Is your computer dragging? Do you have to go get coffee
while waiting for your programs to load? A few simple steps
can bring back some of the spunk your computer once had.
1) Uninstall any unnecessary software: Do you really NEED
the American flag waving in the taskbar? Is having weather
from around the world on your desktop a mission critical
application? Using the "Add/Remove Programs" dialog in your
Windows Control Panel, uninstall any programs that you no
longer need or use. This will net you extra hard drive space,
as well as uninstall any 'Load-on-Startup' functionality from
these programs.
2) Scan for Spyware: Spyware and other malicious software
often takes up precious computer cycles. Using AdAware or
Spybot: S&D, scan your computer for spyware. Remove these
programs immediately, as they not only slow your computer
down, they pose a serious security risk.
3) Scan for viruses: Some viruses may cause your computer
to run slower. Download antivirus software such as AVG or
Avast Antivirus and scan your computer often.
4) Defragment your computer: Using the Windows Disk
Defragmenter, defragment your hard drives (you can set it to
run overnight if you don't want to do it during the day.) This
will reduce load times and disk- access times, sometimes
significantly.
5) Upgrade your Operating System: Some older versions of
Windows, such as Windows ME might run slowly on some systems.
Upgrade to Windows XP if possible.
6) Upgrade your computer: Adding some RAM or upgrading your
CPU chip will dramatically increase your performance. On some
older systems, this may be the only way to get a noticable
speed boost. If you're unsure, get in touch with a computer
professional and ask if an upgrade would be worthwhile.
7) Invest in a new system: Sometimes, there's just no other
alternative. Most modern software simply won't run well on
older systems. Your old data can often be ported to your new
system, and old software can be reinstalled.
With some care and some time, your computer will be zippy
again before you know it.
