How do I increase the speed of a computer ?

[kelfoan]

My computer seems very slow to start. eg the desktop icons take ages to come onto the screen.It also takes an age to open up any desktop short cuts. Is there an upgrade i need?

[blackalbino]

i increased the speed of my computer by putting it ona skatebord and pushing it down a steep hill! inevitably when it got to the bottom..............the hard drive crashed!( i know that was a terrible joke,accept my thousand appologies!)

[ACtheTROLL]

lol ba on ab

is it slower than it used to be?
what OS
what's the spec
how big HDD - what left spare
how much ram

[naflharrison]

try doin a few scans for any crap and maybe acleanup f old files would help.

[VHG]

If you have been using it for a few years ot may be time to re-install Windows (if you are running Windows).

Over time all sorts of thing get added to Windows (new programs etc), slowing it down.

A re-install of Windows clears out all this rubbish and allows you to start again with a "clean sheet".

On the hardware side the cheapest and easiest way to get a speed boost is to add more RAM memory, but it depends what yoru hardware spec already is (which is why ACtheTROLL asked).