They started with backups. Marcus showed her how to image the drive, then how to verify the image. Next came the essentials: uninstalling malicious toolbars, disabling cryptic startup items, and trimming a hundred small programs that started with the system and drained both memory and morale. They updated drivers carefully, not by chasing the newest version but by choosing stability-tested releases. When they used the WinThruster installer — authentic, the sticker confirmed — they treated it like a single tool in a well-stocked kit: registry cleaner only after a verified backup, disk defragmentation where appropriate, and privacy settings adjusted by hand instead of by checkbox.