Two tools that are a standard part of my PC hygiene are:
Ad-Aware -- http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
Spybot -- http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html
Both of these tools look for adware and other malware on the system and provide a list of problematic entries for your consideration. You can ignore, quarantine, or delete the entry. Both have freeware versions (Ad-Aware also has a bargain priced commercial version.)
I find that each has strengths and weaknesses, but that in combination they seem to find and fix most of the more annoying little nasties I pick up when surfing.
If you use these, be sure to check frequently for updates. I set aside about half an hour one day a week to find updates and run scans, which seems to work out pretty well. I'll also run the two when I start seeing performance issues or pop-up ads, etc. between scheduled scans.
Note: Both of these seem very safe for even novice users.
Michael D. Walls
-----original message-----
>>I'd be happy with a checklist of things to do -- I would consider myself at least at power user status, and yet I still can't always clean up an old PC without a reinstall. Spyware and viruses aside, is there a checklist for giving your computer a tuneup?>;>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
.