PCValuWare

I discovered a free program that goes a long way toward keeping my computer running smoothly and cleaning up unnecessary garbage from my system. It’s called CCleaner (the first C stands for Crap!), and I’d like to show you how it works.

In all honesty, I’ve used and recommended a couple of programs for a long time that I actually prefer. For cleaning and optimizing my computer, I’ve always trusted SpeedUpMyPC, and for anything having to do with cleaning my registry, I’ve always used RegistryBooster. Nothing I’ve found makes me feel better about getting the job done.

However, this free program has been gaining notice lately, and I’ve been testing it. It just might fit the needs of many out there, and I’m giving it some press.

Watch the video, and let me know what you think.

I’ve spoken about the importance of defragmenting your computer’s hard drive in previous posts. I’ve recommended a product called Diskeeper twice now, once in a video demo of the Pro version HERE and more recently in a demo of a free version, Diskeeper Lite, HERE.

There are, however, a couple of other pretty darn good, and free, disk defragmentation softwares available that would be remiss if I didn’t bring them to your attention. I have tried both of them, and it’s my opinion that any of the three can help significantly improve your computer’s speed and overall performance. All three are superior to the built-in Windows Defragmenter.

The first is called UltimateDefrag. This video gives a pretty good overview. It’s excellent for a no-cost program. This video actually demonstrates two different defragmenters. The second is one I have NOT tried. Since it involves installation of a screensaver, and works when the mouse is left idle for a period of time, it doesn’t seem like something I would use. But it is another choice, of course.

Optimizing Windows Quick Tips #1 - Defragmenting

Another very good defragmenter is by Auslogics. I have used it in the past. It does an admirable job, again for a no-cost program.

Auslogics Disk Defrag Video Tutorial

Download and install any one, or all three of these programs. Try them and see which best suits your needs. Anyway you look at it, though, defragmenting your hard drive is an essential habit to get into.

Free Downloads:

Diskeeper Lite: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=1207
Diskeeper Pro: http://pcvaluware.com/defrag/
UltimateDefrag Free: http://www.freewaregeeks.com/UltimateDefrag_Free.html
Auslogics Defrag: http://www.auslogics.com/disk-defrag

I discovered a new solution for desktop clutter. Well, it’s new to me, though apparently thousands of people have known about it for a long time. It’s called RocketDock, and it’s actually based on the Apple/Mac dock, but designed for Windows.

It’s really a cool little program, and I’ve found it indispensible already. I’ve made three videos, the forst of which is below illustrating a little of what it it, and how to get it. It’s a free prgram, in case you were wondering.

I’ll post the two other videos shortly. The second video demonstrates how to get the settings to your liking, and the third shows how to add and delete items. I did it in three parts because doing it in one video ran just way too long.

Designing graphics for your website isn’t easy. Yes, there are a lot of different products out there, but sometimes you need a little extra.

I’ve recommended a couple of things, and each has it’s purpose. Now, I’ve found something I think is truly worth a look. This one could be the answer.

The Logo Creator has an incredible array of features, and can create stunning graphics with ease and simplicity. The hard work — graphic design — is already done for you. The software is template based, so all you have to do is point, click and type to make it your own. You can drag and drop graphic and text elements into your design. If you have custom images, you can import them right into the template. There are actually so many features built right in, it’s impossible to list and explain them all.

I made a short video to show you just some of what’s possible.