Notes From The Tech Man

Last week I got an e-mail from a woman who had a problem with her Windows-based computer and had tried several different titles of software (including the one I mentioned in this post).  She had contacted one manufacturer who gave her an enormous list of things to do to try to clean things up.  She mentioned that she felt it odd to be given this list when the software should have done it for her (the first half of which were just deleting temporary files).  I agreed.

I believe she found my earlier post when searching for help with the software she’s already tried.  She had a problem, tried a number of software titles to fix it, started following the instructions she got from the one manufacturer, and now her e-mail program doesn’t work.  She found me and asked what software I would recommend.  In the end, I had to give her the bad news that it was a little late and her best option was to backup, reformat, reinstall, and restore.

Now, on to the question of which software I would recommend to fix problems in Windows.  The answer is a clear one based on years of trying various titles and encountering various issues.  There is not a single software title that I would recommend to fix problems with Windows.  I honestly believe that if you spend any money on such software you may as well get used to a lighter wallet and being no closer to solving the problem than you were before.

Many years ago I had tried one title that purported to keep Windows from crashing and allow you to figure out what went wrong or to at least be able to save your work before Windows came to a complete stand-still.  The version of Windows I was running at the time was 3.1.  This version was fairly notorious for crashing any time you blinked (and even then it was more stable than its 3.0 predecessor).  My system was running fairly stably at the time, however.  I installed this software and immediately regretted it.  I went from a crash frequency of a couple or so each week to several per day.  The feature that was touted to keep Windows running never worked as advertised.  Thankfully, when I removed the software, my computer returned to its original reliability.  As a result, I’ve been cautious of any other software to make these claims.

One of the problems with using software to fix problems with your computer is that not all of the problems you have are going to be software related.  You may also have some malicious software on your computer which will fight off being fixed.  I can’t think of a single title that would be “find problems in my hardware, fix problems in my software, and remove bad software you find” software.  If you have the talent and experience, you either won’t need software or you’ll know exactly what would be used to properly diagnose the problem.  If this isn’t your area of expertise, you may not get the correct combination of software to do yourself any good.  There’s also the possibility that you wouldn’t be able to interpret the results.

That being said, there is software out there that you can use to maintain your computer.  One that I use on a semi-regular basis is called CCleaner.  It’s an all-around good utility for removing excess junk from your computer which is running Windows.  By default it will purge your temporary file caches, internet browser caches, Recycle Bin, and a bunch of other caches.  I am conservative in what I allow it to delete.  As one example, I don’t allow it to delete browser cookies as some of them are convenient for the user.  I would use Spybot Search & Destroy instead to selectively remove ad-related cookies.  CCleaner can also clean up your registry.  I’m of a mixed opinion about this as the Windows registry (under current versions of Windows) is fairly self-maintaining.  While useless items won’t delete themselves, they generally aren’t harmful, either.  If you find this feature scary, don’t use it.  How much will you pay for this software?  Nothing.  The developers of both CCleaner and Spybot offer them for free.

There is a lot of good, free software out there.  There’s probably more bad, free software, though.  If you have a need, I’m probably aware of a good, free title that will do the job.  It may not have the polish of a commercial title, but it won’t cost you anything but a little time to give it a try.

Service pack 3 for Windows XP has been out for a week or so now and reports have been pouring in from people who have applied it and seen it hork their computers.  The most common symptom has been a computer that does nothing but reboot after the service pack has been applied without allowing the user to get into Windows to do anything useful.

I applied it myself on a computer running XP in my household and I didn’t see anything crazy as a result.  However, just because it worked for me doesn’t mean anything.  Maybe I’m just lucky.  I’ll try another computer here and see what happens.  :)

There is, however, light at the end of the tunnel.  Jesper Johansson, a Microsoft MVP, has investigated the issue and come up for some solutions for the more common reasons why a computer may choke after the upgrade.  Check out his site for some solutions.

I strongly believe that you should install service pack 3.  However, if you have a computer such as the one Jesper describes (name brand with an AMD processor), you may want to enlist some help before doing so if you don’t feel comfortable with the steps that Jesper outlines.  The good news is that if you’ve already upgraded and are having this problem, it can be fixed without reformatting and reinstalling everything.

One other place I read suggested using the service pack which is available on the disc image from Microsoft.  Traditionally, you’ve been able to purchase a service pack disc from Microsoft.  I haven’t investigated that for this version as I was able to download the image instead.  You can find links to the downloads here:  gHacks list of SP3 downloads.

Good luck and happy upgrading!

While this isn’t new information to me, I’m sure that most people don’t really think about it much if at all.  In a recent article from Which? Online (see link below), it is revealed that one of the most filthy things you will willingly touch on a regular basis is your computer keyboard.  They go so far as to suggest that your keyboard may have more bacteria and other nasties than your toilet.  Starts to make you regret eating that sandwich while surfing for the ultimate recipe for dinner, doesn’t it?

Everyone should go out, get some alcohol, cotton balls and swabs, and begin cleaning their keyboards right now.  Just be sure to turn off your computer and unplug the keyboard.  If you are using a notebook, you should remove the battery instead of the keyboard unless you know exactly what you’re doing.  Don’t forget the mouse while you’re at it.  I wouldn’t blame you if you took this opportunity to upgrade to a better keyboard than the one you have now.

What the article doesn’t discuss is that that’s not the only dirt in your computer.  If you’ve been using your computer for any length of time, there is undoubtedly a build-up of dust and other debris within the case itself.  I tried to dig up some pictures of what this may look like but I couldn’t find any in my collection and I didn’t want to use someone else’s picture for this purpose.

Depending upon the environment your computer is in, it will have either a light layer or a thick block of dust hiding within.  I’ve seen many situations that surprised me from the light layer on a computer that’s been in service for years to the nearly impenetrable block in one that was new only a few months ago.  While this dust may not be as much of a health hazard as the grime on your keyboard, its presence can certainly lessen the life of your computer.  As the dust builds up, it prevents air from circulating and getting to the components so that they can cool.  I once had a computer that was so sensitive to this, I would get overheating warnings about every six months.&nbsp. I knew it was time to open its case and blow everything out.

From start to finish, it will take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes to give your computer a thorough cleaning from top to bottom.  If your keyboard is really messy, you may want to take its keys off and wash them while removing the crumbs and all from below.  This will take an hour on its own, but it’s worth it for a good keyboard that you want to keep working.

Links:

Keyboards harbour harmful bacteria