3 Types of Crap You Can Keep Off Your Computer

So, we are purchasing you a new laptop, and you want to make sure that all the "crap from the old one" doesn't get migrated to the new one, and you are looking for some suggestions.

Before you can keep crap off your PC, you have to have a clear idea of what is and isn't crap - and the PC needs to know what is and isn't crap so that it can protect you programmatically.

So - how does one define what is and isn't crap and do it in a way that the PC understands? It depends. I'll define 3 types of crap that we have the most problems with and I'll touch on some ways to keep it off your new PC.

1. There is junk or crap data - in other words data files that are no longer useful to you. Documents, PDFs, Spreadsheets, photos, videos, audio files - all these things will require you to make a decision on what is and isn't crap and to take action on the crap.
   
   For example, you could sift through all your files and put all the crap into a crap folder for composting. The better you are at keeping your files organized, the easier this will be.
   
   
2. There is malicious & trifling crap - such as spyware, malware, adware, et cetera. Most of this crap has to be "installed" or "executed." Such crap can actually sit as an executable file on your PC completely inert w/out doing any damage until it is executed (program ran). The good news here is that we will not be installing (or executing) any of that crap on your new PC. Even if we copy such a file to your new PC, it won't be executed.
   
   The other piece of good news is that there are programs & people out there that are cataloging tons of this kind of malicious crap and they've built software that will block & delete this kind of crap for you automatically. We use Microsoft Security Essentials for this and it does a decent job if your PC is type 2 crap-free to begin with.
   
   
3. The 3rd type of crap is the software that you seem very fond of - stuff like Outlook, Quickbooks, Internet Explorer, iTunes on Windows...
   
   In my professional opinion, the only solution here is to quit cold turkey and soldier through the withdraw pains. Some crap feels good but really just brings you (and others that you work with) pain in the long run.