Making my computer faster

[chelsea25]

Hi,

Further to my earlier question, are there any things i can get rid of on my computer to quicken it up? as it is gettingslower and slower, any things i can do that are easy, as i am not no computer whizz! lol

[Mobius1]

There are indeed plenty of things you can do!

First off, start by making sure your system is free of spyware, particularly if you use the Internet a lot, as a build-up of this can slow down your PC as well as your Internet browsing experience. As a benefit, you'll be less likely to get pop-ups caused by this malware too. For excellent free software try:

http://www.lavasoftusa.com
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

Get rid of old files that you don't need anymore, such as recycle bin filed, temporary files and whatnot. Personally I use CCleaner for this (use it once per week or so, and check for updates to it every now and then):

http://www.ccleaner.com/

Change some of the more advanced settings on your PC easily and safely using a special software package. For this I use TuneXP:

http://www.driverheaven.net/dforce/default.php (Info & Download Link)

Lastly, as always, run a ScanDisk (or CheckDisk as it's known in WindowsXP) making sure to check the options to repair any damaged files or sectors. Also, defragment your hard drive if you haven't already (information on how to do both of these can be found by using Windows Help & Support and entering keywords like "Defragment" and "Disk Error Checking".

Just to note that all of the software I've mentioned I use myself and it's all completely free (you don't have to register or sign-up for anything to get it either).

[chelsea25]

Well, i just wanted to say thank you for all that information, that will be a great help, must get on with it now, as it is sooooooo slow!

Thanks again.

[Mobius1]

No problem. It's also worth remembering that the more programs you have installed on your computer, the slower it's likely to run - typically speaking. This is especially the case if you don't configure certain programs very specifically, as I find that a lot of programs that I install tend to want to start up in the background when I start the PC, even if I don't need them too.

So, if you've got Applications that you no longer use and don't think will be useful in the future and you know that they can be removed safely, then do so. If you only have a single hard drive this is especially important, as Windows likes all the free space it can get.

Good luck, and I hope your PC ends up being a little zippier at the least after using those programs. Don't forget to update them regularly, especially the Spyware ones, else they'll become less effective over time.