rotatelogs.com

Anyone running a Microsoft operating system will agree that periodically system performance decreases and needs to be optimized. In my earlier days as a computer repair technician I had to use 5-7 applications in a particular order over a period of about an hour or two to complete the job successfully and return the computer to the customer. As most computer repair professionals would agree, finding that “perfect” program that saves you time and money is a rare find for even the most accomplished IT technician. Would it be too much to ask for a perfect tool that is freely available, contains a light footprint, requires a low percentage of system resources, is virtually invisible to the end-user, runs in the background on a scheduled basis, does not interfere or conflict with other software, and has a top rated reputation? Would such a program exist? Yes, it does.

CCleaner (Crap Cleaner, www.ccleaner.com), produced by Piriform (www.piriform.com), a UK-based software publisher, is in its 5th year of production. Because this software is easily downloadable, installable, and configurable it has saved many users countless time and money by allowing the do-it-yourself user to perform system optimization themselves. FileHippo.com is one source that provides the CCleaner download. They describe the software in these words: “Cleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system – allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it’s fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!”

To fully explore the features, you can begin in one of three ways, either (1) Double-clicking the desktop icon, or (2) Clicking on Start, Programs, CCleaner, or (3) Right-clicking on the Recycle Bin and selecting “Open CCleaner…” For those hungry to clean the Recycle Bin, there is also a “Run CCleaner” option on the Recycle Bin menu, which will clean your system without any prompts. CCleaner has four main sections which can be selected using the 4 icons in the left-hand navigation panel: (1) Cleaner – This is the main feature of the program, which will allow you to optimize your system, by removing unused and temporary files. It also protects your personal privacy by removing traces of the websites you have visited and the files you have opened. (It’s important to point out that it does this without removing any files you’ll still need!), (2) Registry – This is a more advanced feature which analyses your computers registry (where windows system settings are stored) and fixes any problems and inconsistencies that exist. CCleaner has a complete backup option, so in the rare event you remove something that you need later you will have a backup to be able to restore from, (3) Tools – This section allows you to manage installed programs and applications that run when you turn on your computer, (4) Options – The Options section handles a wide array of preferences for how CCleaner runs. I prefer to enable some of these advanced settings so that I can “set it and forget it” so as not to have to worry about it in the future. I choose Options, Advanced, Hide warning messages, then Options, Advanced, Close program after cleaning, and finally uncheck Options, Advanced, Show prompt to backup registry issues, and Options, Advanced, Minimize to System Tray. In addition to this I will schedule CCleaner to run daily using the Scheduled Tasks feature of Windows. This is a wonderful feature to setup for end-users as part of their preventive maintenance schedule.

In addition to the above ease of use and comprehensive system care, there is another feature that I really appreciate that tells me a lot about the reputation of Piriform company that produces the software. Many software programs install additional “unwanted software” during the installation unknowingly to the user. Fortunately Ccleaner is not like this. During the Cleaner installation, the process asks the user if they would like to install “CCleaner Yahoo Toolbar” as part of the installation. You may choose to enable this installation feature or disable it just with the click of a mouse. I respect the company who asks for permission first before installing a feature that may or may not be wanted by or useful to the user. In addition, Piriform offers an alternate build of Ccleaner which does not contain this optional “Yahoo toolbar” feature, called Ccleaner Slim.

In summary, I fully recommend CCleaner as a valuable addition to any computer repair technician’s toolkit and for anyone running any Microsoft Windows operating system, including Windows 7 (32 bit and 64 bit). To not use CCleaner on a regular basis could very well be a stress-inducing mistake.

Looking to find the best use of free tools for optimizing Windows, then visit www.nospyware4me.com. Also, get the best advice on the best free computer virus protection products to help keep your system maximized for efficiency. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service