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In previous articles we covered the first five points of the 10-step program to Computer Happiness.
In this article, we will show you another way to remove cookies from your computer, plus we will discuss the registry of your computer and how to keep it clean of unnecessary items. The complete 10 steps - "Cleaning the Crud from your Computer" can be downloaded from www.gcclc.org.
Step 6: Remove temporary files, cookies, etc. using CCleaner (freeware)
A cookie stores information on your computer, such as your preferences when visiting a particular Web site. For example, when you revisit a site like Amazon.com, recommendations based on previous purchases may appear. Or you might create a personalized page at Yahoo and those preferences will be stored as a cookie.
Cookies can store personally identifiable information that can be used to identify or contact you, such as your name, e-mail address, home or work address, or telephone number. However, a Web site only has access to the information that you provide. A Web site cannot determine your e-mail name unless you provide it. Also, a Web site cannot gain access to other information on your computer.
Last time in this column we discussed removing cookies and temporary Internet files from your computer using the tools provided by Internet Explorer. There is a free cleaner available for download that has more options available for removing cookies and other unnecessary files, plus it will tidy up your computer registry. It is called CCleaner and is excellent freeware. It can be downloaded directly from www.ccleaner. com. On the CCleaner.com home page, click "download CCleaner now.." and on the next page, click "Download from FileHippo.com" and then finally, on the right hand side, click "Download Latest Version."
After installing, open CCleaner and you will see the main cleaner page. All the items that can be removed are shown in various groups, together with a check mark to indicate if that item is to be cleaned. There are two tabs, "Windows" and "Applications." In the Windows tab, I normally check everything except those in "Advanced" (this is the program default, so you shouldn't need to make any changes). Similarly for the Application tab.
Before clicking on Run Cleaner, it's important to set up the options for cookies. Click Options and Cookies and then use the arrow buttons to move the cookies between the two columns. You'll see a list of all the cookies stored. This is a great feature of CCleaner Š you can select cookies you do not want to remove. When reading down the list of cookies you'll recognize some as Web sites you frequently visit and therefore may wish to retain those cookies. Move those over to the 'Cookies to Keep' list (click the cookie to keep, then click the right arrow). If it's from a Web site you never heard of or don't remember, then delete the cookie. If needed, the Web site can always regenerate the cookie.
Having made the selections on which cookies to keep, return to Cleaner and click the analyze button. This runs a simulation, allowing a check of all the files that will be deleted. If all is OK, click the Run Cleaner button to remove much of the junk from your computer.
From now on, all that's needed on a weekly basis, is to open CCleaner, click the "Run Cleaner" button and the junk will be removed as per the options selected.
Step 7: Clean the registry.
The registry is a large file where programs keep information they need about where you keep your documents, or where a program keeps it's data file. Whenever a user makes changes to "Control Panel" settings, or file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the registry.
Often, when programs are removed from your computer, they don't "clean up" all their entries from the registry. CCleaner has a very safe registry cleanup function.
Open CCleaner and click the Issues button. Leave all the check marks checked, and click "Scan for Issues." When complete, click "Fix Selected Items." I recommend you click "Yes" to make a backup of the deleted items. Then click "Fix all Selected Issues" and OK and then Close.
I think it's an excellent idea to run CCleaner on your computer every week or so removing unnecessary files, and cookies and tidying up the registry.
In the next column we plan to talk about spyware and ad ware.
ooo
Roger Thornburn is a Volunteer with the Gold Country Computer Learning Center. For information about computer classes or The Learning Center go to www.gcclc.org or call 273-3029.
In this article, we will show you another way to remove cookies from your computer, plus we will discuss the registry of your computer and how to keep it clean of unnecessary items. The complete 10 steps - "Cleaning the Crud from your Computer" can be downloaded from www.gcclc.org.
Step 6: Remove temporary files, cookies, etc. using CCleaner (freeware)
A cookie stores information on your computer, such as your preferences when visiting a particular Web site. For example, when you revisit a site like Amazon.com, recommendations based on previous purchases may appear. Or you might create a personalized page at Yahoo and those preferences will be stored as a cookie.
Cookies can store personally identifiable information that can be used to identify or contact you, such as your name, e-mail address, home or work address, or telephone number. However, a Web site only has access to the information that you provide. A Web site cannot determine your e-mail name unless you provide it. Also, a Web site cannot gain access to other information on your computer.
Last time in this column we discussed removing cookies and temporary Internet files from your computer using the tools provided by Internet Explorer. There is a free cleaner available for download that has more options available for removing cookies and other unnecessary files, plus it will tidy up your computer registry. It is called CCleaner and is excellent freeware. It can be downloaded directly from www.ccleaner. com. On the CCleaner.com home page, click "download CCleaner now.." and on the next page, click "Download from FileHippo.com" and then finally, on the right hand side, click "Download Latest Version."
After installing, open CCleaner and you will see the main cleaner page. All the items that can be removed are shown in various groups, together with a check mark to indicate if that item is to be cleaned. There are two tabs, "Windows" and "Applications." In the Windows tab, I normally check everything except those in "Advanced" (this is the program default, so you shouldn't need to make any changes). Similarly for the Application tab.
Before clicking on Run Cleaner, it's important to set up the options for cookies. Click Options and Cookies and then use the arrow buttons to move the cookies between the two columns. You'll see a list of all the cookies stored. This is a great feature of CCleaner Š you can select cookies you do not want to remove. When reading down the list of cookies you'll recognize some as Web sites you frequently visit and therefore may wish to retain those cookies. Move those over to the 'Cookies to Keep' list (click the cookie to keep, then click the right arrow). If it's from a Web site you never heard of or don't remember, then delete the cookie. If needed, the Web site can always regenerate the cookie.
Having made the selections on which cookies to keep, return to Cleaner and click the analyze button. This runs a simulation, allowing a check of all the files that will be deleted. If all is OK, click the Run Cleaner button to remove much of the junk from your computer.
From now on, all that's needed on a weekly basis, is to open CCleaner, click the "Run Cleaner" button and the junk will be removed as per the options selected.
Step 7: Clean the registry.
The registry is a large file where programs keep information they need about where you keep your documents, or where a program keeps it's data file. Whenever a user makes changes to "Control Panel" settings, or file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the registry.
Often, when programs are removed from your computer, they don't "clean up" all their entries from the registry. CCleaner has a very safe registry cleanup function.
Open CCleaner and click the Issues button. Leave all the check marks checked, and click "Scan for Issues." When complete, click "Fix Selected Items." I recommend you click "Yes" to make a backup of the deleted items. Then click "Fix all Selected Issues" and OK and then Close.
I think it's an excellent idea to run CCleaner on your computer every week or so removing unnecessary files, and cookies and tidying up the registry.
In the next column we plan to talk about spyware and ad ware.
ooo
Roger Thornburn is a Volunteer with the Gold Country Computer Learning Center. For information about computer classes or The Learning Center go to www.gcclc.org or call 273-3029.
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