We’ve all had our computers run slow from time to time. It’s usually due to a number of factors, most of which can be fixed for no cost. Whether you are running XP of Vista, follow these steps to speed up your machine.
Check your startup programs
Most computers I’ve seen are running several unnecessary programs that start up every time the computer is booted. These programs constantly run in the background, slowing the computer down and taking longer than needed to boot up. To fix this, do this:
- Open the start menu, click “Run”
- Type “msconfig” and click “OK”
- On the top of the window, there are several tabs. Choose “Startup”
- You will see a number of different programs, most of which will have check boxes next to them. Every box that is checked is a program that starts every time the computer is booted up.
- Many of these programs are unnecessary. To determine what is necessary, go to www.sysinfo.org. Enter in the “startup items” one-by-one into the “startup quick search” box at sysinfo.org and hit Enter. It will tell you whether you need the item or not, and what the item is used for. You will probably eliminate 2/3 of all your startup items, giving you a nice reduction in your startup time. Note: if you do not know what it is, leave it checked. Better to be safe than sorry.
- Click “Apply” on the system configuration and restart computer.
Defrag your hard drive
Every program you install puts data all over the hard drive. Defragging the hard drive will fix this. Here’s how to do it:
- Click Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools->Disk Defragmenter
- Click “Defragment Now” and let the computer do its thing. It’s best to do this late at night and let it run at night. It can take a while. To speed up the process, make sure all programs are closed, including as many items in the task bar on the bottom right of the screen.
- It’s good to do this at least once a month. On Vista, you can schedule the computer to do it automatically (I have mine running weekly).
Clean out all the junk
Your computer gets bogged down from a number of temporary files, cookies, and other junk. Cleaning this stuff out regularly is crucial. The best way to do this is download a free program called CC Cleaner. Go to www.cccleaner.com, download the program, and install it. Run the program regularly.
Upgrade the RAM
If doing these three things hasn’t sped your computer up enough, you may have to spend a little money and add more RAM in the computer. This is a pretty simple process, but does cost some money. To determine how much RAM your computer has, right-click on “My Computer.” If you have XP, you should have minimum of 512MB of RAM, and if you have Vista, you should have at least 1 GB of RAM. If you have less than this, consider upgrading.
