Remove Spyware

If the computer is performing very slowly after connecting to the Internet, adware or spyware programs may be installed.

Spyware and adware software programs use the Internet to download and upload information in the background. Some of this information may be sensitive or unwanted advertising.

Spyware and adware can be very difficult to remove. Refer to the following HP support document for more information about spyware and how to remove it from your computer: About Spyware, Adware, and Browser Hijacking Software (in English).

Close all open programs not being used

Only use programs that are necessary. Minimizing a programs window may not stop that program from using the processor and memory. Being connected to the Internet, listening to music, and running virus scans are all ways to use a lot of system resources. Try running virus scans and other system tools while no one is using the computer or when away from the desk. Work offline when convenient. Closing programs that are not necessary helps Windows perform more efficiently.

Manage startup programs by preventing background programs from loading

As software programs load, the small icons on the system tray increase (usually these icons are in the lower-right corner, next to the time). Each of these small pictures represents a program running in the background, and each one removes valuable system resources. Move the mouse pointer over each small picture to find what software it is. Common programs that load and run in the background are virus scanners, display settings, and multimedia programs. Increase system resources by stopping these tasks from loading, or by changing their settings. This can be achieved in a number of ways since these programs often start from various places. If the methods below do not apply to a specific icon, consult the applications documentation or Web site.

Empty the Recycle Bin

1. From the Windows desktop, double-click Recycle Bin .
   
2. Restore any mistakenly deleted items by highlighting each file, then selecting File and Restore .
3. Click Empty the Recycle Bin . Windows will remove the contents of the Recycle Bin from the hard disk (C: is most common).
4. Select Yes to confirm.
5. Close the Recycle Bin .

Deleting temporary files and directories

This step increases hard disk space and reduces the time Windows takes to access the hard drive. It also resolves problems associated with spooling print jobs. Windows uses a TEMP directory to temporarily store files intended only for temporary use. Over time, these files can build up and cause problems. To delete these files, use the following set of steps depending upon the Windows version:

1. Close all open software programs.
2. Click Start , All Programs , Accessories , System Tools , and then Disk Cleanup . The Disk Cleanup Options window opens.
   Figure 5: Disk Cleanup Options

   
3. Click My files only or Files from all users on this computer .
4. Select the drive you want to clean up, and then click OK .
   A message appears telling you that Disk Cleanup is calculating how much space you will be able to free on the drive you chose.
   Figure 6: Disk Cleanup progress indication window

   
5. Place a check next to the types of files you want the Disk Cleanup utility to delete. Temporary files are safe to delete.

   CAUTION:

   Selecting some options can have a negative effect. Examples: selecting "Hibernation File Cleaner" can prevent the computer from entering hibernation mode, selecting Setup Log Files will delete the files that online phone support agents can use to help troubleshoot setup problems. If you are unsure about what to delete, do not delete the files until you know if the files are not important for your use of the computer.

   Figure 7: Disk Cleanup

   
6. Click OK .
7. Click Delete Files .

Check for hard disk drive errors

Perform the following procedure to check the integrity of the hard disk drive in Windows Vista. Close all open programs before beginning the disk check.

1. Close all open software programs.
2. Click Start , and then click Computer .
3. Right-click the hard disk drive that you want to check, and then click Properties .
   Figure 8: Selecting Properties for the hard drive

   
4. In the Properties window, click the Tools tab.
5. Under Error-checking, click Check Now .
   Figure 9: Tools tab

   
6. If desired, click the check box next to Automatically fix file system errors and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors .
   Figure 10: Check Disk window

   
7. Click Start . If prompted to Schedule a disk check, click Schedule disk check and follow the onscreen instructions to restart the computer and scan the disk for errors.
   Figure 11: Message that can appear if Windows is unable to check

   

Defragment the hard disk drive

The Disk Defragmenter utility takes all of the scattered bits of program data and groups them together in more efficient areas of the drive.

Run Disk Defragmenter as follows:

1. Close all open software programs. This includes background programs such as scanners.
2. Click Start , All Programs , Accessories , System Tools , and then click Disk Defragmenter .

   NOTE:

   If Disk Defragmenter repeatedly starts, then a hidden background program is still accessing the hard drive. Restart the PC in Safe mode and try again.

3. Click Defragment Now . This could take a few minutes or a few hours, depending on the amount of data on your hard disk drive. You have the option to click Cancel defragmentation to stop the utility.
   Figure 12: Disk Defragmenter

   

Preventing memory allocation problems

Allocated memory space from programs that are no longer open can cause problems. Over time, this unused memory space can build up, causing Windows to slow down and use the hard drive more. These "memory leaks" are probably occurring if the computer runs well when first turned on, but the computer performs noticeably slower after several programs are opened and closed.

Memory leaks can occur if software is closed before it has fully opened. Always allow programs to fully open before closing them. As a rule, wait 5 seconds after a program open before closing it again, even if the program was opened unintentionally.

To immediately fix memory leaks, restart the computer. For a permanent fix, isolate the program causing the leaks by using the following steps:

1. Start with a fresh session of Windows by shutting down and then turning on the computer.
2. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and then select Start Task Manager to open the Task Manager window.
3. Click the Performance tab to view the amount of available physical memory.
   Figure 13: Performance tab in Task Manager

   
4. Click the Resource Monitor button to view how your PC is using the memory. Click the arrow next to Used Physical Memory, and then scroll down to view which programs are using memory.
   Figure 14: Memory graph in Resource Monitor

   
5. Open a program suspected of causing the computer to run more slowly.
6. View the System Resources percentage or the amount of physical memory again and write it down.
7. Close and re-open a suspected program repeatedly, comparing this number to the one recorded. Each time, wait about 10 seconds before opening again.
8. If the system resources percentage or available physical memory continues to decrease, then a memory leak is occurring. Contact the program's vendor for available patches or fixes.
9. If the System Resource percentage or available physical memory comes back near to the same numbers each time, then the suspected program is probably not creating a memory leak.

Freeing up space on the hard drive

Windows uses unused space (free space) on the hard drive for different types of operations such as caching and virtual memory. The PC may not run reliably if the free disk space drops below five percent of the total disk space.

To see how much space remains on the hard drive:

1. Click Start , and then click Computer .
2. Right-click the hard drive (C: is most common), and click Properties .
3. View the amount of space available next to Free Space.
   

Use the following steps to remove unwanted programs and increase hard drive space:

1. Click Start , and then click Control Panel .
2. Under Programs, click Uninstall a program or double-click the Programs and Features icon.
3. Highlight a program name that is not used, and then click the Uninstall/Change button.
   If you are prompted for an Administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. Click Yes to uninstall the program.
   Figure 15: Removing programs

   
4. When done, a prompt may appear to restart Windows. Wait until completely removing the unwanted programs; then restart Windows.

Adjusting System Restore settings

System Restore is a feature of Windows that can revert system software and settings back to a particular date. System Restore does this by saving the changes made to system files in a restore point. These restore points use a lot of hard space. System Restore can fill twelve percent of the hard drive with restore points if left unadjusted, regardless of the entire size of the hard drive. Turning off System Restore deletes all restore points for that disk. You cannot restore the disk until you turn on System Protection again and a restore point is created.

Turning off System Restore

To save hard drive space, use the following steps to turn off System Restore for a hard disk drive.

1. Click Start , Control Panel , System and Maintenance , System , and then click System protection in the left pane. The System Properties window opens.
2. To turn on System protection for a hard disk drive, place a check in the check box next to the drive.
   Or
   To turn off System protection, remove the check next to the drive.
3. Click OK .

Using System Restore to fix problems

1. Click Start , Control Panel , System and Maintenance , System , and then click System protection in the left pane. The System Properties window opens.
2. Click the System Restore button.
3. Select Recommended restore to undo the most recent update, driver, or software installation if you think it is causing problems.
4. Click Next and follow any onscreen instructions.

Updating software

Software conflicts can cause the system to slow. HP, Microsoft, and other software manufacturers release updates to address these problems. Make sure that you visit HP's software download site and use Windows Update tool regularly. For more information refer to the HP support document Obtaining Software and Drivers .

Recommended maintenance schedule

To free up resources and keep the computer running properly, follow a maintenance schedule as listed below.

Daily Maintenance Schedule

Manage e-mail

• Delete e-mail from unknown sources.
• Do not open attachment that you do not trust.
• Organize e-mail.

Weekly Maintenance Schedule

Protect against viruses, adware, and spyware

• Update definition files or schedule a weekly automatic update.
• Run a full virus, adware, and spyware scan or schedule a weekly automatic scan.

Optimize performance

• Run Disk Cleanup.
• Run Disk Defragmenter.
• Check for disk errors.

Clean up Web browser files

• Delete cookies.
• Delete cache.
• Delete history files.

Monthly Maintenance Schedule

Use Windows Update

• Check for updates or schedule a monthly automatic update.

Review the Start menu

• Set to open only needed applications:
• 1. Click Start , All Programs , and then click Windows Defender .
  2. Click Tools .
  3. Click Software Explorer .
  4. In the Category list, select Startup Programs .
  5. Select the program that you want to prevent from running and click Disable .

Clean up the desktop

• Delete or uninstall unneeded icons and software programs.

Quarterly Maintenance Schedule

• Set new passwords
• Clean the computer, monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

Turning off nonessential graphical features

Graphical features and programs can use a lot of system resources. Turning off these features can improve system performance. This section explains how to close the Windows Sidebar and how to adjust visual effects for best performance.

Disabling Windows Aero

Windows Vista provides a visual experience known as Aero. Windows Aero can be used to change window colors, provide alternate tasking views, and make window borders transparent, like glass.

By default, Aero is enabled on Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise or Ultimate. While Windows Aero does offer benefits to your computing experience, it comes at a cost in system performance. If you do not want to use the Windows Aero features and increase the performance of your system, follow these steps to disable Windows Aero and apply a different theme:

1. Right-click an open area of the desktop and select Personalize .
   The Personalize appearance and sounds window opens.
   Figure 19: Personalize appearance and sounds window

   
2. Click Window Color and Appearance .
   The Window Color and Appearance window opens.
   Figure 20: Window Color and Appearance window

   
3. Click Open classic appearance properties for more options .
   The Appearance Settings window opens.
   Figure 21: Appearance Settings window

   
4. Select a color scheme, and then click Apply .