Computersight -

In this article, I’ll first show you how to get clean your system a bit, after which I’ll tell you how to make it keep it clean and running afterward. After following the steps in this guide, I’m sure you’ll find that you don’t yet have to do that format-and-re-install procedure you had in mind! This guide is mainly aimed for Windows Vista, but everything described here can be done in XP too, with slightly different names for the Windows’ applications, so it should be rather easy to follow for everyone.

The software we will be using are the following:

RadarSync - a free driver updater

Iobit SmartDefrag – a free set-it-and-forget-it defragmenter

Iobit Advanced SystemCare PRO – an all-in-one automated PC-care package.

The steps of these guide are the following, listed here to make it easier to return to the guide after some necessary reboots.

1. Program Removal
2. Driver Update
3. Defragmenting
4. Cleaning

Step 1. Program Removal

Before we get to these fance new programs, I recommend you go to:

Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Programs and Features

Here you can uninstall all the programs you don’t need to have on your computer. Taking care of this now will save you from a lot of trouble later, when you really want or need to get something new installed. Just browse through the list of installed programs and when you spot a program you never need, select it and click on the “Uninstall” button on top of the list. Then just follow the uninstaller instructions.

You might also want to look at the windows features and turn some of them off. You can do this by clicking the text on the left that says “Turn Windows features on or off”. This will open a new window with a list of currently installed and available Windows features. Move your mouse over these features to see a short description of each, and decide whether or not you necessarily need them. If you don’t just un-check the box next to it. When you’re done, just press “OK” and wait for the changes to be made. Sometimes, this may require you to reboot your computer. If so, do it, and then get back here to follow the rest of the guide!

Step 2. Driver Update

The next thing you need to do, is to download RadarSync, the free driver updater. Just go to RadarSync website and click the button that says “Start Download”. When the download has finished, start the installer.

On the first screen, click “Accept” to install RadarSync, but in the next screens when it asks about PC Confidential and Registry Power Cleaner, just click “Decline”, because you really don’t need these once you get Iobit’s Software up and running. Also, uncheck the checkboxes in the last screen, or it will change your browser’s starting page and add some screensaver advertising shortcuts to your desktop.

After unchecking those, just click “Accept” and wait for the installer to download and install RadarSync. When it says it’s done, click “Finish”. The program will start automatically and show a small window with the RadarSync’s logo and a “Continue” button. Click that button, and it will show the main program window.

Here, you just need to click the big “Start Now!” button, and the program will scan your computer and find any needed driver updates for it. After the scan, the program will show you a list of available driver updates. Just click the button that says “Download all items” and then go to watch some movie or something, as this will probably take some time, depending on your internet connection speed. My movie recommendation would be “The Illusionist”, a great story about life’s unexpected changes and one man’s efforts to control it, full of twists, starring Edward Norton and Jessica Biel. Warning: you may have to watch it twice to get it!

When the downloads have finished, click on the text “ready for install” next to each to remove it from the list and start the installer. Follow the steps of each of the installers. Each installer will probably tell you to restart your computer, but I’d say you don’t have to do that until you’ve installed every one of them. Do that then, and then get back here and we’ll move on!

Step 3. Defragmenting

The next thing to do would be downloading Iobit’s SmartDefrag, the free, automated defragmenter with set-it-aand-forget-it functionality. Just go to Iobit website and scroll down until you see the button that says “Download freeware now”. This will take you to CNET’s download.com page, where you just click “Download Now” to start the download.

When the download finishes, install the defragmenter and start it.

In the program’s main window, click the button that says “Options”. Check all the boxes that have the word “(Recommended)” after them, as well as the one that says “Automatically check for updates”.

Now click the button on the left that says “Schedule”. This will take you to the schedule configuration. Check the boxes next to each of the hard drives listed, as well as the one where it says “Enable schedule” and from the drop-down menu choose “Defrag and Optimize”. This will schedule automatic defragmenting to be performed once every two weeks, which should be just fine.

Now click the button on the left that says “Auto Defrag”, which takes you to a screen where you can configure the automatic defragging performed on the background all the time when the computer is on. Just click the button that says “Recommended”, and it should set everything just as it is best for your computer.

The last thing in this step would be a full defragment and optimization of all disks. For this, go to the main screen by clicking the button that says “Defrag Now”. Check the boxes next to all drives listed and choose “Defrag and Optimize” from the drop-down menu. Now just click “Start” and it will start defragmenting.

Now, this also may take some time, so perhaps it’s time for another movie? My recommendation this time would be “Wanted”, a story of an anxious office worker who learns that he’s really the son of the world’s best assassin and possesses super-human killing and fighting abilities. Not really a good movie story-wise, but a perfect choice when you just want to enjoy some action.

When the defragmenting finishes, you’ll see a report window, and you can just close it and also the program itself (it will keep running on the background, keeping your files in shape!), and we can move on to the last step.

Step 4. Cleaning

For this last step, you’ll need to buy Iobit’s Advanced SystemCare PRO. It’s $29,95 for a 1-year license (19,95 right now, there seems to be some kind of a discount) and trust me: it’s worth it!

Just go to Iobit’s website again and follow the purchase instructions. After purchasing, download the installer, install the program and fill in your license information.

When the program starts, click on the “Options” text in the upper right corner to open the setting screen.

In General Settings, just check the first two check boxes, and all the ones in the “Context Menu” options.

In Maintain Windows -> Automated Care, choose “Perform computer care when the system is idle”

In Diagnose System -> System Optimization, choose optimization profiles from the drop-down menus, depending on what most describes your computer usage. My choices would be “Computing” and “LAN”

In Diagnose System -> Disk Defragment, check “Enable Smart Defrag”.

In Update, choose “Update programs and database automatically”.

Now press “Apply” and “Ok” to close the options screen. Press the big, shiny Care!-button and watch the program find and repair problems in your computer.

After this is done, you can close the program and well, do whatever you wish, as your computer is now taking care of itself! The only problem you still have to take care of is un-needed programs and files you might have lying somewhere on the disks, but everything else is being taken care of from now on, so you can concentrate on working or playing games, without having to worry about anything. Cheers!