Programs for cleaning up a Windows 7 laptop to get it running well

computers | July 27 2015 | self

[dennisw]

Hi all..... Friend will be giving me his laptop tomorrow to fix up. To clean up. For starters I am going to scan and clean it up with malware bytes.

What other free programs are good to run on a slow, sludgy, messed up laptop?

I am not asking for any diagnosis. Just what programs you have used to do a house cleaning on WINDOWS SEVEN computers that family and friends have thrust upon you

BTW in these type of cases, first thing they do after buying the desktop/laptop is to be sure to chuck all restore DVDs in the trash. lol lol lol happens every time

Thanks!!

[dayglored]

> Business users can still control their update schedule.

Eh, not quite. "Control" would let you defer a potentially troublesome update indefinitely. Microsoft says for Current Branch for Business (CBB):

Updates cannot be deferred indefinitely.

CBB includes the requirements of the Current Branch, but also provides the option of customizing when and which Security Updates, Features and Fixes are applied, similar to how Windows Update works today in current versions of Windows.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_upgrade/windows-10-automatic-updates/44b16bb2-9773-42a4-a25c-59f187f0f5f9?auth=1

It appears to me that business users have "control" over their update schedule, sort of like a damaged airplane with only one wing has "control" over when and where it lands.

[Hootowl]

First, check how old the computer is. The CPU might be wearing out. Nothing you can do then except replace it. Second, see how much RAM the computer has. It might be overtaxed. Add more RAM. Then use some of the tools these good folks have suggested.

[Hootowl]

Easy to wipe it yourself. Create a boot disk, then reformat the computer’s hard drive from that. If he doesn’t have the original distribution disks, new Windows programs aren’t that expensive.

[Basket_of_Deplorables]

I keep a folder on my desktop with these programs in it:
Autoruns.exe —finds every program that runs on bootup and lets you selectively disable. Good for stopping viri while you run the others to delete them. Also use built in “safe mode” mucho ofteno while doing-this-o. Boot into safe, install autoruns, temp disable all the bloatware on it. Reboot into safe mode, install all windows updates. Run mrt. When done, install these:

AVG 2015 free—do update and full scan.
Malwarebytes—run after AVG
Spybot-S&D
CCleaner
Wise Registry Cleaner
Bleachbit (optional—doesn’t hurt to really wipe old crap off forever—make unrecoverable all the chipmonk porno)

The Kasperski link above is a good one and I might add it. (I have had “issues” with various kaperski things over the years, so am cautious. My experience is what version and what you use it on matters. Sometimes what day of the week—it seems ;)

Combofix is the nuclear option. You must follow the directions exactly as they tell you to do. It works when all else fails, but it is not for the faint of heart and can take a day or more to get through it (mostly waiting).

I keep this stuff in a folder so I can dump it on a thumb and use it on friend’s puters when they bribe me enough to help. O/W I just give it to them and tell them to install, update, run.

FWIW

[mmichaels1970]

Download the install file on another computer to a usb flash drive. If it still protests, download combofix from bleeping computer to usb. Then install from there.

[mmichaels1970]

Now that’s troubling news. I have a bunch of remote workers with mifi connections in varying locations. I always disable updates to prevent them from downloading while they are in the field. Then I catch them up when they are available in the office. Hmm may have to think about my upgrade plans a bit more.

[rarestia]

CCleaner to clean it up, and ditch whatever antivirus you’re using and switch to Microsoft Security Essentials. It’s designed to run with Microsoft’s operating systems and is noticeably less invasive than most other “free” antivirus products on the market now.

[Pajamajan]

Bookmark

[S.O.S121.500]

bookBUMP

[dennisw]

Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 - Kaspersky Lab Technical Support
support.kaspersky.com/us/viruses/rescuedisk/

*****Thanks!!! I am going to get it.

[dennisw]

Microsoft Security Essentials...... I used just this, only this on my own computer.

[trebb]

I find that deleting the libraries keeps mine running a bit quicker - something about the linking seems to cause numerous delays during normal operations. They often come back due to some action/update, but it only takes a second to delete them again.

Other than that, the other folks seem to have covered most of the bases to clean up an ailing, but not terminally sick, machine.

[tacticalogic]

Updates cannot be deferred indefinitely.

CBB includes the requirements of the Current Branch, but also provides the option of customizing when and which Security Updates, Features and Fixes are applied, similar to how Windows Update works today in current versions of Windows.

So it works the same as Windows Update does not. Have you ever had to disable Windows Update on your Windows Boxes to prevent installing an update indefinitely?

[rarestia]

Windows 8 uses Defender coupled with Windows Firewall, and it works exceptionally well. I’m an experienced administrator in Windows, and I’m generally pretty cautious about browsing and program habits on my machine. Most AV products are CPU and memory hogs. They’re not worth using unless you’re a high risk computer user or pants-on-head stupid in general.

[rarestia]

I have a sluggish Win 7 laptop, and cannot get Malwarebytes to download.

A majority of malware on the market is smart enough to prevent MalwareBytes from being downloaded and/or run on an infected machine.

Your best bet is to download the program from another computer, rename the executable to something like "iLoveViruses.exe" and run it from your computer. Malware is programmed to prohibit mbam.exe from running, and it's generally not heuristically aware of something trying to get rid of it.

Worst case: boot into safe mode and run it from there. You've probably got some nasty crap on your machine.

[Excellence]

I did a fresh install on a wiped Toshiba Windows 7 in the spring. Yes, it took a while, but it was worth it. I even had to order restore disks from Toshiba, but it was well worth it.

[zeugma]

Before you do anything, make sure you have a backup of anything that’s important.

[zeugma]

A windows 7 fresh install is pretty much an all day affair unless you baby-sit the thing. Once you get the OS installed, then it's off to get patches/updates. (The first batch will be huge). Once that's all done, it will reboot and notify you that you have more critical updates. Once that is done, it will reboot and notifiy you you have more critical updates. Once that is done, it will reboot and tell you that you have more critical updates. I recently did a clean install in a VM (which is the only safe way to run windows), and I think I did 5 of those patch/reboot cycles.

[zeugma]

If you must stick with windows, buy a copy of Win7 and load it with that. You're better off with an OEM disk than whatever disks the computer came with anyway, as they are probably filled with crapware.

[zeugma]

I would love to clean it up enuff without resorting to clean install.

While you might want to just clean up stuff, I'd strongly advise against it with a PC that's not in your control. There is almost no way to to be sure you've gotten everything malware that might be loaded on it off. That's especially true on a Windows PC.