Spring Cleaning for your Computer!

Checking the Size of Your Email Folder

2008-07-30T16:42:00.002-04:00

For Outlook to perform efficiently, it is important to keep up with your email and archive regularly. If your mail file gets too large, you’ll start to experience problems. Often, the only solution is to reduce the size of your mailbox. If you don’t clean up or archive, and the mail file keeps getting larger, you will see random problems with your Outlook, and sometimes your whole computer.

We recommend that you keep your mailbox to around 500MB. Once it gets to around 1GB, you may start to see some slowness in your email. If it goes over 2GB, you’ll probably experience crashes in Outlook, and other random issues.

It’s very easy to check the size of your mailbox by following these few steps (steps are based on Outlook 2007 and may differ slightly for older versions):

In Outlook, go to select Folder List from the Go menu at the top.
On the left side of the Outlook window, scroll all the way to the bottom of the folder list.
Click once on “Folder Sizes”.
It may take a minute, but Outlook will calculate your total mailbox size, and the size of each folder.

If “Total Size (including subfolders):” is bigger than 500,000 KB, you should be aware that your mailbox is getting large. Scrolling down through the list will show you the size of individual folders. These numbers may help you see if a certain folder seems large or is something that can be archived.

Probably the best way to avoid problems is to set a reminder once a month to clean out old mail. Make sure your Deleted Items folder is empty, and clean out your Spam\Quarantine folder. At this time you can also archive any folders or email that is no longer needed in your active mail file. We have a How To that will help you create, move, or open an archive. You can find it here: http://it.cas.psu.edu/273.htm

Checking the Warranty for your EN Computer

2008-07-17T00:33:00.005-04:00

Up until now, we’ve focused on changing software settings or uninstalling programs to speed up your computer. Today we’re going to show you how to check your computer’s warranty status, and its purchase date. It is inevitable that a computer will slow down over time as applications are updated and as users accumulate more data, not to mention the wear-and-tear on the hardware. As a computer ends its warranty period, it’s usually time to look at budgeting for a new one.

For EN computers (these steps also work for all Dell computers), Dell provides a quick and easy way to check the warranty status and date of purchase for your computer. All you need is the Service Tag from your computer, which can be found on the silver Penn State Univ label we've placed on all EN computers. For non-EN Dells, or if you can't find that Penn State label, you can find the Service Tag on a Dell sticker located on your computer.

1. Go to http://www.dell.com/support (this website is also listed on the Penn State Univ label).
2. On the left side, click Warranty Information.
3. From the middle of the screen, click Warranty Status.
4. Type in your computer's Service Tag (from the Penn State label) and click Continue.
5. On the Service Contracts and Warranties tab, you'll find various shipping, system, and warranty information.
6. If the section for Days Left shows zero, or only a few months remaining, you should talk to your supervisor or start to budget for a new computer purchase.

Cleaning out your Startup Folder

2008-07-01T17:57:00.005-04:00

Today's tip should take about five minutes to complete. We're going to delete items from your Startup folder. Some applications, like Adobe Acrobat, put an unnecessary tool or tray item or system monitor in Startup. These items all try to run while your profile is loading, causing everything to slow down. Also, most Startup items continue to run all day in the background, taking up resources and slowing your computer's processing time.

To remove these items, follow these quick steps:

1. Go to Start - All Programs - Startup
2. Right click on one of the items, e.g. HP Printer Toolbox, and choose Delete.
3. Click the button "Delete Shortcut" on the Confirm Shortcut Delete window.
4. Repeat Steps 1-3 until Startup is empty.
5. Once you are finished, right click on the Recycle Bin and choose Empty Recycle Bin.

Symantec EndPoint Protection: Part 2

2008-06-18T16:41:00.004-04:00

As mentioned in the last post, Symantec EndPoint Protection (SEP) combines antivirus and anti-spyware protection into one application. Consequently, you no longer need all the anti-spyware programs we’ve used over the years. It’s fairly easy to remove them, but since a few of them may require a reboot after removal, I recommend you wait until the end of the day to uninstall.

Please remove any of the following applications installed on your computer. You can do this from Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel. Just click on the application and click Remove. Make sure you reboot after you are done.

Windows Defender
Spyware Blaster
Ad-Aware
Zone Alarm
Spybot - Search & Destroy

Symantec EndPoint Protection: Part 1

2008-06-04T16:27:00.004-04:00

Earlier this year, all EN computers received a software push. We installed a new antivirus program on your computers, called Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP). This application is superior to the old version for a number of reasons. One benefit is that it provides virus as well as spyware protection. In the past, you had to use multiple products to protect your computer – one antivirus program, and one or more anti-spyware programs. Now, SEP takes the place of all the others. Another benefit is that it is centrally managed by our own Systems Administrators. We will be able to update your software and virus definitions automatically, ensuring that your computer has the most current and best protection.

Recently, we have discovered that SEP carried over extra scans that were manually created in the previous Symantec version on your computer. These scans try to run along with our scheduled scan, and can sometimes slow your computer down to a crawl. Below are steps you can follow to delete these extra scans – the steps shouldn’t take more than a minute or two to complete.

1. Right click on the Symantec Endpoint Protection icon in the lower right corner of your screen, and select "Open Symantec Endpoint Protection."
2. On the left side, select "Scan for threats."
3. In the "Scans" section, there will be one scan that is from the server and cannot be removed. But all the other scans can and should be deleted. The server scan that will remain is called "Scheduled Scan" and is set to do a weekly full scan.
4. For all other scans listed, right click on each one and select Delete.
5. When you are finished, close SEP.

Instant Messenger Settings: Removing from Startup

2008-05-21T23:25:00.004-04:00

Today’s tip is about Instant Messenger (IM) programs. Some examples are AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), Yahoo Messenger, and Windows Messenger. Even if you don’t use IM, this tip can help to clean up your computer. Instant messaging can be a handy tool in the workplace. But, unfortunately it comes with a few settings that aren’t very good for your computer. For example, all of these programs, by default, are set to start up with Windows. This places an extra burden on Windows while it is trying to boot the entire system, and adds to the slowness at startup.

After doing the steps below, your IM program will no longer start up automatically. It will take an extra click to open in the morning, but it will be worth it if it helps your computer start up a little bit faster.

Most of us install our own IM program(s), but there is also one that is included with Windows. Even if you’ve never used it, Windows Messenger still tries to run when you start your computer. We recommend all EN users do the Windows Messenger steps below. As for AIM or Yahoo!, you will only need to do those steps if you've installed the programs. As always, contact support if you have any problems or questions.

Windows Messenger (All EN users should do this part)
1. Go to Start – All Programs – Windows Messenger.
2. Go to Tools – Options.
3. Select the Preferences tab.
4. Uncheck the box for “Run Windows Messenger when Windows starts” (it’s the first option)
5. Click OK.
6. You can either leave it running now and it will close the next time you shut down or restart. Or you can close it now by Right clicking on the Windows Messenger icon in the system tray (bottom right corner of the screen, near the clock). It’s the blue-green icon that looks like the outline of a person.

AIM 6.5
For AIM, by default, two things will try to run at Windows startup. One is the messenger program itself. The other is AIM Dashboard (called AIM Today in older versions). It is the web page that opens automatically when you start your computer.

*NOTE: Older versions of AIM or AOL Instant Messenger will have different steps. You may have to go into Options or Preferences, or look around in the menus for Sign In/Out preferences. Or you can go to www.aim.com and install the current software version, then do these steps.

1. Open AIM if it’s not already running.
2. In the AIM window (which is your buddy list), go to Edit – Settings.
3. On the left, click “Sign In/Sign Out”
4. On the right, change “When I sign in, display the following: “ to NONE. This gets rid of that web page that opens.
5. Also, uncheck the box for “Start AIM when Windows starts”.
6. Click Apply – Click Save.
7. AIM will stay open until you reboot or shut down your computer. The next time you start up, you will need to open AIM from the Start menu or icon if you want to use it.

Yahoo Messenger 8.1
*NOTE: These steps are based on the current version of Yahoo Messenger. If you have an older version, they still might apply. As with AIM, you can go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/ and download the current version.

1. Open Yahoo Messenger if it’s not already running.
2. In the program window (the buddy list), go to Messenger – Preferences.
3. On the left side, click General
4. On the right side, there is a setting “When I start up my computer:” Uncheck the box for “Automatically start Yahoo! Messenger”
5. Click Apply – Click OK.
6. Yahoo Messenger will stay open until you reboot or shut down your computer. The next time you start up, you will need to open it from the Start menu or an icon if you want to use it.

Removing Toolbars and Weather Programs

2008-05-07T15:08:00.006-04:00

To start off, we’re going to remove a few of the most common extras: toolbars, weather applications, and Google Earth. These may seem like small programs, but most of them run constantly in the background, taking up memory that should instead be used for Outlook or Symantec (for spyware and virus detection).

Although these toolbars may seem like useful tools, they are more trouble than they’re worth. Each toolbar you have has to start up every time you open Internet Explorer, causing an extra delay. In addition, Internet Explorer has its own pop-up blocker, but some of these toolbars also have a separate pop-up blocker. These can interfere with your access to certain websites (e.g. employee ESSIC website, or Outlook Web Access). As for the search feature in the toolbars, it is now redundant. Internet Explorer 7 has its own Search box in the top right corner of the window. You are able to choose your own search provider, and it works exactly like the toolbar.

As for the weather applications, they are notorious for causing random problems in Windows. Yes, it’s convenient to always see the temperature, but you can just as easily make a link or shortcut to the website. It takes an extra click to open the website, but the benefits far outweigh that extra mouse click.

Some examples of applications you should remove:
· Desktop Weather
· Accuweather Desktop Alerts
· Yahoo toolbar
· Google toolbar
· AIM or AOL toolbar (just the toolbar, not the IM program itself)
· Accuweather toolbar
· Google Earth (we’ve had many problems with this program lately)

Most of these can easily be removed by going into Control Panel – Add/Remove Programs. You can also sometimes remove them from Start – All Programs – (the specific program folder). In that folder there may be an Uninstall option.

After you’re done removing these programs, you should restart the computer. This will clear out the Temporary files used in the uninstall, and will give your computer a fresh start.

Introduction: Cleaning up your Computer

2008-05-07T13:51:00.001-04:00

These days, almost any application or update you install tries to get you to also install an “extra” application - an extra toolbar, for example. There are also the extras that we, as users, install ourselves, like a weather program or instant messaging.

Sometimes these extra programs do not affect the performance of your computer. But over time, you will see degradation in performance, compared to a fresh Windows install. And usually, there is a program that is the “straw that breaks the camel’s back” and seems to reduce your ability to work. Most of the time, that last program isn’t to blame – it’s a combination of everything installed.

One slowdown that is most noticeable is when you are restarting or logging in to your computer. Most of these extras are set to run at startup, bogging down the startup process that Windows needs to perform. These programs also try to run continuously in the background, slowing down everything you do on your computer. Some extras you may have, such as instant messaging (IM) programs, are used for communication within your group, and necessary to do your job, but when used with default settings, can cause slowness. By changing some of these settings, you can keep IM, but it won’t put a strain on Windows.

For the extras that were installed without intent, it’s an easy choice to remove them. But, for the programs you’ve installed yourself, in order to effectively use your computer, you might need to make a choice between your computer’s performance and the extra application.

This article is the beginning of a series of tips, tricks and advice. We will provide you with ways to clean up your computer by removing some of the extras, and ways to reconfigure the extra programs that you need to keep. We hope to give you the knowledge to make your own choices, and to help you avoid installing those extra toolbars or applications that legitimate programs try to sneak past you.

While there is not enough time or space to include every tip or suggestion, we will try to give you information about the most common pitfalls. All of these tips will be combined in this blog. You can come here at any time and read the old or new tips.

The first article will discuss extra toolbars and weather programs. Then, we will present a new topic in each eNews issue, and the corresponding full article will be found here. If you have any questions, please contact Ag IT Support.