Even before I had my own computer, I used to listen to Kim Komando on the radio.
Now she has daily and weekly newsletters that she sends free along with her radio work and column in USA Today.
A couple months ago she featured this on how to keep your computer clean and shiny on the inside:
Freebies to clean your computer
Like anything else, computers get messier over time. Programs create temporary files that just hang around. And tiny bits of information from the Internet pile up in your browser's cache.
This clutter can slow down your computer and fill up your hard drive. It can also contain sensitive personal information. Periodic cleanings can keep things running smoothly and make you safer. But finding everything to clean is a huge chore.
These programs make it easy to keep your computer clutter free. I've also included programs that will help you keep your files organized.
CCleaner (Free)-CCleaner is a comprehensive cleaning program. It works on Microsoft's programs and third-party ones. And the cleaning options are clearly presented. CCleaner will remove cookies, temporary files and even your Web history.
CCleaner does more than just clean, however. You can also use it to uninstall programs and modify which programs run at startup. It even includes a registry cleaner. Of course, you need to be careful when messing with your registry. Fortunately, CCleaner backs it up before making changes.
Square Privacy Cleaner (Free)-This program is similar to CCleaner, but lacks some of the more advanced features. It focuses more on cleaning. That makes it better for casual computer users. It is harder to accidentally delete things that might be important.
However, it still has everything you need for cleaning your computer. You can also run it automatically on startup or shutdown. This keeps your computer clean automatically. Just go to Settings>>Edit Settings. Then select the Schedule tab for scheduling options.
Duplicate Cleaner (Free)-Duplicate files can fill up a hard drive quickly. That's especially true when it comes to photos and music files. Duplicate Cleaner helps you find and remove these duplicate files.
Just point the program at any folder. It will scan the folder for duplicate files. You'll see all the duplicates in a list. You can easily go through them and see what's worth keeping. Then delete superfluous copies. Just be careful when deleting files.
Rename Master (Free)-Keeping files organized isn't always easy. The file names might not be very helpful. But renaming one at a time takes forever. Rename Master makes things easier. It renames files in bulk.
Rename Master has a lot of really helpful features. For example, you can use ID tags from MP3 files to create file names. And photographers, you can do the same thing with EXIF data. There is a learning curve, but it isn't too steep.
Defraggler (Free)-Removing the clutter from a computer helps. But it still leaves the hard drive fragmented. Parts of a single file may be stored in multiple locations on your drive. This can increase the time it takes to access data.
Defragment your hard drive with this simple program. It's more powerful than the one built into Windows. You can defrag the entire hard drive or individual files. It will have your computer running faster in no time!
Been using a lot of these free programs that really work well to keep the pc fast. CCleaner for example is an excellent cleanup program and I recommend using it every week. The only free program in this that I dont use is a defragger. I think free tools are no match for the efficiency and the value offered by the automatic commercial defraggers. They are much faster and for serious defrags, more reliable.
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