Speed My Pc Up

Making My Computer Faster

1.  Clean off unused programs

Your computer will likely have programs you don’t use.  Even some you never use and never would use.  You can call these “junk.”  How many people really use every program that is installed by default on computers?  To see the programs that you have and how often you use them (if ever!), go to START -> CONTROL PANEL -> ADD OR REMOVE.  You’ll see a list of programs.  If you “never” use them, or “rarely” use them, consider removing them!  They hog up valuable memory and slow you down. You can speed my pc up.

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2.  Eliminate malware

Malware includes viruses, worms, adware,and spyware.  Basically, any program with a malicious or irritating impact on your pc function is malware.   You need a quality anti-virus program to locate and remove malware.  Once you’ve cleaned off damaging programs or code, be sure to use a firewall to protect against malware threats.  Nothing gums up your pc like malware, so avoid it at all costs. Avoiding malware should speed my pc up.

(If you’ve got Vista, you can activate the Windows Defender program to help your pc fight off malware, too.)

3.  Empty temporary internet files folder

In order to optimize your Internet experience, your Operating System creates a web cache.  A web cache is a temporary Internet files folder.  If you’ve never emptied it, it will contain an amazing amount of images and objects from all the Internet sites you’ve visited.  And sure, when you visit a certain site repeatedly, the web cache will help the pages load up more quickly.  But what about sites you only visited once?  The browser helper objects are still there in your web cache gumming up the works.  You need to clear the web cache to free up memory and get speed. That will speed my pc up.

4.  Add RAM

Random Access Memory equals lots of lovely speed.  If you don’t have enough available RAM, or if you’re RAM is taken up with junk, then your speed is limited. If you’re running a dinosaur computer you probably don’t have enough RAM, because the Internet requires so much more available memory then it used to.  If you can, add RAM.  If you can’t (I can’t since the weird expensive memory chip my pc needs costs more than a new pc!), then run only one program at a time.

5.  Disable some startup programs

Computers are factory set to initialize an alarming number of programs with bootup.  And many programs you install will add themselves to your pc boot routine, too.  Yet you don’t need most of them to be running every time you start your pc.  So turn off the ones you don’t need in order to speed up your boot time.  This will speed my pc up at bootup.

START/HOME -> RUN and type “msconfig.”  Now you can see which programs are checked off to start every time you boot up your pc.  Just uncheck the ones you don’t want running every time you start up. (Leave anti-virus on!)  This should speed up your next boot considerably and free up working memory for better operating speed, too. (If you’ve got Vista: Windows Defender has a Software Explorer tool that tells you the programs that are set to initialize at startup. You can use the Software Explorer tool to adjust that list.)

6.  Increase broadband speed

If your Internet connection is slow, your computer can’t be fast on the Internet.  Your pc can only go as fast as your Internet connection.  The only remedy to this problem for most of us is to get a better Internet connection.  (I finally convinced my mom to ditch dial up, lol!) Faster connection will speed my pc up.

If you’re using Windows XP, you may be able to get more speed from your exisiting Internet connection.  You can adjust the default and get higher speeds because XP reserves 20% of broadband speed.  To change that setting go to START -> RUN -> type in “gpedit.msc” and press enter.  That gets you into the Group Policy Editor.  Under PC config -> exectutive templates -> network -> QoS packet scheduler just double click on “limit reservable bandwidth.” Then check “enable” which will allow you to enter a zero and get 20% more juice from the existing bandwidth.

7.  Defrag

Over time, you’re hard drive gets fragmented.  Files scatter all over the place.  If you defrag your pc, you are lining all the files back up into neat rows so that your pc can find everything fast and easy again.  It kind of compacts everything, too, so you get more free memory, too.  Defragging can speed up your pc by up to 20%, if you’ve got a lot of drift going on.  And you probably do.  Defrag should speed my pc up considerably.

8.  Clean Registry

The registry is the database in Windows operating systems that handles all the communications between software and hardware.  It also contains the commands telling your pc how to access, run, and close every program, as well as user settings and…gees, everything! It’s darn important and it’s NOT user friendly to edit.

Unfortunately, the registry gets polluted during normal use.  Every install, uninstall, upgrade, download, and hardware addition or removal leaves junked up instructions in the registry.  And since they can be shared instructions, or overwritten instructions, or contradictory instructions, it will take your pc longer to find the right instructions to run.  This means slower response times.  And if registry commands really get crossed, you’ll see error messages and frozen screens, too.

The way to prevent this is to use a registry cleaner that identifies and repairs corrupt registry files.  A good registry cleaner is as vital to your pc health as an anti-virus program.  Especially since a lot of malware is programmed to hide in the registry in rootkit (invisible) programs.  Basically, you should be running a registry cleaner every month if you want top speed performance. That will speed my pc up.

Do You have Windows Vista? You can get some additional speed if you:

1.  Turn off indexing

You have an Indexing feature where Vista indexes the files on your OS.  It makes finding files easy, but slows down performance.  You can shut it off: START -> type in “indexing” on the START SEARCH box.  Select MODIFY and deselect all folders and files in order to turn indexing off.  This will speed my pc up.

2.  Disable visual bells and whistles

Sure, visual effects are pretty.  But they are not functional.  To turn them off go to START -> CONTROL PANEL -> PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND TOOLS.  Select “Adjust visual effects.”  Pick “Adjust for best performance” in order to shut off the effects. You should see some speed improvement from that.

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