The first one I wish I could do to my own brain sometimes, and that's adding more memory. If your computer is running one of the more recent Windows Operating Systems like Vista or Windows 7, Microsoft recommends 2 gigs of memory as a minimum, but I would try to go at least 4 gigs if only to give yourself a smoother experience. And like a car, it's always nice to have some extra power under the hood to climb any steep hills one may encounter. YouTube will have lots of video on how to add memory if you've never done it before, it's really easy to snap some more in.
The second way to speed up your machine is to clean up your desktop. Think of your computer desktop like your real desktop when you try to find something. Is that document over there under that pile of books? Maybe under last week's Sunday paper with the coffee ring stain on it? Or is it tucked away in one of the drawers? You get the picture. I know some people swear that a messy desk helps them find things faster but your computer isn't one of them. Move all your files to "Documents" or condense them in folders, your computer can find them faster that way. Speed It Up! The Newbie's Guide to Speeding Up Slow Computers and Optimizing Your Internet Connection
Number three. Scan your hard drive with Windows built in Systems File Checking utility. This comes in very handy if your computer isn't running stable and keeps popping up a lot of errors. As your computer ages it collects more and more files that are associated with lots of different functions. Sometimes those associations and files can become corrupted and produce errors. Use System File Checker to run a quick scan and smooth them out. In Vista and Windows 7, go to All Programs-Accessories-Command Prompt - type in "SFC/ScanNow" without the quotes and hit enter. It may take a few minutes to scan but may be well worth it.
And last but not least, scan your computer for Spyware and viruses. They can really slow your computer down by using up lots of memory resources, redirecting your browser to sites you don't want to visit, and causing a host of other unpleasant events. I usually recommend running a couple of different ones just in case one misses something the others find. You can find a whole list of free Spyware removal programs at my site listed below.
May your computer purr like a kitten (so to speak)
The second way to speed up your machine is to clean up your desktop. Think of your computer desktop like your real desktop when you try to find something. Is that document over there under that pile of books? Maybe under last week's Sunday paper with the coffee ring stain on it? Or is it tucked away in one of the drawers? You get the picture. I know some people swear that a messy desk helps them find things faster but your computer isn't one of them. Move all your files to "Documents" or condense them in folders, your computer can find them faster that way. Speed It Up! The Newbie's Guide to Speeding Up Slow Computers and Optimizing Your Internet Connection
Number three. Scan your hard drive with Windows built in Systems File Checking utility. This comes in very handy if your computer isn't running stable and keeps popping up a lot of errors. As your computer ages it collects more and more files that are associated with lots of different functions. Sometimes those associations and files can become corrupted and produce errors. Use System File Checker to run a quick scan and smooth them out. In Vista and Windows 7, go to All Programs-Accessories-Command Prompt - type in "SFC/ScanNow" without the quotes and hit enter. It may take a few minutes to scan but may be well worth it.
And last but not least, scan your computer for Spyware and viruses. They can really slow your computer down by using up lots of memory resources, redirecting your browser to sites you don't want to visit, and causing a host of other unpleasant events. I usually recommend running a couple of different ones just in case one misses something the others find. You can find a whole list of free Spyware removal programs at my site listed below.
May your computer purr like a kitten (so to speak)
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