From: Desktop Tip of the Day ************************** *** SAVE THIS WRITE-UP *** ************************** ** My "Helpware" ** BY ***Karl Sirgedas*** (*** = AAAAaaae) 12/2/00 The Desktop Computing T I P(s) O F T H E W E E K By Ethan Welkes ( Dan Paul and *** Karl ***) December 1, 2000 ----- An Ounce of Prevention (For Win9x) ------ Maintain your hard drive by performing these steps at least monthly, in this order: 1.) Delete all files and folders with dates older than one week from C:\WINDOWS\TEMP. 2.) Purge your Web browser's history and Internet cache files. *** Mine is IE 5.1*** *** Select - Start/Settings/Control Panel/Internet Options; *** [OR from IE Browser/tools/Internet Options] *** Click, Clear History *** Change, Days to Keep pages in History to 1 OR "0" (Only more if spying on Your Kids?) *** Temp Inter. Files = Click, Delete Files; *NOW* Click Settings = Choose Only, Every visit to the Page OR "NEVER" *** Change amount of Disk space to Use to 63 Meg. *** Click, View Files, Delete BAD (Ad/Spyware) Cookies but NOT known Address's "Good Cookies" [they contain Log-on's/Auto passwords] 3.) Run ScanDisk. Select the Standard radio button and enable Automatically Fix Errors. Click on Advanced and, under Log File, pick Replace Log; for Cross-Linked Files, select Delete; click Free under Lost File Fragments; under Check Files For, check "Invalid dates and times;" and disable "Check host drive first, " unless you've compressed your hard drive. *********************************************************** *** He MUST HAVE read MY ScanDisk/Defrag writeup! (LOL) *** *********************************************************** 4.) Empty the Recycle Bin. ********************************************************* *** BELOW is for more Advanced Fixes = GREAT ! Info ! *** ********************************************************* *** Most can BE called Up via Start/Run *** READER TIP OF THE WEEK ------------------------------------------- --- Fix Windows (For Win98/Me) --- If you're like me, you often check out demo programs or games. When you're done with them, you uninstall them; thinking that the uninstall routine will remove them completely. Unfortunately, this is *** NOT *** the case and may cause problems down the line. Here are my tips to cleaning up after a program uninstalls. The programs I refer to are only available in Win98, 98SE, Me versions. A) Check the file folder that contained the original program. Often saved games or character files remain on the computer EVEN AFTER THE UNINSTALL. ***Simply delete*** the offending folder and regain mucho disk space. *** USE Windows Explorer/C:/Program Files AND/OR Start/Find/Files or Folders *** B) Check your ***startup (***Tab***) folder using msconfig.exe. Many programs will leave "stubs" in this folder, even after they're removed. Unchecking the startup program in msconfig will regain system resources and you may find all manner of useless ***SHhtuff*** that can be easily shutoff without having to resort to editing your *registery* (* = VERY Dangerous PLACE !***). (*** NEVER/EVER !!! UnCheck Explorer OR SysTray !!! [in StartUp Tab] *** *** Start/Run, TYPE msconfig , OK *** ************************************* *** GREAT ! and DANGEROUS PLace !!! *** *** REMEMBER msconfig !!! *** ************************************* *** Select StartUp Tab *** *** [STARTUP NOTES} *** 1. Great! Place to See What Names of Program run @ POWERUP ! *** 2. Spywares Auto Turn-ON Here = UNCHECK ! *** a. Real Tray, WinAmp and OTHER KNOWN Garbage !!! *** 3. IF You HAVE Problems, IS the "EXACT" address Listed TWICE !? *** a. If So, Uncheck All related Ones!, after Rebooting 2x ?, *** IF Still Listed, Un/re-Install that Sotfware correctly {{{*** Correctly ??? = See MY F.n write-up, SHhmuck ! }}} *** OR it May be CONFLICTING with Something ELSE ! *** 4. To Find Conflicting Software = Uncheck 1 @ a time Until *** OK = YOU found IT ! **** Stay OUT of other msconfig's Tabs, Only 1 Thing in General = *** *** Select General Tab; Click Create BackUp, OK *** [It save Yours Current Registry ; *** Turning On computer Auto-saves last 4 Reg's, anyway] *** (DO NOT touch ANYTHING else in General Tab = 4 Advanced Users !!!) C) Use System File Checker (sfc.exe) and Version Checker (vcmui.exe) to assure that your system files have not been corrupted, deleted or changed by an install/uninstall routine. Games are notorious for installing old versions of DirectX over the new one you downloaded last week. This can cause video, sound and joystick problems that can be easily cured by checking for and restoring the files with the most recent file version number and or date. Don't pay too much attention to file dates as they sometimes are erroneously saved as the date they were installed, not the create date. *** Start/Run, Type vcmui , Ok *** [*** I am not experience with this !***] *** Start/Run, Type sfc , Ok Start *** *** A. YOU ! If needed, Use Your Windows or Office CD and Help it Find (browse) *** Folder that has the exact Good replacement file; IF UNSURE in SFC *** Click Ignore "for Now" [ to see If/how Many corruptions you have ! ] *** B. If All in SFC is OK; "AFTER Loading/Updating new MS or Windows software then Return to SFC and when asked = Reply file(s) HAVE BEEN updated ! D) Run dxdiag.exe if you have problems that you know are related to DirectX. You can see if your drivers are up to date, check to see if they are working properly and change some default DX settings for compatibilty. If DXDiag say the driver is uncertified, don't worry too much unless you know the driver is the problem, "certified drivers" are not usually the most recent or best for your games. *** I Updated to Direct 8 and Used the Neat tests *** These simple tasks will improve the load speed of Windows 98 and help to mitigate problems from poorly designed uninstallers. I have found and fixed many issues using these programs and I hope you can too! -- submitted by Dan Paul .............................. If you like Tip of the Day please share it with friends and co-workers, and encourage them to sign up! It's free. You can unsubscribe or change your e-mail address at any time. 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