How to Give Your Computer a Software Spring Cleaning

When spring comes, homes usually receive a good spring cleaning, so why shouldn't your computer get a software spring cleaning of its own? As time goes by, various bits and pieces of different things can built up on a computer, degrading its performance and putting it at risk for further problems. Pieces of half-removed programs, unknown viruses, forgotten software, and more can build up without your realizing it. There are a few things you can do to give your computer a thorough software spring cleaning and restore its performance to what it once was.

Instructions

1. Download the latest security updates. No matter what operating system you are using, developers are always releasing patches to fix various security holes that are discovered over time. A lot of malicious programs take advantage of these holes to either damage or take over your computer for their own purposes. Making sure you are up to date will help protect you in the future.

2. Scan for viruses. Either purchase or download a quality antivirus program and give your computer a thorough scan. Viruses and trojan horses are transmitted by various means, frequently through the use of email attachments. These can either damage data or take control of the machine, depending on the one in question. Cleaning them out is imperative to any software spring cleaning.

3. Check for spyware. In recent years, this has become one of the biggest irritants to computer users. It takes many forms and does many things, from taking control of the machine to monitoring keystrokes to stealing personal or financial information. Many repair centers will tell you that most of their consumer business involves the removal of spyware. When you complete this portion of your software spring cleaning, you may be shocked at the improvement in performance.

4. Look over the programs you have installed and running as the next step of your software spring cleaning. If there is anything running in the background that you do not use, remove it from startup. If there is anything installed that you never use, uninstall it. The fewer items that start with your computer, the faster the boot time will be and the faster it will operate.

5. Clean your registry. As you install and remove programs, there are frequently pieces left behind in the registry. A good registry cleaner will not only remove these, but also optimize it for better performance and can eliminate some errors that occur when the machine is started. It is an important, but often overlooked part of software spring cleaning.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are using a solid state hard drive, eliminate the disk defragmenter from your software spring cleaning routine. Solid state drives are unaffected by it.

• It really is recommended that you do this more than once per year. If too much spyware or too many viruses build up, it can make your computer unusable.

• Thoroughly research any registry cleaner before you download it. Many of them are known to be scams.