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What apps do you use to maintain your MICROSOFT OS?

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stan03

Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2003
I know there is an apps and software seciton, but there is hardly and traffic there, and this is a question pertaining to ms oses only so yea.... what programs do you use to keep windows running smoothly etc.

eg systemworks
 
Spybot Search and Destroy, Adware. Thats really all. I also have O&O Defrag. As long as you don't download tons of crap, and you stay updated there really are not that many issues with the new MS Oses.

Basically set it up, and quit screwing with it. That how people break it.
 
{PMS}fishy said:
Spybot Search and Destroy, Adware. Thats really all. I also have O&O Defrag. As long as you don't download tons of crap, and you stay updated there really are not that many issues with the new MS Oses.

Basically set it up, and quit screwing with it. That how people break it.

oh but i do dl a bunch of crap... thats all the fun :p


What is startEd? cant really google it since it spells started :p
 
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Ad-Aware, AVG allways in the background, a defrag every now and then. If I get a wild hare, I'll use something to scan my registry and then manually delete all the temp stuff.

JigPu
 
none i dont believe they are needed if you can change your registry yourself.
been using the internet for 15years never got a virus yet or hacked.
and i dont use microsoft updates either.i like my computer with no crap running in background.
i think a lot of companies have played up a scared and people are putting all this stuff in the computer so they feel better. than it runs crappy ,do to all this junk so they say they are hacked.
when they just dont know how to run windows .most of these programs say all these people are trying to get in thier computer but its real just normal web surf action going on.
i have a friend that goes through this and we argue about it all the time.says people break in his house use his washing machine,screw up his pc and leave.and they do it because they are jelous of his stock trades.i ask why you only lose money in the stock market if they can secretly get your trades they will lose money too.
 
I think much of it has to do with starting on the right foot and keeping it up too. So after I load Windows:
1) I load all the drivers, the most up to date drivers because they usually don't have all the extra crap with them unlike the CD's they give you ;)
2) GPedit.msc: Make windows mine (found in XP Pro)
3) Defrag: (MS stock Defrager) then I do it every now and then
4) AVG: Run 24/7 with updates every week (free DL)
5) RegCleanr: for registry and start up list I use it to keep an eye on new entries to my registry every week or so
6) Zone Alarm: Fire wall (free DL)
7) Google Tool Bar: keeps pop ups at bay and easy searching (free DL)
8) Then I load up all my software
 
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I should have added (and will in a second) the most up to date drivers (they usually don't have all the extra crap with them like the CD's give you ;))
 
I use:
Norton AntiVirus
Windows Washer
Tune Up Utulities 2003

Windows Washer is great for cleaning up all the junk in one swoop...
Tune Up Utilities has a lot of useful features to help you manage your system(start up manager, registry cleaner/editor etc.)
As far as the registry goes thou, i prefer to clean it myself, i dont trust these so called Registry Cleaners, none that i've used anyway.
 
- Avast (just to make sure that the downloaded something isn't more than I bargened for! This is an anti-virus scanner by the way, that is free)
- AdAware (and soon, Spybot Search and Destroy because I learned that AdAware doesn't remove EVERYTHING... it misses some stuff)
- Windows Patches (To the person who said they were perfectly fine without any patches, just know that there are viruses that infect you without you doing anything unless you have a firewall. Speaking of which...)
- Zone Alarm (Always looking for a better firewall, but this one serves very nice, for now)

And, when I am at home...
- Smoothwall (an ancient computer turned into a linux based firewall system. Look up Smoothwall in Google for more information. Also, if you are talented with conf files and alike (or mearly in asking questions) you can limit the EXTENSIVE logging so that you don't need a couple gig. hard drive)

I do have some other utilities that I can use if I run into unusual situations (with another person's computer or my own), but luckly I haven't had to use them. They are just a series of emergency boot CDs with every imaginable utility, very handy stuff.

Also, handy when something goes wrong (Visual Studio .net caused Windows XP to crash 2 minutes upon boot after an uninstall (the installer on the HDD was corrupt, I had to use the CD installer after this fiasco)), I use System Restore. It isn't perfect, but it is nice in an emergency.

Other than that, I just keep going on and hoping that everything runs smooth.
 
i use Ad-awear 6.0 Pro , AVG 7.0 , Disk Cleaner. i usally format about every 3 to 4 month's on my systems in my sig. there are two other systems here wich have the same programs there formated when needed times vairy.
 
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