Scheduling Data Cleanup on Windows Operating System for Performance Improvement

These steps are to schedule the disk cleanup and defragmentation tasks to contribute to performance improvement efforts on windows operation system. These are by no means only methods to improve performance, but if you do these on your machine, you may see a little bit faster response. I did these on my Windows XP machines.

A. Deleting the Cache, Cookies, Temporary Internet Files and Temporary Windows Files
1. Open Notepad.
2. Paste the following commands in it

C:\ cd C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\Cookies del /F /S /Q * cd C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files del /F /S /Q * cd C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\Local Settings\Application Data\Temp del /F /S /Q * cd C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\Local Settings\Temp del /F /S /Q * cd C:\WINDOWS\Temp del /F /S /Q *

3. Save the file on C drive with ".bat" extension. My saved file is named "delCacheCookiesAndTempInternetFiles.bat"
4. Go to Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks
5. Click on "Add Scheduled Task".
6. Click Next on the window that pops up.
7. On the subsequent window, click "Browse"
8. Browse to C:\delCacheCookiesAndTempInternetFiles.bat
9. Select the frequency to run this scheduled task as per your choice. I run it weekly once.
10. Select other parameters for the scheduled task and save it. (I would suggest select the time to run within next 5 mins and see if it actually starts and runs at that particular time. Once you see it running successfully, you can change the scheduled run time to some other time per your preference.

B. Schedule Disk Cleanup to Run Automatically
1. Goto Start -> Run -> Type "cmd"
2. Paste the command "cleanmgr /sageset:1" and hit Enter.
3. It opens a dialog as shown below:

4. Check your preferred checkboxes on this screen and click "Ok"
5. Go to Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks

6. Click on "Add Scheduled Task".

7. Click Next on the window that pops up.

8. On the subsequent window, click "Browse"

9. Browse to "c:\windows\system32\cleanmgr.exe"

9. In the "Schedule" tab, select other parameters for the scheduled task. Select the frequency to run this scheduled task as per your choice. (I run it monthly once.) Click "Ok" to save the scheduled task.

10. Go to Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks

11. Right click on the task "cleanmgr", go to "Properties".

12. In the "Run" textbox, edit the text to append "sagerun:1"

13. Select other parameters for the scheduled task and save it. (I would suggest select the time to run within next 5 mins and see if it actually starts and runs at that particular time. Once you see it running successfully, you can change the scheduled run time to some other time per your preference.

C. Schedule Disk Defragementer to Run Automatically

1. Go to Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks

2. Click on "Add Scheduled Task".

3. Click Next on the window that pops up.

4. On the subsequent window, click "Browse"

5. Browse to "C:\WINDOWS\system32\defrag.exe"

6. Select the frequency to run this scheduled task as per your choice. (I run it weekly once.) Click "Ok" to save the scheduled task.

7. Go to Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks

8. Right click on the task "defrag", go to "Properties".
9. In the "Run" textbox, edit the text to append "C:". This is how you are specifying which drive the defragmenter should run.

10. In the "Schedule" tab, select other parameters for the scheduled task. Click "Ok". (I would suggest select the time to run within next 5 mins and see if it actually starts and runs at that particular time. Once you see it running successfully, you can change the scheduled run time to some other time per your preference.

You do not need to follow this procedure for scheduling Defragmentation in Windows 7. Windows 7 has its own scheduler for Defragmentation accessible from Disk Defragmenter Application itself.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

Wish you all a very happy new year 2011. Now that other things have settled a little bit, I personally plan to do a hell lot of actual concrete work this year. Wish me luck friends!



Posting this poem that I had composed in Dec 2006.

-----------TIME-----------

He is the healer, Silent killer
Whatever drops, He never stops
With fast gallops, Always hops

Conquer the time
With courage sublime
Let this year
be everything clear

Let Him be the charioteer
On your side
With time against
your own guide

Let Him be the scent
In successful event
Hearty wishes for you
Before adieu

With family and friends,
You enjoy,
Endless journey,
With cheerful cry !

Let me be there,
by your side,
to share your cry,
to share your joy !