How to Optimize Your Hard Drive in 3 Easy Steps

If your computer is running slower these days and you want to speed things up, the first step is to optimize your hard drive. Optimizing your hard drive is safe, easy and very important to the proper maintenance of your computer. You should follow these steps every 3 to 6 months to ensure your computer's best performance.

Instructions

Disk Defragmentation

1. 

   Click on the "Start" menu in the lower left-hand area of your computer screen.

2. Go to the folder titled "My Computer."

3. Right-click on Local Disk (C:)."

4. Click on the "Properties" option.

5. Click on the "Tools" tab option at the top of the Properties dialog box.

6. Click on the "Defrag Now" button.

Disk Clean Up

1. 

   Click on the "Start" menu in the lower left-hand area of your computer screen.

2. Go to the folder titled "My Computer."

3. Right click on "Local Disk (C:)."

4. Click on the "Properties" option.

5. Click on the "General" tab option at the top of the Properties dialog box.

6. Click on "Disk Clean Up."

Optimize Your Programs

1. Click on the "Start" menu in the lower left-hand area of your computer screen.

2. Click on "Control Panel."

3. Click on the icon that says "Add or Remove Programs."

4. View all the programs installed on your computer, taking note of the last time you accessed or used each program. Delete any old or unused programs.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are running a Windows Vista, your computer is already set to automatically run disk defragmentation.

• When deleting old or unused programs, take special note of the last time you accessed this program and how often you access it. Just because you don't recognize the name, does not mean your computer doesn't need it to function. Proceed with this step with caution.