Computer Shopper 2019-11-01

102 NOVEMBER 2019|COMPUTER SHOPPER|ISSUE 381

Remove junk

Oldapplications, adwareand unwanted programs canall

slowdownyourcomputer.Here’showto remove them

T

he biggest culprits of aslow

computer arethose applications

sitting in the background sucking up

resources. These canbeold applications

that you’veinstalled, but theycan also

be caused by free softwareinstalling

softwarethat youdon’t really want -called

potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) -or

even hidden malwareorcrypto hijackers

sucking up resources.

Evenfor softwarethat youfind useful,

there’s adanger that it’saffecting your

machine’s performancebyinstalling a

startup item. Youcan getarough idea of

howmanystartup items youhavebyclicking

the up arrow next to the clock to viewthe

Notification Area. If this is full of icons, then

you’veprobably gotaproblem; what’smore,

notall applications showanicon, so this may

just be the tip of the iceberg.

Here,we’ll showyou howtodetect bad

software, clear out old applications and

remove startup items to getyour computer

back into abetterstate.

Install Unchecky

Beforeyou start, it’sworth installing

Unchecky (unchecky.com). This automatically

prevents manyinstallers from selecting

additional softwaretoinstall, preventing

additional bloatwareand adwarefrom

being installed behind your back.

Delete unwanted applications

Windows 10 gives youtwo methods of

installing the software: via the official

Windows Store, or the traditional way,

running an installer that you’vedownloaded

or haveondisc. Youcan use the Windows

Apps &Features, part of the Settings menu,

to remove both types of software. However,

youcan only handle one item at atime,

which makes it rather time-consuming to

remove lots of applications.

Instead, youcan getIObit Uninstaller,

which will perform amorethorough job. You

candownload IObit Uninstaller Free from

iobit.com-it’slocated under Products,

Optimization. When you

install it, makesureyou

don’t select the option

to install the Opera

browser or anyother

utility.Onceinstalled,

run the Uninstaller.

Under the Programs

section, youcan see all

of the applications that

areinstalled on your

computer.Using our

checklist (see ‘What

should youremove?’,

opposite),you cantick

the boxesnextto

softwareyou don’t want,

then click Uninstall. IObit Uninstaller will now

remove each bit of softwareone by one.

You’ll then see adialog boxtelling youthat

aRestorepointwill be created and that

residual files will be removed, so leave

these options and click Uninstall.

The rest of IObit Uninstaller lets you

handle Browser toolbars and extensions,

and canhelp youupdateother software.

It’ssafetoignorethese options, and we

recommend removing IObit Uninstaller once

you’redone, as it will spam youwith

messages to use other IObit software(the

peril of using free softwarerears its head

here, too).Instead, use the Windows tools

to remove softwareinfuture, keeping on

topofapplications younolonger need.

Startup items

Once you’veremovedthe applications you

don’t want,the ones that youdowantcan

stillsuck up precious resources. To prevent

applications starting with Windows,press

Ctrl-Shift-Esc to bring up the Windows

Task Manager.Click the More details option

at the bottom, then click the Start-up tab.

Youcan sort the list by startup impact,

highlighting the applications that are

slowing down your computer the most.

To find out what astartup item does,

right-click it and select Search online. To

stop astartup item running, right-click it and

choose Disable. Generally,you should keep

LEFT:Unchecky will help

keep your computer free

of unwanted software

automatically

ABOVE:IObit Uninstaller makes it easytoremove multiple applications in one go