For the computer whizzes

RoninPA

RoninPA

Hawkeye
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
5,866
City & State/Province
Lemont, PA, USA 16851
Two questions-

1. How does one know what programs and other stuff can be removed/uninstalled without affecting the computer operation?

2. How often do you delete "cookies" and do you delete all of them or just some of them?

I have a Dell Inspiron desk top (Windows 10 and about 5 years old) and use a HP ink jet printer and one thing I saw was something labeled HP Smart (160MB) that I have no idea what it does or if it is needed. Same with apps Microsoft Photos (141MB) and Microsoft One Drive (147MB). A big one is Seagate Disk Wizard (597MB). I have an external 1 TB Seagate drive for my backups but do I need the Disk Wizard?

Reason is that I have been having some problems and sometimes get a "out of memory" error and I want to clear out anything/everything I don't need but I really don't know what to get rid of because I don't know how it interacts in the whole scheme.

Thanks ahead of time for any tips you might be able to give me. If I have to I suppose I'll take it to a good computer repair place to have them make it right for me (but not necessarily to a big box store).
 
About every three years I like to format the drive and reinstall everything. Or get a new computer.

You may be running out of hard drive space, check that.

use the Task Manager to close out programs that you don’t need. If the system crashes or hangs just restart. Keep track of what is running and what you stop. You should be able to remove some programs safely if you use the uninstall tool. No guarantees though.
 
Not a wizard, but I'd open settings.... then system...then storage.
You should see a graphical display showing how much of your
total drive is being used.
I'd be real surprised if it's anywhere close to full.
My bet is you're bumping up against limited RAM capacity
to run some programs. Some are starting when you boot up even
though you rarely or maybe ever use them.
Don't need to remove them just make sure they don't launch
unless needed.
I delete all the cookies pretty often, may slow down initial opening
of some oft visited web pages, but not by much.
Dave
 
I have the browser (I use Chrome) set o delete the cookies every time the browser is closed. It doesn’t delete the log in info or passwords.

You might need the HP Smart, I’m not sure, I have a Canon printer, and when you install the drivers, it also installs lots of other non essential software also. You could always delete it, and then if the printer doesn’t work, just go to HP’s website and download the drivers again.

Do you use the Microsoft One Drive? That is the bridge between your computer and the files out on the cloud. If you don’t use cloud storage, you probably don’t need the One Drive. If you created an account with Microsoft, that’s probably how it got installed on your computer. It shouldn’t take up too much space if you don’t touch it.

Are you running out of hard drive space? The Microsoft Photos might be used to view pictures on your computer. I’d leave that alone. But if you go to the settings and under “System” you can choose “Uninstall” if you go this route, I think you should get a warning message if you try to remove something critical.

You don’t need the Disk Wizard on the external hard drive. Those aresome extra utilities if you want to partition the drive for example.

Edited to add: if your computer is 5 years old, a new one would be faster and have more memory.
 
First thing to do is run "defrag". The first time could take several hours.
Then run defrag.
Then run defrag.
Repeat until it takes less than ten minutes.
(like Shreck said "layers, like an onion")

Look in your system documentation for the way to keep specific cookies. Set up
the ones you really use so they become "permanent".
(for example Ruger Forum)

As mentioned in a post above,
set your browser to delete cookies (except the permanent ones) on exit.
I also have mine delete browser history at the same time.

When you look for software to delete, go one at a time. RENAME the file you think
you don't need (I use a leading X, everything else the same). If it turned out you DO
need it, you simply remove the leading X and everything goes back to working.
Run your computer for a fair while (I'll guess at twenty to thirty hours of use), then
consider the next file. - - - Once you have run without a specific file for 200 hours
of use, feel free to delete it.


P.S. The larger number of concurrent windows you have open, the larger the
amount of memory you use/need.
 
Another simple thing that will clear out a few things is to actually turn off the computer once in a while rather than just putting it to sleep.
 
If you really want to know if something is being used on a Windows machine, set up a process monitor (procmon) with a filter on its location in the filesystem and see if you get any hits.

Seagate Disk Wizard is probably storing backup data about your disk. If you backup externally, you can probably disable it. I'd make sure everything works disabled before uninstalling.

Delete your browser data early and often.
 
By the way, how much ram do you have? Has some gone bad? Many years ago a chip went up and I not only replaced it but maxed out what my computer could take. It was easy to do with a little research.
 
I, like Ron here,, often wonder about my computer, and see glitches in speed, or connections or whatever. And I know that there are ways to help it perform better.

Just like many of the suggestions above.

But, to add to the OP & his requests.

I'm VERY computer language stupid. I'm very confused about some of the things mentioned above,, that many obviously take as "easy, common knowledge."
Example;
cookies; I have ZERO knowledge of how to figure out if I have them, if they are on the computer, how to remove them, which ones I may need or which ones I don't. I'm computer language stupid enough that if I were asked to define a computer cookie,, I'd be lost & unable to do so.
I'm a hands on, common language type of person, and computers are my very, very weak point. In fact,, Miss Penny & I have been together for 28 years,, and the ONLY thing we've ever had any serious arguments about,, was when she has tried to teach me computer stuff.
I want her to go slow, SHOW me the places she clicks on, and what it means. I want to hand write STEP BY STEP instructions so I can duplicate what she is trying to teach me.

She has gotten so frustrated by all this,, that when I ask "Why" about anything she feels is unnecessary, she says; "Because the computer nerds at Microsoft want to personally screw with you!"

To this end,, I have read the offers of help above,, and the simplest post, was by Dave P. Where he said; "Settings,, System,, Storage."
That is the kind of directions I like. (Thanks Dave,, and I tried that one small piece of advice,, and saw some stuff that scared me. I was afraid to delete some stuff,, thinking I would screw up my computer. But I was able to follow that small trail!)

And no offense,, and ONLY using it as a reference,, when Pat-inCo said; "defrag,, defrag, defrag" I wondered; "How the heck do I defrag my computer,, in step-by step operations???"

I KNOW it sounds stupid to many who understand computers & the language. I know that Kevin has vastly more knowledge than I'll ever understand about computers. And when he says "I use Chrome for a browser," I ask myself,, "What if I use Firefox? I can't follow that advise" And I do not know what "HP Smart" is,, or "Microsoft One Drive" means. Are these more programs I have to buy,, or what?

My point is,, could some of the folks who are more computer literate be kind enough to explain stuff to an old foggie, who is very computer language stupid when they make a posting offering help?

As Miss Penny says; "You are dangerous with computers & a smart phone. You should only have paper, pencils, and a rotary dial phone!"
 
contender said:
"Settings,, System,, Storage."
That is the kind of directions I like. (Thanks Dave,, and I tried that one small piece of advice,, and saw some stuff that scared me. I was afraid to delete some stuff,, thinking I would screw up my computer. But I was able to follow that small trail!) "
Click to expand...

Maybe good that you didn't delete anything. My point with the post was to look at the total size of the hard drive
and see how much of it was actually being used.
If the drive was say 90% full, well that will be an issue. Less than that...not so much.
Usually problems as he described them are RAM issues, which is what I was trying to point out.
Technology is a very large and rapidly changing thing and takes a fair bit of effort to even
partially keep up with it. I can't even stay up with the tiny parts I use, always behind the curve on something.
Not a day goes by that I don't swear at a computer, usually way more than just once!
Change is good exercise for the brain.
Dave
 
Cookies can be thought of as just crumbs left on your computer by a website. They help the website load faster on your computer if you visit the web page a second time. They are small and don't take up a lot of space, and virtually every website leaves them. They aren't spyware or anything malicious, but could help in tracking a person; but you would need to have access to their computer to do so. Either in person or remotely.

Contender, thanks, but I don't know enough about computers. When I taught, I worked with another teacher. He was a retired IBM tech guy. Now he was computer savvy. The other teachers always joked that if you asked him about defragging a hard drive, he would start by telling you how hard drives were invented, and their whole history, leading up to why you need to defrag a hard drive. :D
 
I use Norton Utilities16 (which they now say is 'unsupported' (and want me to buy into the newest version). Anyway, it still works and I run it each day before shutting the computer off. It SAYS that it deletes 'privacy data' whatever that is. Then I defrag once a week. It also tells me what % of my hard drive (i think) is being used (in my case 33%). My machine is ten years old and still allows me to send email and read this forum... I'm happy.
p.s. the OLD Utilities16 has a lifetime license so, even tho they try to scare me with 'unsupported' notes and reminders, it still functions and will continue to function as long as I function :-)))) ( i think)
J.
 
I do thank everyone who has responded so far.

I do understand some of what you guys have told me but, like Contender, some of it I just don't understand. My use of computers over my USAF career and later jobs has been just that, mainly as a user, in the USAF we had people who were trained in maintaining and repairing all types of computers.

I can do certain things and know where to go to find things (like how to defrag the disk on this computer) but other things I just don't know what might happen if I disable/uninstall something. This computer is what I rely on for doing my business stuff and such so I really don't want to screw it up. There are things that are on here, for example when I look at "Settings" "Apps and Features" I see Microsoft Visual C++ dated 2005, 2008 (5), 2010 (2), 2012 (2), 2013, 2015-2019 - 12 totaling over 200 MB. Do I need them? And then a bunch of stuff from Dell (my computer is a Dell Inspiron) totaling over 200MB. Then the big one from Dell is Dell.D3.WinSVC - 848 MB I have no idea what it is or what it does.

I wish someone somewhere had classes to teach people how to do even minimum service on their computers when they seem to be running into problems. We don't have nice IT/computer experts in house to help us and how do we know how to trust a "computer repair business" The computer companies have us over a barrel because they know the average computer user WILL NOT know what to do and ultimately get so frustrated that they just buy a new computer. And of course it comes loaded with everything that really is not needed but it stays because people don't know what they can uninstall and the new computer seller is loathe to help you get rid of what you don't want.

I just want a good OS, good browser, an office program (word processing, spreadsheet, pdf reader/writer (I think that is what my Acrobat Reader DC is for) ) and a few special programs (I have Garmin to update my GPS every 6 months or so). Maybe there is stuff on there that I use and don't really think about but I don't know.

Again, thank you for your help, I think Contender and I just needed to rant to get some of this off our chests.
 
contender said:
And no offense,, and ONLY using it as a reference,, when Pat-inCo said;
"defrag,, defrag, defrag" I wondered;
"How the heck do I defrag my computer,, in step-by step operations???"
Click to expand...
No offence taken, but I thought most would use Google to look it up.
A search for "defrag windows computer" yielded:
https://www.avast.com/c-how-to-defrag-pc-hard-drive

I'll add that the first one I selected, from MicroShaft, DID tell you much the same
thing, also said Windows 7, so I looked at the next one (link just above here).

The reason I don't go into full teach mode is the number of people here that would
find those lengthy and detailed explanations excessive. Thus I try to provide
"pointers" to the information you need. :wink:

:D . :D . :D
 
RoninPA said:
I do thank everyone who has responded so far.

I do understand some of what you guys have told me but, like Contender, some of it I just don't understand. My use of computers over my USAF career and later jobs has been just that, mainly as a user, in the USAF we had people who were trained in maintaining and repairing all types of computers.
.....
Again, thank you for your help, I think Contender and I just needed to rant to get some of this off our chests.
Click to expand...
IMO, many end up having problems with their computers because they take the
instructions as a key-stroke by key-stroke manual. While that works, it takes a
WHOLE lot longer to learn things doing it that way.

The alternative is to learn what ever you are doing a a series of mini processes.
What you find is that MANY of those byte (computer humor) sized processes will
fit in multiple sets of instructions. Thus if you use the key-stroke by key-stroke
process, there is significant duplication (sometimes called forest for the trees). :wink:

'nuther item: Microsoft Visual C++ is for software developers.

Do try to remember that IBM . . GAVE . . the Disk Operating System (DOS) to
we willy gates (which he promptly renamed MSDOS). He then took the point and
click approach from Apple, and has, since then, spent DECADES making it as
complex as possible so he can sell you more. :shock:

And that is why I run Linux (plus it's free).
(last number I remember: 98% of the virus' written are for windows)

Good luck with your efforts, and I suggest moving slowly. :wink: :D
 
The computer companies have us over a barrel because they know the average computer user WILL NOT know what to do and ultimately get so frustrated that they just buy a new computer.
Click to expand...

I agree with this 110%.

Another thing however, when hard drives start to get really full, as in above 90% or so, you can possibly run into other problems. They can lock up when really full. So looking into a second external hard drive might be something to consider.
 
RoninPA,
Look into your local community college for basic computer skills classes. Most offer classes based on varied levels of computer knowledge. Around here our senior center also offers classes on basic skills.
 
I fit into the same category as Ron and Contender, but I do have the Avast browser running, and that seems to clean up most stuff, at least I THINK so. :mrgreen:

I mostly have a problem with Outlook. Recently I got a message about my adblocker and how Outlook wants me to remove it. I can pause it thru Avast, but Outlook keeps reloading at least 5 or 6 times until it sort of locks in. Any way to avoid this? Is it because of Avast? Also, there are some places that apparently won't accept emails from Outlook - what's up with that? (Mostly corporate ones - is this because of their security settings?)
 
Poco Oso said:
RoninPA,
Look into your local community college for basic computer skills classes. Most offer classes based on varied levels of computer knowledge. Around here our senior center also offers classes on basic skills.
Click to expand...


Thank you, I'll look into that, it might be just what I need. Except here in PA, the dictator (oops, I mean Governor) has just put more drastic beer flu restrictions on us peons/serfs, including no in person classes so I guess I look for on line classes but it's not the same to me.
 
"but I thought most would use Google to look it up."

I know it may be just my paranoia,, but I've heard of how much data Google stores on people who use that service,, that I never use Google for anything. When I do an internet search,, I use a search engine that is SUPPOSED to not keep your info or such stuff.

But thanks for the help!
 
contender said:
"but I thought most would use Google to look it up."

I know it may be just my paranoia,, but I've heard of how much data Google stores on people who use that service,, that I never use Google for anything. When I do an internet search,, I use a search engine that is SUPPOSED to not keep your info or such stuff.

But thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
Happy to help when/if I can. :D
I just think that if anyone is concerned about you learning more about windows
(winderz?) then I'm not worried about what they expend time and storage space
tracking. :wink:

:D
 
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