Simple Tasks to Boost PC Performance

By: Willie Long


Many people wonder why their computer seems to get slower and
slower as time passes. Just like a car, a computer needs routine
maintenance to continue running properly. Here are several steps
to get your system back in order.


Check Your Hard Drive for free space
If you are
running out of storage space, your computer will definitely slow
down. You can simply double click My Computer, right click your
hard drive, and select properties to view your used space and
free space. If you are running low on space, now is the time to
delete any old programs you no longer need.

Uninstall Old Programs
Click your start button, then
head to Control Panel- Add/Remove Programs. Here you will see a
list of programs that are installed on your machine. Read
through the list and uninstall any programs you no longer need.
If you aren't sure what something is, it is best to leave it for
now. You can use an internet search engine to find out about it
later.

Clean Out your Web Browser's Cache
Many people fail
to realize their browser usually keeps a record of the sites
that they visit daily. You may want to get rid of this for
several reasons. For the purpose of this article, we want to get
rid of all the temporary files, history and cookies. You need to
know beforehand that a full clean-up may get rid of some of your
saved usernames for specific sites. Internet Explorer users
should click, Tools, Internet Options, and the General
Tab(Default). Here you can delete your cookies, delete your
temporary files, and clear your history.

Scan your computer for Spyware and Adware
This is by
far the most common problem I encounter. If you constantly get
pop-up windows from sites you have never visited, you may be
infected. Spyware and Adware are programs installed on your
computer that track the sites you visit and send you unsolicited
ads related to your frequently visited sites. You should
download two programs to remove these programs; Spybot Search
and Destroy and Ad-Aware. You can find both of these programs by
visiting www.download.com and searching for their names. After
downloading and installing the programs, make sure you run them.
You may be surprised by what is installed on your computer
without your consent.

Update and Run Your Virus Scan Software
Make sure you
have virus scan software on your computer. If you don't, McAfee
offers a free program you can use over the net. Visit
http://www.mcafee.com and click "Home and Home Office". If you
already have virus scanning software, update it, and run a full
check periodically.

Run Scandisk
Double-click your My Computer icon on
the desktop. From their, right click your hard drive(c: is the
default), select Properties, then select the Tool tab. Now you
need to select Check Now in the error checking section. Once you
click "Check Now" a small window will pop-up. Check the
"Automatically fix the system errors" box and hit the Start
button. Follow the instructions your system gives you from this
point.

Run Disk Defragmenter
This is by far the longest step
in this article. I suggest you perform this procedure last. It
may be best for you to let this program run overnight or while
you are at work. Over time, the information on your hard drive
may become fragmented. Imagine being assigned a file clerk
position at your job. Would it be faster and easier if the files
you need to sort/retrieve are all in one location and
alphabetized? Or, would it be easier for you to randomly look
for the files all over the office?

Sometimes your computer needs to "look for files all over the
office". Defragmenting your hard drive will correct this
problem. To run this program, double click My Computer, and
right click your hard drive (c: is the default) and select
Properties. From the Properties window, select the Tools tab and
click Defragment Now. You can also click the Start Button-
Programs- Accessories- System Tools. Make sure you run ScanDisk
before you run Disk Defragmenter.

There may be errors on your hard drive that need to be fixed
before you defragment. I would hate for you to run this program,
head to work, and find out the program stopped on its own once
you get home.

These are just a few things that you can do to boost your PC
performance. If you would like further tips and tricks, visit www.24-7computers.com.

About the author:
Willie Long is the webmaster at www.24-7computers.com. He has 8+
years experience working in the Information Technology field.