A slow and unresponsive computer can turn your life into a nightmare. Indeed, very few things are more frustrating than a PC that keeps freezing up when you are in the middle of something, takes ages to boot, and makes you wait for your files to open. That’s why “How can I make my computer faster? ” is one of the most popular questions asked on computer support discussion forums. But in most cases you don’t need to browse thousands of forums looking for a slow computer cure. All you need to do is give your PC a good cleanup and some loving care. Here are a few tips that will speed up computer performance and make it run as good as new.
1. Find and delete malware
Eight out of ten computers become slow because they get infected by a computer virus, a piece of malware, or even a spyware program. Malicious programs usually slow you down because they infect the Windows registry and send data over the Internet, which uses up your bandwidth. A tell-tale sign is when your PC slows down all of a sudden, especially after you’ve downloaded something from the Web or visited a dubious website. If that’s the case with your computer, scan it with software like Microsoft Security Essentials, Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware and Spybot Search & Destroy as soon as possible. Once the infection is removed, you will notice a significant speed increase.
2. Run disk cleanup
When your PC is free of any infections, it’s time to get rid of computer junk that accumulates over time. Daily computer activity, such as browsing the Web, opening files, and even turning on your computer, creates a number of temporary files. These files can be quite useful, but only for a very limited period of time (like when you are editing an MS Word document). However, Windows keeps these temporary files for a lot longer than necessary. Sometimes they can be taking up valuable disk space for months. The more junk files there are, the less free disk space you have. Deleting temporary files will not only free up valuable hard drive space, but also make your computer run faster.
Windows has a perfectly adequate disk cleanup tool that you can access by typing Disk Cleanup in Windows 7 or Vista Search bar or by going to Start – Programs – Accessories – System Tools in Windows XP. Run disk cleanup once a week, and your computer will be faster and more responsive.
3. Disable unneeded startup items
When you install new software, a lot of programs decide to alter some Windows settings for you. They configure themselves to run every time you boot your computer. This is essential behavior for security programs, such as your anti-virus, but it’s totally useless for programs like Windows Live Messenger, Windows Media Player and other entertainment software. Besides, having too many programs launching on system startup can make your computer take ages to boot up. Disabling unnecessary startup programs can increase PC speed a great deal.
You can either use a third-party startup manager to disable autostart applications, or you could use msconfig – a built-in Windows too. To access msconfig, click on Start and type msconfig in the Search bar (Windows 7 and Vista) or in the Run box (Windows XP). When the utility opens, go to the Startup tab and uncheck unneeded startup entries. When you are done, reboot your computer and enjoy the speed.
Naturally, there is no end to various computer speed tweaks. But these simple tips will help you make your computer faster without having to spend a single cent.
Haani