I Wish I Were More Knowledgeable About It...

[lilypoppyfre]

Would some IT wizard please help me with the following :

1. My screen shows many icons which I no longer use and would therefore like to remove. A step-by-step instruction would be very welcome.

2. My computer is 5 years old and slow to start. In the past week, a message has flashed regularly , asking me to clean it up and offering me a programme (of course, to be paid for) to do so. Should I do so ? Is it safe ?

I intend to change for another desktop ( arthritis and older eyes make it easier for me to buy a desktop )....probably after Xmas, when my heating bills ( the 1st under a new tariff ) have been paid...

Any help will be much appreciated.

[hc4361]

Right click on each unwanted icon and click 'delete'.

No, you definitely should not take up the flashing offer. You MUST download and run:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
Be sure to download the free version.

[redman41]

Firstly, I'm no IT Wizard but I will try and help...
Google 'FileHippo' and Download Malwarebytes (Free Version) and CCleaner (Free Version) which will clean up the Cr*p on your PC. Do a Quick Scan with 'Malwarebytes' incase you have some nasties in your system.
Are the Icons on your PC short cuts to Programmes you have installed ? If so you need to un-install them by accessing 'Un-install' Programmes through the Control Panel facility.
Also,download Microsoft Security Essentials from Microsoft Site for PC Protection (Free)

[boxtops]

I'd do what hc suggests re the icons - right click on them and select Delete from the dropdown menu - they should disappear.

[Alex_Higham]

hc4361 has given you the answers which you need at this stage.

The icons on your desktop are shortcuts to programmes and when deleted will go into your Recycle Bin, without removing any actual programme from your computer. There is Not any need to fully remove any programmes by uninstalling from the Control Panel, unless you are positive that you will never again require them.

My advice is to stay well away from Registry cleaners, such as CCleaner, because they can cause irreparable damage to your computers Operating System.

[VHG]

>>My advice is to stay well away from Registry cleaners, such as CCleaner,

CCleaner is NOT just a registry cleaner.

You can run CCleaner to delete temporary files etc without having to run the registry cleaner component.

[VHG]

Note the icons on the desktop may NOT be links to programs, they may be icons for documents and other items which have been saved to the desktop. Deleting the icon could well delete the actual file.

If the icon on the desktop has a small arrow in the bottom left corner then it is a short cut and can be safely deleted.

If it does not have a small arrow in the bottom left it may be a link to a real file and deleting the icon will delete the file.

For files like that then move them into another folder like "My Documents", then they will be removed from the desktop but the file will still exist.

[jomifl]

If your computer does not defragment your hard drive automatically it may be a good idea to initiate a defrag (before you go to bed) as your file system may by now be a bit of a mess causing the computer to spend ages looking for files. The malware bytes advice is worth taking, but be prepared to spend some time erasing all the junk it finds.

[jomifl]

Click on an unwanted icon then when the programme opens right click on the page so that a box opens in which you can save it into favourites. You will be able to access it from your favourites list but you won't have an icon for it cluttering your desktop. If this isn't clear ask here for more info.

[Alex_Higham]

I also take the view that Defrags are a waste of time and said so in another thread this morning.:-

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Technology/Question1290049.html

[SlackAlice]

Question no ones asked yet, what version of Windows O/S you running?

As far as the pop up your getting about a program offering to clean it up. This suggests to me that you have some malware on your pc. Do as hc4361 suggests and download and install Malwarebytes, update its definitions and run a full scan. You might need to run it with your pc in safe mode.

By all means download and install CCleaner. It's good at deleting unnecessary dross, but do not use the registry cleaner section. Windows copes quite well with a scruffy registry and I see no reason for you to edit the Registry.

VHG has the best answer for the icons on your desktop. I tend to put all my shortcuts into a folder on the desktop. Keeps it tidy but easily available.

De-fragging your drive has become almost redundant now. Windows 7 and above will keep themselves tidy now. Even if you did do a de-frag, as soon as you used the pc it will become defragmented again.

If your having difficulty reading the screen, you do realise you can alter the sizes of the fonts you use. You can alter your preferences in Control Panel/Display.

[Old_Geezer]

If the icons are shortcuts (usually shown by an arrow bottom left of the icon) then they can be safely deleted. Either one at a time as mentioned above, or by holding down the shift key and clicking each in turn to get a group one can delete in one go.

[Old_Geezer]

Apologies, got distracted mid type by work for a couple of hours !

[jomifl]

A_H any reason for that view? If the computer has to collect all the files together from various parts of the Hard drive it will surely be slower than if all the related files are in one place?

[Alex_Higham]

I agree jomifl. It's a bit like having a bookcase with plenty of room (which modern comps/lappys do have on their hard drives) Very easy to find things quickly in a big half empty bookcase. I am yet to meet anyone who has really noticed any speed difference after doing a Defragmentation.

[StripeTheGremlin]

The icon inquiry doesn't take IT expertise trust me I attempted a class in the field and didn't grasp anything but can tell you that you need only either to drag each unwanted icon to the recycle bin or right click each and select 'delete'.

I am not so knowledgeable in remedy software, but what program is it offering you and is it doing so through the internet? There is a chance it could be a popup ad in which case the warning is false. That's how they get you, through trickery.
If it's an actual suggestion, the name of the software would help me better make a rookie evaluation.

[StripeTheGremlin]

Re-write (There is no delete option)

The icon inquiry doesn't take IT expertise trust me I attempted a class in the field and didn't grasp anything but can tell you that you need only either to drag each unwanted icon to the recycle bin or right click each and select 'delete'.

What program is it offering you and is it through the internet? A lot of that software gets you with pop up ads that appear to be warnings.
To take the issue you have mentioned of slowness, I have recently read that spyware and registry errors are a primary cause of slow performance.
A few programs put on my system by an expert are:
Malware Bytes
Superantispyware
(both of these will also scan your registry)
and
Microsoft Security Essentials.

[lilypoppyfre]

I am amazed at all the replies I got....some of the technical bit, I did not understand but I followed hc4361 as his (or her ) directions were very simple, even for me. Some icons have been deleted ( or at least, stored ) and the malaware programme downloaded and run.

My grateful thanks go to all of you who spent time to explain....I can not always find time to go to the library to book some help and ABs are a lifeline to me. Well done, all of you and thank you.