Speed Up Your PC by Cleaning It Up

There’s no denying it. We’ve become spoiled. The speed of even the slowest modern computer is a far cry from those clunky dinosaurs of 15, 10 or even 2 years ago. Suffice it to say we have all become accustomed to lightning-fast computers. To go back to the sluggish pace of yesteryear’s technology is no longer an option either professionally or recreationally. That’s why you’ll never want to operate your PC at anything other than its peak speed and efficiency.

By following a few basic guidelines you can very easily get that sluggish machine back into fighting shape and keep your frustration to a minimum, while making sure your competition doesn’t leave you in the technological dust.

1. Free Hard Disk Space

To speed up PC function, one of the most important things to do is to check how much free hard disk space you have. Freeing up space on your hard disk can drastically improve your PC’s overall operating speed. Microsoft offers a Disk Cleanup utility program that allows you to sift through your hard disk and delete as many unused or unimportant files as you want. Uninstalled programs that you never used, temporary internet files (often the biggest space wasters in a computer’s system), optional Windows files and the like, may all currently be taking up space on your hard disk and contributing to a lethargic and unresponsive machine. Getting rid of these unnecessary files is a great step toward speeding up your PC.

2. Defragmentation

If files on it become fragmented, your computer has to work overtime sifting through its hard disk to put the pieces of the puzzle back together. When you think how complicated a puzzle of this magnitude really is, you will understand why your computer seems to be moving so slowly. Windows offers a utility called Disk Defragmenter that reorganizes jumbled and fragmented files in a way that allows them to be accessed in a more streamlined manner. This defragmentation has the happy result of helping your computer to operate much more smoothly and efficiently.

3. Rid Yourself Of Viruses and Malware

It’s always critical that you are running some form of tried and trusted anti-virus program on your computer. It’s also important that whatever program you choose provides automatic updates to keep your software up-to-date. If you aren’t running an anti-virus program and keeping it updated, you should be. There is no exaggerating how much malware and viruses can slow down your computer with pop-ups, spam, and a myriad of other interfering agents.

4. Locate Disk Errors and Repair Them

Not only does Windows offer Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter, but it also allows you to search for disk errors using the Error Checking utility. People who use their computers every day should run this utility frequently because constant use can lead to bad sectors in your hard drive. Among other things, bad sectors can make it very difficult for you to save files. They can also contribute to the overall slowness of your computer. This Error Checking utility is a must for finding system errors and locating misplaced file folders, which is another problem that will slow your computer way down.

In Conclusion…

These are just the basics of how to speed up PC performance. Although they may seem rudimentary, following through on any one of the above suggestions could be the difference between your computer running like a high performance machine and running like a dinosaur.