Good day.
Whether the user wants it or not, sooner or later any Windows computer accumulates a large number of temporary files (cache, browser history, log files, tmp files, etc.). This is most often called “garbage” by users.
Over time, the PC begins to work slower than before: the speed of opening folders decreases, at times it pauses for 1-2 seconds, and there is less free space on the hard drive. Sometimes, an error even pops up that . So, to prevent this from happening, you need to clean your computer from unnecessary files and other rubbish (1-2 times a month). Let's talk about this.
Cleaning your computer from junk - step-by-step instructions
Built-in Windows tool
You need to start with the fact that Windows already has a built-in tool. True, it doesn’t always work perfectly, but if you don’t use your computer very often (or there is no way to install a third-party utility on your PC (more about it later in the article)), then you can use it.
Disk cleaner is available in all versions of Windows: 7, 8, 8.1.
I’ll give you a universal way to run it in any of the above OSs.
Result: HDD was very quickly cleared of most unnecessary (but not all) and temporary files. All this took was min. 5-10. The only downside, perhaps, is that the standard cleaner does not scan the system very well and misses many files. To remove all garbage from your PC, you need to use a special one. utilities, read about one of them further in the article...
Using a special utility
In general, there are quite a lot of similar utilities (you can find the best ones in my article:).
In this article I decided to focus on one utility for Windows optimization- Wise Disk Cleaner.
Why on her?
Here are the main advantages (in my opinion, of course):
- There is nothing superfluous in it, only what is needed: disk cleanup + defragmentation;
- Free + supports 100% Russian language;
- The speed of operation is higher than that of all other similar utilities;
- Scans your computer very thoroughly, allowing you to free up much more disk space than other analogues;
- Flexible system for setting up scanning and removing unnecessary things; you can turn off and turn on literally everything.
Step by Step Actions
Defragmenting a hard drive in Windows 7, 8
In this subsection of the article it is necessary to make a small reference to make it more clear what we are talking about...
All files that you write to your hard drive are written to it in small pieces (more experienced users call these “pieces” clusters). Over time, the spread of these pieces on the disk begins to grow rapidly, and the computer has to spend more time reading this or that file. This moment is called fragmentation.
In order for all the pieces to be in one place, arranged compactly and quickly read, you need to carry out the reverse operation - defragmentation (more details
Accumulation of residues remote applications, unnecessary entries in the registry, temporary files, logs that remain after Windows updates and programs and other garbage reduces the performance of the computer. If all this is not removed, over time the PC becomes so slow and annoying that the user cannot stand it and reinstalls the system. However, after a couple of months everything returns to normal - the brakes, low FPS, and all sorts of glitches. Meanwhile, the problem can be solved simply - it is enough to do preventive maintenance 1-2 times a month using a computer cleaning program. We will talk about them today.
We have prepared a brief overview of the capabilities of the best Windows utilities that can speed up your system by up to 50-70% relative to the original level. All of them are free and designed for new users.
CCleaner is one of the most popular Windows cleaning utilities in user ratings. And one of the safest. Cleaning the registry and applications in CCleaner is configured in such a way that, even if you try, you will not be able to delete something important, thereby disrupting the performance of the system. In this part, the program can be used by novice users without fear. However, it also contains functions that it is better not to touch without proper knowledge. One of them is erasing disks. If you accidentally confuse it with Disk Cleanup (Windows' built-in optimization tool), you may lose some important data forever, as the program permanently destroys it.
Proper use of CCleaner can speed up your computer by 5-50%. The result depends on the initial clutter of the system and the amount of information on the disks.
CCleaner functionality
All application functions are divided into 4 groups, and groups into subgroups. The first group is “Cleaning”, includes sections:
- Windows (Edge and Internet Explorer, conductor, system components, etc.).
- Applications (third-party browsers, multimedia, Internet applications, system applications etc.).
Clearing both removes only temporary and unnecessary data, without affecting the main one.
The second group - “Register”, has no subgroups. Here is a tool for fixing registry errors and cleaning it from garbage.
The third group - “Service”, contains the following sections:
- Managing startup programs.
- Browser add-on management.
- Analysis of disk space distribution.
- Search for duplicate files.
- System Restore.
- Erasing disks.
The fourth group is “Settings”. It includes:
- Basic settings of CCleaner.
- Browser cookies (setting exceptions).
- Inclusions (objects that are always subject to removal).
- Exception (objects that the program should not process).
- Monitoring applications (setting up auto-cleaning).
- Trusted users.
- Additional parameters (for experienced ones).
CCleaner supports many languages, including Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakh. You can download it in both installation and portable versions. The latter can be launched, for example, from a flash drive.
Wise Care 365
Wise Care 365 is an impressive package of utilities for optimizing your computer, most of which are available for free (the application is available in two versions - free and premium, in free versions some items are blocked). Like CCleaner, Wise Care 365 scans the system for garbage, errors, incorrect (from the developers’ point of view) settings and makes it possible to fix them - both individually and “in bulk”.
With this program, the user can clean and optimize Windows without thinking about the purpose of a particular function. Just run the scan and click the “Fix” button after it.
Wise Care 365 functionality
Wise Care 365 features are also divided into groups. The first tab, “Check,” is intended for a comprehensive search and elimination of problems throughout the entire system. The following parameters are checked:
- Safety.
- Unnecessary files (temporary, cache, logs, etc.).
- Invalid registry entries.
- System optimization (presence of factors affecting performance).
- Computer history (opening documents and visiting web resources through Internet Explorer).
After scanning, the program determines the PC’s “health” index and offers to correct errors with the click of one button.
On the same first tab there is a panel of additional utilities. Available in the free version:
- Deleting files that cannot be deleted using Windows.
- PC shutdown timer.
- Recovery deleted files.
- Memory optimization.
- Uninstalling programs.
The second tab, “Cleaning”, contains several subsections:
- Cleaning the registry.
- Quick disk cleanup.
- Deep cleaning.
- Cleaning the system (unnecessary Windows components).
The third tab – “Optimization” – contains:
- Subsection "Optimization" (here you can change the registry settings to stabilize and speed up Windows operation, increasing network speed, shortening the time it takes to turn the computer on and off).
- Disk defragmentation.
- Registry compression and defragmentation.
- Startup management.
The “Privacy” tab contains the following subsections:
- Wiping the disc.
- Overwriting files.
- Password generator.
On last tab— “System”, the application shows running processes and a list of PC equipment.
Wise Care 365, like Ccleaner, has been translated into Russian and is available in installation and portable versions.
Windows Cleaner
The Windows Cleaner utility includes tools for freeing the system from unnecessary files, registry entries and unused programs that can be launched manually and on a schedule. Among the optimization tools, only startup management is present here. There are no options here aimed at increasing computer performance (not counting cleaning tools).
Windows Cleaner saves a history of previously performed cleanings. If you accidentally delete an important registry entry or file, the program allows you to undo the last operations - perform a system restore to a checkpoint.
Windows Cleaner functionality
The Cleaning section of Windows Cleaner contains two tabs: Files and Registry. The first one contains a list of unnecessary file system objects, the second one contains registry entries. The program supports 4 cleaning modes:
- Fast.
- Optimal.
- Deep.
- Custom.
After scanning, Windows Cleaner displays a list of objects to be removed. Strange, but the user does not have the ability to remove any file or entry from it. You can only exclude an entire group of objects from scanning (temporary files, memory dumps, report logs, etc.).
The “Service” section contains the “Startup” and “Uninstall programs” tabs.
“History” stores records of previously performed operations.
In “Settings” you set the cleaning parameters according to the schedule: interval, time, mode.
Windows Cleaner was developed in Russia. The official website has reference information on working with the program in Russian, as well as a form feedback with the developer.
Glary Utilities Free
Glary Utilities Free is a free harvester application for optimizing your computer. Its set includes more than thirty utilities for all occasions, some of which are unique for products of this class or are found only in paid versions. For example, finding and removing spyware software), checking for updates to programs installed on your computer, encrypting files, optimizing memory, cutting and merging files, etc. A list of frequently used utilities is shown in the screenshot above.
Features of Glary Utilities Free
Functions Glary Utilities Free are divided into 3 groups:
- Short review.
- "1-click".
- Modules
The "Brief Overview" section contains General settings programs and controls Windows autostart.
“1-click” contains tools for quick system optimization:
- Cleaning the registry.
- Correction of shortcuts.
- Removing spyware.
- Recovering (checking) the disk.
- Privacy.
- Deleting temporary files.
- Autorun manager.
In the list of problems, next to each item there is an explanation. In addition, the user has the opportunity to prohibit the correction of any element by unchecking the checkbox next to it.
The “Modules” section contains all components (utilities) of the program that the user can run separately - as needed. This includes tools for cleaning, managing disk space, files, etc. In the bottom panel of all tabs of the main window there are shortcut buttons for some of them.
Glary Utilities Free has another interesting feature- creating a portable version of yourself. The option is located in the "Menu".
WinUtilities Free
Functional free version WinUtilities Free, like Glary Utilities, is very diverse for applications of this class. It includes 26 system maintenance and cleaning modules. There is also a one-click Windows optimization function and its own task scheduler for performing scheduled operations.
Features of WinUtilities Free
The “Modules” tab of WinUtilities Free contains a list of all application components, divided into groups:
- Maintenance (cleaning disks, registry, shortcuts, etc.).
- Optimization (disk defragmentation, registry defragmentation, startup management, etc.).
- Security (cleaning history, managing running processes, deleting and restoring files).
- Files and folders (document protection, disk space analysis, duplicate search).
- Registry ( backup, search for partitions and keys, manager context menu).
- System (launch Windows utilities, system management, task scheduler, configuration automatic shutdown computer).
The “Maintenance” tab contains settings for quick scanning and system optimization with one click.
The “Tasks” section includes 4 scheduled PC maintenance options:
- Disk cleaning.
- Clearing history.
- Cleaning the registry.
- Disk Defragmenter.
The Status section shows information about the product.
InfoMan
InfoMan is an easy-to-use information management manager on your PC. Consists of five modules that are launched separately. The cleaning module is used to search and delete temporary files according to the list of a program or user.
Other InfoMan modules are for:
- Synchronize data in two specified directories.
- Password storage.
- Event reminders.
- Application settings.
After launch, the program icon is placed in the system tray. Modules are launched from its context menu.
Advanced System Care
Advanced System Care is the last program in our review for comprehensive computer maintenance from the famous developer IObit. In addition to cleaning and optimization tools, it contains tools to improve performance and protect various system components.
Advanced System Care Features
As with the other apps reviewed, Advanced System Care features are divided into categories:
- Acceleration.
- Protection.
- Cleaning and optimization.
- Tools.
- Center of action.
The “Acceleration” tab contains tools to improve computer performance: turbo acceleration, hardware acceleration, etc.
“Protection” contains tools to improve security - video identification of the user’s face, anti-spying tools in the browser, safe web surfing, etc.
“Cleaning and Optimization” contains utilities for removing garbage from the file system and registry.
“Tools” lists all application modules plus other IObit products.
Action Center contains tools automatic update programs installed on the PC and downloads of other IObit products.
In addition, Advanced System Care installs a widget on the system that is constantly on the screen and displays the percentage of RAM and processor load.
The applications included in today's review support all editions of Windows, from XP to Windows 10. We decided not to talk about programs whose authors limited themselves to supporting systems up to Windows 7, since they are not relevant today.
Often, PC users encounter such a problem when the computer begins to freeze, slow down and refuse to perform certain functions and tasks.
In this case, it is not necessary to request the help of a specialist, because everything can be done independently, while at home. After all, it’s enough to know how to completely clean your computer without uninstalling Windows. You don't want to lose important information?
How to completely clean your computer
without uninstalling Windows
Please note that the system already has all kinds of tools for cleaning the hard drive on a computer. Moreover, the cleaning methods are generally similar for both versions of Windows 7 and 8. This article will consider both methods using standard tools and using third-party software.
The importance of the prevention process
From time to time, it is necessary to carry out, so to speak, preventive maintenance regarding the computer. One hundred percent cleaning of the PC is not always acceptable, since the user may have important data stored on the hard drive. But over time, the folders fill chaotically, and the PC memory becomes polluted with unnecessary files, which is why there is a need to periodically clean and tidy up the memory. For example, one useful process in this regard is disk defragmentation. For this, both third-party programs and standard tools can be used.
Why is defragmentation needed?
This operation can be considered one of the most important operational points regarding the hard drive. The bottom line is that a PC user always moves something on his hard drive or deletes files. As a result, “gaps” of sorts appear in memory, which are filled with new data larger than the freed up space. As a result, large data begins to be fragmented, that is, fragmented, as a result of which the hard drive suffers heavy loads and the computer begins to slow down. That's why defragmentation is important for a computer. But it doesn’t end with defragmentation, and other methods must be used to clean your PC.
PC Cleaning: Action Plan
First you need to remove all unnecessary files, for which you use both standard system tools and third-party ones. So we recommend using the “Your Uninstaller” program. It allows you to remove even residual files from system registry, which significantly saves disk space.
How to permanently delete data?
To permanently delete unnecessary files, you can use a special utility program called “CCleaner”. The utility is free. After downloading, launch the program and follow these steps:
- Activating the “Service” tab (chest icon on the left).
- Go to “Erase Discs”.
- Marking the items required for deletion.
- Click "Erase".
- Cleaning without removing the system
Some may need information on how to completely clean up their computer without uninstalling Windows. CCleaner will also help you here. To do this, follow these steps:
- Activating the “Cleaning” tab (broom sign).
- Marking the required items.
- Clicking “Analyze” and then “Cleaning”.
- Go to the "Register".
- Select the required items and click “Search for problems”.
- Click on “Fix”.
Standard Windows tools for garbage removal
The system has hidden potential, and you can take advantage of it by resorting to standard system cleaning products. To do this you need to do:
- Login to Start.
- Select "Computer".
- Move the cursor over the required section and click right click mouse (call the context menu).
- Select "Properties".
- Activating the "General" tab.
- Click Disk Cleanup and check the file types you want to delete.
- Confirmation "OK".
- Click "Delete files".
Freeing up RAM
Not all computer users know how to completely clean a computer, and not everyone needs it. Many people need, for example, to simply clear their RAM. This is important, and if you do not know how to do this, then here we will reveal this issue to you.
There is one effective way clearing this type of memory. The following operations should be performed:
- Opening a standard notepad.
- Enter the command FreeMem=Space (640000000) in it.
- Save the entry and name it “ram_cleaner.vbs”. Selecting the "txt" format.
To clear RAM, you need to run the saved file when needed.
Special software for system prevention and optimization
There are many programs that help with the question of how to properly clean your computer of unnecessary files. Some of these programs have such wide functionality that it will save you from the hassle of unnecessary data on your hard drive. For example, we recommend a program such as “TuneUp Utilites 2014”. It independently monitors system performance and constantly keeps it optimized. Just for a newbie this program will be of great help. It is worth noting that the program has a special service that allows you to clear your PC’s RAM. This is a very optimal option when the user does not have the option to thoroughly and thoroughly understand all the nuances of the system.
Formatting the hard drive
When the user needs to reinstall operating system, then the following cleaning method is just for such a case. Before installing the system distribution kit on your PC, you can format any area of the hard drive. This method of cleaning a disk is the most critical, because formatting deletes the entire contents of the hard disk, so you should be careful here, because if important data remains on the disk, you should copy it to another medium. To format, just right-click on the disk and select “Format”.
« Command line»
The Command Line is also used to erase data from a disk. If you choose this cleaning method, do this:
- Press "Win" and "R" at the same time.
- Enter the value “cmd” in the program line and click “OK”.
- In the program interface, enter the value “format”, followed by a space – the name of the disk partition (there must be a colon after it).
- As a result, you must enter data like this: format C:. Where the value “C” is the partition of the hard drive, in this case the system one.
Clearing the memory card
Touching on the topic of memory cleaning, it is also worth mentioning memory cards. After all, garbage can also accumulate on external media, and cards are used quite often these days. Due to contamination of the memory card, the computer may also begin to slow down. Therefore, knowledge about cleaning external media from junk files you will always need.
So, to clear the memory card, do:
- Place the cursor over the memory card section and right-click.
- Select Format.
- Stop choosing file system called "FAT32". This is a more acceptable system for external drives.
Conclusion
So, now you know how to completely clean your computer without affecting Windows. It doesn’t even matter what version of Windows you have: 7 or 8. After all, in principle, the methods for both systems are the same. This question is very relevant for users, because the cleanliness of the system determines how the computer as a whole will work, because extra files are always a hindrance, and the hard drive with RAM As a result, they are subjected to severe stress. Therefore, delve into the question and apply new knowledge in practice. Make your PC life easier!
Hello all friends!
If you care about fast work computer, then at least every three months you need to carry out a global cleaning of the system from various types garbage. If you don't do this, your computer will simply slow down.
After using your computer for a long time, a lot of garbage accumulates, getting rid of it can free up gigabytes of free space on your hard drive by clearing the disk of garbage in three steps. This article is for beginners. Use it and you will really notice the difference BEFORE and AFTER cleaning hard drive. The most interesting thing is that we will get rid of Temp folders more about her:
Step 1) cleaning your computer from junk - manually
Cleaning system disk"C" in Windows 7 is a fairly simple procedure, but before using the programs, let's prepare our computer. For this we will use standard means systems. Let's go to " Start» —>» Computer"and we see our disks. Point the mouse at drive C and press the right mouse button. Go to properties and run disk cleanup.
The cleaning program will start, it will evaluate the volume, and prepare the files for deletion.
Attention! If you are cleaning the disk for the first time, this may take a long time, up to several hours. Therefore, for especially “Neglected Patients” it is necessary to perform cleaning at night.
We check all the boxes before cleaning. Look in the trash, maybe you still have the files you need there.
Don't forget to go to the advanced tab, there you can delete unnecessary programs and restore points. 
Click " OK"—> « Delete files» unnecessary garbage has been removed. The preparation of the system is completed, let’s move on to the “heavy artillery” - let’s use powerful program to remove remaining debris.
Step 2. CCleaner - continue disk cleaning
We continue cleaning. And a cool program called CCleaner will help us with this. This is the most popular utility among garbage cleaners. Download the portable (portable version does not require installation) program. The download will start automatically. Launch the program, click " Analyze" (Analysis), after scanning " Run Cleaner“(Cleaning). The program language changes like this: Options» —> « Settings» —> « Language» —> « Russian«.
You can also clean the registry, I think you’ll figure it out - the interface couldn’t be simpler. Let's move on to next step.
Step 3. FreeSpacer - completely clean your computer disk of debris
The program is called FreeSpacer and install it on your computer. I'll say a few words about this wonderful program.
I've been using FreeSpacer for a very long time, what I don't like about it complex settings, it all comes down to two actions: search and delete, it is distributed free of charge and does not remove anything unnecessary. I also want to say about its effectiveness; it removed my friend’s 20 gigs of garbage and that's not the limit.
Launch the program and click " Search.» There should be no other programs or background applications running on the system.
Even new computer After some time it starts to freeze a lot during operation. This happens due to the fact that a large number of unnecessary files, programs and cache accumulate in the system. You can fix the problem by clearing your computer of junk.
Free computer cleaning of junk and unnecessary files
Let's look at the most popular cleaning methods.
Cleaning the registry
Start» - « Execute».
Enter " regedit" and press " Enter" or OK.
First of all you need to create backup copy: « File» - «»…
The editor window is divided into 2 parts. The left section displays the sections, and the right displays individual registries.
Now you need to find and delete records of deleted programs.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER - « Software»…
You need to look through all the entries and find those that contain the name of the program or developer company. In the picture below this is the program.
Find the entry and press the button Delete.
If an error occurs after changing the registry, you can restore it from a backup copy.
Cleaning the system disk
Before you clean your computer of junk, you need to save all your data. Usually files user are stored on drive D, A programs are installed on drive C. If hard drive is not divided, then all information is stored on drive C. You need to transfer files, music, photos, videos from one partition to another drive, cloud storage etc.
The "" function is built into OS Windows 7. Right-click (RMB) on the shortcut “ My computer", select the item " Properties" and further "".
In the next window you need to select the partitions that should be deleted. Usually this is the “” folder, a cache from the Internet and files in the Recycle Bin.
The disk cleaning process begins.
Cleaning startup
Not all programs that are installed on a computer are garbage. Antivirus and firewall are designed specifically to protect the system. They should not be removed from startup, unlike other programs. Torrent, application for sound card can be launched separately later. You can clean your computer using the built-in program MSConfig.
« Start» - « Execute" or " Win+R» - « msconfig.exe» - OK.
The "" window will open. Go to the tab "" and " Service».
This displays a list of all programs that are loaded when Windows startup. There is a check mark next to each of them. To remove a program from startup, you need to remove the check mark and click.
To avoid accidentally turning off system program, activate the “” checkbox at the bottom.
All changes will take effect after the system is rebooted.
Removing unnecessary programs and files
The next step in cleaning your computer from junk is deleting unused programs. This can be done using system tools, through the control panel.
Start – Control Panel – .
You need to find the program in the list and click on the “ Delete».
This method has one serious drawback - “tails” of programs may remain on the computer.
You can also clean your computer from viruses through the registry. Viruses create registry entries to download their files when Windows startup. They are located HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER. They need to be found and removed.
- Open the registry: Win + R - Regedit - Enter.
- Go to the section /Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Run.
- We find the file - right-click - Delete.
Next, you need to clear all malicious entries in the registry. To do this, click “ Computer" - tab " Edit» - « Find" Enter the names of all malicious processes and click “ Find next" You need to delete all registry branches that contain these files.
Clearing the cache
A cache is a storage for temporary files, but most often unnecessary files accumulate here. It has to be cleaned manually. The cache may contain temporary files and DNS. Consider how to clear your computer of junk cache.
DNS- this is the sequence of determining the correspondence between the IP and the text name of a computer on the network. Each time, the domain's DNS information is cached for later use. This provides fast access to the file and reduces server load. But if the IP changes, the user will not be able to open the site using the link to Domain name. To avoid this error, you need to clear the cache by running the command " Start» – « Execute» - ipconfig /flushdns. The system will clear the memory and close the window.
How to delete temporary files from your hard drive was described earlier.
Over a long period of time, duplicate files accumulate on the computer. For example, a user downloaded a movie, forgot about it, and then copied it again. Manually clearing your computer of debris in the form of duplicates is very time-consuming and inconvenient. Therefore it is better to use third party programs, For example, AllDup. The search is carried out immediately on all disks, inside archives, filters, etc.
By default, the search is performed by file name. In the settings, you need to change the search options by specifying the file contents as the method.
Based on the search results, files will be sorted by size. You can only view photos. Check the duplicates and click the button in the upper left corner.
Selected files can be deleted or moved to any disk partition, for example, the Recycle Bin.
Here's how to clean your computer of junk for free.
How to clean your computer using special utilities
Built-in programs have a limited set of functions. Sometimes with the help of one third party application can simultaneously solve several problems.
Using CCLEANER you can clean the registry, cache and startup list. A separate menu section is provided for each task. To clean the registry, you need to go to the " Registry integrity» check all the boxes and start the process.
The program will analyze all system errors and display them in a separate list. We check that there is a checkmark next to each and them and click “”.
A warning will appear on the screen. Click "" to start the removal process.
Through the "" tab you can delete all temporary files and network cache. First, the program analyzes the information...
Then it displays a list of files that need to be deleted.
Auslogicsboostspeed
Immediately after launching the program, it will offer to perform a “system check”. The first time the process may take 30 minutes. In this case, all cache files, duplicates and other garbage will be displayed in the results. You can select a specific operation in the “” section: clear history, delete files, clean (defragment) your hard drive, or clear the list of programs from startup.
RevoUninstallerPro
RevoUninstallerFree is designed to remove unnecessary application from a computer. All installed programs are displayed on the "" tab. You just need to select the application and “ Delete» (the button will become active).
The menu "" presents two more useful features:
- ", with which you can edit the list of applications launched when Windows starts.
- ", which searches for and removes residual files from your computer.
The program is used to clean cache, unnecessary files, system errors. In the settings, you can mark which items are best left, for example, passwords for sites in the browser.
Having selected all the necessary items, we start the cleaning process.
Unlocker
You can clean your computer from garbage, viruses and program remnants using the Unlocker program.
You need to download and install the application on your PC. Find the file or folder to be deleted and right-click on it. In the menu that opens, click “ Unlocker».
Loading...
