It seems that the longer you own your personal computer, the slower it gets! Lots of people will keep their pc until it gets so slow that they feel they require a newer, faster model. Some feel like the reason it's obtaining slower is since it really is getting older, when that is just not the case. Your pc should run just as quick as the day you brought it house in the event you follow these 10 Easy Actions to Speed Up Your Personal computer like a computer repair business.
Empty the Temp directory frequently. Every time you launch a program, it creates a temporary file, until you either save or close the file. The reason it does this is in case your system crashes or gets turned off (before saving the file), it will be possible to recover the unsaved file you had been working on. This is really a great concept, but rarely works. Each time your system crashes, locks up, or gets turned off while you've got open files, these temp files get developed and just sit there in the Temp directory. Then, every time you launch a program, it looks through all of the temp files (to see if one requirements to be recovered) and slows the open method, and in some rare circumstances, even locks up when trying to launch. In any event, the launch method is slowed.Other ways of obtaining unneeded temp files is by installing programs. Most programs that get installed extract temp files (necessary throughout the installation) to the temp directory, but lots of times do not get deleted when the installation is total.Windows also uses the temp directory for its temp files, for recovery purposes and ongoing use.Right after a short whilst, the temp directory fills up with hundreds (and I have even seen thousands) of temp files that often get scanned over when Windows starts up and when programs launch. This slows everything down immensely.Rule of thumb for Temp Files: In the event you don't have any programs open (and nothing minimized in the bar below), then you shouldn't have ANY temp files within your temp directory. If you do, delete them.To delete Temp files, make sure NO programs are open, and…
In Windows 95, 98 or Me, go to C:\Windows\Temp and delete everything inside the Temp folder.
In Windows 2000 or XP, it really is a bit trickier. Initial, make certain that you can see hidden folders. Double-click My Computer. Click on the Tools pull-down menu, and then on Folder Alternatives. Click on the View tab. Scroll down and click on Show Hidden Files and Folders. Click Ok. Now you are able to go to the C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp folder. Delete everything here. Also, look inside the C:\Windows(or Winnt)\Temp or Tmp folders. Delete everything here, as well. Note: this assumes that your logon ID is Administrator. If the main account just isn't Administrator, or if you will find a lot more than 1 account, substitute “Administrator" for the account names, and delete the temp files from all of the C:\Documents and Settings\(account name)\Local Settings\Temp folders.
Empty the Temporary World wide web Files frequently. This is similar to the Temp directory, but for images and cookies although browsing internet sites. Every time you go to a website, your browser will look through your list of temporary World wide web files, to see for those who have all the images required to view your requested internet page. If it really is a very lengthy list, it will delay your view time. Nonetheless, when you have a dial-up, this is the lesser of two evils. If you already have the needed images, it's quicker (for a dial-up) to look through your temporary Web files, than to download new images every time you visit a web site.However, for those who have a broadband Web connection (highspeed CableModem, DSL, Wireless, etc.), and you need a bit much more snap inside your surfing, then you should delete your Temporary Web Files on a standard basis, and choose to Check for Newer Images on Every Go to to a web page.To empty Temporary Internet Files, go to your Control Panel, by click on the Start\Settings\Control Panel (or in Windows XP, just Start\Control Panel) and double-click the web Alternatives icon. Select to Delete Cookies, and to Delete Files. This can clear all of your Temporary Internet Files.To have Internet Explorer often check for new images and content on each and every go to to a internet page, to the right of the Delete Files button, is the Settings button. Click this button and pick Every Go to to the Internet Page. This alternative by no means has Web Explorer look by means of your Temporary Internet Files to see if you already have the images required. This way, World wide web Explorer will just automatically download every image, each time, without searching via a list. For those who have a good Web connection, this is the better method to go. Do not forget to delete your Temporary Internet Files each and every once in a whilst (see above).
Check your difficult disks for problems. You'll find two different sorts of disk checks: 1 is really a file check, which checks the state of your operating program, checks all of your files, your file structure, along with other software program checks. If you'll find software difficulties (like a corrupt FAT (file allocation table), etc., this check will attempt to fix it. The other is really a physical hardware disk check. This checks the surface of your hard disks, to see if there are poor sectors (sections) of your difficult drive, to see if your drive is physically experiencing problems. This disk check will attempt to repair the poor sectors, but if it cannot, it'll mark the sector as bad and attempt to move the file(s) or file “pieces" to an excellent sector(s) of the disk. By marking the sector as bad, it knows not to write any future files to this section of the tough drive.To run a disk check (or scan disk), here are the steps:
For Windows 95, 98, or Me, double-click My Computer. Right-click the C-drive and click on Properties. Click on the Tools tab and choose to check the pc for problems. In the event you pick to do a Thorough Scan, this can do the hardware check for physical disk harm or sector damage. Otherwise, the Regular Scan does the software program file check. In either case, you'll be able to pick to have the scan automatically fix any errors it finds. The Thorough Scan does take quite a bit longer. You could want to let this run over night. Only do the Thorough Scan once you feel there might be a difficulty with your drive itself, or in the event you haven't run it in several months, otherwise, run the Standard Scan as soon as a week or so.
For Windows 2000 and XP, double-click My Personal computer. Right-click the C-drive and click Properties. Click on the Tools tab and pick to check the personal computer for issues. Click on Check Now. You'll then have two check boxes. The leading choice is for the file check, and also the second option is for the hardware (physical disk) check. Check either one, or both. At least check the top 1. Once more, should you feel you could be having difficulties with the hard disk itself, then check the second one, as well. And just like the Windows 98 Thorough Scan, this may take really a bit longer to run, so let it run over night. One thing, although: For Windows 2000 and XP, you will not be able to run the check correct then. Right after clicking the Commence button (as soon as the check boxes are checked), you will must reboot to run the disk check. It'll ask you if you want the program to run the CHKDSK on reboot. Pick Yes and reboot. Just just before getting back into Windows, the system will do its CHKDSK, and depending on which choices you chose, will take either several minutes, and at times up to an hour or so, to run. Let it run.
An even a lot more thorough disk check (and tune-up), could be to make use of a 3rd party utility (a stand-alone program outside of Windows) to check everything for you, automatically. One of my favorites is TuneUp Utilities 2004. It costs $39.99, but they do provide a Totally free download trial of 15 days, to check it out to see if it speeds up your pc and/or fixes any difficulties. This program does a truly great job of not only checking your computer's file structure, master boot record, file allocation table, and files, but also an incredibly good job of detecting and fixing poor sectors of your physical disk drives. And not merely that, it also tunes up your system for increased speed, checks and cleans your registry, adjusts memory for you, tweaks your Internet settings for faster downloads and browsing (regardless of whether you use a dial-up or broadband), and streamlines your operating program for peak performance. I extremely advise this program. Should you do not have it, you can download it HERE.
Should you don't want to get the TuneUp Utilities 2004, you can do a couple of of the performance tweaks your self, when you have Windows XP. By default, Every thing is turned on in Windows XP. It is not really streamlined for performance, but rather for appearance. You'll be able to turn off several of the unnecessary features, and Windows will still work just fine, and maybe a little quicker.To do this, right-click on My Pc and click on Properties. Click on the Advanced tab. Under the Performance section, click on the Settings button. On the Visual Effects tab, you'll see a list of check boxes. By default, these are all on. You really do not need any of them. Should you pick one of the radio buttons at the leading, say, Adjust for Best Performance, then all of the check boxes will turn off. This can noticeably speed up your computer. You'll be able to go through the check boxes one by 1, and determine which ones you'll be able to and cannot live with out. The 1 that can make the greatest impact is the very last 1 in the list. This is the Themes. If you turn it off, it'll free of charge up a lot of program resources and provide you with quite a bit much more memory to work with, but Windows XP will look much more like Windows 2000. For most people, this is not a problem. It is all eye-candy, anyway. Your fairly green pasture picture will disappear your pretty green and blue buttons and task bar will go to a gray. In the event you can live with these issues, then you'll have a lot much more performance. You will find that menus open up much much more rapidly and everything responds more instantly.
Turn off Active Desktop. Active Desktop turns your desktop into a internet page, and allows you to have points like a real-time calendar, and up-to-the-minute weather or stocks. These things are actually neat, but your system takes a performance hit when they are running in the background all the time. And even if you do not use Active Desktop for anything, just having it active can trigger a performance decrease. Turn it off.
In Windows 95, 98 and Me, right-click on the desktop and inside the pop-up menu, select Active Desktop. Inside that option, uncheck Active Desktop. If there's no check next to it, then it isn't on. Do not choose it. Instead, just click the desktop once more to get out of the menu.
In Windows 2000, right-click on the desktop and inside the pop-up menu, select Active Desktop. Inside that option, uncheck Show Web Content. Once again, if there's no check next to it, then it's not on. Don't check it.
In Windows XP, right-click on the desktop and in the pop-up menu, select Properties. On the Desktop tab, choose Customize Desktop. Now, on the Internet tab, ensure that you'll find no websites chosen here. If there aren't any, then Active Desktop is not on. Cancel and go back to the desktop.
Install and run a good AntiVirus program (frequently) to keep out viruses and Trojan horses that can take over your system. If you have a virus(s), your program performance can be dramatically decreased. Viruses can do all kinds of nasty issues to your computer. They are able to take over your computer, erase your hard drive, use your personal computer as a server, give you a bunch of illegal music or programs and tell all of their friends to download it all from you leaving you holding the bag and supplying the computer space and bandwidth for their hobby. So, protect yourself with a great AntiVirus program. 1 of my favorites is AVG. It isn't only a truly good AntiVirus program, however it is also Totally free! Should you don't have any AntiVirus software program on your computer, get AVG AntiVirus NOW by downloading HERE. In the event you already have an AntiVirus program, and you want to make use of AVG instead, do not install AVG. First, uninstall your current AntiVirus program, reboot and install AVG. You don't wish to have two AntiVirus programs installed at the same time. They'll work against one another and can trigger difficulties.
Get rid of Spyware. Plenty of computer users have Spyware and don't even know they've it, a lot much less the best way to get rid of it. If your personal computer has been taking you to websites that you do not wish to go to, or if you get pop-ups once you are not even on the web, or if your pc has been running very slowly lately, for no reason, you probably have Spyware.On all of the computers that I setup, I install two distinct AntiSpyware programs: AdAware SE and SpyBot. These two programs are extremely recommended by TechTV (G4) as well as other pc authorities (which includes my own research on Spyware) and work very well together. They compliment one another and catch Spyware that the other misses, but together, do a really excellent job.SpyBot just isn't only a good program for acquiring rid of Spyware, but also as a preventative Spyware-catcher. It sits there and looks for identified Spyware coming into your program, along with suspicious-looking content. In the event you use the Tea-Timer feature, it could be a little annoying, but ANY suspicious-looking program, trying to be installed on your program, is flagged and your permission is asked for it to be installed (now and always). In the event you don't have this program installed on your pc, get it NOW by downloading HERE. Download all updates and run the Immunize option a couple of times (for preventative purposes). Scan with it each and every day in the event you can.AdAware SE has a little far better Spyware database in it, but just isn't setup as a preventative AntiSpyware program. It does do a good job whenever you maintain up on the updates and manually scan your program with AdAware. In the event you don't have this program on your personal computer, get it NOW by downloading HERE. Download all updates and run the Smart Scan every day (if not, a minimum of weekly).If, after downloading and installing, updating, and running both of these AntiSpyware program, you still cannot get rid of your Spyware, you may need to enlist the services of a professional. Some Spyware is so intelligent that it looks to see if AntiSpyware programs delete the Spyware part of its programming and, if it's gone, reinserts it back in place. This may be really frustrating for the user (and in some instances, even for the professional). You'll find stronger measures that can be taken to obtain rid of the Spyware, in circumstances like this, but could be really devastating to the user's computer, if not handled perfectly. At this point, leave it to the expert. Call a nearby computer repair company and have them come out to your residence or business and get rid of the Spyware for you.In some circumstances, when the Spyware has grow to be too entwined into your program, even a computer repair technician cannot get rid of the Spyware. At this point, it is far better to just backup only what you'll need and have the operating program reinstalled. Think me, when your personal computer gets to this point, you do not wish to just put a “band-aid" on it. Just begin from scratch with a clean system. It's the very best method to go.
Streamline MSCONFIG. 1 thing that really causes a Huge performance decrease would be to have unnecessary programs running inside the background. Some of these programs can be observed inside your Program Tray (located next to the clock, inside the lower-right corner of your screen). These are tiny programs which are robbing you of memory and processing power. Some of them you'll need, although most you don't. A few of the programs you Do not need are printer icons, CD burning icons, shortcuts to programs (such as video settings), AOL, any Instant Messaging Programs, etc. Just since these programs are not always running, does not mean that you still cannot print, burn CDs or Instant Message. They are able to be run whenever you need them, from a shortcut.You are able to use a utility, known as MSCONFIG, to turn OFF unnecessary Commence Up items.
In Windows 98, Me, and XP, click on Start\Run and sort msconfig. Click on the Startup tab. This is a list of everything that's running inside the background, some of which show up in the Program Tray. Now, be careful, some of these you do need. Some items to keep are Ctfmon.exe (XP), Scan Registry (Win98, Me), Job Monitor (Win98, Me), System Tray (Win98, Me), LoadPowerProfile (Win98, Me), Rundll.32, any AntiVirus programs (like McAfee, Norton, or AVG). Others, you'll be able to uncheck, for example NeroCheck, ypager, qttask, AOL, and any other Instant Messaging programs, or printing programs. Remember, if some thing does not work, because you turned it off, it can often be turned back on. You just need to reboot every time you make a change here. But, as you uncheck the unnecessary programs that run within the background, you will see that Windows loads much faster, that you will find much less icons in the System Tray, and that your system is significantly a lot more “snappy" and quick to respond.
In Windows 2000, MSCONFIG wasn't supplied. You truly need to download and run an MSCONFIG utility. Here is really a website that can let you download the MSCONFIG utility. Click HERE to Download. And should you copy it into your C:\Windows(or Winnt)\System32 folder, you are able to access it the very same way as Windows 98 or XP (by the Run command within the Begin menu). Or, you can just double-click it and use it that way, too. See above for what to leave checked and unchecked.Right after you reboot, you will have a window that says that the configuration utility was edited. Just check not to show that inside the future, a check box at the bottom.This just indicates that there was a alter produced to the MSCONFIG.
Defragment your hard drives. When you have never completed this, or it has been several months because the last time, this step is one of the most essential points that will give you more performance. As you use your pc, your drives become fragmented, by making and deleting files. Just because a file is 10mb in size, does not mean that it really is sitting there on the drive (all 10mb) all in one spot on the drive. It fills in from the inside of the drive, outward, as the drive finds room. So your one file may be in pieces, in several spots on the hard drive. Don't worry, your file allocation table keeps track of where the pieces are, nonetheless, it takes longer to access a file that is in pieces (fragmented), than a file which is all in one spot on the hard drive. This is where defragmenting comes in. Once you defragment your hard drive, this process copies all of the pieces to temporary spots on the hard drive, and then fills in all of the files (in their entirety) from the inside, out, to ensure that no files are split into pieces. This dramatically speeds up the seek time, as well as speeds up the use of your files and programs. NOTE: to efficiently defragment a hard drive, it likes to have 25% free of charge space. It can still do the defragmentation with only 15% totally free space, but it takes really a bit longer. If you can, delete any unnecessary files just before degramenting your drives.
To defragment your difficult drives (in any Windows operating system), double-click on My Personal computer. Right-click on the c-drive and click on Properties. Click on the Tools tab and pick the bottom button, to Defragment Now… Click on the suitable drive, and then on Defragment. This can take some time. Depending on your processing power, the quantity of RAM you have accessible, the size and speed of your drive, and a couple of other issues, this process can take 20 minutes, or hours. It really is finest to let this 1 run over night, also, but it is well worth it.
