What stuff can I use to clean out an old, shaky Windows 98 install?

[trmiv]

Sorry to post this in OT, but I need responses quick. My boss's laptop running Windows 98 is in serious need of format/reinstall, but he won't let me. He has SOOO much stuff on there, a lot of it that he doesn't know where he got. We have made kind of a 2 month plan to reformat and install Windows 2000, but that is going to require him sitting down and finding out where most of his apps came from, how he can get them again, etc.

So, right now we want to do some house cleaning on the thing to get a little speed and stability back as a short term fix. So far I've downloaded RegClean to clean the registry, but I need suggestions on other little programs that can clean the registry, delete duplicate and unused DLL's and things of that nature. So fire away, what are your favorite apps to do that stuff?

 

[Narse]

Get your hand on Noton System works and run some of the Norton Utils, WinDoctor, Disk Dictor, Speed Disk etc..

 

[wedi42]

i use format c:

 

[OrByte]

try a program like system mechanic..it is small and does a pretty good job.


Norton system works is another option.


Good luck!

 

[clarkmo]

Norton's good. Also Regclean, EasyCleaner. Always make a backup reg berfore using.You can look at Cleanreg but it went commercial and complicated.There is an older freeware version on the web somewhere.Cleansys is good too.

 

[trmiv]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'm going to use a few different ones, and NOT backup the registry in hopes that it will get screwed up and I can use that as an excuse to just format and reinstall. Most of the apps he's complaining about using aren't that important (at least I don't think so) anyway, and I know for a fact his whole laptop is backed up to tape. I'm kind of hoping I have to format and reinstall so he'll stop complaining about his laptop crashing.

 

[dman]

I have a client who has similar situation with his desktop PC. He likes to download stuff constantly and it causes all kinds of problems with his system (keeps me in business though). After ruling out hardware and other problems I finally told him that he needs to figure out what he uses the most and we'll have to do a clean install with only those apps. Forunately, it was safe and inexpensive to buy a second harddrive, install the OS, and begin migrating the apps over one by one. Been a few weeks since he's called so either he's short on cash or the system is working ok.

The Laptop may be more difficult because drives are not as common or inexpensive and it's harder to get two drives running at the same time. You could probably do it though, if you bought one of those external USB Drives. Backup existing partition to the new drive, then format / reinstall on the existing drive and if you need to pull anything back over you can grab it from the USB Drive.

The catch is, as you already mentioned, being able to re-install the apps he wants on the new drive.

 

[Zach]

run msconfig and disable crap from starting up