5 Tips for Improving Computer Speed

September 5, 2012 | Filed under: Technology | Posted by: kcooper

A slow computer can be frustrating; it decreases efficiency and increases the time it takes to get your work done. Most of the time, the issues contributing to this problem are easily fixable and they only rear their heads because we fail to do the simple tasks that keeps our computer operating at its optimal performance. Here are some easy ways to improve computer speed.

Remove Unnecessary Files and Programs

The more stuff you have installed on your computer, the more slowly it will run. Your computer likely came with a ton of pre-installed software that you have never used nor ever will. Go through installed programs and take out the ones you are not using. Send unnecessary photos, word documents and the like to the recycle bin—do not forget to clear it out when you are done to permanently get rid of the items. You can get there by going to Start-Control Panel-Programs and Features.

Delete Temporary Files/Browsing History/Cookies

Free up disk space by deleting your browsing history, saved cookies and temporary files. These accumulate quickly and can take up a ton of memory. There are clean-up programs you can install that show up right on your browser and you can do it with one-click; it is quite easy to do it without software, however.

Defragment Your Computer Regularly

The way your computer stores sections of the same file can take up unnecessary space on your hard drive, which affects performance. It will run more slowly because it takes more time to find all the parts of the file, which ideally should be right near each other. Disk defragmentation helps put the files in one piece, making for easier access. You can run disk defrag right from your computer but that can be slow. There are lots of free programs that can do it more quickly. Defrag about once a week to optimize computer performance.

Clean the Registry

The registry is where your computer keeps information about all the programs you use. After awhile, it can become clogged with unnecessary, redundant information. You can use free programs, such as CCleaner to tidy up your registry and enhance computer performance.

Protect Against Malware

One of the easiest ways to speed up computer performance is to keep it free of viruses, spyware and other malware. There is lots of quality free software available for download that can do just as good a job as programs you need to pay for. They will automatically update and provide your computer with continuous protection. Make sure you download programs from trusted websites, such as CNet.

Closing Thoughts

Keeping our computers in good working condition is not that difficult; it just takes some effort on our parts and by effort, I mean simply remembering to do these things as they are not difficult nor time-consuming. Be good to your computer and it will be good to you.

Kelli Cooper is a freelance writer who enjoys writing articles about keeping computers in tip-top shape. If you are looking for a media player with enhance features, try the xbmc download.

Photo Credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/prasan-naik/

Shortlink:

Posted by kcooper on September 5, 2012. Filed under Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry