How to Clean up a Slow Performing Computer

Here is a GREAT Article

How to Clean Your Computer System





  Recent edits by: Yoko Kanai, ELamson38, Lutherus

Categories: System Maintenance and Repair

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-up-a-Slow-Performing-Computer

Forget Mr. Clean: Our tips to spring cleaning and speeding up your PC

By Meghan McDonough  

Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/pc-clean-up-spring-clean-your-computer-to-extend-its-life/ Follow us: @digitaltrends on Twitter | digitaltrendsftw on Facebook

How can I tell if my computer has a virus?

Microsoft Article

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/does-computer-have-virus#1TC=windows-7

 

 

 

Keep your system clean and remove all Malware, and Rogues, Trojans, and Viruses

 

You never want to keep your computer vulnerable by:

 

1) forgetting to updates Virus signatures

2) delete cache, cookies, and temporary files.

3) Keep your computer dust free and keyboard, mouse clean.

Educate yourself with Basic Computer Knowledge

 

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/computers

 

Internet Security:

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/internetsafety



10 Tips to Keep Your
PC in Shape

Your PC represents a large investment for you. But hands up, those of you who worry about your PC crashing, the CPU overheating, the hard disk failing or the monitor going out when you need it most.
1. Get Rid of Dust
One of the most common causes of overheating is dust and dirt. So you need to keep your system clean, inside and out. Try to clean it once a year using lint-free wipes. Make sure you use an antistatic wrist strap as well to protect your system when cleaning inside the case.
 
2. Get Power Protection
One of the saddest things in many PCs is that they are not surge protected. Surge protectors are a good investment - they protect your PC from that unfortunate power outage or lightning strike. Try to get one that has a warning indicator and is UL 1449 certified.
 
3. Turn Off the Monitor
One tip I always apply at home - turn off the PC monitor when its not in use. I treat the computer monitor like a TV - don't waste your monitor's power if you're not using it. This is especially important in LCD monitors, which may burn out or get bad pixels after long periods of use.  
4. Keep the PC Running
Many people don't realize that its harmful to power up your computer from a cold state. This is especially true when done repeatedly within a short timeframe. Try to leave your PC running as long as possible - or use the Microsoft Windows' Power Management settings to put your machine into hibernation rather than completely shutting down.
 
5. Hard Drive Health Check
If you use Windows 7, you should regularly check your hard disk's health with an error-checking utility. In Windows Explorer, right-click on the hard disk drive you want to check, then click Properties. Click the Tools tab, and then, under Error-checking, click Check Now. That will help you do a quick diagnosis of your hard drive.
 
6. Get an Anti-Virus Program
I still find it amazing that many home computer users do not have an anti-virus program installed. This piece of software is fundamental to any computer system. You should definitely consider getting a program like AVG Anti-Virus to protect against harmful attacks.
 
7. Check the CMOS battery
If you have a very old PC (four or five years old), the CMOS battery on the motherboard may need to be replaced. The first sign of a bad CMOS battery is when your system clock starts losing time.
 
8. Take Care when Opening the Case
Whenever you open the PC case, turn off the power and unplug your PC. Ground yourself first - by touching anything inside the PC to avoid destroying your circuit boards with a static charge. Another option is to wear a grounding wrist strap. I've destroyed my computer power supply before because I forgot about this point.
 
9. Maintain the Mouse
What's one of the dirtiest components in a PC that you come in contact with? Yes - it's the modest little mouse. Years of using a mouse will get it filled with dirt and grime.

If you have a mechanical mouse, you'll realize this when the mouse starts to move erratically. To clean it, unscrew the mouse and use a small scraper to scrape the dirt off the two plastic rollers inside. Also remember to clean the scroll wheel if there is one. If you have a optical mouse, you need not worry about any internal rollers but you still need to clean the scroll wheel.
 
10. Clean Up the Registry
If you always add and remove computer programs in your PC, you can be sure the entries in your Windows Registry are pretty much in a mess. A clogged Windows Registry increases the time your PC boot up time and hogs system resources. Try to get a tool to help clean the registry safely, such as AVG PC Tuneup. Do not try to clean the registry yourself if you're not sure what you're doing.
 
Conclusion
I hope this article has given you many ideas on how to keep your good old PC in tiptop shape. Remember, take care of your PC and it will take care of you. Apply these tips once in a while to ensure a trouble-free computer system.

 Tips from 2012 Build-Your-Own-Computers.com

I know what it's like to look for support and get met with someone trying to either scam you or someone to try and charge you outrageous fees for help. 

Here is a solution to help yourself:

VIRUS:
How can I tell if my computer has a virus?

---

                                      

Windows 7

If you can answer "yes" to any of the following questions, your computer might have a virus.

Is your computer running very slowly? A common symptom of a virus is much slower than normal computer performance. However, there can be other reasons for slow performance, including a hard disk that needs defragmenting, a computer that needs more memory (RAM), or the existence of spyware or adware. For more information about spyware, see How to tell if your computer is infected with spyware.

Are you getting unexpected messages, or are programs starting automatically? Some viruses can cause damage to Windows or some of your programs. The results of this damage might include messages appearing unexpectedly, programs starting or closing automatically, or Windows shutting down suddenly.

Is your modem or hard disk working overtime? An e‑mail virus works by sending many copies of itself by e‑mail. One indicator of this is that the activity light on your broadband or external modem is constantly lit; another is the sound of your computer's hard disk continually working. These are not always symptoms of a computer virus, but when combined with other problems, can indicate a virus infection.

To check for viruses, scan your computer with an antivirus program. New viruses appear every day, so keeping your antivirus program updated is important. For more information about computer security, go to the Security at Home page on the Microsoft website. To learn how to remove malicious software (malware) from your computer, go to the Microsoft Safety Scanner webpage.

For assistance with Pop-ups, Viruses and Malware:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/windows/


For Windows Issues: (Issues with Office, Windows, Internet Explorer) and much more:
 http://support.microsoft.com/fixit/


For Cryptolocker issues:
 http://crypto-locker.net/


If you need further assistance, I will help you with the first 15 minutes free. If you need me to continue to assist.  I will work with you on a rate we can both agree on.