How to Speed Up a Computer & Fix for Free
If your computer is running slowly and crashing often, you might be tempted to trash it and look for a brand new system. But before you shell out hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a brand new computer, take a few minutes to resurrect the one you have. A number of free tools are available to help your computer run faster and more efficiently. Some of these tools are already on your computer, while others are free for the downloading.
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Instructions
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Click on the "Start" menu and choose "All Programs" from the menu. Choose "Accessories" and then "System Tools."
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Select "Disk Defragmenter" from the list and click "Defragment" to start the tool. The disk defragmentation tool will look for misplaced files and other issues that could be slowing your computer down. When the computer saves a file, it uses the first available block of space. If that block is not large enough to save the entire file, the operating system puts part of the file in that block and the remainder elsewhere. The defragmentation process arranges the files in logical order, eliminating these fragments and placing them together. That in turn speeds the computer and makes file opening faster. Restart your computer after the defragmentation process is complete.
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Run a full virus scan on your computer. If you do not already have an anti-virus program in place, chances are your system is infected with a number of viruses that not only slow it down but put your personal data at risk. Open your anti-virus program and set automatic scans for at least once a day. Grisoft.com and Trendmicro.com both have free anti-virus programs available. Users can even perform an online scan by going to housecall.trendmicro.com.
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Download two or three anti-spyware programs and run each one on your system one at a time. Fix any problems that are found, then run the program again. It can take two or three passes until all spyware infections have been removed. Set the automatic scheduling on the programs to run at least once a day. Effective free anti-spyware programs include Super Anti-spyware, AdAware and Spybot Search and Destroy.
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Back up your files on a regular basis to avoid loss of data. Attaching an external hard drive and using it to back up your files provides excellent protection.
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Seek professional help with your computer if it continues to run slowly, or if the daily virus and spyware scans continue to show infections. Some viruses and spyware programs can hide out in the computer's registry, and those programs may require the help of a professional computer technician to remove.
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