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what do you personally do/recomend to keep your PC at it's best? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter N.U.G.
- Start date
Well I mainly keep my PC in top shape for gaming purposes, and for this I do the usual defrag & spyware clean every week or so. I'm also a massive organisation freak, and this extends to my PC. I basically rigidly enforce the practice of installing things.. so I only ever install things I really need and all my files and programs are located on the HD in an anally-organised fashion.
Finally for 'quality assurance' and confirmation, I run 3DMark05 and Aquamark every so often to make sure the scores haven't changed much.
I also do a system reformat every 6-12 months.
Finally for 'quality assurance' and confirmation, I run 3DMark05 and Aquamark every so often to make sure the scores haven't changed much.
I also do a system reformat every 6-12 months.
ogmzergrush
LOL
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2004
- Messages
- 2,198
- Gender
- Male
- HSC
- 2002
I usually run virus and spyware scans on each of the machines here at least once a week. On top of that, I monitor running processes on each (Though not quite as regularly, perhaps a quick look once a fortnight or so). That may sound a little paranoid, but the machines are shared access and it helps me sleep at night knowing that nobody else has messed them up. Defragmenting is usually done once a month or so, and a format is generally undertaken on each machine every six months.
All the spyware/antivirus tools are checked for updates at least once a week (Those which do not update automatically, anyway), and usually at that time I'll check for drivers and other such updates through Windows Update. As another means of keeping the computers problem free, I utilise hosts files on each which block access to sites known to spread malware, etc.
On top of that dust is cleaned from the cases on all machines whenever I notice the base temperature beginning to increase (Temperature monitors are active on all machines at all times).
Of course, depending on my workload and how busy I am with other things, this schedule varies throughout the year, but when I do have the time, that's the way it goes.
All the spyware/antivirus tools are checked for updates at least once a week (Those which do not update automatically, anyway), and usually at that time I'll check for drivers and other such updates through Windows Update. As another means of keeping the computers problem free, I utilise hosts files on each which block access to sites known to spread malware, etc.
On top of that dust is cleaned from the cases on all machines whenever I notice the base temperature beginning to increase (Temperature monitors are active on all machines at all times).
Of course, depending on my workload and how busy I am with other things, this schedule varies throughout the year, but when I do have the time, that's the way it goes.
nwatts
Active Member
Your PC will always run better after a clean install of Windows, rather than your (or anyones) homebrand fixes. Windows files haven't yet been touched by anything 3rd party. Unless you're a nut with regedit, formatting every few months is vital for maintaining a clean and fast PC.politik said:
Also, there are a few sites around which help you put together your own install disc. I've got one set up, with Windows XP Pro Sp2, with Office XP, Photoshop/Illustrator CS, Adobe Reader, burning tools, drivers, folding client, AVG antivirus and zonealarm firewall. It's excellent for when it comes to format time, essentially all I do is throw my documents on a CD and format away.
I always have a second partition (the big one) to keep all my files, and just use the smaller partition as the OS host. I can format away with impunity and all my files, installers, movies etc. will be there. Of course this isn't the safest way to 'backup' incase the hard disk physically fails, but negating that issue it works very well.
nwatts
Active Member
I find my system runs quicker if documents/installs are stored in the same partition as where the OS is installed. However, as you suggest, things like music and movies are always best kept separate, which i've done. Including a small 10gb partition for downloads - so anything I download strait from the net has a decreased chance of infecting other files because it's in an isolated drive (this has saved me a number of times from nasty viruses).JKDDragon said:
1. I use Symantec Antivirus Enterprise Endition, its much better than your plan old Norton Antivirus.
2. A reformat would be nice, I used to do it once a year, but now i've got too much stuff. Too much stuff to backup.
3. Clean my computer every now and again (dust etc)
4. Use Adaware every now and again when I remember to do so, usually turns up nothing besides harmless cookies and MRUs.
The only thing that annoys me, is I need to find a good program to clean up stuff left from uninstalling programs eg. useless registry keys and DLLs.
JKDDragon: run 3dmark and aquamark to make sure no decrease in performance? haha I like that!!
2. A reformat would be nice, I used to do it once a year, but now i've got too much stuff. Too much stuff to backup.
3. Clean my computer every now and again (dust etc)
4. Use Adaware every now and again when I remember to do so, usually turns up nothing besides harmless cookies and MRUs.
The only thing that annoys me, is I need to find a good program to clean up stuff left from uninstalling programs eg. useless registry keys and DLLs.
JKDDragon: run 3dmark and aquamark to make sure no decrease in performance? haha I like that!!
ogmzergrush
LOL
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2004
- Messages
- 2,198
- Gender
- Male
- HSC
- 2002
CrapCleaner may suit your purposes.
I agree, installs do usually load a bit faster on the OS host partition.. which is I guess why I install everything (including games) on it. I've also been extending the idea in general by getting a second hard disk.. right now I use my old 40GB as the OS host and the new 250GB as the storage drive.nwatts said:
I must say I like the idea about having a separate partition for downloads however, I might include a second partition on the 250GB just for that in the next reformat.
Hehe, yeah I usually get around 6,200 in 3DMark05 stock everything. Once the score dips below 6,000 with everything optimised I tend to reformat. Now considering how anal I'am when it comes to optimisation and organisation, this actually hasn't ever happened yet (ran it 2 days ago after 5 months last reformat and got 6,150). I'm like a paranoid human firewall when it comes to the internet. One reason why I wanna get a desktop replacement laptop soon so everything I do except for gaming will be shifted onto the notebook and my desktop will then just become a gaming machine only.t-i-m-m-y said:
co6
Knight
Overvolt to 1.425V and overclock to 3.54Ghz.
co6
Knight
To the OP.STx said:
That's how I keep my PC fast.. Hahaha