Speedup your computer

416-621-9348 cgreaves@chrisgreaves.com
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Why do it? ; Nightly ; EasyCleaner - Unnecessary files ; EasyCleaner - Registry ; PageDefrag ; NTRegOpt ; RevoUninstaller ; Windows Explorer - Spurious files ; Windows Reboot - Safe Mode ; Windows - Indexing Service ; Windows - Task Manager ; Windows Update Service ; Background Virus Checkers ; Defragmentation

Speedup ( Up )

“I need some advice on what to do with my old laptop which is running pretty slow. Should I try to clean it up so I can use it or just buy a new one? I still have the software discs that came with it 5 yrs ago.”

Major Options

Yes, try to clean it up (you can do it yourself or I can do it for you) or else buy a new one.

At the time of writing (December 2009) a new netbook can be had for about $350 and a new laptop for about $370; these are the latest prices related to me. If your time is precious, it might be sound economics to buy a new machine and leave the 5-year old as a backup device, or use it as a network server. (Now that you have two computers, you can have a network).

If cash is short and you have a few hours, cleaning up the existing machine makes sense, especially since you know where everything is, and you don’t need to re-configure your desktop applications.

Regardless of the course you plan, I recommend, always, a proper backup system be put in place BEFORE you do ANYTHING else.

You backup your computer at close of business every day because you don’t want to tell your clients that you have lost the work and progress that have paid you to do.

You encrypt both your laptop AND the backup drive because you need to tell your clients that their data is secure and cannot be accessed by anyone except you.

Costs

I won’t touch your machine unless I am convinced it is backed up, and preferably to an encrypted drive. I discuss Backup and Encryption here , and here , but you want to know how much it costs, and why you should bother.

The External Backup Drive will cost you $100; the software ( TrueCrypt and Robocopy ) are both FREE and professionally engineered.

You will spend about two hours, all up, spread over about two days, to get it all set up. Formatting the external drive will run for about 4 hours, overnight, as will the first Disk Check and the first Backup.

I am passionate about encryption and backup for professionals. To encourage a professional approach I will perform the encryption of your external drive and the initial backup as a 24-hour service for you for a token fee of $100. That means for the cost of the external drive and the 24-hour service ($200 total), you are on your way.

And if you think you can’t be without your computer for 24 hours, send me an email and tell me how you plan to spend your time when your computer hard drive crashes.

Obtain a price from your local Geek Squad and compare.

( This article has a reference to The Geek Squad; OK, you don't have time to read it now, so bookmark it. But don't say I didn't warn you. The comments are as good as the article).

Step-by-step

Why do it?
Nightly
EasyCleaner	Unnecessary files
EasyCleaner	Registry
PageDefrag	Page file
NTRegOpt	Registry
RevoUninstaller	Unnecessary programs
Windows Explorer	Spurious files
Windows Reboot	Safe Mode
Windows	Indexing Service
Windows	Task Manager
Windows	Update Service
	Background Virus Checkers
	Defragmentation

Toronto and Mississauga, Tuesday, May 04, 2010 9:54 AM