How to clean up *without* Grimefighter?

[Abbe]

Copied this from another thread:

The idea is to get you to use Grime Fighter.

1) You can check what programs start on your system yourself.  (msconfoig and Task Manager )

2) Windows gives the tools to safely deal with freeing up space 

I realize it's not a real avast question, but since my problems with Grimefighter started it...

As a matter of fact, my computer *is* getting slow lately. Especially the start up, so cleaning it up might indeed be a good idea.

Question is - how?

I looked up 'msconfoig', but there is no file by that name in my computer (Windows 7).
In Task Manager, I'm not sure where to look for programs that start by themselves. Is that under the tab 'processes' (the second tab; sorry if I use the wrong word; my computer is not set to English). The first tab (programs) only lists those that I opened myself.

Actually, there is a whole lot running there under processes, but not being a computer wizz, I have no idea which ones are legit programs and what might be troublemakers.

Can anyone perhaps give me a bit of a guide on that? If that's possible from afar...

And what are the names of those Windows tools to free up space?

[Pondus]

clear your comp for critters and PUP with Malwarebytes .... PUP are not default selected for removal so you must do that  https://www.malwarebytes.org/

clear your browsers for crap with AdwCleaner  http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/

additional crap with CCleaner  http://www.piriform.com/

and to avoid those unwanted installs  Unchecky   http://unchecky.com/

[Eddy]

Best way to make a system "fast" again is performing a clean install of the os/sp(s).

[Abbe]

Pondus: um... how many antivirus programs and the likes does one need? So far (since 2004), avast had been taking care of everything... Never any real problems like the present slowing down on my 4 year old laptop.

Eddy: Do you mean simply crash the computer and reinstall everything from scratch??? Not that I have any idea how to do that, but...

What is sp(s)? At least, I assume os is operation system.

[Pondus]

how many antivirus programs and the likes does one need?   

Antivirus + malwarebytes ..... no security program have 100% detection

Sp means OS with latest service pack

[iroc9555]

Malwarebytes is not an antivirus. It is an antimalware and lately his detection rate has been directed to PUPs ( Potentaly Unwated programs ). It is one of the best and highly recommended.

AdwCleaner is a cleanup program that detects adwares, PUPs, and garbage files in your sys.

CCleaner, besides some other features, is recommended to clean your temps. Eventhough it has a superficial register cleaner it is recommended to stay away from it is you do not know what you are removing.

Unchecky is a small program that will opt-out any check box when installing programs so avoiding any extra program or addons mistakenly installed in your sys.

Yes the best way to get your system like new is a fresh install of your Operation System; However, most comps comes with a method to restore the system as it came from the factory. Any way you must save all data you currently have; Docs, images, videos, Favorites, E-mails... before doing either procedure.

A very important part of your security system, besides AV, AM, and FW, is a way to recover from an uneventfull disaster be it an infection or a hardware malfuntion. It is highly recommende to have an image of your system saved in another location so that you can restore that image and be back and running your comp in minutes. Windows 7 and 8 ( 8.1 ) have that feature:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/create-system-image-in-windows-7-8/
But you can also choose a third party program to do the same:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-drive-imaging-program.htm

[jrace]

I looked up 'msconfoig', but there is no file by that name in my computer (Windows 7).

This is a typo:     it should read "msconfig"