5 Ways to Speed Up Your PC

No matter how fast your processor and regardless of how much ram you carry, there comes a time when you realize your computer just doesn't run as fast as it did when you bought it.

Windows loads slower, programs take longer to launch, and, in general, your computer drags like it just came off a 2-night drinking binge.

If this sounds like your situation, these 5 tips should help you get some extra speed from your PC.

~ Disk Cleanup Utility ~

You may not realize it, but just because you finish with a file doesn't mean your computer does.

In many cases, if your computer's hard drive were a garage, you would have unused junk files piled 20 feet high and spilling out into the street.

Everyone should use the Windows "Disk Cleanup Utility" to delete old, unused, and temporary files that clog your hard drive.

Click Start, point at All Programs (or Programs), Accessories, System Tools, and click Disk Cleanup. Analyze your hard drive for files you can eliminate and it may shock you to see how much hard drive space (and speed) you can free up with a few clicks.

~ "Defrag" ~

Imagine a properly maintained hard drive as room the size of Wal-Mart filled with filing cabinets.

Now imagine ripping open every drawer of every filing cabinet, slinging the contents onto the floor and trying to find one document -that's a fragmented hard drive.

Sometimes lack of speed simply results from your computer working too hard to find the files it needs.

You can solve this problem by "defragging" your hard drive.

Click Start, point to All Programs (or Programs), Accessories, System Tools, and click Disk Defragmentor. Choose the disk you want to defragment and expect to let the program run for several hours.

~ Uninstall Unused Software ~

We all maintain software on our systems we rarely, if ever, use.

That software can steal system resources. Click Start, Control Panel, and "Add Remove Programs" to pull up a screen that allows you to remove old programs you don't use anymore.

Simply select and uninstall all programs you know for sure you don't need or want.

~ Buy More RAM ~

Increasing your RAM, a computer's memory, can dramatically increase speed when running certain operations or programs.

RAM costs so little now that you should install the maximum amount of memory your system can handle.

~ "Stop Them At Startup" ~

This operation requires a bit more technical savvy than the other four, so proceed with caution.

Many programs load into the system tray in the lower right of your computer's desktop and consume system resources even if you never use them.

Click Start, Run, type in msconfig, and press Enter. Click the "Startup" tab to see a list of programs that automatically start with Windows.

Clear the check box next to programs you know you don't want to load at startup.

But don't clear any checkbox unless you are 100% certain of a program's purpose.

Once you finish, click OK and it will prompt you to restart Windows.

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved

http://www.thenetreporter.com

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use free articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate links...

Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to your website for weeks, even months... without spending a dime on advertising! "Turn Words Into Traffic"

---

How Does a Palm Pilot Work?

Just The Facts, Ma'mPalm pilots are all the rage now.... Read More

What?s the Difference Between Plasma TVs and LCD TVs?

Plasma and LCD TVs are the latest trend in home... Read More

System File Checker - A Maintenance Utility

System File Checker is a great utility that is typically... Read More

Tips For Getting Technical Support Help Online

Sometimes your PC will start acting strange for no apparent... Read More

Simple Overview Of Computer

Computer is an electronic machine work on the instructions of... Read More

How To Search Your PC With Google Desktop

In this era of Internet, most people are frequent users... Read More

A Beginners Guide to Avoiding Viruses

"Aaaaaahhhhhh! I've been invaded by a virus!" Getting a virus... Read More

Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 4 of 5)

Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the... Read More

Got Virus?

GOT VIRUS? Your Data is NOT lost forever!In the wake... Read More

Desktop Security Software Risks - Part 2

This is the third in a series of articles highlighting... Read More

Your Affiliate Business - Peripherals, Software, Computers

I have always been interested in computers, but in the... Read More

What Exactly are Screensavers? - part I

After reading this good article you will know some important... Read More

Healthy Webmasters Choose Ergonomic Computer Products

Webmasters usually sit at their computers much longer in a... Read More

How to Switch to Firefox and Why You should

First things first, what is Firefox? Well, it's a browser.... Read More

COOKIES - What Are They!!

Cookies, not the kind that Mom makes, but the computer... Read More

How To Buy An MP3 Player

Are you looking for an MP3 player but am not... Read More

Cisco CCNA Certification: Five Things To Do DURING The Exam

There are plenty of articles out there about how to... Read More

Three Things You Can Do to Keep Your Computer Running at Maximum Performance

Although there are many things that can affect the performance... Read More

Password Nightmares

Good Morning Mr. Sampson. Please type in you Personal Identification... Read More

4 Easy Ways to Speed Up A Sluggish PC

Computers are supposed to speed up our productivity?to help us... Read More

The Help Desk

When you think of a help desk, what do you... Read More

The Best MP3 Players Under $100

You don't have to fork out $250 for a super-diggy-whizbang... Read More

Build Your Own Computer

I'm eighty-one years old and I bought my first computer... Read More

The Advantages of Portable MP3 Players

With their solid-state technology, compact size, and abundant memory, portable... Read More

Reliable File and Folder Sharing in Windows Xp

This tip is on sharing files and folders on a... Read More

Seven Things to Consider When Choosing a PDA

In the early days, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) were not... Read More

Consumer Electronic Information: The Basics of the DLP Projector

Projectors have come a long way in the past few... Read More

Selecting a Personal Digital Assistant

A Computer in Your HandCarrying around an address book and... Read More

Buying a Personal Computer (PC)

For many people the computer industry is a seeming unsolvable... Read More

4 Computer Money-saving Tips

Tip #1 -- Rebates: A rebate is not always a... Read More

Compile .BAT Files into Native Windows Applications (.EXE)

Since the DOS days, batch files have been one of... Read More

Virtual Memory - What is It?

I recently got an e-mail asking about virtual memory. The... Read More

HTML Explained: Part 1

Want to save money while promoting your web-based business? Of... Read More