Make Your PC a Lean, Mean Blogging Machine
Blogs are the in thing now. Hip, cool, and here to stay. So here are some ways that will make your PC an even better blogging tool.
- Clean out your internet and history files. When I started out online I used a dialup connection. I remember those days very well. When you are only getting at most 50k downloading speed, you try all you can to get the most out of the connection. That meant I was always cleaning out my temporary Internet files, cookies and history. Now that broadband for the most part is widespread, we tend not to think about this much any more. But it’s still a good thing to practice.
- Update Windows regularly. With our high speed connections it’s easy to let Windows install updates automatically. I recommend letting Windows do this for you and not disabling it. It will make your PC more secure and run smoother most of the time.
- For goodness sake, clean out your PC. Empty the Recycle Bin, make sure Disk Defragmenter is run once in awhile, remove some of the start-up programs that run when Windows (or Mac) boots, and use Disk Cleanup at least once a month or more. This will make a big difference no matter how fast your PC is.
- Use a blog editor from your desktop. Windows Live Writer is a great way to update your blog without even opening a browser window. It works with Wordpress, Blogger and many other blog platforms. It even has a plugin that works with Flickr and Firefox. There are other blog editors out there that I’m sure are good as well, but Live Writer is my choice.
These are just a few tips that I came up with for souping up a computer. Do you have any more ideas that you can share for making a PC a lean, mean blogging machine?
*Author’s Note: Curtis is also the author of Grow Thumbs. Edited by Blog Bloke.
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Hey Curtis great post ! For a gardener you could’ve also added - clean out your tool shed, water your plants, remove those weeds and get help when needed ;o)
At a glance they are very simple tips. Sad but true - the majority does not bother doing it simply because they are lazy or they are too afraid that they might do something wrong.
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I too forget to clean out the temp internet files or the recycle bin from time to time.
Funny this day where computers are widespread, folks are worried about screwing up their pc. I tell my family that they only way to mess a pc up to to physically destroy it.
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I use Windows XP, but there may be a Vista version. I created a shortcut on my desktop that points to a Notepad with text reminding me to use the Start, Run command to turn off the annoying ‘Restart Now’ question after automatic updates are downloaded. That allows you to finish what you’re doing and let it happen on restart. The run command is does not accept paste, so just key this in: services.msc and press enter.Then find automatic update under names, right click and select ’stop’ to turn ‘off’! This has to be done each day you get the message since the system resets on start up. Hope this helps.
Hope is was okay to reply to this individual comment (not sure if reserved for the big guy, BlogBloke?)
SBAs last blog post…Adding A Menu Bar in Your Blogger Header
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No worries. I’ve created shortcuts for things like locking the desktop, restart and shutting down Windows myself.
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Blog Bloke (@blogbloketips) reply on August 30th, 2008 2:22 pm:
Thanks thats the run name for services. I had forgoten all about that command. Does that turn off auto updates or just the auto restart.
Curtiss last blog post…Google Info at your texting finger tips
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It turns off the prompt where Windows warns you “your computer needs to be restarted for updates to take effect… will restart your computer automatically in nnn minutes”. As you know, even if you select the ‘restart later’ button, you get asked again [3 seconds later.] The updates are already installed. Again, turning off the message with the ’services.msc’ only works for that session.
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SBA (@blogbloketips) reply on August 31st, 2008 9:11 am:
Curtis (@blogbloketips) reply on August 30th, 2008 3:38 pm:
SBA (@blogbloketips) reply on August 30th, 2008 7:48 am:
I set my options to clean out my cookies and cache every time I close my browser. For security reasons I run Window Washer once a week which cleans out everything all at once.
As far as Windows Updates are concerned I set mine to notify me but not to install. I come from the old school where it is best to close down everything that is running, including the antivirus before installing anything.
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I agree Bloke. Vista likes to install updates in the middle of something. I like them downloading on their own though, I just want to install them when I am away for a while.
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Curtis, I meant to reply to this comment, but replied to the first Curtis! So see above! The two of you look so much alike, are you twins?LOL
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SBA (@blogbloketips) reply on August 30th, 2008 2:30 pm:
I just dont see any purpose of Vista. You just have minor improvements. It eats a lot more memory and cpu than XP and you get nothing for it. Im waiting for the next version after Vista instead.
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Hello Curtis,
You’ve listed some excellent and easy-to-follow tips there. It’s unfortunate that everyone dosen’t clean their PC’s once in while, but I guess that’d leave a lot of techies without a job
. One tip that I believe is extremely important it to defrag your PC, and if you have the funds, buy a third party utility. I’ve explained it in more detail here: Why You Shouldn’t Use Windows Defragger
Regards, John
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[…] think about). I’m just testing out the new blog software Windows Live Writer. Earlier I read BlogBloke’s recommendation for it in my Google Reader and thought it would be a good distraction to try […]
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