How to Clean Your Computer and Fix Errors for Free

Open the Control Panel. If your web browser is running slowly, or you constantly see pop-ups, ads, and many toolbars, there’s a good chance you’ve been infected with adware. Adware is unwanted software designed to harm web browsers, entice you to search in a different direction, and cause ads to flood the browser. The first step to removing this infection is to uninstall strange programs using the Contrp Panel. The process will be slightly different depending on the version of the Windows operating system:

• For Windows 10 and 8 – Right click on the Windows button and select “Contrp Panel”.
• For Windows 7, Vista, and XP – Click the Start button and select “Contrp Panel” from the Start menu.

Select “Uninstall a program” or “Programs and Features.” You will see a list of programs installed on your computer.

Search for strange recently installed programs. You can sort the list by installation date, which means you can easily find recently installed programs without your knowledge. Scroll through each program on the list and tick the unfamiliar ones. Do a web search for each strange program to see if it’s an unwanted program.

Select the unwanted program and click “Uninstall.” Follow the instructions to uninstall the program from the system. Repeat the steps for the other programs you want to remove.

• This is the right time to remove programs that you no longer need. Old games, unused browsers, disposable add-ons that are never used again, and other programs can all contribute to slow computer performance. Please remove them to free up memory and improve your computer’s startup speed.

Download AdwCleaner. This is a free utility that scans for common malware and adware, then removes what it finds. You can download AdwCleaner from topslib.net/downloads/viewdownload/1-adwcleaner/ .

Run AdwCleaner. Click the “Scan” button in AdwCleaner to scan your computer for infections. This process will probably take about 20 minutes. Once the scan is complete, click “Clean” to remove anything infected that AdwCleaner finds.

Download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. The free version of this program can find and remove most infections. You can download the installer by going to malwarebytes.org and selecting “Download”. Then you can click the “Download Free Version” button. Run the installer after downloading to install the program.

Perform a scan in Anti-Malware. Run Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and download any updates if asked. A computer scan can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. You can remove anything that can be scanned by clicking “Quarantine All” after the scan is complete.

Download and run Shortcut Cleaner. Many adware will add a link to the browser shortcut, causing the fake website to still load even after removing the infection. The free Shortcut Cleaner program created by the anti-malware community scans all shortcuts and removes malicious links. You can download that scanner here. Run the downloaded program to quickly scan and fix browser shortcuts.

Reset web browser. The web browser may still have some traces of malware removed by the scanner. Restarting the browser removes any strange software and returns them to their default settings:

• For Internet Explorer – Click the Tops button and select “Internet options”. Click the “Advanced” tab and click “Reset”. Check the “Delete personal settings” box and click “Reset”.
• For Chrome – Click the Chrome Menu button and select “Settings”. Click “Show advanced settings” and scroll to the bottom. Click “Reset settings” then click “Reset”.
• For Firefox – Click the Firefox Menu button, then click “?”. Select “Troubleshooting Information” and click “Refresh Firefox”. Click “Refresh Firefox” one more time to confirm.

Restart the computer, run Anti-Malware and AdwCleaner again. After cleaning, restarting the shortcut and the browser is done, you should restart your computer and scan again with both programs. There may still be some backlog that shows up after a reboot.

Uninstall any strange programs in the Applications folder. The Applications folder contains all the programs installed on the system. If you see a few suspicious programs that you do not recognize, drag them to the Trash to uninstall.

• Do a web search for each unfamiliar program to see what features it has and if it’s safe.

Download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac. This program used to be called AdwareMedic, and is one of the most effective tools for finding and removing malware on Mac. You can download the program for free at malwarebytes.org/antimalware/mac/ .

• After downloading the file, double-click it and drag Anti-Malware for Mac to the Applications folder.
• If you see a message saying you can’t install the program because it’s not an App Store program, right-click ( Ctrl -click) the downloaded file, select “Open”, then click again. Click “Open” again.

Run Anti-Malware for Mac and scan the computer. You will be asked for the admin password when you run Anti-Malware for the first time. This step is necessary to remove some files in protected locations that require special permissions. Click the “Scan” button to start scanning your Mac for malware. This process will take about 15-20 minutes.

Click “Remove Selected Items” after scanning is complete. This step removes whatever Anti-Malware finds during the scan. You may be asked to restart your computer to complete the scan. ^[2]

Update Windows. Installing the latest updates can help fix the errors you’re experiencing, keeping your computer secure and stable. Windows Update will support checking and installing all updates. Open the Start screen or menu and type “windows update” to search for the Windows Update utility.

• On Windows 10, you can find the Windows Update utility in the “Update & Security” section of the new Settings menu.

Check the available storage space. Hard drive storage usually doesn’t have a big impact on performance, but if there’s less than 20% free space on your Windows hard drive, your computer can slow down. Windows uses this free space to move and store temporary files, so if there is too little, it can make the computer run like a turtle. You should regularly delete old files to keep the system running smoothly.

• Open the Computer/This PC window (press ⊞ Win + E ) and search for the Windows drive (usually the C: drive). This drive should have at least 20% free space available for optimal performance.

Run the Disk Cleanup tool to scan and remove outdated temporary files. Open the Start screen or menu and type “disk cleanup” to search for the utility. Select Windows drive and wait for analysis. Check the boxes for each file type you want to remove. You will see how much storage space you can reclaim when you delete them.

• Check the Downloads and Documents folders for old files that you no longer need.

Uninstall old programs that you no longer use. In the process of using a computer, there may be many programs that you only use once and then forget their existence. These old programs can consume a lot of storage space on the hard drive, some of which are still running in the background, consuming system resources. Regularly uninstalling old programs can help keep your computer running smoothly.

• Open the Contrp Panel and select “Uninstall a program” or “Programs and Features”. Browse the list of installed programs and remove the ones you no longer use. Select the program and click “Uninstall” to uninstall it. If you don’t know what program it is, search the web.
• The free program “PC Decrapifier” scans your computer for software that people consider unnecessary. These unwanted programs are often pre-installed on the computer, and are often referred to as “bloatware”. You can download PC Decrapifier for free for home use at pcdecrapifier.com . This program does not require installation, so you just need to run the program after downloading and allowing it to scan your computer. If you find any bloatware you can remove them immediately.

Turn off programs that start with the operating system (startup). Many programs are set to start with the Windows operating system. While this can make it quicker to open programs when needed, too many programs can have a significant impact on Windows startup time.

• For Windows 10 and 8 – Press Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Click “More details” to expand, then click the “Startup” tab. Select the items you want to remove from startup and click “Disable”. If you’re not sure what program it is or if it’s needed for the boot process, search the web.
• For Windows 7 and Vista – Press ⊞ Win + R and type “msconfig”. Click the “Startup” tab. Uncheck the box next to each item you want to disable. If you don’t know what program it is, you can search online. Just type the name of the “startup item” into the search engine and the first results will tell you what program it is.

Try using another program instead of your favorite program. Many popular programs are not very optimized, so while they are running can slow down the computer. Some of these programs include Norton Antivirus, iTunes, and Adobe Reader. All of these programs have free, lightweight alternatives that can significantly improve the speed of your computer. ^[3]

• Instead of using Norton as your antivirus, consider using the built-in Microsoft Defender on Windows. Avast and Bit-Defender are also two free and popular choices. You can refer to how to enable and use Windows Defender yourself.
• If you’re using iTunes for media files, consider using a program like foobar2000 or MediaMonkey, both of which support iOS device syncing.

Install the latest updates. Updates for Mac OS X and other software can help keep your system stable and running smoothly. Updates will usually be automatically installed, but it’s always a good idea to check from time to time to see if any important updates are on the waiting list.

• Open the Mac App Store and click the Updates tab at the top of the window. Review and install any available updates for the system and installed programs.

Free up storage space on hard drive. If you’re running low on storage space, your Mac’s performance may suffer. Regularly deleting old programs and files can dramatically improve your Mac’s processing speed.

• Uninstall old programs by dragging them from the Applications folder to the Trash.
• Check the Downloads and Documents folders for any old files that you can delete.
• Programs like CleanMyMac3, Disk Inventory X, and DaisyDisk can find and remove a lot of old, redundant files on your computer. You can free up a lot of storage space by using the file removal tool.
• Use Monpingual to remove unused language files. You can download the program for free from monpingual.sourceforge.net/ . Do not uninstall the language you are using or English, as this may cause problems for the operating system.

Remove redundant icons from the desktop. If the desktop contains too many redundant icons, the system may run slower than usual. Reducing the number of icons and files on the desktop can help improve performance.

Turn off programs that start with the operating system (startup). Some programs are set to start with the Mac operating system. While this can make it easier to load programs when needed, too many programs can keep your Mac from booting up forever.

• Click on the apple-shaped menu and select “System Preferences”.
• Select “Users & Groups” then select “Login Items”.
• Select the app you don’t want to load at startup and click the “-” button. You will probably need to click on the lock image and enter the admin password first.

Check the hard drive with Disk Utility. Sometimes files and permissions can go wrong causing problems for your Mac. Disk Utility can scan and fix errors like this.

• Run Disk Utility from the Utilities folder in the Applications folder.
• Select your hard drive in the left pane.
• Click the “First Aid” tab and click “Verify Disk”. The scan will start and it will take a while for the scan to complete.
• Click the “Repair Disk” button if it scans out any errors.

Use extreme care when downloading programs on the Internet. The most common source of adware infections are software that is installed when you think you are installing something else. Whenever you download a program on the Internet, you need to pay close attention to each screen of the installer, especially if it is a free program. Make sure you decline unnecessary install requests and double-check each check box.

• Look for alternative programs that are open source as they usually do not contain adware in the installer.
• Avoid visiting download sites like CNet or Tucows as these will tempt you to use their ad-supported download manager.

Run lightweight anti-virus software. If you’re using a Windows computer, you should have an antivirus running most of the time. Usually, using Windows Defender is enough, but you can use Avast, Bit-Defender, Kaspersky, or other well-known antivirus software. Make sure you only have one antivirus on as they can conflict with each other.

• You can learn how to find and install anti-virus software yourself.

Regularly clean your computer. Too much dirt can cause the computer to overheat internally. If the computer overheats, the components will automatically slow down to help lower the temperature. Keeping your computer clean and cool at all times can help ensure that it is always running at peak performance. This should be given extra attention if you have pets or smoke in the house.

• You can buy a can of compressed air or use an air compressor to clean most of the dirt inside your computer.
• You can refer to how to clean dust for personal computers.