time)  ;-)

This is your ol' computin' pal, Ol' Doc CPU, sayin'

Happy Computin'!

;-)

' Got Backup?

As recent as last night .. lightning and thunder were havin' a *party* right over my house!

While I was calmly working on my computer.

Because .. i've got battery backup *and* file backup.

File backup is recommended at regular intervals anyway.  Because, if your computer *does* get fried for whatever reason .. lightning, hard drive breakdown, or heat failure .. you need to be prepared.  Losing important data can really ruin your computing day.

You can back files to CD, DVD, external drive, USB drive, or to the *latest* medium .. the 'cloud' ...

And there are *lots* of backup programs out there to help you along quite easily. Some even *free* .. check them out at my favorite download site .. http://www.download.com/

Just go there and use the search box, searching for something like the operative word .. backup.


Battery Backup

At *least* as important as file backup if not more.  Because if your computer gets fried due to power surge or lightning strike, file backup will be pointless if you have no hardware on which to restore files.  Unless of course you pay for a whole new computer.

Battery backups, more commonly called UPS .. Uninterruptible Power Supplies .. will protect your computer *way* better than a surge strip/protector.  Because surge protectors only take care of some power surges, and line noise.  Battery backups protect your computer from brownouts/power sags, blackouts, *and* the worst electrical hazard .. *LIGHTNING*

In fact, battery backup manufacturers usually warranty your computer to the tune of $25,000 .. because of the lockdown these devices place on lightning.

Many times, i've been sitting at my computer .. lightning striking right outside my window, and the computer keeps humming along without so much as a blink or a whimper.  And, if the power *does* go out, the battery backup gives you about 5 to 10 minutes to save your files and shut down normally.

And battery backups/UPS's are relatively inexpensive considering what they are protecting. I've seen some priced as low as $35.  One place i recommend (and i do NOT get even a penny for promotion; it's just what i have researched and found to be one of the most knowledgeable outfits with one of the most reliable pieces of hardware for battery backup) .. APC (American Power Conversion) .. http://www.apc.com/site/apc/index.cfm/ww/?

So .. there you have it .. safety for your hardware .. and software.

Sorry it took so long to get back to my blog.  Lotta stuff goin' on IRL (in real life).  But i thought, this being the prime season for thunderstorms .. it would be *most* helpful.

'til next blog time .. stay tuned .. same blog channel ...

Ol' Rotten Doc CPU

''o))

My *Fav* Fixit Tools .. for Free!!

Like Bobby Fischer once said about his favorite opening in chess .. the Ruy Lopez/Pawn to King 4, or 1e4 in today's algebraic notation, "Best by Test" .. this is my feeling about the diagnostic/repair utilities I've selected for this blog entry. After extensive research, comparison and rigorous use .. the following utilities are the ones I've found to be the easiest and most effective to use. And they all work and play very well together.  *And* have the least amount of impact on what the *human* wants to accomplish.  That is to say, cutting into your processor performance and slowing you down.

Author's NOTE: I have not received *any* compensation from the program authors of the following software.  This information is presented merely as a public service.

((click on any image below for an enlarged view of same))

<> For the PC <>


Advanced System Care

1st up .. my *ideal* for the model of the way utility software should be written .. working smarter, not harder .. "Advanced System Care."  This program is pretty much a 'kitchen sink'/do all software gadget.  But its interface is so well done, that it is a veritable *pleasure* to make repairs to your PC software. The picture below is the main window of ASC:

As you can see, the button on the right is the standout image.  And, for basic use, that's *entirely* all you need to know about!  After you install this program and open it, simply left click the "SCAN" button. The program will then proceed *automatically* through several diagnostic functions to see what needs repairing. After the scan is complete, select "Repair" if automatic repair has not already been done.

When the routines are done, left click the "X" at the top right and you're done!  Now what, I ask you, could be simpler than that!?  There is a shortcoming .. the program will not do *deep* diagnostics unless you register for the 'Pro" version.  And although it would be well worth it, the basic version does housekeeping just fine for most folks.

By the way, if you're not sure what your internet speed is, here's a website to find out:  http://www.speedtest.net/ .. when you get there .. you may/may not have to download and install a software module to facilitate the test .. then select a server location that is geographically closest to you and 'speedtest' does the rest.

This site is also *very* helpful if you are subscribed for say 10mbps (megabits per second), and by testing, you find you're only getting 7mbps .. well then .. it's time to call your ISP (internet service provider) and have them give you what you're supposed to have by way of *tweaking* your service back to optimum.


CCleaner

This is a small software gadget that I use as an adjunct to ASC.

The reason being .. in its basic form .. ASC does not cover all the 'Chrome' browser privacy deletions.  So, after I run ASC, I bring up CCleaner to finish taking out the garbage. And it's just a simple 2-step procedure, so no worries mate!

Here's the main window for CCleaner:

Just left click "Analyze" .. and then left click "Run Cleaner" .. and that's it!  You're done with this one. Just click the "X" at the top right corner of the window to put this little one to bed 'til next time ...


avast! Free Antivirus

More *free* good stuff!  Cool!

One of the few antivirus programs that is 'Windows approved' so to speak.  Windows recognizes it as a good antivirus program that is complimentary with the Windows operating system software.

After download and install, you are given the option to register for a full year.  Good idea.  Mostly because you won't be pestered after 30 days to register again.  But for *free* for a full year .. what's not to like!?  And, much like ASC, this is another program that I would *highly recommend* upgrading to the Pro version.

This Antivirus gadget watches *everything* .. your email, your browsing on the internet, your files .. *and* it updates the virus signatures library daily .. with an audio notification!  It saved me from a trojan horse virus ridden website as recent as yesterday!  When that happens, you get a *red* warning window and audio notification telling you that the website has been blocked as having the potential to cause harm to your PC.

And .. *bonus* .. you can set up 'avast!' to do a *rootkit* scan on reboot.  A rootkit is a type of malware that normal scanning while in the Windows OS may not be able to detect or repair.  It's sort of like a tick; it gets under the skin of the normal software and is harder to remove.  So it's a good idea to do at least 1 rootkit scan after you install 'avast!'  Starting at the main window, here's how:

In the left column, select, "Scan Computer" .. then, still in the left column, select "Boot-time Scan" .. in the center of the window near the top of the window, select "Schedule Now" .. over on the right hand side of the window, you have the option to "Restart Computer" immediately.  Or you can just close out 'avast!' and restart when you are ready to do so.  And please bear in mind, when you see the blue screen with the white text on reboot it is not a problem; it is 'avast!' doing the rootkit scan.

And, depending on the size of your PC's hard drive, it may take some time .. up to 30 minutes or more.  So you may want to plan to read a book or something like that.  But you should still check the progress of the rootkit scan. As it may prompt you as to what to do if it finds a problem file. Typically, it will display a number selection from which to pick. What I usually do, is type the number selection that sends the file to the virus vault.  If the file is resistant to being moved, then I select the 'remove' or 'delete' function.  If that doesn't do the trick, the infection may be so severe that the Windows OS software will have to be either repaired or reinstalled.  But I have found this only on very rare occasions.


Spybot - Search & Destroy

Not as well known as others of this anti-spyware genre.  And not a very fancy interface.  But this one digs deep; deeper than even the big-name anti-spyware programs that totally missed what this one fixed.  And it's also free .. but all these folks ask if you're so inclined, is a simple donation.  Well worth every penny. About a week ago, I was experiencing a noticeable system slowdown. And I had run all the above. Even another free anti-spyware program. And a defrag and optimize!  And still the performance hit persisted.  So I pulled up my old friend Spybot.  And it found about 6 things that the others missed!  One item in particular was a trojan horse type of web cookie watching gizmo.  I told Spybot to remove all that garbage, rebooted .. and all was right in PC-ville again; back to optimum performance!

Here's the main window for Spybot:

When you bring up the main window for the 1st time, you should click the "Search for Updates" button 1st.  Then click the "Check for Problems" button and let it run. After which it will display a list of what it found with the option to fix the problems. After you fix the problems, in the left column, click "Immunize" .. this will add preventative software medicine to Windows Internet Explorer and Firefox to resist spyware infection.  And then you're done!  Restart your computer; you should now see a *noticeable* performance gain!


Auslogics Disk Defrag

And last but certainly not the least in PC-tweakin' software considerations .. what I feel is the fastest, easiest to use and most efficient defragmentation and optimization program for your Windows toolkit.

Here's the main window:

Very simple interface.  If you haven't defragged *and* optimized your drive(s) in a long time .. or ever .. you really need to take care of that.  You will see a noticeable *vast* performance improvement in your PC. In fact, this should be done at least once a month to keep program functions at optimum speed. Because the longer it takes your computer to put all the *fragments* together to get them into RAM, the slower the overall get up and go will be.

So .. simply .. select the popdown menu where it says "Defrag" .. and pick "Defrag & Optimize" .. yes, it will take longer .. but this is another notch of improved speed as a function of this program for which you will very likely be thankful.  I've always felt, that computers should do computing as *fast* as possible; the repetitive tasks that they do .. so that the *humans* can get back to doing the human stuff sooner.

Depending on how long it's been since this was done, and the size of your hard drive, and the amount of free hard drive space .. this process may take 10 minutes, or it may take hours.  If there are *lots* of red fragments on the display, it's probably best to stop it if you need to do other things.  Then set it up to run overnight, or when you leave the computer to run errands.


<> For the Mac <>

OnyX

After installation and opening of the application .. the function selected is pretty much all you need to do.  Just click the "Execute" button at the bottom, and all the de-garbage-ing routines will be done the easy way.  There are other areas to explore obviously.  But do *not* do them unless you are absolutely *sure* of what you are doing or an advanced user. In any event, you should always have a *regular* backup of your software regardless of utility usage .. because hard drives don't last forever ...  Please NOTE:  Make sure the version of OnyX that you download and use supports the current version of your Mac OSX.


iDefrag

Most excellent defrag/optimize software application for the Mac.  Now in version 2.  The image is showing a very fragmented disk, with the option to do a 'full defrag' selected.  And that's the *ideal* selection.  Especially if you've not done a defrag on your Mac in a long time .. or ever ...  And now iDefrag no longer requires you to make a boot CD to do a full defrag.  Another application well worth the money.  But .. even in it's free/shareware mode, you can still do an 'Online Defrag' without a reboot.  That alone will fix a world of fragmented hurt.


iAntiVirus

Once again .. another really nice, simple/easy-to-use Mac application.  According to reviews, it runs very fast, and does not bog down other system processes while running.  Another must-see *free* nifty utility.

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And where can you *get* all these neato programs/applications..?  Why don't I *tell* you where you can get them..?  Right here:  Download.com  Tah Dah!  ;-)

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Welp .. like they usetah tell me in the Navy .. "That ought to keepya busy for a microsecond.."  And that was a compliment.  Because they knew I'd be back real soon, asking more questions, wanting to know more stuff, and get *the smarts* ...

In the meantime .. hope all yooz out there have a *Slap Happy New Year* .. and a healthy and prosperous one too .. 'til next time ..

Peace out ...

Ol' Doc CPU

;-)