The symptoms:

Your computer runs, but... it just ain't what it used to be!

1.   You can't find your data (Pictures, letters, documents, etc)
2.   The desktop is cluttered with icons...
3.   Your computer takes a really long time just to boot up.
4.   When you startup up a program it takes a long time for it to open up.
5.    The computer is not as "snappy" as it was when you first purchased it...
6.   When you type in the word processor, or in your e-mail, there is a noticable lag before the letters you type actually show up on the screen...

Cleanup Time

Goal: On all Harddrives we need a minimum of 5 gigabytes of FREE space. The More, the better!
1.   Stuff you don't need
        a. The downloaded installers...
                When you down load a "program" to install them progam comes in a "wrapper" called an "installer."
                 I always download them to the desktop where I can easily find them for the installation...
                The wrapper contains all the files necessary to install the program, once the program is installed, you can throw the installers into the trash can...
                You can always download the installer file again if you need to re-install the software at a later date...
               

2.    b. The desktop
        Only keep "shortcuts" (PC) or aliases (MAC) on the desktop
             Actual files, data and pictures on the Desktop WILL slow down your PC or Mac

Cleanup procedures

The PC	The Mac
Go to Start  > My Computer  > Right Click on the "C" Drive  Drive_C(C:) a menu pops up select "Properties" at the bottom You should get something that looks like this	On the Mac Right Click on the Harddrive icon (If you use a 2 button mouse) or hold down the APPLE KEY AND CLICK once and choose from the pop up menu "Get Info..." You'll get this
GOAL: On all Harddrives we need a minimum of 5 gigabytes of FREE space	Or just look at the bottom of the Hard Drive lister Expanded version, you'll see something like this...
What and how to delete usless temporary stuff on the PC	Deleting temporary stuff on the Mac
Go to Start - Run - (type) "cleanmgr" without the quotes. or click on the Disk Cleanup button on the Drive_C(C:) pallet as shown above... Let it scan your system for files to remove. Check these three boxes and then press ok to remove: Temporary Files, Temporary Internet Files, Recycle Bin. This can take a really long time... more time than we have in class, maybe even over night. Then GoTo: Start - Find/search - Files or folders - in the named box, type: *.tmp When the list is generated, choose Edit - select all - File - delete. Note: If you cannot delete them all at once because you have too many, then click and hold ctrl and highlight a batch of them at a time. Once highlighted, R-click over the highlight and select delete. Then Start - Run - (type) "%temp%" (without the quotes). Delete the entire contents of that "temp" folder (use Edit - Select All - press "Delete", click "Yes"). Then, Empty your Temporary Internet Cache completely. Close all instances of Outlook and Internet Explorer, then "Control Panel >  Internet Options > General tab and click the "Delete File" button. When prompted place a check in: "Delete all offline content", then click OK. Windows Explorer and to clean out ALL the other temp folders on your system (navigate to the folders, (as listed below) Then "Edit - Select All", press "Delete", click "Yes" * C:\Documents and Settings\<Your Profile>\Local Settings\Temp\ * C:\Documents and Settings\<Any other users Profile>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\ * C:\Documents and Settings\<Any other users Profile>\Local Settings\Temp\ * C:\Windows\Prefetch\ * Empty your "Recycle Bin". Note: This is the long manual way to clear out .tmp files. It is safe and highly recommended.	The Mac does self maintenance... If you leave your Mac on all the time it runs a daily, weekly and monthly script in the early morning hours... You can run the scripts manually The Terminal way Using your Admin account, you can execute all three maintenance scripts at once, as follows: Launch Terminal, in the Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities folder. At the Terminal prompt, type the following, exactly as written: sudo periodic daily weekly monthly Press Return. Type your Admin password when prompted, then press Return. All three scripts will run in sequence. There is no visual feedback while the scripts execute. You will know they are completed when the Terminal prompt returns. You can also run the scripts individually. For example, to run just the daily script, you would type the command: sudo periodic daily If your Mac's OS is Tiger  you can download MacJanitor a free program that launchs the sudo scripts via a GUI MacJanitor It's free Coctail is share ware, but does some other things too...

...then defrag it...

windows	apple
	Disk Utility.app In the Utilities Folder, an application for repairing "permissions" and minor hard disk issues Defragging on a Mac is Not Necessary and requires third party software Disk Warrior TechTool Pro Drive Genius
Check the defrag report to see what files might be problimatic, back them up, delete them, then Defrag Again
A second pass after dealing with a bunch of small files (Google stuff was the culprit)

If your computer is clean and well behaved, it's time to to set a known System Restore point...

System Restore

With a system restore you can fall back to a date that you know your comuter was operating correctly...

Windows	Apple doesn't have a System Restore
Start > Run > type in the box labeled open: "msconfig" (without the quotes)   In the System Configuration Utility click the Launch System Restore button	Down load and install the latest Combination update http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/
You have two choices here a. Restore my computer to an earlier time or b. Create a restore point
b. Create a restore point You can name the restore point for easy Identification... It is suggested you do this if you are installing new software for the first time... if you have problems with the install you can fall back to this restore point.
a. Restore my computer to an earlier time You can see from the requester that your Restore points are obvious

Here's some more advice on organizing your computer files



Troubleshooting advice from CNet's Tips & Tricks