How to find this tool:
Run a scan or click MAKE IMPROVEMENTS on the scan results page.
What is PC Health Checkup?
PC Health Checkup optimizes your computer's performance and helps protect your privacy on the Internet by checking for security vulnerabilities, finding ways to reduce startup time and recover disk space, cleaning up the system registry, and removing web browser cookies and history entries. It can also delay low priority startup programs or remove chat histories and other records from your computer to help protect your privacy.
How does PC Health Checkup enhance my computer's performance?
PC Health Checkup deletes unnecessary files to recover disk space, delays low priority startup programs, and cleans up the system registry. In addition, it can remove web browser cookies, chat histories, and other records generated during normal use of your computer to help protect your privacy.
What benefits does PC Health Checkup provide?
PC Health Checkup can make the following enhancements:
|
Enhancement |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Disk space |
PC Health Checkup scans for recoverable disk space in temporary folders, the Recycle Bin, and other locations. You can use the space recovered to store more programs and files. |
|
Startup programs |
Most computers have several programs and services that start automatically when Windows opens. Many of these programs and services, including security software, must remain in memory for your benefit. However, computers with limited memory that run too many programs can slow down or become unresponsive. PC Health Checkup can automatically find and delete autostart settings pointing at missing files to help prevent startup problems. If you thoroughly understand how Windows works, you can also choose to adjust other autostart settings. |
|
System registry |
The system registry contains all of your Windows and program settings. Unused, broken, or invalid entries cluttering the registry can affect your computer's stability and performance. Sometimes they can even prevent you from installing applications or starting Windows. PC Health Checkup can find and remove unneeded registry entries. |
|
Internet privacy |
Websites use small text files called cookies to provide you with customized content or services. Your browser history lets you easily revisit websites. However, someone could also use this information to identify your computer and analyze what you view on the Internet. To help protect your privacy, PC Health Checkup can delete cookies and browser history entries. |
|
Software histories |
To help prevent spyware from gathering information about your computer, PC Health Checkup can delete lists of files recently opened by Windows, Microsoft Office software, media players, Windows search, and other programs. |
|
Instant messaging privacy |
To help maintain your privacy online, PC Health Checkup can remove chat histories, recent screen names, lists of files downloaded, transaction logs, and other information generated when using Skype, Yahoo! Messenger, and IP Messenger. |
What is the system registry?
The system registry is a database of settings used by Microsoft Windows and other programs. The registry often contains leftover entries from software that you have already removed.
How does PC Health Checkup make improvements to the registry?
PC Health Checkup scans for broken or invalid entries in the system registry, including the following:
|
Registry Item |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Shared DLL |
If multiple programs share DLLs, then broken entries can affect them. |
|
Help file |
Programs use these paths to find help files. |
|
HTML help file |
Programs use these paths to find HTML help files. |
|
App paths |
Broken application paths result from removing programs improperly so that shortcuts do not work. |
|
Uninstallation |
Broken paths to uninstallers and removal programs can cause problems when getting rid of software using shortcuts or the Windows Add/Remove Programs feature. |
What are startup programs?
Most computers have several programs and services that start automatically when your computer does. Many of these programs and services, including security software, must remain in memory for your benefit. However, computers with limited memory that run too many programs can slow down or become unresponsive.
How does PC Health Checkup change the autostart settings to improve computer performance?
Autostart settings allow different programs and services to start automatically when your computer does. PC Health Checkup scans these settings and can delete autostart settings related to missing files to fix startup problems.
You can also select programs and services that should not start automatically. When you perform a tune-up, PC Health Checkup will remove the autostart settings for these programs and services.
What changes can I undo after a check up?
You cannot completely undo all of the changes made by the PC Health Checkup. For example, you cannot restore deleted files, cookies, or browser history entries. However, you can recover your autostart settings.
Always keep Windows System Restore enabled while performing a check up in case you want to undo any changes made to your system settings.
Can I switch off PC Health Checkup?
Yes. Simply follow the steps below:
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Open the main console and click the Settings button.
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Click PC Health Checkup under Security & Tuneup Controls.
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Clear the Include PC Health Checkup with Quick Scan and Full Scan check box.
Why should I update Adobe Acrobat Reader and Java?
Adobe and Oracle regularly release updates that fix problems and close security loopholes in Adobe Acrobat Reader and Java, so updating them can prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.