What is Your Definition of Tune-Up?

[muddawg]

Some computer technicians offer tune-up services.

What is your definition of tune-up? In other words, what do you do when you tune-up a customer's computer?

 

[usacvlr]

Same as the virus malware cleanup.
Virus malware cleanup.
Uninstall all the crap that comes preloaded.
Uninstall any other crap they haven't used in a few months.
Delete any leftovers from misc crap.
Clean registry
Defrag registry
general cleanup with several diff programs usually.
defrag drive.
Get rid of ALL the startup programs and some services.

Install more memory for free if I have some available from an upgrade that was done on another system. This always brings in big brownie points.

 

[chrisaroz]

If you got a 3 year old computer from someone that didn't maintain it, what would you do to get it up and running good? (Nuke and Pave is NOT an option).

 

[iisjman07]

If you got a 3 year old computer from someone that didn't maintain it, what would you do to get it up and running good? (Nuke and Pave is NOT an option).

I think the first thing I'd do is run SFC to make sure all the system files are intact. Then I'd continue the steps as previously stated by usacvlr and see how things go.

 

[PcTek9]

I would go to the forum on here called AUTOMATION & SCRIPTING and i would get the scripts these guys have been working on really hard.

Methical has been creating scripts that do all of this automatically and even give you VOICE UPDATES on how it's all going so you dont have to baby sit it.

Many others, however, have created scripts in that area and there are scripts that tweak a system to the max in there. Let the computer do it for you. It's faster.

Imagine turning off all running spyware, doing all the registry tweaks you ever dreamed of and then some... It's all there, all automatic, and because it's script files you can open them and edit them, even see what they do...

The script methical wrote does everything you are all talking about...
remove viruses
remove trojans
defrag and clean registry
tweak the pc
and on and on.

You guys really need to take advantage of this, there are tweaks in these scripts contributed by many people on technibble.

 

[chrisaroz]

But if I let the robots do everything, won't I be... *gulp* obsolete?!

 

[Methical]

Lol ..

As Jimbo always says ..

He would rather run one of my scripts, and go back and watch some T.V; than manually sit at the computer and do everything that one of my scripts would do for you ..

I create the scripts to save fellow Technicians time, so that they can work on somethin' else. Gotta love multi-tasking .. And no, its not only women that can do it

Your goin' to get paid the same amount, with a hell of a lot less work ..

So no, you won't be obsolete

As long as your still putting bread and butter on the table, and a roof over your families head, then your doin' fine lol

 

[muddawg]

Methical, where can I find your scripts?

 

[muddawg]

Never mind, I just found it. Automation & Scripting forum. Duh!

Thanks.

 

[atlanticjim]

Lol ..

As Jimbo always says ..

He would rather run one of my scripts, and go back and watch some T.V; than manually sit at the computer and do everything that one of my scripts would do for you ..
l

Well, Meth, I used to do what Jimbo did but I got feeling so guilty about taking peoples money while playing COD/MW2 that now I make it a point to sit in front of the machine and watch hourglasses and halos spin as your tools do their work.

 

[Methical]

Well, Meth, I used to do what Jimbo did but I got feeling so guilty about taking peoples money while playing COD/MW2 that now I make it a point to sit in front of the machine and watch hourglasses and halos spin as your tools do their work.

It starts to get quite hypnotic, no ? lol

 

[atlanticjim]

Oops. . I was supposed to post what I do for a tune up. (I do a lot of these).

1. Boot into normal mode with a stopwatch in my hand and record it.
2. Crack any windows passwords (just to keep my skills up)
3. Make note of any popup errors.
4. Note if there is an antivirus in place and when it was updated/run (I record this so I can sell them a replacement antivirus when theirs times out.)
5. Pop in my tools USB Drive.
6. Clean up the temps and such with CCleaner.
7. Run "Autoruns" and disable anything not necessary.
8. Open either speccy or siw and inventory the machine.
9. Temporarily add RAM so the rest of what I do is faster.
10. Fix any startup errors I found in step 2.
11. Reboot and time it.
12. If things seem slow while I am working I open "Process explorer" and start watching the action show and start looking for suspicious activity ie: virus.
13. Update antivirus and run a full scan from within the machine or if necessary do whatever virus scan and removal I need for that particular machine. (at this point I start to fill out the worksheet with what I have done, begin to prepare the bill and make notes for estimates for updates).
14. Windows updates.
15. Defrag if necessary.
16. Search for any illegal material eg: bombmaking, subversive politics and of course the ever popular child-porn. JUST KIDDING!
17. CCleaner to dust up my trails.
18. Remove the RAM, dust out the inside of the machine and Reboot a few times.

mmm . .what did I forget?

 

[atlanticjim]

It starts to get quite hypnotic, no ? lol

Well as a Buddhist I see it as mandala meditation. lol.

 

[Methical]

Oops. . I was supposed to post what I do for a tune up. (I do a lot of these).

1. Boot into normal mode with a stopwatch in my hand and record it.

I did post a Reboot Timer script somewhere in the Automation and Scripting section.
It does require that the user account be set to automatic logon for the process to work properly. Its not the most accurate, it does need some work. But it does the job, and gives you a fair idea.

 

[atlanticjim]

I did post a Reboot Timer script somewhere in the Automation and Scripting section.
It does require that the user account be set to automatic logon for the process to work properly. Its not the most accurate, it does need some work. But it does the job, and gives you a fair idea.

Yeah, I tried it and I have it on my personal machine and bench machine but I HATE to add anything to anyones comp. therefore I use a regular old analog stopwatch.

 

[Cambridge PC Support]

anyone use DiskMax from KoshyJohn? it cleans up loads of stuff that CCleaner doesn't touch - I started using it about a month ago and it's great

it doesn't like anything other than a 32-bit colour display, so some rdp, vnc and remote control s/ware won't let you start the cleaning process off

I never use sfc unless there's a problem, but maybe I should now

 

[usacvlr]

and finish it all off with auslogics defrag. MY GAWD that is a wonderful program.

 

[muddawg]

Anyone ever used Macecraft jv16 Powertools?

 

[MobileTechie]

Auslogics Defrag is fast but not particularly thorough in that it makes files contiguous but it doesn't compact them together. You can see this clearly if you use it and then analyse using the windows defrag afterwards. So time aside, I'd say the windows one is actually more effective. Neither are a patch on Perfect Disk though.

If I'm tuning up then I concentrate on solving problems, eliminating unneeded startup items and ensuring adequate disk space - these are the things that make a real difference.
I set the page file to a fixed size and defrag it.
I turn down visual effects if needed.
I lower the delay for the the start menu which gives a quicker feel to things
I do the reg clean etc - not entirely convinced this makes a huge difference
I chkdsk until it is error free. NTFS errors can really slow things down.
I recommend extra memory if they need it.

There isn't all that much you can do to speed up a PC that is slow because it has a poor/old spec. There is plenty you can do if the slowness is caused by problems but they tend to be specific to the installation in question.

 

[atlanticjim]

If I'm tuning up then I concentrate on solving problems, eliminating unneeded startup items and ensuring adequate disk space - these are the things that make a real difference.
I set the page file to a fixed size and defrag it.
I turn down visual effects if needed.
I lower the delay for the the start menu which gives a quicker feel to things
I do the reg clean etc - not entirely convinced this makes a huge difference
I chkdsk until it is error free. NTFS errors can really slow things down.
I recommend extra memory if they need it.

Ah. . the recurrent "registry cleaning" question.

I have been intrigued with this one so much that I am going to start a poll.
LOL