How to Clean Up a Computer to Make It Faster
As a person uses a computer over a period of time, he might notice that the computer is not running as fast as it used to. More programs and files on a computer can slow it down. It is easy to clean up a computer to make it faster, and it does not take a lot of computer expertise to do this. Here is how to clean up a computer to make it faster.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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1
Remove old files. You can clean up your computer by removing old files. If you have too many files on your computer, your computer is not going to run as fast. Look through your old files and delete anything that you no longer need on your computer. If you are concerned about removing files, consider backing up all of your files onto an external hard drive. In that way, you will have access to all files that you remove from your computer’s hard drive.
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Uninstall programs that you are no longer using. Clean up your computer by uninstalling all programs that you have not used in a long time or do not plan to use again. Your computer will run faster if it has fewer programs installed. If you are using Windows, you can do this by clicking Start>Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs. The window will populate with a list of programs on your computer. You can sort the programs by the date you last used them. Click on a program and then click remove to take the program from your computer.
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Delete temporary files. Your computer will run faster if it does not have a bunch of temporary files stored on the hard drive. You can clean up a computer by searching for files that end with a .tmp extension.If you are using Windows, right click on Start and then click Explore. Click to highlight your hard drive (typically c:). Click Search>All Files and Folders. Type *.tmp and then click Search. Explorer will display a list of temporary files that can be deleted. Click on one of the files. Press Ctrl + A to highlight all of the files. Then, press Delete to delete the files.
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Empty your recycle bin. The recycle bin keeps copies of the files that you delete. You can clean a computer by removing the files from your computer permanently. You do this by emptying the recycle bin.If you are using Windows, right click on Start and then click Explore. Right click on Recycle Bin. Click Empty Recycle Bin>Yes.
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Run an error check on your computer. You can make a computer run faster by removing errors that slow down your computer's performance. If you are using Windows, you can do this by clicking Start>My Computer. Right click on your hard drive (typically c:) and then select Properties. Click the Tools tab>Check Now and then Start.
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Defragment your computer. A computer that has not been defragmented is not going to operate efficiently. To make a computer run faster, defragment your computer so that it will operate in a more logical and faster way. If you are using Windows, you can do this by clicking Start>My Computer. Right click on your hard drive (typically c:) and then select Properties. Click the Tools tab>Defragment Now and then Defragment.
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Clean up your registry. Software is available that will automatically fix any registry errors on your computer. Fixing registry errors can make a computer run faster, including speeding up the time that it takes to boot up your computer when you turn it on.
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Perform this computer maintenance on a weekly basis.
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Tips & Warnings
Computer programs are available to do some of this computer maintenance for you. The programs will prompt you to run them on a regular basis. Look for programs that are specifically intended to make a computer run faster.
If you are not sure if you should remove a file or program from your computer, then do not do it. Err on the side of caution.
