How to speed up a slow computer

A computer will be slow if the system resources are not enough to handle all the processes that are running. The two main resources that matter for doing basic stuff (gaming is not basic) are the memory (RAM) and the CPU speed. For desktops, something around 2GB RAM and 2.6+ GHz is good enough for most people. But all this is useless if your system is clogged and the resources are diverted for use in useless stuff.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A computer that terribly needs to be optimized.
• External storage media e.g. flash disk

1. Navigating to Backup and System Restore Back up your computer and registry and set a restore point. This can be done under accessories. To start Backup, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup and similarly for System Restore.
2. My Computer properties window Find out how much system resources you have. Get to know your computer’s specifications: - RAM, clock speed, operating system etc. These are found in the properties window of My Computer
3. Estimate your load. Try to gauge if the resources can adequately meet your demand. If not, find out what you need to upgrade, most of the time it is the memory. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy a new computer than to upgrade.
4. Estimate your load. Try to gauge if the resources can adequately meet your demand. If not, find out what you need to upgrade, most of the time it is the memory. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy a new computer than to upgrade.
5. Revo Uninstaller Uninstall all programs that you don’t need. For those that you are not sure about, save them for the time being. For a better job, get an uninstaller that removes programs completely. A good one is a freebie, Revo Uninstaller (http://www.revouninstaller.com/) or Your Uninstaller. Be sure to delete all leftover files and folders.
6. If it is an option, replace bloated software with leaner ones. An example would be downgrading from Vista to XP for the OS.
7. Computer Management Window Check what programs and services are set to start up automatically. To do this go to Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Services. Disable those which do not need to start at startup e.g. Windows Messenger.
8. Scan for viruses and malware. Make sure you delete or quarantine all infected files. It is very important to have an antivirus program. If you don’t, get a free one like AVG Antivirus (http://free.avg.com/) for the time being. You can also use one of the mainstream antivirus programs if they have a trial while you get ready to invest in one.
9. Clean your hard drive. CCleaner, a free utility, does a good job (http://www.ccleaner.com/). After cleaning it, defragment it.
10. Clean up your registry. My favorite utility to do this is the Free Eusing Registry Cleaner (http://www.eusing.com/). This gets rid of all the registry keys left by uninstalled programs.
11. Strive to maintain your computer in a good healthy state. This will be very beneficial and will boost your productivity a great deal.

Tips & Warnings

• To know what programs, hardware and their drivers are currently installed, you can get a profile of your computer using Belarc Advisor (http://www.belarc.com/).
• Set a restore point before you begin clean up. dont forget to back up your registry.