Update - September 07, 2010 with more info added on Jan. 08, 2011 - Added paragraph near bottom about using CCleaner to *look* at your System Restore Points to make sure you have as many restore points as you would like or think you have... and to Remove excess SRP's on computers with limited available hard drive space.
Update - August 22, 2010 - I should add that I hope you read my previous blog about doing custom installations of programs. http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/why-you-should-always-do-custom-install.html While CCleaner is a GREAT program, it too will have a default setting to install a Yahoo Toolbar on your computer so make sure you un-check that during the installation process. I also un-check the addition of CCleaner to my Trash Can menu. I do add the Start Menu shortcut and I do allow it to check for updates each time I start it. The other things are optional, although the Desktop Icon will remind you to run it daily or as needed.
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When you first download CCleaner from http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner, in the default download mode, it will clean a LOT more than some folks might want. The things it cleans may not cause folks any problems but could cause inconveniences if folks relied on the things that CCleaner cleaned in the dafult mode.
Here's how I have MY CCleaner set up. You can follow the way I do it or use something more or less than what I am doing. Just make sure you understand how cleaning that particular item will affect your computer and web browsing.
This first image shows how I've un-checked most of the items in the Windows Tab.
(Open images in a new tab or window to see them full size while reading this article)
This next image shows how I've un-checked most of the items in the Applications Tab.
This next image shows how I clicked Options, then Cookies to show how I manage which Cookies I allow to stay on my computer. The ones on the right are the ones I keep, the ones on the left are the ones that I'll review and possibly move one or more to the right and keep them, otherwise they will stay in the left column and be deleted when I run the Cleaner.
This next image shows how I just ran the Analyze button but haven't actually cleaned anything yet. You can click on any of the items to see more details.
This next image shows the Cleaning is complete.
This next image shows where I've gone back to the Options > Cookies section to show the left column is now empty after the Cleaning was completed.
This next image, shows the Registry Section and I've already clicked the Scan For Issues button.
This next image shows how I've Cleaned the 10 Registry Issues that CCleaner found when it scanned my Registry. Please note that I also use WinASO Registry Optimizer or the online scan from Windows Live OneCare to scan and fix registry entries.
Well, that's how I use CCleaner on a Daily basis for Cleaning out my browser's temporary internet files, cookies and flash cookies. If you have any questions, please feel free to post a comment below or you can go to the CCleaner Help section or their own forums.
Update - September 07, 2010 - VIEWING SYSTEM RESTORE POINTS
Click the Tools Button on the left side, then the System Restore button and you can view all System Restore points saved on your computer so you have a better idea if you have as many as you may think you have. If you don't have enough (and enough is a user preference), then you should increase the amount of hard drive space that is allocated to System Restore. See my blog about System Restore for details. One of my computers only has about a weeks worth of restore points while my other computer has almost a months worth of restore points. Most folks actually have too many SRP's since the default setting for System Restore is to use 12% of a hard drive for SRP's and with modern hard drives being so much larger than in the past, this can result in dozens and dozens of SRP's instead of the 10-30 that should be needed by most people. I use CCleaner once a week or so to look at the number of SRP's I have and then save the oldest one and then Remove every other one except I save the most recent 3-5 SRP's since those would be the ones most likely to ever be needed in the event there is an issue. Usually an issue that needs to be fixed with a System Restore will only have to go back a day or two since most folks would see things are not right in that period of time. In the rare case where someone would have to go back longer than that, they would still have every other day's SRP point saved going back a month or more. On my computers with HD's around 100GB or larger, I set the System Restore memory at the lowest point, 3%. On my oldest computer that I still use, which only has a 16GB hard drive, I do allow that one to stay at the default level of 12% but I do use CCleaner to remove the every other day SRP's to allow for the up to a month's worth of SRP's on that computer.
I hope this helps!
Lenny Vasbinder
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