[pman68]

Since most people own a PC box too, here's my question:

Just wondering if there was something comparable on the XP side to "repairing permissions"? I already run virus protection, adware and search and destroy and defrag the HD now and then. Anything else I can do??

Thanks!

[Louis_SX]

Because of the way Windows works, there's nothing with permissions on an NTFS volume that would need "repaired" outside of a chkdsk (or "check for errors" when you right-click the drive, go to Properties, and then go to Tools).

Repairing permissions in OS X is when the system should own some file and doesn't (IIRC); the system fixes it when you repair permissions. In NTFS, it's defined at the user level and/or Windows does what it has to.

I'm skeptical of this bit of voodoo magic in OS X and subsequently, I don't do it unless things just don't work.

[pman68]

So, really the best way to keep it running smoothly is to defrag the HD.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Louis_SX

I'm skeptical of this bit of voodoo magic in OS X and subsequently, I don't do it unless things just don't work.

Yeah, the funny thing is, repair permission sometimes fixes the weirdest problems.

E.g., Safari wouldn't show any context menu (right click) anymore. Tried everything from deleting .plist, disabling third-party contextual menu plugins etc. Nothing worked. Last resort: repair permission -> et voila, it fixed it!

-t

[Louis_SX]

turtle, I woudl see that as "just not working", myself, and would have eventually tried the same.

pman68, yeah, a good defragging now and then is about all the Windows world has as it relates to hard drive maintenance. Like I said, you do have the "check for errors" on the tools tab of hte drive's properties page. That's a good thing to do once in a while as well.

[effgee]

the most versatile PC tool ...






And on a more serious note ... clean out your registry every now and then. The registry is a database that keeps track of a gazillion settings (OS + apps) - every app on your system as well as Windows itself, of course, will litter the registry with myriads of entries - and no app I've ever seen, when uninstalled, actually removes its own doo-doo thoroughly. Sort of like "Why the hell should I care what happens to his box - he's deleting me anyway, so fsck 'im". After a while, your registry will become bloated and the first signs of constipation set in - slow(er) performance, crashes, etc., etc. Time for some Drain-O

"Real" Windows nerds do so manually be typing "regedit" into the text box under "Start Menu" > "Run". Take a peek at it - it's really creepy (and your Windows equivalent to your Mac's "Preferences" folders - sort of). I prefer little helper apps to take care of this - a) because I don't feel like cleaning out my registry by hand and b) I'd probably mess it up (in which case the machine will most likely no longer boot)

There's hundreds of tools out there to help you clean your registry - I use these three (more or less frequently):

- "Registry Mechanic" (www.pctools.com, shareware)
- "AceUtilities" (www.acelogix.com, shareware)
- "CrapCleaner" (www.ccleaner.com, freeware)

Be a bit careful with CCleaner though - it happened to me once that I let CCleaner "optimize" the registry without reviewing the suggested deletions and my machine refused to boot thereafter. Was a lot of fun fixing that.

Welcome to the "belly of the beast"

[pman68]

Originally Posted by effgee

the most versatile PC tool ...






And on a more serious note ... clean out your registry every now and then. The registry is a database that keeps track of a gazillion settings (OS + apps) - every app on your system as well as Windows itself, of course, will litter the registry with myriads of entries - and no app I've ever seen, when uninstalled, actually removes its own doo-doo thoroughly. Sort of like "Why the hell should I care what happens to his box - he's deleting me anyway, so fsck 'im". After a while, your registry will become bloated and the first signs of constipation set in - slow(er) performance, crashes, etc., etc. Time for some Drain-O

"Real" Windows nerds do so manually be typing "regedit" into the text box under "Start Menu" > "Run". Take a peek at it - it's really creepy (and your Windows equivalent to your Mac's "Preferences" folders - sort of). I prefer little helper apps to take care of this - a) because I don't feel like cleaning out my registry by hand and b) I'd probably mess it up (in which case the machine will most likely no longer boot)

There's hundreds of tools out there to help you clean your registry - I use these three (more or less frequently):

- "Registry Mechanic" (www.pctools.com, shareware)
- "AceUtilities" (www.acelogix.com, shareware)
- "CrapCleaner" (www.ccleaner.com, freeware)

Be a bit careful with CCleaner though - it happened to me once that I let CCleaner "optimize" the registry without reviewing the suggested deletions and my machine refused to boot thereafter. Was a lot of fun fixing that.

Welcome to the "belly of the beast"

Exactly the information I am looking for. Registry mechanic and aceutilities look promising. Hope I don't hose the system!

Thanks for the info!

[jasonsRX7]

And stay away from Norton Systemworks. I'm not a big fan of any of those cleaner type programs, as they always seen to cause more problems than they fix. I think the best way to keep your system running smoothly is to use Firefox instead of IE, and not instally any crap you don't need.

If you're selective about what you install you'll find that you won't really need to do much work to keep it running well. It's the people that install every P2P and shareware app under the sun that end up with the most problems.

[ghporter]

Norton Systemworks is like giving a hypochondriac a home surgery kit-a very big problem just waiting to happen. First, it uses almost all of your resources. Second, it can (and often will) hose the registry for giggles. Third, it will use almost all of your resources. Fourth, it will disable some programs by messing with either their command line start options or the registry. Or BOTH. Fifth, it will use up almost all of your resources.

Go with Symantec AV and Personal Security, but the rest of Systemworks should go in the round file.

[effgee]

Listen to those two guys upthread - don't touch Norton System Works (NSW) with gloves on, pliers or even a 10ft pole - it's "teh evil". I'm not sure whether or not anyone (Glenn?) already mentioned that it'll suck up all your system resources ...



Out of the two shareware apps mentioned above, I'd go with Registry Mechanic first - it's approach to cleaning out the registry is a bit more on the conservative side. Once you get to know the registry a bit better and can sort of judge what should be deleted and what shouldn't, try AceUtilities (even though I have never heard of anyone's registry being damaged by AceUtilities). CrapCleaner is great for removing unnecessary/temporary files from your system.

As far as Norton AV is concerned - yuck. I hate that thing almost as much as I hate NSW. For a good AV program, Kaspersky products are kinda hard to beat. Plus, Kaspersky is nowhere near as obnoxious as NAV ... their use of the color yellow alone gives me a skin condition. For a Windows application, you could almost say that Kaspersky's interface is nicely done (don't you quote me on that - I'll deny everything!).

[pman68]

I knew I would get good PC info even in a mac board.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by pman68

I knew I would get good PC info even in a mac board.

Just ask, man. Just ask.

I like effgee's suggestions for antivirus programs, but I must note that a number of corporate IT shops will only allow you to connect if you are using THEIR brand of AV; they have "ways" of determining if you're up to date when you log in, thus protecting the rest of the network from your potential forgetfulness. Keep this in mind if you plan on using the PC on a work network.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by pman68

So, really the best way to keep it running smoothly is to defrag the HD.

Norton Win Doctor Good Start
Then Spybot
Then AdAware
Clear Internet Caches

Go to Run type msconfig and uncheck unneeded startup items

Then Defrag you will have a good running computer after all that.

[loki74]

The best way to fix windows is to reinstall. I mean, wipe the drive and reinstall. That way you get a fully, 100% fresh registry. Really, thats the main thing that screw stuff up. That and a whole bunch of stuff completely foreign to you running in the background, and you have no idea how the hell it got there. And its eating precios processor cycles...

Yeah the registry is definately the singe greatest aboniation in computing history (at least the greatest abomination I can think of at the moment)... and since windows is so faitfully married to it, its vile nature is thus reflected. The registry shall hereafter be referred to as "the abomination."

Yes I would agree with someone in thread who mentioned Kaspersy--definately the best I've seen.

Athens is right though, if you put Kaspersky somewhere in that list... but even all that can never absolutely fix the abomination, as in backup, wipe HD, and reinstall.

[pman68]

OK. Ran the built in tools program "check for errors" on the drive. Took a while, 1 hour or so. Didn't seem to find any problems. Also ran Reg Mechanic and that did fix some issues. So far, so good. Right now, I am using AVG for anti-virus. Seems to work pretty good for me.

[B Gallagher]

why does windows even have a registry? :O there must be a better way to take care of this, so when you install/uninstall, everything is self contained, but hey.. this is windows... :S

what were their original intentions of having some so independent yet interconnected with everything as the registry is? anyone know?

(i'm feeling lazy today... so no caps for me )

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by B Gallagher

why does windows even have a registry? :O there must be a better way to take care of this, so when you install/uninstall, everything is self contained, but hey.. this is windows... :S

what were their original intentions of having some so independent yet interconnected with everything as the registry is? anyone know?

(i'm feeling lazy today... so no caps for me )

Way back in the neolithic age, Windows programs had ".ini" files that provided the OS with all the connections, paths, settings, etc. needed to make the program work. But as files, they were subject to being moved, overwritten, etc., and they also had to be accessed individually every time a program was opened or used. The registry was supposed to put all the settings and such in memory for faster access. And since the registry's files (yes there are multiple files that make up the registry) are "system" files, they could be protected from the majority of problems associated with .ini files. But, as with many things related to Windows, bloat ensued.

If Microsoft wants to make progress on streamlining and speeding up their OS, the FIRST THING they need to do is clean up their ideas of what the registry should be and how it works. As a concept, it's not bad. But the registry seems to collect dust and detritus like the underside of sofa cushions-only much bulkier, like whole dogs instead of dog hair. The registry, as it is in XP today, is already unweildy and nearly unmanageable. MS needs to fix this NOW.