You've concluded you need a new computer. Your old computer was faithful, but let's face it - you don't have all day. It takes forever to boot up and even longer to surf the Internet. Unless you're just dying to buy that latest, greatest computer, give these tips a try and speed up your old faithful.
5 tips to make your computer run like new
Tip 1 - Free up disk space
Over time, your computer's hard drive becomes less efficient when it comes to storing and retrieving files. To overcome this problem, try defragmenting. Defragmenting the hard drive can be a slow process but is well worth the effort. When you defragment the disk, it organizes the information you have on your hard drive so it is easier for your computer to find next time you're looking for something and will make your computer like new.
Defragmenting:
-- Removes temporary files
-- Removes downloadable programs
-- Empties the recycle bin
-- Removes components you don't use
-- Removes installed programs you do not use
As you can see, this process gets rid of a lot of garbage on your computer resulting in speeding it up.
To defragment your hard drive, you can either use the Disk Cleanup tool on your computer under "Tools" or buy software that will do it for you.
Tip 2 - Clean it up
If your computer is slow when you first boot up, the problem could be that there are too many programs running in the background. You may not even be aware of them, but all the same, they are there.
To get rid of these programs, go to your Start menu and click All Programs. Next, click Startup. When you're in the menu, delete the programs that you don't need.
Tip 3 - Uninstall programs you don't use
Your computer slows down considerably once it has reached 50% capacity. To keep this from happening, go to Control Panel and then Add/Remove programs. Once compiled, you will have a list of all the programs on your computer. Scan the list and uninstall the ones you don't use anymore.
Tip 4 - Memory
If your hard drive is loaded with programs that you use all the time and you can't delete any for the sake of speeding it up, you may have to resort to adding memory. This isn't expensive and will keep you from having to get a new computer. Once you add the memory, you should notice the difference right away.
Tip 5 - Remove Spyware and Adware
Another common cause of computer slow-down is the installation of spyware and adware. Adware is software that displays advertisements on your computer and the more diabolical Spyware is software that sends your personal information to a third party without your permission or knowledge.
The problem with this evil duo is that most of the time, you've unwittingly agreed to install these items so if you have an older anti-virus program -- it won't protect you. What to do? Make sure you have a newer anti-virus program or anti-spyware program installed.
Before junking your old computer, try these 5 tips, and you'll probably realize you can avoid buying a new computer after all!
