# Best way to keep vista clean and healthy



## DrPepper (Mar 10, 2009)

*Work in Progress*

I wanted to start a thread and see how you all keep your OS's clean and healthy. I like to keep my OS at its default after a reinstall but as you install apps it gets bogged down.

I remember seeing a post and kiriakost hasn't ever reformatted because he knows how to keep his os clean. 

I'd like to add tips to this post so that it could be constructive and used so that other users can keep thier system healthy. Tips like how to avoid virus' clearing out useless cookies and what not and how to keep the system quick and responsive. I hope this becomes quite popular because it would benefit alot of members reading it.

Anti-Virus:
AVG - http://free.avg.com/
Malwarebytes - http://www.malwarebytes.org/

General Cleaning:
CCleaner - http://www.ccleaner.com/
Vista Manager - http://www.yamicsoft.com/vistamanager/index.html
TweakIV - http://www.totalidea.com/product.php?Product=TweakVI
Vlite - http://www.vlite.net/

Defragmentation:
Smartdefrag 
Defraggler - http://www.defraggler.com/
JKDefrag - http://www.kessels.com/Jkdefrag/
O&0 Defrag - http://www.oo-software.com/home/en/products/oodefrag/
Ultimate Defrag - http://download.cnet.com/UltimateDefrag-Freeware-Edition/3000-2094_4-10582157.html
Power Defrag - http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/Power-Defragmenter.shtml

Backup Software:
Acronis True Image Home - http://www.acronis.co.uk/
Recuva - http://www.recuva.com/

Information Gathering Software:
CPUZ - http://www.cpuid.com/
Hwmonitor - http://www.cpuid.com/
Pcwizzard - http://www.cpuid.com/
GPUZ - http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/
Everest Home/Ultimate - http://www.lavalys.com/


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## ZakkWylde (Mar 10, 2009)

Great Idea! Remember to defrag frequently, do disk cleanups, run ccleaner, etc. Every once in a while take a glance at your startup programs and services in msconfig, clean out anything unnecessary ( I know kinda vague, just do some google seaches to see if you really need what is running). Lets here some more suggestions.


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## farlex85 (Mar 10, 2009)

CCleaner (registry and temp file cleaner) and defrag frequently, also optimize services and such. Of course keep it free of virus and spyware.


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## DrPepper (Mar 10, 2009)

I think we should list normal vista processes so that we can Identify foreign one's.


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## Kursah (Mar 10, 2009)

I use Vista Manager, great utility, does a great job cleaning junk files and registry, actually fixed my slow-shut down issue a while back, plus it has a lot of other great tuning areas and os tweaks. I do use CCLeaner, I have my PC set to defrag once a week, run Avast for antivirus, and use Malwarebytes and Spybot for anti-malware duties, overall I gotta say it's worked out great thus far!


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## farlex85 (Mar 10, 2009)

DrPepper said:


> I think we should list normal vista processes so that we can Identify foreign one's.



Too many, there's ton's of optimization guides on the web though, here's one. Here's another tweaker that does registry and service edits w/o you having to get into the nitty gritty.


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## DrPepper (Mar 10, 2009)

I'd like to add, I'd prefer if the software list I'm making was free but I'l add another list with programs that cost money to compare.



farlex85 said:


> Too many, there's ton's of optimization guides on the web though, here's one.



I'd like to try get the one's that you see in task manager right after you format a new copy. If anyone has just reformatted can I get a screenshot of taskmanager pretty please


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## farlex85 (Mar 10, 2009)

DrPepper said:


> I'd like to try get the one's that you see in task manager right after you format a new copy. If anyone has just reformatted can I get a screenshot of taskmanager pretty please



They're listed in that guide, it depends on which version of the os you have, that guide lists all of them for each. Did you get my tweakvi edit on the last post?


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## DrPepper (Mar 10, 2009)

farlex85 said:


> They're listed in that guide, it depends on which version of the os you have, that guide lists all of them for each. Did you get my tweakvi edit on the last post?



Yeah just caught it there. 

I'm going to attempt to have a step by step guide on how to use these programs efficiently.


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## Haytch (Mar 10, 2009)

I think the best solution is Vlite.
Starting off with with a more suited operating system helps make the operating system in general perform better and more stable.

Moving constantly used files to the front of the drive is obviously going to give you better performance.

But the best tweak of all is the relocation of ' My Documents ' to another hard drive incase of format.


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## Psychoholic (Mar 10, 2009)

I use these utilities which are excellent btw..


Ccleaner http://www.ccleaner.com
smartdefrag  http://www.iobit.com/iobitsmartdefrag.html
malwarebytes http://www.malwarebytes.org/


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## DrPepper (Mar 10, 2009)

Ok since my last vlite attempt ended in mega failure could you tell us the best way to keep it lean. Personally I like to keep all the features but this isn't just for me.


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## farlex85 (Mar 10, 2009)

Oh yeah and here's a great defragger: http://www.kessels.com/Jkdefrag/ 

I've tried quite a few defraggers, and this one was posted via someone ranking defraggers, they put this one at the top and I whole heartedly agree. Very effective and very simple.


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## DrPepper (Mar 10, 2009)

I've used jkdefrag along with defraggler. I used to have three defraggers each defragging a disk each. Probably the least efficient method but I couldnt find a program that would queue them.


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## Psychoholic (Mar 10, 2009)

the best one i have found is smartdefrag, but i will give jkdefrag a shot too.


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## DrPepper (Mar 10, 2009)

I want to add a bit where is shows how to get rid of added in options when you right click for example when you right click the desktop you get an option for nividia control panel.

*I'd like to thank everyone that has helped so far. I hope more people can gather info so I can centralise it for tpu and its community. Instead of browsing endless sites it could all be found here. I'm going to bed so please keep adding and I will update this tomorrow morning. Remember to check the original post for updates.*


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## Mussels (Mar 10, 2009)

i have some simple advice which prevents me from needing to format for quite some time.

1. install as few programs as possible. find out if its the right software BEFORE installing it, and if it doesnt do what you want, uninstall it immediately.

2. Have as few programs start with windows as possible. Dont have chat clients start with windows or auto sign in - it slows boots down considerably.

3. Run a decent antivirus and antispyware - but no more than one of each.

4. defrag once a month or so. it hardly matters unless you add/delete lots of files on a drive.

5. set yourself a static page file. It helps prevent fragmentation.


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## ZakkWylde (Mar 10, 2009)

I use raxco perfect disk for defragging


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## psyko12 (Mar 15, 2009)

Wow, thanks guys! I use ultimate defrag for my programs drive and windows defrag on os drive


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## Binge (Mar 15, 2009)

best and most light vista defragmenter...

Power Defrag


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## Wile E (Mar 15, 2009)

I use O&O Defrag, and it does support queuing.


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## h3llb3nd4 (Mar 15, 2009)

go to www.vista123.com it provides tools to keep vista clean.


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## psyko12 (Mar 15, 2009)

Wow, thanks guys! I use ultimate defrag for my programs drive and windows defrag on os drive


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## Deleted member 67555 (Mar 15, 2009)

Ok,i have 12 programs other than Vista's crap upon startup and that's my limit with Vista
I use Live one care on all 3 of my pc's and run it's tune up once a month $25 a year 3 pc's
I use Auslogic's disk defrag from tucows Free!!
That's all i use as far as programs
I've had Vista hp 32 on my daughter's computer since Feb,2007 no reinstalls,3 cpu's 4 video cards,2 types of memory at one point or another
Before i update any driver's i delete the old driver,defrag and then reboot and install the new driver.
Live one care gets rid of junk files as i have it set,and does a extra thorough job with virus scans and defrag
however i am on my 3rd install on my tweaking pc-but that's my fault it has Vista hp 64
My main pc is only 4 months old so i cant say how that will hold up but perfect so far


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## Polarman (Mar 15, 2009)

When i'm finished installing Vista, i have my own custom "tweaks" that i apply. Afterwards:

I use Ccleaner before every shutdown.

I use Raxco's PerfectDisk 8 once a month to defrag my drives.

I use Macecraft RegSupreme Pro when Install/Uninstall stuff. (It seem's that this as been discontinued to be replaced by a free version in Q3 2009)

I only install what i need and use.

Update

This is so cool! I was reading this on Macecraft website:

To show our gratitude, all customers who own a license for RegSupreme Pro or RegSupreme will be able to update to jv16 PowerTools 2009 without any additional fees. You can simply download the next released version of PowerTools 2009 (to be released later this week) and it will work with your existing license file.

I downloaded PowerTools 2009 and applied my RegSupreme registration and it worked!

Checking it now!


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## Deleted member 67555 (Mar 15, 2009)

Oh and if you are using a tuner card try using a second hard drive not in raid etc... for your tv stuff 
I tried using the same hard drive for my operating sytem and my tv stuff and oh boy that made for a big mess (tweaking pc) had to defrag like twice a week-however that was before sp1 and i know alot of sp1 was geared towards media center


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## DaveK (Mar 15, 2009)

I swear by CCleaner, I use it like 5 times a day lol. I use Piriform Defraggler, made by the same people who make CCleaner. It seems to do the job, most files are defragmented. But last night before shutdown I defragged my OS drive, it had 2 files with 6 fragments and was good, but now on boot it's back to it was, so I might need to try a new program, but CCleaner rocks.

I also might use vLite on my next install, I can get like 1.4GB out of it just by removing some useless language pack or something, I haven't look through it properly but I've heard good things. 

Thanks for these tips, Vista is running fine speed wise for me, but I wouldn't mind speeding it up and shaving off a few GB


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## Mussels (Mar 15, 2009)

oh man i forgot!

everyone running vista SP1 (streamline install or not) has uninstall data to revert to SP0.

Run this command in a run prompt to remove them!

vsp1cln.exe

I've seen it save 6GB on an x64 system that had all the windows updates prior to updating to SP1.


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## DrPepper (Mar 15, 2009)

Sorry I haven't updated this thread yet I'm still fighting with my rig to try fix it


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## DaveK (Mar 15, 2009)

Mussels said:


> oh man i forgot!
> 
> everyone running vista SP1 (streamline install or not) has uninstall data to revert to SP0.
> 
> ...



Yeah, I forgot about that too, saved me like 1.5GB, good bit of space for something most of us won't really need.


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## FilipM (Mar 15, 2009)

I use Kasperky Internet Security 2009 with CCleaner, Defragller and Spybot - Search and Destroy (great thing that is).

Also for scanning Doctor Web is good, also Tune Up Utilities 2009 (but KIS and Tune Up arent free)


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## Marineborn (Mar 15, 2009)

thanks guys just picked up cclearner and it found over 3 gigs of stuff to get rid of! LOL!!! thats hilorous and a whole crap load of registry errors, and i picked up there defraagler too, i had over 3000 degragmented files, running it now, thanks again for this post


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## silkstone (Mar 15, 2009)

Will all the program support vista x64?
I would reccommend paragon HD manager x64 as a drive/partition image tool.
I have yet to find a different defrag utility that will work with vista x64


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## FilipM (Mar 15, 2009)

I do believe defragller works with a 64bit operating system


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## DrPepper (Mar 15, 2009)

defraggler and ccleaner run on almost all windows with a gui x32 and x64 and is one of the most powerful cleaning tools I use. Defraggler is also very good and is very portible.


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## psyko12 (Mar 16, 2009)

silkstone said:


> Will all the program support vista x64?
> I would reccommend paragon HD manager x64 as a drive/partition image tool.
> I have yet to find a different defrag utility that will work with vista x64



Try ultimate defrag, altho it ain't free.  Also Acronis Disk Director Suite 10 works on x64 platforms too.


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## DrPepper (Mar 16, 2009)

I'm going to add recuva by piriform.


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## farlex85 (Mar 16, 2009)

psyko12 said:


> Try ultimate defrag, altho it ain't free.



Sure it is: http://download.cnet.com/UltimateDefrag-Freeware-Edition/3000-2094_4-10582157.html Not too great though I thought, the formula wasn't as fast as jkdefrag and has more tendency to fragment the drive when optimizing. JK is much better imo.


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## DrPepper (Mar 16, 2009)

Added links to the first post.


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## Wile E (Mar 16, 2009)

silkstone said:


> Will all the program support vista x64?
> I would reccommend paragon HD manager x64 as a drive/partition image tool.
> I have yet to find a different defrag utility that will work with vista x64



O&O Defrag supports x64 as well.


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## DrPepper (Mar 16, 2009)

O&O is very good so far. Using it and its defragmenting two at the same time I think.


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## Wile E (Mar 16, 2009)

DrPepper said:


> O&O is very good so far. Using it and its defragmenting two at the same time I think.



Go into the options, and tell it to defrag sequentially, and it will do one drive at a time.


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## DrPepper (Mar 16, 2009)

Wile E said:


> Go into the options, and tell it to defrag sequentially, and it will do one drive at a time.



I saw that but I like how it does more than one at a time


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## silkstone (Mar 16, 2009)

Wile E said:


> O&O Defrag supports x64 as well.




i have o&o on my HD, when i try to install it it tells me i have the wrong OS. Maybe there are different versions.


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## Mussels (Mar 16, 2009)

silkstone said:


> i have o&o on my HD, when i try to install it it tells me i have the wrong OS. Maybe there are different versions.



theres a seperate installer for x64. Quite often people who say X program doesnt work in windows x64, forget to look for a different installer.


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## Wile E (Mar 16, 2009)

silkstone said:


> i have o&o on my HD, when i try to install it it tells me i have the wrong OS. Maybe there are different versions.



You have to grab the x64 specific installer.


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## silkstone (Mar 16, 2009)

I'll have to have a search around and try to find it. thx


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## Ptep (Mar 16, 2009)

I use CCleaner and DeFraggler, Malware Bytes/SuperAntiSpyware, and Spybot (for the hosts protection!). No realtime AV though, gets in the way too much


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