Boost System Performance On Windows 7 Machines

Hey Guys,

Recently I serviced a Windows 7 computer that surprisingly only had 2GB of RAM. In case you didn’t know, 4GB is the preferred comfort level for Windows 7 to run properly but I usually recommend 6GB. This made me think to post some easy do it yourself options to boost system performance on Windows 7 machines. Before you do any of this - make sure to backup your system and/or create a Restore Point. Windows 7, though a fantastically awesome OS, has a few features that not everyone needs. Here are a few steps that could help to boost system performance:

1. Remove Unnecesary Startup Items

Programs which have been installed over time often install various helper programs (such as iTunes Helper) which essentially just help the program to start faster. Other startup programs are meant for updates for their corresponding programs. These programs take up system resources such as RAM which could be freed up for more important tasks. 

Going through these start up programs is easy. Click the Start Orb and type MSCONFIG in the Search bar and hit ENTER. As soon as the RUN dialogue comes up, let go. Type in MSCONFIG and click on the START UP tab at the top. Run through these programs with caution - some of them are kind of important so if you are unsure on what one does, Google it. Anything that says iTunes or Adobe are usually safe to remove by simply clicking the tic box to remove the check mark. Skype is another item that loves to chill in the Systray which is totally unnecessary so you can kill that too.

2. Removing Bloatware

"Bloatware" is software installed by your vendor that isnt necessary at all. A great deal of it is free trials of stuff you never asked for. Usually the process is to click on the Start Orb, go to Control Panel, Programs And Features, and then just remove software you no longer plan to use. If you aren't sure what the program is for, Google it.
 

3. Infections

The most secure and guaranteed way to clean your system of infectious and/or malicious programs is to give us a call at 617-386-7044. Virus removal starts at $75 with a cap of $175 depending on the severity of the infection(s). If you would like a free alternative, then I would recommend Microsoft Security Essentials. I ran this on a few test computers and believe it or not, it did a pretty decent job, especially for a free software. I use to recommend AVG Free, but AVG has been doing more and more poorly as time goes on. If your computer is able to get online, we can even clean up your machine remotely. Visit www.MooreITHelp.com or give us a call at 617-386-7044 for more information.

4. Disable or Fine Tune Windows Search Indexing

Windows 7’s search is good, but it can also affect system performance. If you really need to run a tool at full tilt, you can disable indexing altogether. To access the search index, click the Start Orb and type Index in the Search box. From there, select INDEXING OPTIONS. Once the Indexing Options window pops up, you can modify all aspects of how Windows indexes your files and folders. You can pause the indexing process, omit specific file extensions, or even ignore entire hard drives. 

5. Windows Ready Boost
Without getting too detailed, basically a flash drive runs faster than a traditional hard drive (except for SSD). Windows Ready Boost takes advantage of this by replacing the system cache with a flash drive or solid state cards that are traditionally used with cameras such as SD cards and CF cards. On systems with low RAM such as 1GB, Ready Boost can boost system performance an average of about 10%. On machines with more than 1GB of RAM, the results are kind of random but certainly not harmful, so I would give it a shot.

I wont fill up this page with statistical data, but if you are interested in proof, this website does a good job:
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/455/2/
There are a few ways to access Ready Boost. One usually occurs when you first plug in your flash media. An Autoplay dialogue box should pop up and one of the options should be Ready Boost. If you do not see this option, you should be able to right click on the drive within COMPUTER and select Ready Boost. Your flash media should be at least 256MB in size with at least 64KB of free space, have at least a 2.5MB/sec throughput for 4KB random reads, and have at least a 1.75MB/sec throughput for 1MB random writes. This information is usually available on the back of the box the device came in but there are also flash drives that say "Windows Ready Boost Enhanced" right on them. Once the Read Boost window comes up, the program will tell you if the device is compatible. If it is, you should select the "Dedicate This Device to ReadyBoost" option to enable ReadyBoost and specify how much space you want to make available to the disk cache.

Hope this helps,
Let us know if you have any questions by emailing us at Help@MooreITHelp.com

Syncing Firefox and IE Favorites

Hey friends,
quick thing I wanted to share. For quite some time I have recommended that my clients use Firefox instead of IE due to its numerous security vulnerabilities. Firefox was so much faster and more stable than IE6 and 7. But IE has really cleaned up its act with IE 8 and 9. However with so many great apps available for Firefox, i find myself jumping between browsers and it can be frustrating to search both favorites and bookmarks in an attempt to find something that I KNOW i saved before. In my never ending quest to sync everything under the sun, i found this nifty solution:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/plainoldfavorites/
Plain Old Favories. Another neat Firefox Add-on that syncs your bookmarks and favorites automatically. Give it a try and see if it's what you've been looking for!

MyCleanPC.com - Scam or Legit?

Many of you have probably seen the various ads on TV about DoubleMySpeed.com and MaxMySpeed.com and all these other free to use softwares that claim to speed up your machine in minutes. As a technician, I am skeptical of any service that claims to solve all of your computer problems. Before I get into whether the program does as it claims, allow me to address the fact that the issues these ads describe, such as slow performance and Blue Screens, are NOT "tell tale signs of a virus" as the ad claims. Many times this is the result of hardware failure, incorrect/out of date drivers, and even reputable programs that simply aren't compatible with your machine or were improperly installed. Sometimes it can even be as simple as installing a Windows Update to correct the problem. Allow me to also briefly address their categorization of "taking more than three seconds for email to load". First of all - that question is so vague it becomes inapplicable. The question doesn't take into consideration how the user is accessing their email - through a program such as Outlook or if they are using a web based email. Let's put aside for the moment your PC's specs and current versions of programs such as Outlook and take into consideration the speed of the user's Internet connection.

Now, being that I prefer to support my claims rather than go on a blind, rage-fueled rant, i downloaded and ran the MyCleanPC.com program on a new computer which was just purchased today. After running the scan, MyCleanPC found over 4000 problems with my brand new computer. How is this possible? Well - let's take a look at what MyCleanPC considers to be critical issues which can "cause permanent damage to your computer."

What the - My web history? How is this a problem? Okay, clearing your web history IS a basic step in boosting system performance, but 1. this isn't worth $39.98, and 2. this would be more useful in 1997 than for current systems with decent hard drives.

Okay, a fragmented drive. This is probably a result of the data I transferred over and the number of bloatware programs I removed from the manufacturer. This is mildly useful, but again, any user can do this themselves and definitely shouldn't pay $39.98 for it. And look at this - it's counting every single fragmented file individually. This is clearly to boost the number of "problems" with your computer. A basic marketing tactic to scare you into purchasing their software. And here's something interesting:

All these ads you're seeing are all from the same guy. That's a little disturbing.

I could go on with these bogus results, but I haven't seen a single thing about a virus. These are all basic steps in speeding up a machine. Just as you bring your car to a mechanic for simple oil changes, computer maintenance and tune ups should always be performed by a trained specialist as they can tell if there is something else wrong with your computer. Kinda like the time my mechanic found a wrench stuck in my serpentine belt. Good times....Good times...

IN SHORT:

I would not call this a scam - but i would call it a waist of money. If you are experiencing Blue Screens, slow performance,  and repetitive and odd error messages - call a tech. Call 617-396-7044 or visit us at www.MooreITHelp.com