Internet Explorer is an excellent record-keeper, automatically hoarding lots of information while we are surfing the net. Over time this information can become unwieldy, and fragmented. Deleting this data can lead to an obvious improvement in Internet Explorer's performance, especially on older machines.

To delete Internet Explorer's cache:

1. From the Start menu, click Control Panel.
2. In Category View, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Internet Options.
3. On the General tab, click Delete Files in the Temporary Internet files section, select the Delete all offline content check box, and then click OK.

Consider using the Delete Cookies button as well, but bear in mind that you may lose information that is sometimes recorded using cookies, such as Web forum identities, Web site preferences, and sometimes passwords.

 

 

Temporary files can be found in various directories. For the purposes of this column, the directories to focus on are:

C:\WINDOWS\Temp and C:\Documents and Settings\{Identity}\Local Settings\Temp

Shut down all running programs before attempting to delete the contents of the above folders. If a file is necessary to a program or background process still running on your system an error message stating that the file is in use will appear. If you are unable to delete a particular file despite shutting down all running programs, write down the name of the file causing the error. Delete everything above, and then everything below, the problem file and concern yourself no further. Our aim is to get rid of as much detritus as possible, but it does not matter if some bits and pieces are left behind.

Tip: The Disk Cleanup utility is an easy way to delete cached and temporary files. It can be accessed by navigating to Accessories from All Programs on the Start menu, then opening the System Tools folder.

 

One of the side effects of todays mega-large hard drives is that Internet Explorer may automatically set its cache limit to a ridiculously large size, or the computers user will choose an extremely large cache size because they have the room.

We have seen computers with a gigabyte (GB) or more of space dedicated to cached Web pages. This is far too much. Any time saved by caching so many pages is wiped out by the time it takes Internet Explorer to index and then later find and load those pages. Also, the risk of cache corruption increases exponentially as the size of the cache increases.

It is generally recommend a cache size of 50 to 100 megabytes (MB) for the average user, with 100 MB being for those with broadband and a newer (faster) PC. If you are in the habit of downloading very large files then you should consider increasing the size of your cache so that it will comfortably fit the size of your largest download plus about 50 MB.

 

Internet Explorers History feature is sometimes misused, with some people maintaining a browsing history of 30, 40, 50 or even the maximum of 99 days. Large history folders can slow inline automatic completion of Web addresses, and the Address bars drop-down list of prior addresses will take longer and longer to appear.

Instead of depending on the History pane to find preferred Web sites, consider adding such pages to your Favorites folder.

We normally set this to 7 days for all our clients.

 

Internet Explorer can store form data and passwords. This is very convenient, but too much cached information will slow down Internet Explorer or, in extreme cases, freeze it completely. To avoid this problem, clear your Forms and Password cache regularly, after ensuring that your important information has been recorded elsewhere.

To clear Forms and Password cache in Internet Explorer:

1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options, then click the Content tab.
2. Click on the AutoComplete button, and then click on the Clear Forms and/or Clear Passwords buttons.

 

Now that you have deleted cached data and temporary files, deleted your history and adjusted the maximum size of Internet Explorer's Temporary Internet files folder it is time to turn our attention to the hard drive.

Over time the data on our hard drive becomes fragmented because Windows does not always save files in single chunks. It will try to save a file into the first chunk of free space it finds on a hard drive that is big enough for a file, but if it can't find a suitable spot it will split the file into pieces before saving the fragments in different spots. As a hard drive fills up, and files are deleted and written, these empty spaces become more and more scattered, and files more and more fragmented.

The inside of a hard disk looks a lot like an old fashioned record player. There is a highly polished platter on which all data is stored, and a reading arm that swings back and forth to retrieve the data on the hard drive (a lot like an old fashioned record player's stylus moves across the surface of a vinyl album while it is being played). The more fragmented a hard disk becomes, the more the arm has to swing back and forth to access the various bits of a file, slowing things down. The Windows Disk Defragmenter can improve your systems performance by optimizing your disk usage and keeping files less fragmented.

To Defragment your hard drive:

1. Click the Start button, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.

Make sure that your screen saver and any running programs are turned off. Then simply select the hard drive that you wish to defragment and start the process running.

Defragmenting can take quite a long time depending on the size of your hard drive and even newer machines can benefit from this process. The improvement in performance after running Windows Desk Defragmenter was quite remarkable.

 

A common cause of Internet Explorer, and even system wide, slow downs is malware and viruses. If you see new toolbars in Internet Explorer, if you see pop-up advertisements, if new shortcuts have appeared on your desktop, if your home page and search engine settings have changed, if your computer tried to connect to the Internet unexpectedly, if your bandwidth usage has suddenly increased or if your system suddenly becomes sluggish or unstable, then we must seriously consider this possibility.

Run a full system scan using your current antivirus program, making sure that you first download and install the latest virus definitions. Once you have ensured that no viruses or Trojans have infected your system, complete a comprehensive malware check.

Tip: The Web page http://aumha.o rg/a/noads.htm can quickly scan your PC for the most common hijackers, and has links to advice about how to remove any malware that is detected.

Once you have completed all the maintenance and diagnostic steps listed above, Internet Explorer should be back to its old self.

 

End of support for Windows 98 and Windows Me

July 11, 2006 will bring a close to Extended Support for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Me as part of the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy. Microsoft will retire public and technical support, including security updates, by this date.

Existing support documents and content, however, will continue to be available through the Micros oft Support Product Solution Center Web site. This Web site will continue to host a wealth of previous How- to, Troubleshooting, and Configuration content for anyone who may need self-service.

Microsoft is retiring support for these products because they are outdated and can expose customers to security risks. We recommend that customers who are still running Windows 98 or Windows Me upgrade to a newer, more secure Microsoft operating system, such as Windows XP, as soon as possible.

Customers who upgrade to Windows XP report improved security, richer functionality, and increased productivity.

End of support for Windows XP Service Pack 1

On October 10, 2006, Microsoft will end all public assisted support for Windows XP Service Pack1 (SP1). After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide any incident support options or security updates for this retired service pack under the policies defined by the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy.

To enhance the security of your computer and to continue to receive updates for Windows XP, we recommend you upgrade your computer, for free, to Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).

 

If you're really serious about keeping people out of your browsing business, you can automatically delete your cached ?less every time you close your browser. To do this:

• In Internet Explorer, open the Tools menu and click Internet Options.
• Click the Advanced tab in the dialog box.
• Scroll to Security and select the Empty temporary Internet files folder when browser is closed checkbox, and then click Apply.

Now, every time you close your browser, your cached files are automatically deleted.

 

During the last two months we've conducted several free on-line demonstrations of Amicus Attorney 7, the latest version of the leading practice management software. Space at these demos was necessarily limited so that we could effectively answer your questions. That meant that not everyone who wanted to participate and learn about this new software was able to do so.

We have scheduled two additional Amicus Attorney 7 demos for August. So that we can make the demos even more helpful, the first demo will be limited to those who have never before seen or used Amicus Attorney. This restriction lets us tailor the presentation to better answer your questions. The Amicus "newbie" demo will take place on Friday, August 18, 2006 at 9:00AM EDT.

For those using prior versions (V+ and earlier) of Amicus Attorney, the other demo will take place on Monday, August 28, 2006 at 9:00AM EDT.

Only 10 participants allowed per demo, and only 1 participant per firm. But this is not as restrictive as it sounds. 1 participant = 1 computer. You can have as many people as you like gathered around your computer's monitor to watch the demo.

Demonstrations will last 30 minutes. There is only one way to reserve a spot at a demo. You must send an email to rcarter@cni- incorporated.com ASAP requesting to participate. Make sure your message indicates which demo ("Amicus newbie" on August 18 or "Amicus veteran" on August 28) you wish to attend. We will send you the log-in information for the web demo via return email.

email: rcarter@cni-incorporated.com

phone: 513-755-1377

web: http://www.cni-incorporated.com