Four Steps to a Faster Computer
As a PC owner, from time to time, you get fed up and frustrated with the slowness of your computer. Maybe a certain program takes a long time to load, your PC boot-up time is ridiculously slow, or it takes forever just to do a simple task, like getting the start menu to open up.
Whatever it is, the slow PC problem is a real problem for millions of computer users. While there is not a sure-fire fix for slow PCs that will work, or even help, in every situation, here are the top four ways to speed up your PC.
#1. Reboot
You’d be surprised at just how many people never bother rebooting their computers, and this in itself is a major cause for computers being slow. With so many people having 24 hour Internet connection, and their computers being an integral part of their lifestyle, many people tend to overlook the fact that all computers need to be rebooted frequently.
Bear in mind that many software programs fail to shut down entirely even when you close them. Furthermore, many software programs also contain what is known as a memory leakage and this without a doubt has a direct impact on the computer’s available memory. This is because when a computer is using a large slice of its available memory, there is simply no way for it to be as efficient as what it was designed to be. By rebooting your computer you are essentially allowing it a chance to reset its memory and providing you do this from time to time, you’ll more than likely notice a considerable increase in speed.
#2. Memory upgrade
The amount of available memory has a direct impact on the speed of your computer. At the very least you should have 512 MB RAM, and that if you’re running one of the earlier versions of Microsoft Windows such as XP. On the other hand if you’re using the new Windows 7 operating platform then you’ll need at least 1GB of RAM. In fact, even though Windows Vista is an earlier system, it requires a whopping 1.5GB. Ideally you should have at least 2GB of available memory on your computer if you have a 64-bit system, or if you enjoy playing games.
#3. Defragment your computer
The bottom line is; a hard drive which is never defragmented will always be inefficient. You can be rest assured that if you have not run a defragment tool, you’ll be sacrificing a considerable amount of speed. This is because when the files on your computer become fragmented, your machine has to work much harder in order for you to be able to access those files.
Windows PCs have a built-in defragmentation tool for a reason — you should use it at least once a month to ensure that your files are not heavily fragmented, and you will likely see a nice speed boost once you run a defragmenter, especially after not using it for a while, or ever, for that matter.
#4. Use a registry-cleaning program
Registry cleaners allow you to de-clutter your Windows registry. Which, if you dont know, your registry is like the brains of your computer. When you install or uninstall programs, add or remove drivers, etc, data is added to, and taken out of, your computers registry. However, sometimes programs do not uninstall correctly, or they leave information in the registry which is either just taking up space, or will cause conflicts with certain programs, which in turn can lead to a system slowdown and intermittent errors on your PC. Running a good registry cleaning program every once in a while is recommended if you want to keep your PC at its optimal running state.
For many people, just using the tips which have been mentioned above, has proven to make a noticeable difference in terms of speed. However, you should also bear in mind that practically all computer users will experience a gradual slowdown over a period of time. Of course, this is not something anyone enjoys encountering, especially if it reaches a stage where you need to reformat your computer or take it in for repairs. By applying the tips provided in this article you’ll at least be safe in the knowledge that you’re doing all you can in order to maintain the efficiency of your computer.