Clean your computer up

Lately I've been asked by numerous people about systems running slower than usual. So I'm writing this to help people streamline their systems.
First and foremost make sure your system has the latest virus scan on it. In McAfee and Norton the updated files are called definitions. Unfortunately a slow system is one of the first signs of a virus! So the first goal is to insure that we do not have a virus!
Next, I would make an effort to clean up all of the temporary files. There will be a whole lot of these files but they all have one thing in common, they will end in either a "*.tmp" or a "*.temp" file extension. If they do not have one of these file extensions, then do not delete them, YET!
To delete these files there are two easy ways. The first way is to go into the My Computer interface and right click on the "C" drive. Once you have done that you should have a new window that says "Local Disk (C :) Properties and has what looks like a little pie graph in the lower middle. Below that graph you should have a button that says "Disk Cleanup." So go ahead and click on the "Disk Cleanup" button. Now this may take a while so do be patient.
Now you should have another pop up window that says "Disk Cleanup for (C :)." Read this list carefully, but you pretty much want to delete anything that says "temporary files" in the name. Once you've selected these files go ahead and hit the "Ok" button. At the next prompt hit the "yes" button and wait a few minutes. So now part two is done and we're on to part three and the second part of cleaning the Temp files up.
Now click on the start button and then click on search. Click on "All files and folders," on the left hand side of the window. In the search All or part of the file name line type in *.tmp and then select drive "c" then hit search. In the list to the right click on the first file, hold down shift and click on the last file, they should all now be highlighted! Hit delete!
When you’re finished here right click on the recycle bin on your desk top and click on Empty Recycle Bin. The repeat changing the *.tmp to *.temp!
Wahoo now you're almost 1/2 way done!
Next right click on the "C" drive in my computer again and click on properties. Now click on the Tools Tab. From here click on the "Check Now" button on the next screen check both boxes and click start! Click "Yes" on the pop-up, you can only run this when you reboot! But you need to get it ready now.
Last task until reboot! From the same window we just worked in click the "Defragment Now" button. Click on the (C :) under the volume label and click defragment! It might take a while!
When this is done run the same tool on all hard drives! Now you’re down to one last task.
So are you ready for lunch or supper? Great, me too! So now click on "Start," "Shutdown" and then restart. Yep do a proper restart of your system. Now it should seem a little faster. If you will at least do the "Defrag" once a month and this whole list twice a year your system should run fairly clean.
A couple of more hints for you. 1) Get good spyware preventer, I use Spybot. They are somewhat free but ask for donations, I donated $20.00 per PC. Hey it's worth it! 2) Get good Ad-Ware Prevention software. 3) Use a good pop blocker! And 4) when you feel brave enough delete all of the OLD programs that you will never ever use!
Good luck!
Philip LeimbachMCT, MCDST, MCP, A+, Net+