If you are trying to take your operating system to a state close to new, you should now that the latest Windows editions  include a Windows Backup and Restore function. This setting allows you to restore your system back to a previous state and its purpose is to help users to get their system back to the time when it was functioning correctly.

This process is fairly easy and it will bring you back your clean and fast system. But there’s a little detail in all of this: to apply the Windows Backup and Restore feature you must have a restore point. Since I know that not many people remember to save a restore point just in case, I’ll teach you an alternative way to get your system back to a near-new state without having to format and reinstall Windows.

Uninstalling unused programs

Sometimes our systems get to a point in which they’re loaded with junk. As we use our computers, we start installing tools, PC Games, utilities, toolbars and all sorts of software that, over time, we leave to oblivion. The thing is that, if we don’t uninstall those programs, they’ll be taking up precious hard drive space with no reason. So, they begin piling up in your system, making it slower and reducing its performance. So, the very first step is to get rid of all of those unused programs.

To do this task in a satisfactory manner you’ll need the assistance of a tool devoted to software uninstallation. My suggestion is Revo Uninstaller, a simple yet very powerful application that will help you eliminate all the undesired programs without leaving any traces.

Cleaning up the Windows Registry

The Registry is Windows’ core in which a great deal of information about the files on your system is stored. Think of it as a brain. So, whenever you install a program, move a file, create a document and do similar activities, some data is stored in the Registry.

Having said that, it’s important to understand that the registry is often crowded with useless entries that slow the system’s performance down. Since manually cleaning it would be impractical, an utility to do it automatically is essential. My recommendation to do so is called Reg Organizer, a comprehensive solution to handle all Registry-related issues.

Disabling applications that load on system startup

Slow system boots are another problem for a PC with some months of use. The thing is that many programs you install load themselves at the system’s startup, even if you didn’t explicitly tell them to. So, if your computer is taking too long to start, you probably have too many applications that load on boot.

The simplest solution to this is to disable the unessential software that’s loaded on startup. To do this, you’ll have to access to a special Windows tool called “msconfig” (you can search it with Windows built-in search engine). Once the utility’s window pops up, you’ll have to head to the Startup tab, where you’ll find a list of all the programs that are loaded when Windows boots.  Select the applications you won’t need and untick their corresponding boxes. Once you’re done, apply the changes.

There are no fixed formulas for this cleaning, you’ll have to go over the list and decide for yourself which programs are the ones you won’t need at a fresh start. Keep in mind that some programs might be useful so, if you notice that you’ve disabled one of them, you can re-enable it by recreating this same process.

Restoring Windows default options

Finally, you should restore the system’s default options to take your PC back to a near-new state. This is probably the hardest task of this list, not for its complexity but because you’ll have to do it manually. Again, there are no rules for this procedure but there are a few points you should keep in mind. You should restore the browser options, the firewall defaults (unless you have introduced certain exceptions that you want to keep), the star menu, the task bar, the drivers, the folders and the libraries.

This should help your PC in running faster and in improving its performance. Although it won’t be the same as if you had reinstalled the operating system, it certainly will help your Windows.

Any doubts? Don’t hesitate to ask for help!

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One Comment to “An alternative to Windows Backup and Restore to take your PC to a near-new state”

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      28/04/2011

  Mary Jane Aleman says:

  COMO ESTAN TODO’S!!!!!!!

  Reply