How to install Ubuntu Netbook Remix (UNR v1.0.1) in VirtualBox

Read This First

Read through this entire post before attempting to use it as reference for your trial as I went through many steps that can be avoided as they do not work. Some things included in this guide:

• Download the Ubuntu Netbook Remix .iso
• Create a VirtualBox Guest Install for UNR deployment
• Boot said VirtualBox machine from the mounted UNR v1.0.1 image and complete the automated installation process (which fails on reboot)
• Install Ubuntu Hardy Herring 8.10 on modified Virtual machine
• Add UNR packages to Hardy Herring Install and troubleshoot process

This is as much a tale of my attempt to install Ubuntu Netbook Remix on my Windows XP Hosted VirtualBox installation as much as a guide one how to do it. Note that, once installed, UNR doesn't run well in VirtualBox as suggested in some of the documentation. The cause, as far as I can tell, is caused by how VirtualBox handles OpenGL. This should only be used to test the software at this point, and not implemented as a usable interface.

About Ubuntu Netbook Remix

Ubuntu Netbook Remix is an Ubuntu variant/adaptation designed to work effectively and efficiently with netbook computers. Detailed information and standard installation instructions are available here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UNR

Assumptions/Prerequisites:

VirtualBox is installed <-- tested with 2.1.4 on a Windows XP host
updates
Ubuntu 8.10 is installed in as a guest machine in VirtualBox

Step by Step recount of my attempts, failures, and results

1. Download image (to mount or burn) from here:
   http://oem-images.canonical.com/unr/unr-1.0.1.iso
2. Create a new Virtual Machine in Virtual Box (Linux OS, Ubuntu Type). The usual settings should be fine...I used the following settings:
   • 512 mb ram
   • 128mb video memory with hardware acceleration
   • Dynamic sized hard disk
3. Mount the .iso (or boot from CD if you burned it) and start the Virtual Machine.
   
   The installation seems to be pretty much automated. There were no options to repartition the drive or preserve any existing data
4. This step took a little longer than i expected...it was the same splash screen as is usually displayed when ubuntu is loaded, so i may have just expected it to go faster.
   
5. After the first restart of the installation process, I encountered an error message:
   

   FATAL:  No bootable medium found!  System halted

   
   The following are steps I took to troubleshoot the installation:
   
   1. restart
   2. check VirtualBox settings, decrease video memory to 32mb with no hardware access
   3. read some information about UNR and VirtualBox from the following:
      https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MeetingLogs/openweekintrepid/NetbookRemix
   
   None of my troubleshooting procedures corrected the problem, but based on the reading, I decided to try installing 8.10 or 8.04 and using the instructions from
   https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UNR
   to try to install ubuntu 8.xx and perform the necessary alterations to that install so that the final result is basically the UNR release

Second Attempt -- by altering a Ubuntu 8.10 (Hardy Herring) Installation

1. I began by attempting to install a copy of 8.10 (beta) i had laying around but it was 64 bit edition...and that doesn't work for my VirtualBox/XP host. I then began downloading the x86, non beta, version. For the record, a torrent search lists quite a few heavily seeded torrents which should get you the image faster than you can get it elsewhere. I think it took me 10 mins.
2. I then mounted it and began installation on the previous machine.
   note: I left the standard 2GB hd size...I was warned that this may not be large enough, but though I'd give Ubuntu a chance to impress me with it's error handling capabilities. After all...it was just a warning, right?
3. I then encountered an error -- failure to install due to insufficient hard drive space -- they warned me. Ubuntu did fail gracefully into the live session screen, only wasting about 5 minutes of my time.



4. I shut down and modified the hard disk to start with 4 GB of space and expand if necessary -- had to delete the existing HD and create a new one. I still made it dynamic, bu started it with 8GB to be safe.
5. Next, I installed Ubuntu easily using default options -- once installed, I agreed to recommended updates (250 mb worth). Some screenshots of the install follow for you screenshot lovers.
   
   
   
6. After the installation had completed, I did the system updates (System >> Administration >> Update Manager) and installed guest additions...explained in a previous tutorial, here:
   http://chapmanit.blogspot.com/2009/02/how-to-access-shared-files-from-ubuntu.html
   



Modifying the Ubuntu Hardy Herring (8.10) Installation by adding the Ubuntu Netbook Remix Packages

note: For the next few lines, instructions came directly from the following web page:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UNR#line-108
7. As the instructions indicated, I did the following:
   go to system >> administration >> software sources
   • ensure under the Ubuntu tab that Community Maintained... box is checked
   • go to the third party tab and click add and enter the following:
     deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/netbook-remix-team/ubuntu intrepid main
   • click 'add source' and then 'close'
8. ERROR: I got an error stating no public key was available to validate a signature here.
   
   After a google search for the error statement, a forum provided the following command line fix with some explanation that was a little beyond me, but here's how to avoid it:
   in a terminal, type the following >>
   sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 3F2A5EE4B796B6FE
   
9. To resume, open a terminal and type the following:
   sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install go-home-applet human-netbook-theme maximus netbook-launcher window-picker-applet and hit enter
   
10. (This section wasn't necessary for me, as maximus and netbook-launcher were already check to run when I went to the Gnome Session Manager) The remaining instructions say to chck the gnome-session-manager and to add maximus and the netbook-launcher, which aren't supposed to auto-start. Install them / set them to auto-start. Restart!
    
    
11. It started up correctly...and operated as it was supposed to (forgiving the ridiculously slow performance). There are further instrctions (brief) saying to...
    

    setup the gnome-panel to mimic the standard UNR set-up. The applet order is as follows:
    go-home-applet | window-picker-applet | notifcation-area-applet | mixer-applet | clock

    
    ...but i'm not sure how necessary this is.
    
    Here's Ubuntu 8.10 -- Hardy Herring -- with the UNR packages added, running successfully.

Conclusion

If I would have listened to the recommendations my sources gave and installed onto an existing Intrepid (8.10) install, the whole process would have been easier and much faster. Still, it wasn't hard. That said, even with hardware acceleration enabled (or disabled), it runs unacceptably slow on my system. I saw warnings about Intrepid and about VirtualBox, but my guess is this has more to do with VirtualBox and its ability to render OpenGL graphics. It is running and looks nice...I look forward to trying this on a real laptop!

Free Software Guide

A comprehensive guide to successfully making use of free software

Synopsis

This guide is designed to be a general guide to inform readers about the benefits and drawbacks of free software, to inform them of different types of free software and teach them to differentiate between the two, and set their expectations appropriately.

Free Software Types

The word free is a little more ambiguous than it may seem. When used to describe software, it can usually mean one of two things: (1) free as in free beer [crude, but this description has practically been standardized when describing free software -- think of it as free potato chips or gummy bears if you want] or (2) free as in free speech.

...as in beer

Software of this type is usually available at no direct* monetary cost. This software is still not owned by the end user. That is, you can't view the source code and modify it to better suit your needs. This software is more appropriately described as being rented from the creator/owner.

...as in speech

Free (speech) software is entirely different, but seems very similar and has strong similarities with other free software. As stated before, however, the most fundamental difference is that this type of software provides its source code for the end user to take and modify to better suit his needs. While much free (speech) software has no direct* monetary cost, that is not always the case. Review the list below to see how free (beer) and free (speech) software makers can make a living with their code.

*The following list annotates how software makers can and often do make a living by distributing their software without charging end (personal use) users -- many of these overlap:

• [beer] alternate versions (such as a pro version -- with enhanced or more robust features) are available for paying customers [AVG, WinAMP]
• [beer] the software is free for for personal use, but not commercial use [Ad-Aware,
• [beer | speech] the software is free in both respects, but you can purchase an 'enterprise' upgrade to pay for technical support from professionals who can do anything from help with the inner workings of the code to do customized modifications for your use[ubuntu SE]
• [beer | speech] the creators may accept donations as a 'thank you' for the hard work they've done and time they've saved the users who have enjoyed the benefits of the software [FileZilla, SpyBot S&D]
• some benefit from the user statistics they aggregate from your daily use. others do it, but google does it best. their products are free (beer) to you but they are paid by your computer habits and subtle browsing nuances[chrome, picasa]

Installing Software

Sometimes free (beer) software is one of the biggest distributors of what I consider mal-ware. You want to play on-line poker but you don't want to pay anything...this website says its free...just install the software and enter your email address and you are playing in an instant. But...now you have three toolbars, an adult friend finder program running when windows starts, and you are getting 100 spam emails a day...be smart and don't let this be you!

I'd apply this to all software installations, not just free ones. Don't be afraid of performing an 'advanced' install. You usually designate all your install 'preferences' before the install begins, so if you get scared and want to back out, you can safely do so by using the 'back' button or 'exit setup/installation'. That said, usually the recommended install options are set as the defaults during the advanced installation, it just gives you the option of changing them when that option doesn't exist in a standard installation. Most things won't need to be changed, but if you read the fine print (not the EULA, those are ridiculous!) you can opt out of all those annoying 'toolbar' installations and in some cases some other 'opt in' programs that will either give out your email address or install additional software that you likely have no need of.

You don't have to be a geek to save yourself some time and hassle by paying attention during installation.

Finding Free Software

Finding free software is a little tricky. I won't go over the basics of internet searching...as I already covered that in my How to perform an effective Internet search [external link] tutorial. Some key words to attempt are open-source, or open source along with free and games.

The problem with searching for free games is that lots of people search for that...and people who do marketing know that lots of people search for that. A standard google search for free games turns up a list of questionable sources. There are probably some free games available...but from a basic look, they seem to be very concerned with advertising. People who make free games often can't pay for advertising because they are broke. They make free games! With few exceptions, free software will not be advertised as heavily as non free software. With that said, a standard google search for free games open source returns much more believable results. The top results include a wikipedia article (while not a definitive source, they are peer moderated which is helpful in many scenarios) a sourceforge hosted page (good), and some other pages that seem much more legitimate than the first return.

This does hinge on the games being (or people thinking they are) open source, though. We should be able to find games that aren't open source and are still free and safe to download. It often comes down to intentions. Many bloggers like to compile lists to build traffic so they can make a few bucks from google ads (or other ads) they display on their pages. There's no harm in that...they want to provide quality content (maybe using a ridiculously overstated title) in order to get traffic to their site. Seems fair. Thus, some of the content from blog type compilations can be very useful. I just did a basic google search for best free games and the results weren't all that disappointing. Some things can't be taught and are hard to explain, but the results come across as relatively objective and not overly 'in your face' -- no one likes to have software pushed on them.

Good Luck

Be smart...and hesitant. If it looks too good to be true, it may be. It may not...but if you are careful during installations and watch out for obnoxious looking sites, you may find some quality free software to make use of.

Concise -- How to Access Shared Folders from a Windows 7 Beta Guest Install in VirtualBox

Synopsis

This brief tutorial just overtly explains some simple steps that I overlooked when trying to access shared folders using my Windows 7 VirtualBox Guest Install.

Prerequisites

• Virtual Box (the newest version) should be installed <-- tested on 2.1.4


• The 'Guest Additions' have been installed (using Vista or XP compatibility mode)

Steps

1. Share a folder from your host system by clicking Devices >> Shared Folders... and picking a folder to share. Name it something you will remember. I shared c:\Media and named it Media.


2. Right-click on your desktop (or location of your choice) and make a 'New Shortcut'
   (alternately, open 'My Computer' and click 'Map Network Drive' to have the share listed as a drive)


3. Type \\vboxsvr\Media (where 'Media' is the memorable name you choose two steps ago)


4. Name the shortcut something descriptive. (or assign the share a drive if you are mapping)


5. Enjoy the shared folder/mapped network drive.

References

http://blogs.sun.com/fatbloke/entry/windows_7_on_virtualbox
(helps with the installation of VirtualBox, the creation of a new Virtual Machine, and the installation of Windows 7)
http://maketecheasier.com/share-files-in-virtualbox-between-vista-guest-ubuntu-host/2008/11/12
(this guide is better than mine + with screenshots...it's for a ubuntu host, but the good thing about VirtualBox is that it practically makes the host irrelevant! -- so it's still useful)

How to Access Shared Files from a Ubuntu Linux Guest Install in VirtualBox

Synopsis

This walkthrough describes how to access host-machine shared files from a guest installation of Ubuntu

This should work with other Linux distributions, but was designed for use with Ubuntu, specifically v6.10

Assumptions/Prerequesits

• Virtualbox (newest version) is installed <--tested on 2.1.0


• guest OS is a linux distribution, already installed <-- tested on ubuntu 6.10

Steps

The ubuntu guest OS should not be running

1. In the VirtualBox interface, click on the Ubuntu installation and click Settings




2. Under the Shared Folders option, ensure that the folders you want to share from the host computer are selected and named appropriately (the names will be referenced later)




3. Start the virtual Ubuntu installation and log in



4. While running the Ubuntu guest OS, click Devices >> Install Guest Additions
   note: if you haven't already downloaded and mounted the guest additions .iso, you should be directed to the download location in your browser and when the download completes, you should be prompted to 'mount' the iso in the ubuntu guest installation




5. Open a terminal window by clicking applications >> accessories >> terminal




6. Type the following commands (emphasized in bold), pressing enter between each line

   cd /media/cdrom
   
   sudo bash ./VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run
   note: for a 64 bit virtual OS, replace 86 with 64
   enter password when prompted -- this may take a few minutes...wait until you see a 'success' message
   exit hopefully, you saw the message 'Successfully Installed the VirtualBox Guest Additions' // Restart your guest system in order to complete the installation
   

   
   Now restart Ubuntu




7. Verify that you are sharing folders on the host system by going to Devices >> Shared Folders and make note of the 'name' you are sharing the folder as -- you will need to reference this in the next step. Mine is located at C:\Media and I named it 'Media'...that will be used for this example and should be modified to fit your situation.





8. Open a terminal again and type each of the following lines:
   

   mkdir windows-share
   note: this can be called anything you like as you are creating a folder which will point to your shared folders
   sudo mount -t vboxsf Media /home/nick/windows-share
   note: If your shared folder isn't called 'Media', then modify this name to reference the 'name' you called your share. Also change 'home/nick/windows-share' to 'home/[your user name]/[the directory you made]'
   Hopefully you didn't get an error message. next close the terminal window (type exit[enter])



note: reference the tutorial text over the screenshot text, as I've tried to simplify it further after taking the screenshot


9. Now enjoy the fruits...I simply went to places >> home then double-clicked my 'windows-share' folder to access the files




10. Repeat process to share any further folders...it'll be faster this time!

You are finished, but...

It seems that these steps work to give you access to your files, but when you restart Ubuntu, the mounted folder is gone. To make it persistant (last through system restarts), do the following:

1. Open the trusty terminal and type the following:
   

   sudo gedit /etc/rc.local [enter]





2. Add the following line between the last line with a # before it and the exit 0 line:
   

   mount -t vboxsf Media /home/nick/windows-share
   where 'Media' is the name of your shared folder and '/home/nick/windows-share' is the directory you created to house the shared folders





3. Be sure to save the changes, then exit the text editor and restart your computer to ensure it works. Add as many mount -t vboxsf ... lines to that file as necessary if you have multiple shared folders.

References

The following pages greatly helped when writing this:
http://ubuntu-tutorials.com/2007/10/13/installing-guest-additions-for-ubuntu-guests-in-virtualbox/
http://www.giannistsakiris.com/index.php/2008/04/09/virtualbox-access-windows-host-shared-folders-from-ubuntu-guest/

Tutorial -- Basic Link, Graphic, and List Insertion (html)

Inserting Links or Graphics in Articles

If the need arises to insert a graphic or link into an article; or use any type of specific formatting features such as a numbered or bulleted list, they must be implemented in HTML. This is best shown by example. For Links, Images, and Lists; first I will show the code, then demonstrate each.

Link Example:

...text...<a href="http://linkaddress">text which operates as a link</a>...more text...

The above directly inserted would create the following link:

...text...text which operates as a link...more text...

The destination URL needs to be between the " " marks after href=. The link must be closed, as well, or the rest of the document might link to the defined URL

Image Example:

<img src="graphics/hydrogen.roadtour.jpg" width="150px" alt="Hydrogen Road Tour '08" />

The above directly inserted would show the following graphic:

The image has been scaled from whatever the standard width is to 150px(150 pixels, dots on the screen). If width isn't specified, the default image size is used. This could be larger than the available display area and would cause formatting issues. Height can be specified using the same code. This can be used in conjunction with width to skew a graphic's intended display ratio if necessary. Normally, setting one of either the width or the height is adequate, as the browser will automatically use the image's intended display ratio to calculate the other measurement. The alt tag is not required, but good code practice says to use it an label it appropriately. It is displayed if the graphic can't be located or in some text browsers.

Images can be used as links as well. By 'wrapping' the link tags around an image like this:

<a href="linkURL"><img src="http://earthsynchub.com/graphics/hydrogen.roadtour.jpg" width="150px" alt="Hydrogen Road Tour '08" /></a>

The resulting image link looks like this:

Finally, placement amongst text can prove tedious, but result in a far more pleasing layout.

Text can be made to wrap around an image, and an image sometimes looks better on the right hand side of the page. This can be done using CSS. I will not explain much, as it is outside the scope of this demo. The image is assigned a style. The style can specify whether the images is on the right or left hand side of the page

Using the following code, I placed an image on the right hand side of the page towards the top of the last paragraph. Likewise, left would have put it on the left hand side of the text. Subsequent text wraps around the image using this method

...layout. <img src="http://earthsynchub.com/graphics/hydrogen.roadtour.jpg" width="150px" alt="Hydrogen Road Tour '08" style="float: right;" />Text should...

Using style="float:left/right;" is just one way to accomplish image positioning, but it is effective and works well with text wrapping. This is a good place to look for further knowledge about CSS Positioning

Lists Example:

There is often need for bulleted or numbered lists. These can serve many helpful purposes which I will not limit here. A list is created in a similar manner to links or images, but has more parts. Like a link, a list starts with an opening tag and a closing tag. Further, each 'bullet' or number will also have it's own opening and closing tag inside of the list's tags.

View this simple example:

<ul><li>Category 1</li><li>Category 2</li><li>Category 3</li></ul>

Which would produce the following list:

• Category 1
• Category 2
• Category 3

Or the following, more complex code which uses a list nested within a list (for sub bullets or numbers):

<ul><li>category 1</li><li>category 2<ul><li>cat2, subcat1</li></ul></li><li>category 3</li></ul>

The above code creates the following, more advanced, list:

• category 1
• category 2
  • cat2, subcat1
• category 3

In each of these lists, ul can be replaced with ol for an ordered, or numbered list. Keep in mind that some 'blogs' or content management sites (myspace, facebook, etc) will treat spacing differently, so the above list code may need to be combined to form one long line of code if the spacing looks strange.

Tutorial -- Speeding up Your Computer

Because this is a large tutorial, use the following if you are looking for a specific section:

Table of Contents
Target Audience
Overview
Why is my computer slow?
Common Problems
Step-By-Step Guide

• Too Many Running Programs
• Malware
• Unused Software
• Disk Space Shortage
• Registry Problems
• Hard-Disk Fragmentation

Advanced Problems

• Dynamic Paging File
• Disable System Restore

Hardware

Target Audience -- Who this tutorial was written for:
Novice Windows XP (probably applies to other windows flavors) users who want to speed up their computer.

--
Overview:
It happens so slowly that you usually don't notice until it is outright debilitating. Your brand new computer that you paid an arm and a leg for, maybe even made payments on for years – worse yet, are still making payments for; the speed machine you first blazed through the Internet with, used for school/office work, or maybe just played solitaire on while you downloaded your email...is not the beast it first was. The time has come to give it a tune-up. We will discuss mostly (free) software solutions, but will mention basic hardware upgrades, as well.

--
The Reason:
There may be many reasons that your computer is slow. One is hardly avoidable. If you run Windows, and you use the Internet often, you probably keep your software up to date. This helps you defend against viruses, buggy software, intruders, and numerous other things. It ALSO slows down your computer. The big updates (SP1, SP2), while very helpful, add much functionality to your computer which consumes larger quantities of resources. This is unavoidable. Hardware upgrades help with this problem, and will be mentioned later.

Installing programs on your computer, downloading files, even removing programs on your computer, can all cause your computer to slow down. This is a consequence of use, but the problems which they case are easily fixed. Enough chit chat, let's get to cleaning.

Keep in mind that slow Internet activity is not generally caused by your computer, but by your Internet Service Provider. If you are still using dial up. I'm sorry, there is no helping you. General slow computer response (non Internet related), however, may be successfully addressed.

--
Common Problems:

• Too many running programs


• Mal-ware (adware/spyware)


• Unused Software


• Disk Space Shortage


• Registry Problems

Advanced Problems:

• Dynamic Paging File


• System Restore

Hardware:

• Shortage of memory


• Insufficient hard disk space

--
Step-By-Step Guide

Preface
Each problem will start with a short description of the problem, followed by a means of determining if this problem is applicable to your system, and concluding with instructions on how to correct the problem.

Too many running programs
Many computer programs, with the intent of making your computing experience more enjoyable, run when your computer starts up by default. This is very often not necessary, and each program takes up valuable memory that you could be using more effectively. Some brand new computers even have pre-installed software which can slow your computer down.

1. The first step to resolving this problem is to open the 'System Configuration Utility'. This can be done by holding the 'windows' key on your keyboard and pressing the 'r' key. (alternately, the 'run' dialog can be found in your start menu or by holding 'ctrl-alt-del' and clicking 'file' then 'New Task (run)' option).


2. In the run dialog box, type 'msconfig' and click 'ok'. This should bring up the 'System Configuration Utility.'


the run box -- open with 'windows'+'r' and type msconfig


3. In the 'System Configuration Utility,' under the 'General' tab, ensure that 'Selective Startup' is selected. There is no need to change any of the other options in this tab. Next, click on the 'Startup' tab.


click 'Selective Startup' and then the Startup tab


4. Every program with a green check mark by it is running at startup. Next, in your favorite web browser, go to http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php and type in any 'Startup Item' you are having second thoughts about. As an idea, everything can be disabled and the system will run just fine. The things I would recommend to leave running are antivirus programs (nav for Norton Antivirus, avg for AVG Antivirus), firewall files (zlclient for ZoneAlarm Personal Firewall), and printer driver files (often contain hp or epson, cannon, etc). Of course, any other program you use very frequently can likely be left 'enabled.' Keep in mind that disabling a program doesn't remove it from your system, only prevents it from running by default on startup. There is likely a shortcut on your desktop or in your start menu to any program you disable. Any file you disable can be re-enabled in the event of a problem. Also, after disabling any start up items, the computer must be restarted before the changes will be made.


remove the check from the items you don't want to startup -- i've only allowed antivirus, firewall, and AMD dual core optimizer to run here


use this site to find out information about files you are uncertain of -- http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php


5. When you hit 'Apply' or 'OK' after making changes, you will be informed that the system must be restarted to make changes.


click 'Exit without Restart' unless you feel like restarting immediately


6. When you start your computer up next time, a pop up dialog window will appear telling you that changes have been made to the 'system configuration utility.' you know that because you did it. Check the box that says not to bother you again and then click 'ok'.


7. Enjoy your streamlined startup.

Malware
This is a very general term which literally means 'bad'-ware. Any software which the user does not benefit can be considered malware. While the most common are adware and spyware, other software may be installed which just bogs down your computer and takes up space.

1. First, you should download and run the following programs: Ad-Aware Free and Spybot Search and Destroy. Click the links to be directed to the download page. Either of these programs alone will get rid of over 90% of spyware and adware, but together they take care of most everything, and are completely free (for personal use). Spybot allows you to donate through Paypal if you use the software regularly, which seems fair.
   


2. Both programs are pretty straight-forward. I'd recommend doing basic installs of each program, but not running the 'active protection'/'realtime protection' options, which are offered. The software is effective, but if your computer is already running slow, we don't need more to slow it down when a regular scan every two to four weeks will keep your computer running well.
   


be sure to update your 'definitions' file often. the software updates are less important, imo


3. If you aren't patient, be sure to use the software (each program's) scan at night before you go to sleep or before a movie so you don't have to sit there and wait on it to finish. The more files you have, and the larger your hard disk, the longer it will take.
   


4. Remember that deleting cookies is smart, but they often store data about you which makes Internet browsing more convenient. Sites such as ebay and amazon likely keep track of your credit card information so you don't have to enter it every time. Of course, allowing Ad-Aware or Spybot to delete these files will keep you a little bit safer, but they increase the amount of work you have to do. Reputable sites such as these don't really pose much of a threat to your identity.
   


5. The computer should run much faster, now.

Unused Software
This section is less essential (speeds up your computer less) than the others. Still, if you need hard-drive space or just want to do all you can to speed up your computer, it can help.

1. Open the 'Add or Remove Programs' application by opening the 'run' dialog by hitting 'windows key + r'. Type 'appwiz.cpl' and hit 'enter'. Alternately, it can be accessed by opening the Control Panel (can be found in the start menu) and clicking on the 'Add or Remove Programs' option.
   


the run box -- open with 'windows'+'r' and type appwiz.cpl


2. Now, the subjective (read: fun) part. Look through the programs you have installed. If you don't use the program, remove it. Keep in mind that the size of the program and the last used date is listed to the right.
   


remove programs you know that you don't use. reference the 'size' and 'last used on' for importance


3. Hopefully you opened up some disk-space.

Disk Space Shortage
If you have less than 10% of your disk drive free, your computer could be drastically slowed down. Downloaded media files (music and movies) are often the culprit and should be managed accordingly. The next step we will take is to utilize software which finds temporary and cached files that can be removed with no consequences. There are many software programs available, but a free, easy to use one I recommend is called CCleaner. They accept donations for regular users via Paypal.

1. Download and install the latest version of CCleaner.
   


2. Run the Software. You begin in the 'Cleaner' tab and 'Windows' sub-tab. Browse the options if you would like, but the standard ones worked for me.
   


under the 'Windows', then 'Applications' tabs, click 'Run Cleaner'


3. Run Cleaner.
   


4. When it is done, read the summary to see how much space was made available.
   


5. Click on the 'Applications' sub-tab. Run Cleaner.

Registry Problems
This is the end of the Disk Space Shortage section, but since this software offers additional functionality, it is easy to go right into that from here as it just takes a few additional clicks to cleanup your Registry, the source of loads of common computer problems. If you are starting with this section, review the previous section to catch up.

1. Click the 'Registry' tab.
   


2. Scan for Issues. Click 'Fix Selected Issues'. Backup your Registry when asked if you want to do so. The default location should be fine. Click 'Fix all Issues' when the option appears.


click 'Scan for Issues', then 'Fix Selected Issues'. Finally, 'Fix all Issues'

Defragment Your Hard-Drive
Although the exact means of how a information is stored on a hard-drive is beyond the scope of this tutorial, it is stored sequentially. If files are often added, then removed, from the hard-drive, files can become fragmented. Basically, it means that part of a file may be stored at the beginning of the hard-drive while another part is in the middle, and the rest of it is at the end. This makes accessing the file much more difficult. There are many good third party defragmentation tools, but the one that comes with windows isn't horrible and should get the job done.

1. Run the 'Disk Defragmenter' Application by pressing 'Windows Key + r' to open the run dialog and typing 'dfrg.msc' and pressing enter.


use 'ctrl + windows key' and type 'dfrg.msc' then hit enter


2. Select each available drive (one at at time) and click 'Analyze'.


click 'analyze' on each drive


3. If recommended, 'Defragment' the Hard-Drive. This may take a while, and will slow your system down should you choose to work while in progress.


'defragment' if recommended. this may take a while

Advanced Problems:
The following steps are for those willing to go the extra mile to get their computer running fast. I don't recommend these steps for the average user, but for those who want to further enhance the performance of their machine, I wish you the best.

Dynamic Paging File
Windows uses a hard-disk space as a backup in case your system requires more memory than you have. This is mostly a precaution, and the most effective fix is to increase the amount of memory installed in your system. A bad design in the 'Page File' (also called Virtual Memory) causes the page file to be dynamic, or change according to the current demands of the system. While this sounds like a good idea, a file changing its size when you are trying to do something else (or three other things) can slow down your system considerably. To avoid this, you can set your Page File to a static size.

1. Run the 'System Properties' Application by pressing 'Windows Key + r' to open the run dialog and typing 'sysdm.cpl' and pressing enter.
   


2. Click the 'Advanced' Tab.
   


3. Click 'Settings' under the 'Performance' area.
   


4. Click the 'Advanced' Tab.
   


5. In the 'Virtual Memory' area, click 'Change'.
   


6. There should be a 'recommended size' listed at the bottom of the window. Click 'Custom Size' and enter that number as the 'Initial size' and 'Maximum size'.
   


7. Click 'Set', then 'Ok'. Close any other open windows. You will likely have to restart Windows to use the new Static Page File.

Disable System Restore
Windows, by default, runs System Restore on your computer periodically. This is a precaution which makes a copy of all essential files / processes at a given interval, and offers the option to 'restore' to those settings in the event of an error. This has helped many people many times, I am just not one of those people. The few times I've had problems with windows starting up, I was able to fix the problem in safe mode and didn't have to restore previous settings. That said, when Windows creates a restore point, it slows your computer down noticeably while it is copying the files. System Restore also takes up disk space (where it stores the files). If you would like to disable system restore, follow the following steps.

1. Run the 'System Properties' Application by pressing 'Windows Key + r' to open the run dialog and typing 'sysdm.cpl' and pressing enter.
   


2. Click the 'System Restore' Tab.
   


3. Click the box that says 'Turn off System Restore on all drives'.
   


4. Alternately, the 'Settings' button here allows you to customize the amount of space dedicated to restore points. This could clear up some disk space without totally disabling System Restore.

Hardware:
There is no substitute for adequate hardware. If you need increased performance, and have to pick one component to upgrade, I would recommend purchasing additional memory for your system. It is relatively cheap and the performance gain is usually noticeable. If Disk Space is your main concern, consider storing files on DVD or CD, or storing files online. There are quite a few sites which allow up to 2GB or even 5GB of space to be used for free. Also, 500GB external hard drives can usually be purchased for around $100 at many online stores such as NewEgg.
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