Computer savvy people: what can be used to clean your pc of unwanted files and programs?

There is a lot of junk on the MIL's pc - whenever I hit control-alt-delete there's like 8 programs running, none of which I have ever heard of. I run Norton Anti-virus (we just updated it from the symantec web site) and nothing comes up, but what the heck are all these things running?

Is there anything we can do to clean up the pc?

Thanks!

Re: Computer savvy people: what can be used to clean your pc of unwanted files and programs?

i routinely run:

norton
spybot
ad-aware

Re: Computer savvy people: what can be used to clean your pc of unwanted files and programs?

Maybe try window washer too?

Re: Computer savvy people: what can be used to clean your pc of unwanted files and programs?

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Posted by cluelessbride

There is a lot of junk on the MIL's pc - whenever I hit control-alt-delete there's like 8 programs running, none of which I have ever heard of. I run Norton Anti-virus (we just updated it from the symantec web site) and nothing comes up, but what the heck are all these things running?

Is there anything we can do to clean up the pc?

Thanks!

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what programs are running

Re: Computer savvy people: what can be used to clean your pc of unwanted files and programs?

Try this:
Download Adware.
www.lavasoft.de

Download Spy bot.
Spy Bot

Download Free Internet Eraser.
Free Internet Eraser
(This will clean cookies, cache, and temp files that you do not need and delete them off your hardrive.)

Finally Download Google Toolbar to stop pop ups.


Google Tool Bar

What OS do you have? Windows 98, or XP or something else?

Re: Computer savvy people: what can be used to clean your pc of unwanted files and programs?

OS is Windows ME

The programs running are:

systray
xcommsvr
vptray
wuauclt
winmgmt
qttask

I have no idea what they are

Thank you all for the tips!

Danielle&Scott - thank you for the sites!

OK- I just found that at least some of the programs I listed above are harless, and should be running as part of ME. Duh! Ok, I'm learning...

Re: Computer savvy people: what can be used to clean your pc of unwanted files and programs?

i don't regonize the others off the top of my head but do not delete or remove
SYSTRAY

thats is a OS dependent progrom..

i would go to contorl panel, add remove programs and unistall anything that is not being used first. those icons on lower right hand program when you frist turn on the machine are programs that are running. if you don't need/use, get rid of them

Re: Computer savvy people: what can be used to clean your pc of unwanted files and programs?

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Posted by MCDO15

i don't regonize the others off the top of my head but do not delete or remove
SYSTRAY

thats is a OS dependent progrom..

i would go to contorl panel, add remove programs and unistall anything that is not being used first. those icons on lower right hand program when you frist turn on the machine are programs that are running. if you don't need/use, get rid of them

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THANK YOU!!!