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user-pic  Free Download Cleans the Crap Out of Your PC
By: Mark Joyner

OK, try this ...

1.  Run the Windows "Disk Cleanup" Tool On Your Machine

Right click on any of your drives.  Select "Properties."  Then look for the "Disk Cleanup" button.  Let it run on the default settings.

2.  Now Download "CCleaner" (Short for "Crap Cleaner") and Run It on the Default Settings

3.  Marvel at How Much More Crap it Finds on Your PC to Clean Up

After you've picked your jaw up off the floor use CCleaner to clean up your registry as well.

Ready to marvel more?  It comes in a "portable" format you can chuck onto a thumb drive to carry around with you (that's what the cool kids are wearing this season).

Keeping your disk and registry clean will really boost the performance of your PC - and this easily translates into more productivity.

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Comments

Just get a Mac ;-)

I have used CCCleaner for about a year. I bought a new computer last year and in 2 months it was infected with a boat load of viruses. Circuit City cleaned it up for $80but CCCleaner found some hidden stuff. I had an IT guy test it with some corporate grade anti-virus software. He found nothing and I've been bug free ever since. I run spamware and CCCleaner at least once per week. The price fit my budget.

It looks good, it tastes good, and by golly it will likely do your computer good...... but its not free, its $29.95. :-(

CCleaner is most definitely free. They ask for voluntary donations, but they are not required. Let me check again. Yep, it's free :-)

Posted by: Elayne | March 25, 2008 3:11 AM

Yes you are right, stage 1, 500MB, stage 2 another 500MB, stage 3 1.5GB.

So yes my jaw did hit the ground and as a thankyou I'll be sending you the doctors bill :)

I'm new on Simpleology. Talking about MAC. I use one. Some of your software only for windows right?
Is there an equivlent of what you suggested to do here above I could do on a MAC?

Note from MJ: Hi Narayani, this isn't our software, but software we recommend. Try a search for "system cleaner" at download.com filtering only for MAC?

Posted by: narayani | March 25, 2008 4:14 AM

For mac, I use this free software: the mac janitor:
http://personalpages.tds.net/~brian_hill/macjanitor.html

Keep on shining ;-)

Kind regards,
Steven

--
intuitive artist

Be sure to backup your registry before you clean in case your computer is whacky post-clean!

Note from MJ: Good tip! It lets you do that automatically which is nice, too.

Posted by: Riki | March 25, 2008 4:49 AM

I like Frank's comment!

Posted by: Tuan Pickard | March 25, 2008 9:52 AM

I have been using CCleaner for a year or so and have found it a great tool in keeping my pc in tip-top condition; have even recommended it to a few friends who couldnt believe how 'filthy' their pc's really were.

Posted by: Zo | March 25, 2008 9:56 AM

Amazing - I just freed up three and a half gigabytes of "crap". Which with a piddly little 40 gb hard drive is incredibly useful.

Thanks Mark.

John

I'd endorse the comments above about backing up the registry before cleaning it with CCleaner - it is quite aggressive, (effective, but aggressive) and should be used with some caution. At least create a system restore point before you do anything and, if using version of Windows before XP, I would npt use the registry cleaner function. It may also change MS Office settings as well. If anyone wants to read more detail I wrote about it in my blog. Subsequent experience has made me more cautious recommending it to others.

Steve
Blog item: http://www.stevehardsoft.com/blog/2007/12/13/sluggish/

You state cleanup for Windows Vista? Can it be used for any other? Hope so. Have never been so excited to clean anything before.

Posted by: jeannette kearney | March 25, 2008 12:44 PM

Dumb question: what is the registry that needs backing up before cleaning?

Note form MJ: Sheila try Googling "windows registry" and see what you find. You probably don't need to understand it completely, though, in order to benefit from CCleaner ...

Posted by: Sheila | March 25, 2008 2:57 PM

MJ

I was truly glad to see this as I have been having space problems and the funny thing is, I have not been installing programs!

My great concern is that I am frustrated by computer problems and as I am running Windows XP I am concerned I might have after effects.

Any oncerns/guidance for non-techies running XP?

Alrick

Posted by: Alrick | March 25, 2008 5:41 PM

Thank you Mark, for the CCleaner, it did exactly what you promised, cleaned up loads more space.x

Posted by: Karina | March 25, 2008 9:14 PM

CCcleaner is an awesome tool, and I have used it for years. Never had any problems with my registry afterwards. Cannot recommend it enough.

Sheila - The Registry is just a complicated filing system the pc uses to track where programs are and what resources are needed to run it. If you delete the wrong entries your programs can fail, so always back it up just in case.

If you ever need to restore it, just double click the backup file (saved in my documents) and follow the prompts.

Posted by: Role | March 26, 2008 5:07 PM

hi, mark... I went thro the process again ...and whilst the download is free, to get CC to do the actual clean up , you have to register , and that is $29,95 for the key.
am i doing something wrong here?
thanks for all your great communications, by the way....

Note from MJ: Hi Elayne, it's most certainly free ... did you go to ccleaner.com and download the file from there? Maybe you downloaded something else? Contact CCleaner directly and they should be able to sort you out :-)

Posted by: elayne | March 26, 2008 10:58 PM

AHA! , i downloaded the first version (not the alternative version) from "hippo", so thankyou for your answer, i went back and downloaded the alternative version, which stays on ccleaner. (and is freeeeeee. Hippo gives a thing called 'reg cure', and thats what costs... Thanks for persevering with me!! Elayne

Posted by: elayne | March 27, 2008 4:18 AM

This program is really a nice a nice program. I also use Spybot Search & Destroy from http:/spybot.info Between these two and AVG The systems stay pretty clean.

Thanks for that, Mark. I cleared 606MB of crap from my PC, which is brilliant because that's 10% of its capacity. :)

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