unwanted computer info

[art338]

I'm trying to speed up the PC by removing programmes. One I notice is PMB at 257MB, do I really need in on my PC?

 

I use Picassa as well as Print Shop for photo work.

 

What will I miss if removing it?

 

art

[donna miller]

Unless it's running in the background, it shouldn't really affect the speed of your processor, and at only 257 mb, is a relatively small application anyway.

Not trying to teach you how to suck eggs or anything, but have you run disc clean up from the tools and also defragged your system? It's surprising how downloaded and temporary files can clog up and slow you down.

 

[art338]

I use the computer quite ok but know nothing about it, I thought 257 mb was a lot. I never download music or videos or anything other than what I use daily. I will do what you suggest. Many thanks

 

art

[donna miller]

if you are running windows 7, click on control panel, then system and security, down the bottom it says " Free up disc space". click this and it will run a check.

When it finishes it will say it can free up xx MB of free space, click ok.

 

Do the same to defragment your hard drive, this can take an hour or so if it's not done regularly. But you can schedule it in the settings.

 

Hope that helps.

[antony1969]

Donna will I lose all those thousands of tasty art photos I have downloaded from those Dutch and Russian sites Tracker showed me if I do that ?

[art338]

I did most of what was suggested and the systen did seem faster. I do have windows 7 but there was nothing about free up disk space. I have now lost the printer driver. Hey Ho more tomorrow.

 

art

[mendipman]

On some Windows Control Panels if Security does not show on the screen at first ,go to Additional Options and it will appear there .....

[maggyd]

art338 - 2011-08-24 8:50 PM

 

I did most of what was suggested and the systen did seem faster. I do have windows 7 but there was nothing about free up disk space. I have now lost the printer driver. Hey Ho more tomorrow.

 

art

 

You can always undo what you have done by using SYSTEM RESTORE .

 

I use A4Shampoo for clearing up my rubish.

[Dave225]

I regret you may be finding out what many of us have done. As time goes on your ‘super duper fast’ computer becomes slower and slower. Yes, you can clean things up but the most of the slowness is coming from the programmes on your machine constantly updating and making add ons to the software. Each one is trying to get your frontal attention so unless you are careful in selecting how it should be loaded, it will push itself to the front. Your ‘start up’menu will get bigger and bigger. There will also be leftovers from deleted programmes cluttering up the hard drive. When you delete something you sometimes get the message ‘some files may be in use by another programme, do you wish to delete’? Of course you get worried and say ‘no’. They are probably not used by anything else but remain on the hard drive. You will also be persuaded to download that latest software which is just what you want, for a few days anyway until you find it does not really do anything more than what you had.

 

One way to speed up your machine is to format the hard drive and re-load your operating software. It will revert back to the speedy machine you bought. Of course, unless you plan carefully, you will lose all your files. However, as soon as you log on to the Web all sorts of updates, add-ons and software will be presented to you to load up. As this is usually presented in a way that implies ‘if you don’t’ your machine will be unsafe and liable to hackers, you will probably re-load most of it and before you know it, you are back where you are now. If you refuse, it will keep bugging you until you do. It is all part of a cunning plan to persuade you to buy a machine with more memory RAM and faster processor and for a time this will be true, but then again ‘events, my dear boy’ will overtake you.

 

 

By the way, each new version of Windows is bigger and more memory hungry than the previous one, so on any machine that does not have the highest speed processor and largest RAM, it will work but much more slowly. Some people stick with XP for that reason.

[JamesFrance]

The free version of CCleaner will remove the temp files which clog up your system. It will also allow you to disable any start-up programs you don't need. Be very careful about using it's registry cleaner though as that has been known to make mistakes..

[Lord Braykewynde]

donna miller - 2011-08-24 7:33 PM

 

if you are running windows 7, click on control panel, then system and security, down the bottom it says " Free up disc space". click this and it will run a check.

When it finishes it will say it can free up xx MB of free space, click ok.

 

Do the same to defragment your hard drive, this can take an hour or so if it's not done regularly. But you can schedule it in the settings.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Donna with Windows7 the defrag runs in the background by default. There's no need to manually do it although when the computer is defragging in the background this can slow it down. Another culprit is security programs if they are set to scan at set times when you're using the computer.

[CliveH]

JamesFrance - 2011-08-30 8:44 PM

 

The free version of CCleaner will remove the temp files which clog up your system. It will also allow you to disable any start-up programs you don't need. Be very careful about using it's registry cleaner though as that has been known to make mistakes..

 

I have used two Registry cleaners - the first was Reg works - OK but expensive and not a lot of reviews

 

Have just gone over to Slow PC Fighter - good reviews and recommended by someone I trust

 

http://softwareindustryreport.com/report/slow-pc-fighter.html

 

The general warning is to be VERY careful with these as a good one will work wonders but a bad'un will screw your computer up big time.

 

One reason we went over to Slow PC Fighter is the ability to reverse - so if it does make a cock up - all is not lost.

 

Have to say I am delighted with it so far. I have to go online and down load an awful lot of data for due diligence searches and this always comes with nice bits of extra "baggage" that clogs and slows everything down.

 

A good registry cleaner used regularly is a must for us. But do check with your techies as I am a computer illiterate.

 

[David Dwight]

Get rid of the tool bars on the top of the screen, ie google, google chrome, ask, orange etc then your pc will be much faster. If you have BBC I player installed uninstall it as it will most probably be running Iplayer manager. I player manager uses you PC as a host for other people who are using I player, it runs constantly.

I have just had all this sorted by a Computer guy, also printer print head cleaned and tidied up all for £60 the best £60 I have spent for a long time.

 

David

[JamesFrance]

CliveH - 2011-08-31 5:40 PM

 

JamesFrance - 2011-08-30 8:44 PM

 

The free version of CCleaner will remove the temp files which clog up your system. It will also allow you to disable any start-up programs you don't need. Be very careful about using it's registry cleaner though as that has been known to make mistakes..

 

I have used two Registry cleaners - the first was Reg works - OK but expensive and not a lot of reviews

 

Have just gone over to Slow PC Fighter - good reviews and recommended by someone I trust

 

http://softwareindustryreport.com/report/slow-pc-fighter.html

 

The general warning is to be VERY careful with these as a good one will work wonders but a bad'un will screw your computer up big time.

 

One reason we went over to Slow PC Fighter is the ability to reverse - so if it does make a cock up - all is not lost.

 

Have to say I am delighted with it so far. I have to go online and down load an awful lot of data for due diligence searches and this always comes with nice bits of extra "baggage" that clogs and slows everything down.

 

A good registry cleaner used regularly is a must for us. But do check with your techies as I am a computer illiterate.

 

Is this Slow PC Fighter something you have to pay for? If so there are plenty of free registry cleaners available, so probably a waste of money like most of these softwares sold through review sites which get a rake off.

 

The review site linked to above is blocked by my security software. The reason being that it is a rogue web site distributing malware and such.

 

I am not sure if you will see this link without joining WOT (Web of Trust) but it shows the problems with that review site.

 

https://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/softwareindustryreport.com

[RonCaber]

Hi Art338;

 

If PMB refers to PMB.exe this program can be somewhat parasitic and slow your computer substantially as it has been associated with various registry errors. Here's a link that shows what I am refering to:

 

http://www.prevx.com/filenames/2534520666672746317-X1/PMB.EXE.html.

 

 

If your goal is mainly to increase speed there are a lot of different things one can do. Some things are easier and faster than others. In my case my time is usually at a premium so I've had to learn to get the most speed for the least amount of time investment.

 

This is what has worked best for me and hope it can help you out with improving your speed:

 

 

1. Install as much RAM as the computer can accept and that can be afforded.

 

2. Use the top rated defragmentor available. I've actually had drives crash because of heavy fragmentation that the on-board Windows defrag and the "freebie" defrags were unable to detect and handle. A top rated defrag is cheap compared to the frustration in trying to revive a crashed drive. The thing I like the most is top rated defrags can run automatically and transparently so they run without slowing up the system or having to remember to run them. Once the install is done, it pretty much keeps things running smoothly on its own —buying you a lot of free time.

 

3. Keep the OS updated. By doing this you simultaneously keep mal-ware neutralized as many OS updates address mal-ware issues as they become known about.

 

4. Keep the main drive under 85% full by use of storage drives if neeeded.

 

Here's a link to a FREE DEFRAGMENTER TRIAL you can try:

 

http://www.diskeeper.com/defrag/defragmentation-center/

 

And a link to the TOP 10 DEFRAG REVIEWS 2011 to perhaps help you compare and

 

see what might work best for your system:

 

http://disk-defragmenter-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

 

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers!

[JamesFrance]

From a quick Google of the username above, I doubt if you will post on the forum again. Spam I think, but do put me straight if I am wrong.