Day after day as I go about my computer repair business I’m continually seeing a recurring theme: computers full of unnecessary (junk) files. These files are clogging up and slowing down the computer, and must be deleted before I can do any type of speedy anti-malware or antivirus scans.

Today I would like to show you the basic three step plan that I use to remove these unwanted, unused files from a computer. If you don’t remove these files (Internet Explorer temporary files, history, cookies, autocomplete form history, index.dat, etc., etc.), they will continue to build up and eventually cause a multitude of problems.

BEFORE I DO ANYTHING ELSE – I DO THESE THREE THINGS!!

1) Run PureRa (http://raproducts.org/)

“PuraRa is a simple tool that does a simple job: it removes files from your computer that other mainstream cleaning programs tend to oversee. Some of our targets can simply be removed to create some valuable space while others are removed in an attempt to repair certain problems because they will simply recreate themselves”.

2) Run CCleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com/). Run both file cleaner and registry cleaner.

“CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system – allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it’s fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware! :)”

3) Run Revo Uninstaller (click on the Tools panel and select Junk Files Cleaner)
(http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html)

“Junk Files Cleaner allows you to find and remove various types of junk and unnecessary files from your computer. Junk files are created by many of the Windows applications. Normally, such files are deleted by the application that created them as soon as they do not need them, but they may remain permanently on your hard drive if there is an unexpected termination of the parent application, a system crash, etc. Cleaning junk temporary files will free a lot of hard disk space”.

You’re done!! Once you complete these three basic steps, your computer should be quite clean and much faster. This alone may be enough for you, but in addition any other type of scan (anti-malware, antivirus, etc.) can now be run in an optimized state.

In a future post I’ll give you my basic plan to delete malicious software from your computer!

Professor Randy says: Somebody once said “cleanliness is next to godliness”. I agree – and I think that it’s good to keep your computer clean too!

There is nothing like great, high quality tech articles full of valuable content. Today I would like to point you to ten more awesome tech links. Enjoy the interesting and informative material!!

1) Production Delays Mean iPad Inventories May Be Tight At Launch

2) 6 Free Android Apps That Will Make You Drop Your iPhone

3) Windows 7 Tip Of The Week: They Don’t Call Them “Essentials” For Nothing

4) AT&T Roars Back In PCWorld’s Second 3G Wireless Performance Test

5) Great Video: Advanced Malware Cleaning ( by Mark Russinovich)

6) 10 Hot Questions About Windows Phone 7, Answered

7) Core i3 Takes On Athlon II (Test Results)

8) A Side-By-Side Look At Tax Software

9) 5 Computer Hardware Review Sites For The PC Enthusiast

10) 15 Internet Annoyances, And How To Fix Them

Professor Randy quotes Jane Hamilton: “It is books/articles that are the key to the wide world; if you can’t do anything else, read all that you can.”

During the course of my work day, I often have to copy, delete, or move multiple files (image files, audio files, temporary files, text files, data files, document files, etc.) on my computer. If I had to select each file one by one it would take all day and it would drive me crazy! By selecting more than one file at a time, I can really speed up my work and get more done!

Today I would like to show you three great ways to select (or highlight) multiple files that will work with all modern operating systems and programs. If you don’t know these tricks you’re gonna love them!!

1) When You Want To SELECT ALL FILES In A Folder:

A) Hold down the Ctrl key while you press the letter “A” (lowercase or uppercase) on the keyboard. This will select all the files in the folder and then you can do whatever you want with them.

2) When You Want To SELECT A GROUP OF FILES THAT ARE IN A CONSECUTIVE ORDER:

A) Change the View of the files to List (choose View>List from the menu).

B) Click the first file that you need from the group of files (this might not necessarily be the first file on the list).

C) Hold the Shift key and click on the last file that you want from the group. You will now see a block of consecutive files selected (highlighted). You can now do whatever you want with them.

3) When You Want To SELECT SEVERAL FILES THAT ARE NOT IN A CONSECUTIVE ORDER:

A) Click the first file (that you want) from the group.

B) Hold the Ctrl key while you click on each specific file that you want to select. This technique allows you to select files at random (no particular order) from the group. You can now do whatever you want with them.

Professor Randy says: When you get used to using these shortcut keys you will have fun while you “fly” through your work with the greatest of ease!!

Today a great tip comes from guest blogger Jorge R. Hernandez. Jorge is a great computer repair technician who runs 123 Computer Repair Services (http://123ComputerRepair.com) in Florida.

Since learning this cool trick, I’ve been using it every day. Thanks Jorge!

“Save Keystrokes by using Ctrl+Enter to complete URLs”

You want to open http://www.bing.com -  so you start typing http:// or www. and bing and .com

There is a much easier approach for this by using a shortcut.

On modern browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox, hitting Ctrl + Enter will automatically fill in the www. and the .com part of the URL.

Here is an example:

1)  Just type in “bing” into the address bar in your browser

2) Press Ctrl + Enter

3)  This is what you get: http://www.bing.com/

4) That’s all you need, enjoy the tip!

Professor Randy says: Great tip from Jorge! The most simple tips are many times the most useful! Commit yourself to learning more useful tips and you will find yourself enjoying your computer much more!!

A question that I often hear from my clients is the following: How do I get my Windows applications to always open “maximized” (full screen)? They complain about always having to employ a second click by hitting the maximize button in the top right hand corner of the screen. I totally understand their complaint because this issue bugs me too!

So today I would like to show you an easy way to do this which will work great with most programs (some programs have a mind of their own and will “disobey” this setting). Please remember that this works only on programs and shortcuts to programs (shortcuts in the start menu also), not on documents or on other files.

1) Right click on the shortcut or menu item that you use to start the program:

2) Now, click on properties:

3) Go down to the label “Run” that is set to “Normal Window”. Change this to “Maximized”.

4) Hit OK and you’re done! Your program will now start up maximized! Cool huh?

Professor Randy says: When you learn all of the cool tricks and tweaks that you can do with your computer, you’ll enjoy your computing experience much more!!

Hello everyone,

It used to be that when you bought a new computer, the computer manufacturer (Dell, Toshiba, Gateway, HP, etc.) would include a couple of discs which contained a backup of the original factory default operating system. These recovery CD’s allowed you to reinstall the OS to exactly as it was when you first bought the computer.

In recent years these recovery CD’s are no longer being included with the new computer (cheaper for the manufacturer – they don’t have to create the discs). The default recovery data is now on the actual hard drive itself, and you the owner must copy (burn) this backup information to two or three DVD’s.

The other day a client had just bought a new Gateway computer and asked me to make a backup of the original factory installation in case he ever needed to reinstall the OS, drivers and application files. Today I would like to show you the exact seven steps that I used for this important one-time process (I did this on a Windows 7 Gateway desktop but most manufacturers provide basically the same setup procedure):

1) From the Windows default Start menu, click All Programs, Gateway and then click Gateway Recovery Management.

2) In the Gateway Recovery Management window, click Create factory default disc.

3) In the Make Backup Image dialog box, insert a blank disc in the optical drive, and then click Next.

4) Disc 1 is burnt and verified.

5) In the Finished dialog box, insert the next blank disc in the optical drive, and then click Next.

6) Disc 2 is burnt and verified.

7) In the Success dialog box, click OK.

Professor Randy says: Better safe than sorry! Create a recovery disc of your OS as soon as you get your new computer and you will be prepared with an exact backup in case disaster strikes!!

YouTube celebrated it’s fifth birthday this week (youtube.com was registered as a domain name on February 14, 2005). From those humble beginnings YouTube has become a household name and now streams over 1 billion videos a day! If you would like, you can check out YouTube’s top five videos (views) of all time here.

Below you will see one of my all time favorites. The first time I saw “Big Dog” I couldn’t believe my eyes!! I’ve shown this to many people and they simply “flip out!” Can you even believe this? Is this awesome or what? Can you imagine what the future holds for “Big Dog” and other “Big Dog” types?

Professor Randy says: Internet video (especially YouTube) has opened us up to some amazing things. Seek out great video and you will benefit by it and be amazed too!!

There is nothing like great, high quality tech articles full of valuable content. Today I would like to point you to ten more awesome tech links. Enjoy the interesting and informative material!!

1) Android Market Share Doubles – Will Overtake Palm Soon

2) How Wi-Fi Attackers Are Poisoning Web Browsers

3) iTunes vs Zune vs Songbird: Music Organizer Showdown

4) Injuries Evolve Along With New Gadgets

5) 7 Reasons To Move On From Aging, Tired Windows XP

6) How Does Using BCC Help Reduce Spam?

7) 10 Things Netbooks Do Better Than The iPad

8) Apple iPad Preview: First Impressions

9) iPhone vs. Nexus One: A Tale Of Two Phones

10) Free eBook: The Complete List Of Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts

Professor Randy says: There is some great material here which should serve you well no matter what your intentions – enjoy!

OK this one is for fun! I know this isn’t exactly “tech”, but I’m just so “blown away” by this video that I have to show it to you. I’m not just blown away because of the amazing performance but also because of the reaction that the performance provokes.

Some background: A bunch of midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy and a bunch of cadets from the U.S. Military Academy are bored before the Army-Navy football game. They decide to go see some young girls “jump rope”.

Watch what happens next!!

Professor Randy says: Perfect your passion and you too will create quite a stir!

Even though I call myself “The Tech Professor”, I must admit that the different categories of Ethernet Cable have me scratching my head! Some will enjoy the “geek speak” definitions that follow, but many will get more out of the great video by CNET’s Tom Merritt. Either way: confusion no more! Enjoy!!

Types Of Ethernet Cable:

1) Cat 5: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA (Telecommunications Industry Association/
Electronic Industries Alliance). Defined up to 100 MHz, and was frequently used on 100 Mbit/s Ethernet networks. May be unsuitable for 1000BASE-T gigabit Ethernet.

2) Cat 5e: Category 5 has been superseded by the Category 5e specification structured cabling for computer networks such as Ethernet, and is also used to carry many other signals such as basic voice services, token ring, and ATM. Currently defined in TIA/EIA-568-B. Defined up to 100 MHz, and is frequently used for both 100 Mbit/s (up to 155 Mbit/s, over short distances) and 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet networks.

3) Cat 6: Compared with Cat-5 and Cat-5e, Cat-6 features more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise. Currently defined in TIA/EIA-568-B. Defined up to 250 MHz, more than double that of category 5 and 5e. Cat 6 is suitable for 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX (Fast Ethernet), 1000BASE-T / 1000BASE-TX (Gigabit Ethernet) and 10GBASE-T (10-Gigabit Ethernet).

Professor Randy says: If you do any kind of networking your going to need stranded wire patch cables (Ethernet) sooner or later. Get to know and understand the different categories, eliminate any confusion, and you’ll setup a great network!!