presents...


Provided by the members of...

• Malwarebytes by MBAM - free version
  
• CCleaner by Piriform - free version
  
• Software Update by Glarysoft - free version
  
• 10AppsManager by The Windows Club - free version
  

• Crazy advertisements popping up everywhere - difficult to escape from. 
  
• Odd computer behavior. 
  
• Slower than normal internet processing - not relating to your ISP. 
  
• Error messages. 
  
• Freezing and crashing or software and the computer. 
  
• Outgoing messages, PM's, DM's, emails, tweets etc from your account that you did not send. 
  
• Oddly named files, names and locations. 
  
• Software that you did not install, installed or popping up - including antivirus programs telling you you're infected. 
  
• Hardware or accessory problems. 
  

• Download and install the free version of Malwarebytes
  
  NOTE: If you have Malwarebytes already installed, you don't need to install it again. Simply start from the next bullet point;
  
  
• Once Malwarebytes is installed, launch it and let it update his database. You might have to click on the little arrow by Scan Status in the middle right pane for it to do so;
  
• Once the database update is complete, click on the Scan tab, then select the Threat Scan button and click on Start Scan;
  
• Let the scan run, the time required to complete the scan depends on your system and computer specs;
  
• Once the scan is complete, make sure that the first checkbox at the top is checked (which will automatically check every detected item), then click on the Quarantine Selected button;
  • If it asks you to restart your computer to complete the removal, do so.
    

• Click the Windows Icon (bottom left).
  
• Settings.
  
• System.
  
• Apps and Features
  
• Scroll through the apps and features and continue to uninstall completely and reboot where required. 
  
  Video Tutorial Available Here: https://youtu.be/KDSogf_tbCs
  

• Open CCleaner by Piriform
  
• Click Tools on the left panel.
  
• Click Duplicate Finder
  
• Make sure you have the following selected for your search:
  
• Click Search.
  
  WARNING: legitimate files will return as results associated with different programs - if you just go deleting everything you might stop the software from working. If you make a mistake like this, just uninstall then reinstall the software. I advise watching this short video I made:
  
  Video Tutorial Available Here: https://youtu.be/NpBXzBro0tw
  
  
• Select ONE of the duplicate version - after selecting all the duplicates you wish yo delete - click delete.
  

• Usability: these days with a decent internet connection - uploading even bulky items quickly is not an issue.
  
• Access: access your files on a range of devices all around the globe on a variety of devices, whenever you need!
  
• Sharability: we are a truly global generation - share your files with family and friend in different corners of the globe with the click of a button.
  
• Cheap: base hosting starts as low as $3/month. For some portable hard drives (~$100) you get 3 years of worldwide accessible storage for less than a bulky hard drive. 
  
• Backup: I don't know about you - but I trust Google's servers a hell load more than a hard drive I got on sale. I've had numerous hard drives simply stop working - to date (6 years) I have had no issues with online storage.
  

• Privacy: this goes without saying - like anything online you need to safeguard yourself from people who may want access to your personal data. 
  
• Bandwidth: if you want to upload large files - depending on where you are it can be a bit tedious. 
  
• Storage: correlates with cost depending on the vendor.
  

• Install Software Update and allow it to run.
  
  NOTE: When installing Software Update - be sure to uncheck 'Install Software Update Utilities'. 
  
  
• A new tab will open listing the software requiring updates and their download link.
  
  
• Work through the list, pay particular attention to any antivirus, third-party firewall, java and drivers - these are critical! It's a good idea to run this tool on the odd occasion. 
  

• Select the Start button, type Device Manager, and select it from the list of results.
  
• Expand one of the categories to find the name of your device, then right-click (or tap and hold) it, and select Update Driver. For graphics cards, expand the Display adapters category, right click your graphics card and select Update Driver.
  
• Select Search automatically for updated driver software.
  
• If Windows doesn't find a new driver, you can try looking for one on the device manufacturer's website and follow their instructions.
  

• Click Start
  
• Settings
  
• Updates and Security
  
• Windows Update
  
• Check for Updates
  
• If there are updates available - let it do its thing.
  
  

• Open CCleaner by Piriform
  
• Click Tools on the left panel.
  
• Click StartUp.
  
• Scroll through the list of programs, any software that you think doesn't require components running at startup; select, then disable it. 
  
• An example for me is 'OneDrive' as I know I don't use the service but it comes bundled with Windows. 
  
  Video Tutorial Available Here: https://youtu.be/_zZr2szA2hg
  
  

• Open CCleaner by Piriform
  
• Click Tools on the left panel.
  
• Click Extensions.
  
• Scroll through the list of extensions, any extension that you think doesn't require components running at startup; select, then disable it. 
  
• An example for me in the video below is all the extensions in Firefox can be deleted as I removed Firefox from my system months ago - this is proof that things still lurk on your computer and take up resources. I can also disable some extensions in my browser of choice, Google Chrome. 
  
  Video Tutorial Available Here: https://youtu.be/_3oliCmTH_U
  

• Open CCleaner by Piriform
  
• Click Tools.
  
• Click System Restore
  
• The latest system restore point will be disabled for your safety, select all restore points that you can (or wish to).
  
• Click Remove.
  

• Extract the contents of the zipped folder 10amW10.
  
• Right click 10AppsManager and select Run as Administrator
  
• 10AppsManager will launch, you can then manually select which apps you wish to uninstall. Otherwise you can select the 'Remove All' button down the bottom right.
  
• Allow 10AppsManager to run uninterrupted until you have removed all apps you have deemed unnecessary.
  

• Launch CCleaner
  
  NOTE: cleaning 'cookies' will log you out of any active sessions online - Facebook, HackForums etc. So be sure you either know their password, have it saved or can recover it.
  
  
• The 'Cleaner' tab on the left-hand side will be open by default. 
  
• Toggle through the 'Windows' and 'Applications' tabs and ensure all that can be (or all that you want to) clean is selected.
  
• You will have to exit out of your browser for this.
  
• Click 'Run Clean' and let it do its thing. 
  
  

• Click Start
  
• Type 'Disk Cleanup' and open it. 
  
• Place a check next to all the items you wish to clean - if you're unsure of what a category is, just click it and Disk Cleanup will have a description below for you.
  
• Click 'Cleanup System Files'
  
  

• Open file explorer.
  
• Click 'This PC'.
  
• Right click on the drive you wish to run CHKDSK (usually C).
  
• Click 'Properties'.
  
• Click the 'Tools' tab.
  
• Under 'Error Checking' click 'Check'.
  
• CHKDSK will now run and make repairs as necessary.
  

• Click Start.
  
• Type 'cmd'.
  
• Right-click Command Prompt and click 'Run as Administrator'.
  
• In the command prompt window type (without {SPACE}):
   
  
  
  
  
• The sfc utility will run for a while and replace any corruptions on reboot.
  
  NOTE: In case you are unable to start the System File Checker, and you instead get the “Windows Resource Protection Could Not Start the Repair Service” error, you may want to check up if your Windows Modules Installer service has been Disabled. To do so, type services.msc in start search and hit Enter. The status of this service should be set to Manual.
  
  

• Click Start.
  
• Type 'Defragment' and open 'Defragment and Optimize Drives'.
  
• Select your drive - if it is OK and doesn't need defragmenting the 'Analyze' option won't be available.
  
• If a disk requires defragmenting it's 'Current Status' will read 'Needs Optimization' and the 'Analyze' option won't be available - with these disks you should go ahead and click 'Optimize'.
  
• If a disk hasn't been defragmented recently, click 'Analyze'. 
  
• If the score is 5% or greater fragmented - it is advised you 'Optimize' these drives also. 
  
• Let it do its thing.
  
  

• Optimise Power Profiles: you can switch to performance mode - but this will drain a laptops battery life. 
  
• Maximise CPU Power: you can throttle the CPU power based on your power supply. 
  
• Go Opaque: Windows 10 fancy graphics take a toll on your system's performance - consider switching from your flashy translucent start bar to an opaque one. 
  
• Disable Visual Effects: Windows 10 animations and special effects feature lower your system's performance - consider removing them to squeeze every last bit of power out of your machine.
  
• Limit Programs in Task Bar: here you can prevent software from placing their icon in your taskbar next to your speaker and battery icon, these all use your system's resources.
  
• Stop Apps Running in the Background: some apps running in the background are actually quite useless and it's completely up to you if you want to prevent some of these from running. Microsoft edge, Microsoft Store, Sticky Notes, and Tips are all useless to me, are they to you?
  
• Use the Windows Startup Tool: this is to disable startup programs similar to that of CCleaner - Windows lets you know what software on startup is requiring the most energy - disable CPU hungry software you don't need to launch as soon as you open the computer. 
  
• Automatically Sign into Windows: your login page while essential for security slows things down, if you're using a desktop and not worried about others using it why not consider this feature?
  
• Shut Down with One Tap (point 4): you can program your power button to actually shut your machine down for you - safely - with a single tap. 
  
• Turn off One Drive Sync: if you're not using OneDrive turn off this feature. 
  
• Turn on Fast Startup: With Windows 10 there is a new “hybrid” startup mode that should cut down on bootup times. IT does this by putting the PC into hibernation instead of fully shutting down.
  
• Turn off Search Indexing: this is another of those - if you want to squeeze every ounce of performance type tips - don't expect to easily search for files after you do this one.
  
• Turn off Tips: if they haven't annoyed you into googling how to turn them off already!
  
• Keep Computer Cool: hot computers don't function as well - if you can have the laptop on a firm surface where air can circulate. If you have a desktop, make sure the fans are clean and there's nothing obstructing airflow. 
  
• Power Off: give your computer a break and increase the life by turning it off every so often! 
  
• Overclocking: check out the forums on HackForums. 
  
• Realistic Expectations: you can't expect a push bike to compete with a Ferrari. Sometimes it's better to reformat or upgrade!
  

• This tutorial is a software-based approach to speeding up your system but of course, I must acknowledge the power of hardware upgrades! If none of the above tips have helped maybe it is time to upgrade a component or two? An important point, however; multiple upgrades can be expensive, at this point it may be more cost effective to purchase a new machine altogether and start fresh. 
  
• Upgrade RAM: make sure you check how much your machine can handle and don't exceed this! You don't want to fry your machine - this is a fantastic way to speed up general functionality.
  
• Convert from a HDD to an SSD: old HDD take time to spin and boot up, solid states are speedy and will have a significant impact to both bootup time and general functionality.
  
• Upgrade Graphics Card: maybe if you want to better support dual screens or if you're having noticeable issues with your existing one. 
  
• Upgrade CPU: some systems won't even allow you to do this - if you're getting to this point to increase speed just start fresh.
  
  

1. Was this thread helpful?
   
2. Did you try out these steps or learn anything new?
   
3. What would you like to see next?
   
4. Is there anything you may suggest that I missed?
   
   

(Nov 16, 2017 09:52 PM)Bleeping Wrote:  All of this is great but I personally disagree with the use of Driver Booster by IOBit. I have had experiences where it has completely installed the wrong driver as well as not install them correctly. One such application that is known in the IT repair industry is SDIO, or Snappy Driver Installation Origin. It uses very accurate algorithms and only updates what is actually needed. If you'd like you can check that out here: https://sdi-tool.org/

(Nov 16, 2017 08:40 PM)AsSaSs@iN Wrote:  Nice one 👍 Good to see some similarities - but also great to see some differences 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

(Nov 17, 2017 11:51 AM)Maxim Wrote:  I really should take my PC more serious when it comes to keeping it safe and clean. By a quick look it seems like this thread will help with the later.
Saving this for the morning coffee.

Well done Assassain.

(Nov 17, 2017 02:31 AM)AsSaSs@iN Wrote:  Thanks for the reply, I personally haven't any issues with Driver Booster. As you're from Bleeping Computer I'll look into it and consider modifying my OP if I agree 🙂 Thanks for the links too - admittedly looking at Snappy Driver it looks better already!

(Nov 17, 2017 05:52 PM)Bleeping Wrote:  I am not but I do strongly endorse their content and class.  🤝

(Nov 17, 2017 06:19 PM)testaccountplsignore Wrote:  Oh boy this post made me all sticky. Great guide, Assassin

(Nov 17, 2017 06:32 PM)AsSaSs@iN Wrote:  I agree, I checked out SDIO and it's just so massive (12gb? - defeats the purpose of the thread honestly) - surely there's a less resource-intensive alternative to this that functions just as well?

---

I have that effect on people bby.

(Nov 17, 2017 10:41 PM)Bleeping Wrote:  I think you're using another part of SDIO, you can download the indexes rather than the full driver packs. It allows both options.

(Nov 26, 2017 05:56 AM)Dеceived Wrote:  Thanks for this tutorial I am most likely going to just follow every step through later and see if I get improvements!