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The PC Maintenance Handbook is now available. This handbook is designed to help you find ways to maintain your Windows XP/Vista/7 PC and ensure your PC remains clean and speedy throughout its life. Computers quickly get bogged down by junk files, invalid registry entries, a fragmented hard drive, spyware, adware, low disk space, and more. A speedy system is just a few clicks away, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start or even what to do.

The purpose of this book is not to define the ultimate solution; its purpose is to give you simple, unbiased advice on what I’ve found to be the best options out there. In this handbook, I only give advice and share programs that I’ve used for at least a year. Some programs seem good when you first use them, but quickly annoy you or slow down your PC.

pc-maintenance-handbook

What’s in the Handbook?

Here’s an overview of the book:

  • Introduction
    • Notational Conventions
    • Maintenance 101
  • Maintaining Your PC
  • Find and Remove Malware
    • AVG Internet Security
    • ESET Smart Security
  • Uninstall Unnecessary Programs
    • Three Ways to Remove Programs
      • Use Windows’ Add/Remove Programs
      • Use the PC Decrapifier
      • Use Revo Uninstaller
        • Uninstalling Programs with Revo
  • Delete Junk/Temporary Files &  Optimize Your System
    • Advanced SystemCare Features
    • Advanced SystemCare Screenshots
  • Defragment Your Hard Drive
    • Use Windows’ Built in Defragmentation Tool
    • Use Smart Defrag
  • Backup Your Data
    • Online Data Backup
    • MozyHome Features
    • Download Mozy for Free

Feedback is always welcome!

PC Maintenance Handbook

PC Maintenance Handbook

Make your PC run like new & keep it that way with this free 19-page eBook.

Download the PC Maintenance Handbook (PDF 2.37MB)

About Rich

Rich is the owner and creator of Windows Guides; he spends his time breaking things on his PC so he can write how-to guides to fix them.

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Comments

93 thoughts on “PC Maintenance Handbook Now Available”

  1. Elo111 says:

    Thanks you. I love it.

  2. Elo111 says:

    Yes it rocks BIIIIIG time!!

  3. Elo111 says:

    Thanks you. I love it.

  4. Elo111 says:

    Yes it rocks BIIIIIG time!!

  5. John Reese says:

    You miss two other programs which I used over the past years. cCleaner is safe and easy way to clean your browser history and cookies, temp files, zero files, other junk files from your hard drive. cCleaner cleans your registry. Uninstall programs and clean up your start up files. Other stopper to malware and spyware is to use Mike Burgess’s Host file. This program stops spyware from calling home or adware from connect to their servers. Other plus is host file blocks ads from loading onto your web page, you see nothing or ad cannot connect error. Down side of host file is you need to know where to place the file in your “windowssystem32driveetc” folder. The download page show how to do this more clearly.

    Other programs you talk about I do use or used in the past. I did have trouble with AVG not blocking some trouble makers. Now I use Avast for my anti-virus program. The pro version of AVG took over my computer and I have to keep adding other programs which call home for updates like cCleaner or Firefox or MS Office.

    I have 30 plus years working on home computers, from Color Computer by Radio Shack to dual core PC (home build).

  6. John Reese says:

    You miss two other programs which I used over the past years. cCleaner is safe and easy way to clean your browser history and cookies, temp files, zero files, other junk files from your hard drive. cCleaner cleans your registry. Uninstall programs and clean up your start up files. Other stopper to malware and spyware is to use Mike Burgess’s Host file. This program stops spyware from calling home or adware from connect to their servers. Other plus is host file blocks ads from loading onto your web page, you see nothing or ad cannot connect error. Down side of host file is you need to know where to place the file in your “windowssystem32driveetc” folder. The download page show how to do this more clearly.

    Other programs you talk about I do use or used in the past. I did have trouble with AVG not blocking some trouble makers. Now I use Avast for my anti-virus program. The pro version of AVG took over my computer and I have to keep adding other programs which call home for updates like cCleaner or Firefox or MS Office.

    I have 30 plus years working on home computers, from Color Computer by Radio Shack to dual core PC (home build).

  7. John Reese says:

    You miss two other programs which I used over the past years. cCleaner is safe and easy way to clean your browser history and cookies, temp files, zero files, other junk files from your hard drive. cCleaner cleans your registry. Uninstall programs and clean up your start up files. Other stopper to malware and spyware is to use Mike Burgess’s Host file. This program stops spyware from calling home or adware from connect to their servers. Other plus is host file blocks ads from loading onto your web page, you see nothing or ad cannot connect error. Down side of host file is you need to know where to place the file in your “windowssystem32driveetc” folder. The download page show how to do this more clearly.

    Other programs you talk about I do use or used in the past. I did have trouble with AVG not blocking some trouble makers. Now I use Avast for my anti-virus program. The pro version of AVG took over my computer and I have to keep adding other programs which call home for updates like cCleaner or Firefox or MS Office.

    I have 30 plus years working on home computers, from Color Computer by Radio Shack to dual core PC (home build).

  8. John Reese says:

    You miss two other programs which I used over the past years. cCleaner is safe and easy way to clean your browser history and cookies, temp files, zero files, other junk files from your hard drive. cCleaner cleans your registry. Uninstall programs and clean up your start up files. Other stopper to malware and spyware is to use Mike Burgess’s Host file. This program stops spyware from calling home or adware from connect to their servers. Other plus is host file blocks ads from loading onto your web page, you see nothing or ad cannot connect error. Down side of host file is you need to know where to place the file in your “windowssystem32driveetc” folder. The download page show how to do this more clearly.

    Other programs you talk about I do use or used in the past. I did have trouble with AVG not blocking some trouble makers. Now I use Avast for my anti-virus program. The pro version of AVG took over my computer and I have to keep adding other programs which call home for updates like cCleaner or Firefox or MS Office.

    I have 30 plus years working on home computers, from Color Computer by Radio Shack to dual core PC (home build).

  9. mac says:

    Thanks for the handbook Rich!!!

  10. mac says:

    Thanks for the handbook Rich!!!

  11. mac says:

    Thanks for the handbook Rich!!!

  12. mac says:

    Thanks for the handbook Rich!!!

  13. Rich says:

    You’re very welcome :)

  14. Rich says:

    You’re very welcome :)

  15. Rich says:

    You’re very welcome :)

  16. Rich says:

    You’re very welcome :)

  17. Good_Bytes says:

    This handbook explains everything very clearly, very organized in a logic mater, everything is well put together, and not a mish mash of out of place sections, like some books I found in book stores.

    Screen shots and icon were done with time and passion They are all well cut to the pixel, and in high quality.
    High quality icons were are used throughout the book. Text font was appropriately selected for easy to read.

    100% quality handbook that surpasses many other ‘Windows guide’ book I come trough in bookstore where they were done in minutes and ship for publication, like they are doing a race to be first, instead of providing quality work to it’s readers.

  18. Good_Bytes says:

    This handbook explains everything very clearly, very organized in a logic mater, everything is well put together, and not a mish mash of out of place sections, like some books I found in book stores.

    Screen shots and icon were done with time and passion They are all well cut to the pixel, and in high quality.
    High quality icons were are used throughout the book. Text font was appropriately selected for easy to read.

    100% quality handbook that surpasses many other ‘Windows guide’ book I come trough in bookstore where they were done in minutes and ship for publication, like they are doing a race to be first, instead of providing quality work to it’s readers.

  19. Good_Bytes says:

    This handbook explains everything very clearly, very organized in a logic mater, everything is well put together, and not a mish mash of out of place sections, like some books I found in book stores.

    Screen shots and icon were done with time and passion They are all well cut to the pixel, and in high quality.
    High quality icons were are used throughout the book. Text font was appropriately selected for easy to read.

    100% quality handbook that surpasses many other ‘Windows guide’ book I come trough in bookstore where they were done in minutes and ship for publication, like they are doing a race to be first, instead of providing quality work to it’s readers.

  20. Good_Bytes says:

    This handbook explains everything very clearly, very organized in a logic mater, everything is well put together, and not a mish mash of out of place sections, like some books I found in book stores.

    Screen shots and icon were done with time and passion They are all well cut to the pixel, and in high quality.
    High quality icons were are used throughout the book. Text font was appropriately selected for easy to read.

    100% quality handbook that surpasses many other ‘Windows guide’ book I come trough in bookstore where they were done in minutes and ship for publication, like they are doing a race to be first, instead of providing quality work to it’s readers.

  21. Rich says:

    Thank you! I appreciate feedback (especially when it’s nice feedback :)

  22. Rich says:

    Thank you! I appreciate feedback (especially when it’s nice feedback :)

  23. Rich says:

    Thank you! I appreciate feedback (especially when it’s nice feedback :)

  24. Rich says:

    Thank you! I appreciate feedback (especially when it’s nice feedback :)

  25. Dark Soul says:

    Hi Rich,
    Thank you very much for such a nice guide. I learned many things which I never exposed in computer. To be frank I am not happy with using Vista, I like XP. Yet to give a try to Windows 7

  26. Dark Soul says:

    Hi Rich,
    Thank you very much for such a nice guide. I learned many things which I never exposed in computer. To be frank I am not happy with using Vista, I like XP. Yet to give a try to Windows 7

  27. Dark Soul says:

    Hi Rich,
    Thank you very much for such a nice guide. I learned many things which I never exposed in computer. To be frank I am not happy with using Vista, I like XP. Yet to give a try to Windows 7

  28. Mel says:

    You put a lot of work into these handbooks! Nice job!

  29. Mel says:

    You put a lot of work into these handbooks! Nice job!

  30. Mel says:

    30 years?? nice! What a treat it must have been for you to watch it all evolve!

  31. Mel says:

    30 years?? nice! What a treat it must have been for you to watch it all evolve!

  32. Mel says:

    30 years?? nice! What a treat it must have been for you to watch it all evolve!

  33. Mel says:

    lol – top secret, indeed

  34. Mel says:

    lol – top secret, indeed

  35. Mel says:

    You put a lot of work into these handbooks! Nice job!

  36. Mel says:

    30 years?? nice! What a treat it must have been for you to watch it all evolve!

  37. Mel says:

    lol – top secret, indeed

  38. Untung Suryono says:

    This is a nice book and good for printing :))

  39. Untung Suryono says:

    This is a nice book and good for printing :))

  40. Untung Suryono says:

    This is a nice book and good for printing :))

  41. Tristan Currie says:

    I downloaded and read through the maintenance and system protection handbooks as well as all the windows vista guidebooks. Very useful tips, covering a variety of computer usage. Best of all the information is presented in a clear, step-by-step way so if like me you are neither a novice nor an expert, you can try the recommended tips out; and if not satisfactory you can uninstall or delete whatever new setting or program you tried. Either way you try out something new

  42. Tristan Currie says:

    I downloaded and read through the maintenance and system protection handbooks as well as all the windows vista guidebooks. Very useful tips, covering a variety of computer usage. Best of all the information is presented in a clear, step-by-step way so if like me you are neither a novice nor an expert, you can try the recommended tips out; and if not satisfactory you can uninstall or delete whatever new setting or program you tried. Either way you try out something new

  43. Tristan Currie says:

    I downloaded and read through the maintenance and system protection handbooks as well as all the windows vista guidebooks. Very useful tips, covering a variety of computer usage. Best of all the information is presented in a clear, step-by-step way so if like me you are neither a novice nor an expert, you can try the recommended tips out; and if not satisfactory you can uninstall or delete whatever new setting or program you tried. Either way you try out something new

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