• Install CCleaner
• Configure CCleaner
• Select Cookies to keep
• Run a "Cleaner" Scan
• Run an "Issues" Scan

Over time, temporary files accumulate in certain folders on your computer. In addition to taking up overall disk space, these files increase the time it takes to scan your computer with antivirus and antispyware. These files also cause fragmentation on your computer.

While a lot of programs claim to clean up temporary items, most also install spyware or adware. The one program that stands out for ease of use, powerfulness, and complete absense of spyware/adware is called "CCleaner" (Crap Cleaner).

To install CCleaner, Click Here and click "Download Latest Version". When it prompts you to downoad, click "Open" or "Run". Run through the installer keeping all the default options.

Open CCleaner by right clicking on the Recycle Bin and clicking "Open CCleaner" (NOT "Run CCleaner"). Alternativly, you can run CCleaner by clicking start->programs->CCleaner->CCleaner

With "Cleaner" selected on the left, decide if you want CCleaner to remove your Internet Browsing History (I dont have it on mine that way when i type in an address, it completes it for me). If you DONT want it to clear your history, UNcheck "History" under the "Windows" tab, then go to the "Applications" tab and UNcheck "internet history" under FireFox (if you have it installed).

Next, click "options" on the left and then "Settings". Check the option that says "Run CCleaner when the computer starts".

CCleaner will clear out your cookies. Cookies can be used for good purposes and for bad purposes. Advertisers use cookies to track where you go (not good). Legitimate sites use cookies to remember information about you such as your logon information (so you dont have to type it in every time). This site uses Cookies to keep track of the progress checklist in the top right (good).

If there are sites that you log on to that you want to allow to keep cookies, you should tell CCleaner to keep the cookie. Do this by selecting "options" on the left of CCleaner, then "Cookies". Select "computeradvice.mikebinns.net" under "cookies to delete", then click -> to add it to the "cookies to keep" list. You should also move over any cookies for sites thamember your login information. I suggest you dont move any over initially. As you notice sites that lost your logon information, come back to CCleaner and move cookies for that site over.

You should first close any programs you have open, including Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Click "Cleaner" on the left, then click "Run Cleaner". Click "Ok" on the pop up window alerting you that files will be deleted. If it asks you to close any programs, such as Firefox, make sure you do close the programs, then click OK. CCleaner will go through and delete any files and give you a report at the end.

Next, click "Issues" on the left, then "Scan for Issues". Once the scan has completed, click "Fix selected issues". This will remove old registry keys that are pointing at files or registry keys that dont exist. After you fix the issues from the first scan, you should run the scan a second time, as cascading registry issues sometimes exist, i.e. a points to b, b points to c, c doesnt exist, so a is legitimate (because b exists) the first time the scan is run but b is not (because c does not exisst), so b gets removed. The second scan will pick up that a is not legitimate (as b is now gone), and will remove it. You should then reboot your computer and run another 2 scans.

Next >> Start at the Beginning and go through all the steps!