Do you have to wait for a good five minutes before your computer starts up and then another ten minutes for a program/ browser to open? Can get really annoying, huh? Well, you don't have to endure the ordeal of a slow computer. Just a few simple changes to the settings can improve your computer's performance drastically. Check out these five tips to speed up your computer.
Clear the desktop: If you have a gazillion icons on your desktop, that's probably one of the reasons your computer is so slow. For starters, delete all unused desktop icons. Then, move files into your 'My Documents' folder. You can create separate folders in there if need be to help you find them easily. Create shortcuts on your desktop for files and folders you use often. It takes less operating memory for shortcuts than actual files. These simple steps will free up operating memory and speed up your computer's performance.
Remove spyware: Spyware collects personal information like the websites you visit, usernames and passwords without asking for your permission. Apart from putting you and your confidential information at risk, spyware can hamper your computer's performance too. Use a PC safety scan from Windows Live OneCare; it's free and helps check for and remove viruses.
Free up your hard drive: One of the main reasons for slow performance is the space occupied on the disk. Try to keep your hard drive as free as possible. Use a disk clean up tool to help clear space on your hard drive. Also make sure to periodically remove temporary Internet files and downloaded/ installed programs that you no longer use as well as empty the Recycle Bin daily.
Defragment your hard drive: A high level of disk fragmentation could also slow the performance of the computer. Defragmenting your hard drive helps reorganise files and free space back into contiguous areas. One of the biggest benefits of a defragmenter tool is it reduces the time it takes to load programs and open files, thus making your computer that much faster.
Scan and fix disk errors: Over time, your hard drive could develop errors and bad sectors that slow down the performance of your hard disk's performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult or even impossible. Get specialised software to scan the disk for errors and fix the same immediately. If you use your computer frequently, it is advisable to do this once a week to prevent loss of data