Disclaimer:

This guide is derived from personal experience. There are of course alternatives to what I recommend, but I find this to be the best way to keep your windows system running smoothly. This guide has been somewhat simplified, but it covers everything one needs to know to keep their system at top performance. Even though this guide recommends the use of some commercial software, it mentions many great fully functional freeware programs. This guide should help you keep your system running smoothly and fast for many years. People who complain that Windows sucks are just people who don't know how to properly maintain it. Also, I hold copyright on this guide and I do not approve of any sort of distribution of it without permission.

The Guide:

Section 1: Spyware

The first component of malware that will be discussed is spyware/adware. Proper immunization significantly reduces the probability of getting spyware.

1.a - Immunization

Some anti-spyware programs have options for you to run immunization on your computer to forever keep it protected from many different types of spyware. The first program is Spybot: Search and Destroy ( http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html ). Once you get Spybot installed, it is necessary to do definition updates before using it. Once that is done, go to the third tab that says "Immunize" and run the immunization process. It should permanently protect you from 8000+ known spyware programs. The second program that has an immunization feature is Spyware Doctor ( http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/ ). Unlike Spybot, Spyware Doctor is retail and the free trail may not allow you to run immunization. Spyware Doctor protects you from things that were not included in the Spybot immunization process.

1.b - Removal

Even with immunization, you're still at a small risk of getting some spyware. That, however, is nothing to worry about. The previously mentioned programs (Spybot & Spyware Doctor) have great scanners. An additional program that I can recommend for scanning and removal is Lavasoft Ad-Aware ( http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ ). The personal version is always free to use and has the same spyware definitions as the professional version. The last program I recommend for spyware is Windows Defender ( http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx ). It is free to use as long as you have a valid store-bought copy of Windows. It not only helps clean out spyware but it has many features that help improve system performance. It also deals with browser hijacks quite effectively. The four programs combined should be enough to find anything malicious on your system. If you have XoftSpy, Webroot, or Spyware Blaster as well, that’s fine. Grisoft ( http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/us/frt/0?prd=asf ) has released a free-to-use Anti-Spyware program as well. I have never personally used it, but, the company itself it very trustworthy.

1.c - General Prevention Tips

The majority of computer users get spyware from porn and keygen/crack sites. If you must be visit such sites, it's important to have a secure browser. Microsoft Internet Explorer doesn't cut it. A great alternative to I.E. is Mozilla Firefox ( http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/ ). Firefox isn't for every computer user though. It uses up around 50+ MB's of RAM when running which might be too much for people with older computers. Opera ( http://www.opera.com/ ) is another great freeware browser with many security features.

Section 2: Viruses

2.a - Protection

There is many great Anti-Virus software in circulation. However, since this is my guide I will tell you what my preferences are. Symantec Corporate Edition is my personal recommendation. Symantec has a great virus library. Booting up on its own after each reboot, it gives no pop-ups and does not interfere with one's computer activities, such as gaming and browsing. Always idle in the system tray, it uses about 20 MB's of RAM, which is practically nothing. Whenever you visit a site that contains a virus that tries to plant itself on your computer, Symantec Corporate springs into action giving you the option of quarantining or deleting. Also, it has customizable options that allow you to set scheduled daily/weekly/monthly scans. For those that cannot afford Symantec Corporate, I recommend AVG Anti-Virus Free ( http://free.grisoft.com/doc/avg-anti-virus-free/lng/us/tpl/v5 ). With millions of satisfied customers worldwide, it is one of the most commonly used freeware virus protection program. Receiving critical acclaim from some of the leading antivirus software testing organizations, ESET's Nod32 ( http://www.eset.com/ ) is also one of the best performing AV products on the market today. ESET offers a 30 day free trial in which one can experience Nod32, but after that a license key has to be bought.

2.b - Removal

If worse comes to pass and a virus has slipped by Symantec Corporate or AVG then there’s a few choices. One is to do a Trendmicro Housecall ( http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ ) scan. It's a free online scan that requires you to install a small plug-in. A second option would be to look for a virus-specific removal tool on the Symantec ( http://www.symantec.com/index.htm ) site. The last option is for the more experienced user, and that is to do a HijackThis ( http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/threat_analytics/hijackthis.php ) scan. HijackThis gives you a large raw log of everything running and gives you the option to delete/kill anything you want. HijackThis is a GREAT way to remove those pesky virus executables, but one has to be VERY cautious using it -- it may sometimes be hard to make a distinction between important system files and viruses.

2.c - General Prevention Tips

Basically, everything in my explanation on browsers applies for viruses as well. Firefox has many useful plug-ins that can keep you from getting viruses. One such plug-in for Firefox is AdBlock ( https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/10/ ). You can block out ads from specific sources with it, so you will never have to see ads from those sources when visiting different sites.

Section 3: Firewalls

If you are a Windows XP user then you do NOT need any sort of commercial firewall. The default Windows firewall is sufficient. However, if you use 2000 or older, then I recommend you get either Zonealarm Firewall or Sygate Personal Firewall. One doesn't really need a firewall though. If you do frequent downloading from Gnutella (i.e. Limewire) or if you use BitTorrent a lot, then you should consider getting PeerGuardian ( http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/ ). It blocks incoming and outgoing connections based on IP blocklists protecting your privacy over P2P. PeerGuardian can be a hassle setting up because it WILL sometimes block things like online games. You'll have to add them to the "safelist". It is important to install PeerGuardian on a partition that has a good amount of space. Its blocklists can climb to be over 1000 MB's.

Section 4: Windows Optimization and Tuning

4.a - Proper Program Removal

Make sure when you are removing programs you go to the Control Panel and do it through "Add or Remove Programs". Deleting installed programs manually leaves dead references in the registry.

4.b - Deleting of Temporary and Useless Files

To keep the system at top performance it is important to delete junk files that clog the hard drive and increase loading times. To begin, open "My Computer", then go to "Tools" and select "Folder Options". From there, go to the "View" tab and make it so you can see hidden files. It is VERY important to run occasional Disk Cleanups. Here’s a list of steps on how to do that:



After that select which partition you want to cleanup and once it finishes doing a quick scan, you can check what things to delete (you'll see how much space you're clearing up at the top). Disk Cleanup compresses old files and deletes downloaded program files, temporary internet files, temporary files, and office setup files.

If you use Firefox, clear the cache monthly by going to "Tools" then "Options" in the browser. The cache can also be found manually in the following folder:



To keep your system and registry free of trash, I strongly recommend Wintools.net ( http://www.wintools.net/ ). It is a suite of tools for increasing operating system performance. WinTools.net cleanly removes unwanted software from disk drives and dead references from the Windows registry. WinTools.net puts you in control of the Windows start up processes, memory monitoring, and gives you the power to customize desktop and system settings to fit your needs. It also adds more speed and stability for your connection and ensures your privacy keeping sensitive information secure. A great freeware alternative to Wintools.net is CCleaner ( http://www.ccleaner.com/ ). It is a simple program that removes unused and temporary files from Windows machines.

4.c - Defragmentation

Every Windows user should do monthly defragging. It speeds up the system and reduces loading times when opening directories. To do that use the following steps:




Diskeeper ( http://www.diskeeper.com/defrag.asp ) is disk defragmentating and file recovering program that restores system speed and performance. One doesn't really need it, but if you can afford it, it is nice to have.

THE END

nice job :]
do one for mac : D

New sticky Time XD

That a boy! Looking Delicious guide!

nice guide, grats on the sticky.

as always great job


This post was edited by FaLLeNWarrior on Jul 28 2007 07:27pm

nice job men

Great Job !

nice im doing this right now

MY BUTT HURTs