How to make a toolbox on your desktop:

Having a toolbox on your desktop is a great idea.  You can just open it and quickly find all your Windows tools in one place when you need them. It's also a good place to put all those "rogue" icons generated by "utility" programs such as your printer, Adobe reader, anti-virus software, spyware scanners, etc. You also benefit by having a less "cluttered" looking desktop. Here's how you make one:

1. create a new folder on your desktop named "tools" (you can change the icon to a suitable one if you wish)
2. move all the "utility" icons currently on your desktop into it.
3. then copy the shortcuts below from the start menu >> programs >> accessories >> system tools into your new toolbox.
   • copy the scandisk, disc cleanup & defrag icons
4. then rename your new toolbox shortcuts as shown below and re-arrange the icons by name - your icons will then be in the order you normally perform the tasks (see screenshot below) ... it's a real time-saver if you have a lot of icons ...
   • 1-Disk Cleanup
   • 2-Easy Cleaner
   • 3-SpyBot Search & Destroy or 3-AdAware
   • 4-ScanDisk
   • 5-Defrag

Your new toolbox should now look something like this >>>

How to use your new Toolbox:

It is imperative to do your computer preventive-maintenance regularly. If you use your computer 1-2 hours a day, then you should do it once a month, more often for power users. The more you use your toolbox, the less opportunities there are for emerging problems to get serious. Remember to run them when you’re having problems too. Doing these tasks faithfully will ensure you trouble free and optimum computer use.

At least once a month, perform the following tasks on your computer using the shortcuts in your toolbox and in the order given below. Shut down all running applications; disable your antivirus and software firewall so the whole process goes uninterrupted. If you want you may download & install “End-It-All, a handy little free program that will “kill” everything running. Get it at http://www.docsdownloads.com/enditall.htm ...

1). Click on “Disk Cleanup”, select drive “C”, and clean out (delete) EVERYTHING it finds!

2). Open “Easy Cleaner” & click the “Registry” key.·Click “Find” and then “select all” after the scan, then “delete all” things listed.·Then click “clear files”, “clear cookies”, “clear history” & “clear MRU” (most recently used).·This one utility alone should speed your pc up over 20% immediately.

3). Open “SpyBot S&D” and/or “AdAware”, click “check for problems”. (check for any updates first) ·When the scan is complete remove all entries found. Delete the “backup or quarantine” files monthly.

4). Open ScanDisk (Windows XP users can skip this step).·Do a normal scandisk on all drives and partitions (not CD’s) - make sure there is an checkmark in “auto correct”.·If you still experience problems, reboot in safe-mode (see below), then do a “thorough” scan on all drives/partitions (* see below for starting in Safe mode)

5). Open “Defrag”, select “all hard drives”, then click “OK” to start scan.·If it continues to time out or seems to take forever, reboot your computer in “Safe Mode” (see below), and then do the defrag (* see below for starting in Safe mode)

Also, once a month, manually check & download your antivirus software updates to ensure you’re getting the latest ones. Then do a complete virus scan (even if your computer auto-checks every week).

·To start your computer in “Safe Mode”, when booting up, tap the “F8” key a few times as soon as your computer starts to boot. The best time is right after the first screen, but on newer fast computers it’s almost immediate. Sometimes you’ll have to experiment for the best time.