AutoClean

[storme]

I'll check out V1.4 soon. :-)

Looking at the FAQ, neither ERUNT or NTREGOPT are fully Vista and 7 Compatible yet

I will wait for windows Vista and 7 Compatibility before implementing an ERUNT backup

NP.. But worth noting for yourself fo rthe future.. The registry repair facility in Vista is RUBBISH I've had several customers bring in computers with what looks like simple registry glitches that I've had to reload from scratch because the auto repair didn't work. On an XP machine I can copy the registry files directly but not in vista.

I install ERUNT on all the Vista machines I've worked with and as it (appears) to just copy the existing registry files to a back up location I've never had it cause any problems. AND I've been able to fix MANY vista machines useing it's backup.

If one of the programs you are using messes the registry and Vista can't fix it then ERUNT would be a life saver.

NTREGOPT is one of many tools that do the same very useful things to the registry. PageDefrag defrags the registry as well.

I wasn't sure if PageDefrag defraged the "files" that make up the registry or like NTREGOPT actually rewrite the registry and defrag the registry files internally??

On a related note, the new updates in v1.4 make it a good replacement for Dial-A-Fix. I have not implemented some things from the tools menu, but the entire main menu has equivalents in AutoClean that work with windows vista and 7, and in most cases more thorough (thanks to technet). That is an interesting program, thanks again for the link.

No problem... it's a shame the author "got busy" as Dial-A-fix" has helped me out of a LOT of tight spots.

I'll give yours a try here then phase it in on other peoples computers "out-there". :-)

Keep up the great work

John

[storme]

Version 1.4 is looking GREAT and is doing MOST of what I used to use Dial-A-fix for. :-) Well done!

OK here comes another suggestion (well you did ask for them)

Use an INI file to save default option selections so that if the user doesn't want to run something(s) he doesn't have to deselect it every time.

Hand in hand with that is a comand line switch to select an alternative set of selecitons.

A use for this could be..

1. You rock up to fix someones computer "FULL_SET.INI /run"

2. You set up a schedule to run an unattened quick clean every day "QUICK_Clean_SET.INI /run"

3. You set up a schedule to run an unattened bigger clean once a week "Full_Clean_SET.INI /run"

Again well done! It's looking real good!

John

[NerdFencer]

I wasn't sure if PageDefrag defraged the "files" that make up the registry or like NTREGOPT actually rewrite the registry and defrag the registry files internally??

Yea... I actually don't know if it does it internally...

I do know that it defrags the files themselves (which can also give a good performance boost)

Ill have to look into that

For something like ERUNT for this program, I was thinking of exporting a backup reg file with all the original keys so the changes can be reversed if they cause an issue. I will definitely keep ERUNT in mind because there are SO many computers that come in with registry problems at work.

I like the checkbox idea

I was thinking of saving them to an ini, but hadnt thought of having the inis acceptable by command line. This will be coming soon. Thanks for the suggestion!

Edited December 5, 2009 by NerdFencer

[storme]

For something like ERUNT for this program, I was thinking of exporting a backup reg file with all the original keys so the changes can be reversed if they cause an issue. I will definitely keep ERUNT in mind because there are SO many computers that come in with registry problems at work.

I've been down that road before. The trouble is if the computer is crashed by the changes then you can't import the keys you exported because you need the computer working to import them. Catch 22

You need files that can just be cut and paste over the faulty ones to recover from that bad a problem.

ERUNT won't help the new customers BUT it sure helps repeat customers with reg problems.

Edited December 6, 2009 by storme

[P3X775]

What about adding some tools like Smitfraudfix, Malwarebytes, Superantispyware, and Combofix? Or do you feel that Vipre will do as good a job or better then these tools?

Just curious because we do a lot of spyware cleanups and these are the tools we use to get everything clean. Your tool witll be a big helpt o automate a lot of the other steps we do.

I have a very early Autoit script for Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware. I may have one for Smitfraudfix as well. My scripts are very basic but I am happy to share.

Personally, I appreciate it. This tool is a big help.

[NerdFencer]

What about adding some tools like Smitfraudfix, Malwarebytes, Superantispyware, and Combofix? Or do you feel that Vipre will do as good a job or better then these tools?

Just curious because we do a lot of spyware cleanups and these are the tools we use to get everything clean. Your tool witll be a big helpt o automate a lot of the other steps we do.

Vipre is a VB100 product, meaning that it has been tested to find every piece of malware on test computers both in pre-existing malware tests and active infection tests without any false positives. Before finding Vipre, I used a combination of Malwarebytes, Smitfraudfix, Combofix, and Ad-Aware. After I found Vipre, I ran the full malware cleanup test after a Vipre scan on about 15-20 heavily infected computers. None of the other products ever found anything after the Vipre scan. Personally, Vipre is the best malware removal product that I have ever seen.

I have a very early Autoit script for Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware. I may have one for Smitfraudfix as well. My scripts are very basic but I am happy to share.

If you want them included, and have some code to throw at me, I can probably make it work.

Personally, I appreciate it. This tool is a big help.

I'm glad that you find it useful

If there are any other computer tasks that you do, please feel free to post them. I will soon (relatively...) be posting another few programs that I have made for my shop and constantly find useful.

[NerdFencer]

Updated to v1.5

[curiousmaniac]

If you can make more like this (interface, features)..its will be better than ever..its free by the way, but not open source like you ..

http://www.rizonetech.com/

ScreenShot

[storme]

Updated to v1.5

Looks great! THANKS

Only 3 more suggestions I can think of. :-)

1. Log files - So that you have an audit trail and if the computer crashes AFTER the "fixes" it can be put back the way it was.

2. /Update switch - Same as update button so updates can be command line driven

3. Some indication of how long (approximately)each task will take.

If you want to get fancy you could give a total somewhere on the GUI.

This tool of yours looks great...keep up the good work.

John Morrison

aka

Storm-E

Just thought I'd ask.

I use Spybot to do an "insurance" scan of computers once a week. In case the main spyware scanner has missed something. Looks like you maybe using Ad-aware to do a similar job. I lost faith in Ad-aware when the drooped the old "SE" version and started added services even on the free version. Is there any reason you use Ad-aware(free) over Spybot?

Thanks!

[NerdFencer]

Looks great! THANKS

Only 3 more suggestions I can think of. :-)

Only three? I must be making this think pretty thorough.

1. Log files - So that you have an audit trail and if the computer crashes AFTER the "fixes" it can be put back the way it was.

Why didn't I think of that...

2. /Update switch - Same as update button so updates can be command line driven

Done. It will be in the next version

This also gave me the idea of a program self update feature... that will be a while longer

3. Some indication of how long (approximately)each task will take.

If you want to get fancy you could give a total somewhere on the GUI.

I was thinking about how to do that, but many of the tasks are completely unpredictable and based on system speed or how crapped up the system is. When I figure out a practical way to do it, ill add it.

This tool of yours looks great...keep up the good work.

Thanks!

Just thought I'd ask.

I use Spybot to do an "insurance" scan of computers once a week. In case the main spyware scanner has missed something. Looks like you maybe using Ad-aware to do a similar job. I lost faith in Ad-aware when the drooped the old "SE" version and started added services even on the free version. Is there any reason you use Ad-aware(free) over Spybot?

Thanks!

Yes. Spybot was at one point a wonderful tool, but it has fallen behind the times. It only has some modern definitions, and it's "immunize" feature mostly blocks malware sites that no longer exist. I used to use Spybot on all my home computers, but it just doesn't cut it anymore. Ad-Aware has kept up with the times and protects against more modern spyware. I hate how they removed the automatic instillation feature from the free version, but it is good enough to warrant a manual instillation. Switching their run-time protection from a startup to a service was a security decision. There is some malware that disabled the Ad-aware entry from the start-up location. As a service it is harder for malware writers to disable/remove it. It makes it harder to disable for performance reasons, but I both don't do that, and know where the disable setting is in their options menu.

[NerdFencer]

If you can make more like this (interface, features)..its will be better than ever..its free by the way, but not open source like you ..

http://www.rizonetech.com/

Their interface seems a little jumbled to me, but I like the Icons in the GUI. A GUI redesign is in the plans for the near future, and I will be sure to include some Icons in it.

[storme]

Their interface seems a little jumbled to me, but I like the Icons in the GUI. A GUI redesign is in the plans for the near future, and I will be sure to include some Icons in it.

I actually prefer the BASIC interface. Interfaces like "rizonetech" are just too busy adn I think just confuse things.

ALSO you need to add fancy libraries for some of the features and if they don't work you have a very un-usefull tool. :-(

My 2c

John

[storme]

Only three? I must be making this think pretty thorough.

Well YES you are... :-)

Why didn't I think of that...

I guess you did and you are just humouring me.

Done. It will be in the next version

This also gave me the idea of a program self update feature... that will be a while longer

As I siad before I use Wget and it makes it easy to do updates ( ie download newer/latest file).

I was thinking about how to do that, but many of the tasks are completely unpredictable and based on system speed or how crapped up the system is. When I figure out a practical way to do it, ill add it.

Maybe just a range (eg 10min-30min, 1hour-10hours) just as some indication.

Yes. Spybot was at one point a wonderful tool, but it has fallen behind the times. It only has some modern definitions

Sad to hear that. I must admit I haven't tested it in some time. OR researched it.

I may wander back to Ad-aware and see what I can do with it.

I need something I can automate for my customers so thay have some backup for whatever they have as there main protection (eg Nortons (yeah I know BAD), Avast, etc)

Most of them arn't computer savvy and telling them to do somthing manual is a waste of time.

[NerdFencer]

I actually prefer the BASIC interface. Interfaces like "rizonetech" are just too busy adn I think just confuse things.

ALSO you need to add fancy libraries for some of the features and if they don't work you have a very un-usefull tool. :-(

My 2c

John

My Interface update idea is more for functionality than prettiness. Currently there are just a bunch of checkboxes. What I want is more... informative. I want each function to have a direct link to the documentation for it. I also want to do a couple other pretty things to the GUI, but nothing that would interfere with it's simple functionality.

[NerdFencer]

Maybe just a range (eg 10min-30min, 1hour-10hours) just as some indication.

That could work... not ideal, but it could work

Sad to hear that. I must admit I haven't tested it in some time. OR researched it.

I may wander back to Ad-aware and see what I can do with it.

I need something I can automate for my customers so thay have some backup for whatever they have as there main protection (eg Nortons (yeah I know BAD), Avast, etc)

Most of them arn't computer savvy and telling them to do somthing manual is a waste of time.

AvastHomeInstaller.exe /VERYSILENT /SP-

From my Automated System Setup tool (not yet released)

[storme]

AvastHomeInstaller.exe /VERYSILENT /SP-

From my Automated System Setup tool (not yet released)

I'd be interested in that!!!

I swiched from AVG to Avast for those customers that want a "free" product a while ago when AVG 8.5 was starting to show a few problems (slowdowns mostly).

The more I use Avast the more I like it!!

[NerdFencer]

I'd be interested in that!!!

I swiched from AVG to Avast for those customers that want a "free" product a while ago when AVG 8.5 was starting to show a few problems (slowdowns mostly).

The more I use Avast the more I like it!!

Yea... That tool will be coming out... eventually. I still have a lot of work to do before it is really distributable. It has a VERY lengthy setup process that would take me hours to document, and longer for an unfamiliar user to execute (not to mention breaking... many... copyrights). Once it is setup it works well though. You can probably expect to see it next summer all polished with a 1-click setup process. Until then, if you need any more automated setup commands, feel free to ask.

Something else that you may like is the Checkdisk GUI that I wrote. I stuck its binary on the downloads page with the binary for Autoclean.

Edited December 7, 2009 by NerdFencer

[DoktorTTM]

This will be very helpful in helping keep my PC clean, thanks Nerdfencer. ^^ My bf Draygoes LOVES your program btw.

[storme]

My Interface update idea is more for functionality than prettiness. Currently there are just a bunch of checkboxes. What I want is more... informative. I want each function to have a direct link to the documentation for it. I also want to do a couple other pretty things to the GUI, but nothing that would interfere with it's simple functionality.

:-) I was going to suggest "tooltips" for each of the check boxes but sounds like you have gone way past that. :-)

OK you complained I didn't have enough suggestions so here is one more

Windows updates.

1. Set Auto updates to a desired level.

Usually I set my customers to "Download updates for me, but let me install them"

This gets changed to "Automatic updates" so if your program could reset it each time it'd be great.

Manual Windows updates - Sometimes aut updates stop working. I run Dial-a-fix fix the updates but still doesn't work. I have to go into manual windows update (webpage) load all the active-x controls, etc till I get to teh screen where you tick the boxes to load the actual updates. I stop then, reset the computer and everything is working well.

2. A script to open http://www.update.microsoft.com

- Upgrade to "Microsoft updates" (If updates are only Windows updates)

- Load ALL active X components

- WGA if nessacary

OH AND another one suggestion

1. DESKTOP CLEANUP - A PAIN - Disable (well an option to disable)

3. Screen saver - "On resume, password protect"

Just a thought with these maybe a tristate is what is needed.

Set/unset/ignore - the ignore is for those people that want to change things themselves.

Ok I'll have to put my thinking cap on and think up some more things for you

Have to keep you busy

LOOKING real good by the way...THANK YOU for sharing your work!

John Morrison

[NerdFencer]

Shadowstar -

Glad to hear that you and your bf like the program

If you have any problems or suggestions, feel free to tell me

John -

I did some more research into the windows update issue, and believe that I found the root of your problem. I added a couple things to the windows update fix feature (for next version)...

* Set windows update settings

* Register Wups2.dll (from a more modern version of windows update; missing in Dial-a-Fix)

* Clear WU schedule

* Force WU Check

With these added steps, I believe your issue will be resolved.

Desktop cleanup... hmmm... ok

so far as the password option, I think that I will be including a function to set windows options to most secure settings.