CCleaner: Essential Freeware for a Fast Computer

Your computer collects quite a lot of digital dust as you search around the internet. The freeware program CCleaner is a fantastic way to keep both your browser and your computer running well. It takes about 5 to 10 seconds to run and the latest version of the program is only 3.1 MB.

Download it from: Download.com or FileHippo.


Before you run the program for the first time, head over to 'Options' on the left column. Click 'cookies'. Add your favorite websites to the list of 'Cookies to Keep'. This way, your favorite websites and potentially your saved passwords won't get erased each time you run CCleaner. Mine include Amazon.com, YouTube.com, Imdb.com, Flickr.com, Mail.Google.com (Gmail), and Maps.Google.com (Google Maps).

How to Defragment Your Hard Drive

Imagine that your hard drive is similar to your local library. Each file on your computer corresponds to a book. As people check out books, they are not returned to their correct shelves. In fact, people just leave them laying around the library. Over time, it becomes harder and harder for new library-goers to find the books they need.

Similarly, files on your hard drive are not always returned to the same spot when you are finished using them because they are returned to spots where deleted files might have been before.

The image above shows how pieces of information can become separated. This is called file system fragmentation or file system aging. Your computer must work harder to access files or groups of files that are strewn across your hard drive. The disk defragmenter can 'reorganize' your hard drive.

Go to:
Start-> All Programs ->Accessories->System Tools->Disk Defragmenter

You will not need to use this tool very often. I run the disk defragmenter once a month or less. Hit 'analyze' when you have your main drive selected (here it's the C drive). A message will indicate whether or not you need to defragment.

I strongly suggest that you leave this running before you go to bed. It takes much longer to run if you are using other programs. Depending on how fragmented your drive is, the process can take 2 to 8 hours with Windows XP. Defraggler is a freeware program that has more functionality and works a bit faster than the default Windows tool, feel free to use it as an alternative.

An occasional defrag will keep your hard drive in good shape.