Speed Up Your PC

Over time, computers start to slow down. In fact, they can become so slow that people think they have viruses, spyware, or are just outdated. However, if you know how to fix a slow PC, you will find your computer will run like new for years to come.

Here are two tips to bring your PC back up to speed.

#1 Defrag Your Computer

Your files and programs are constantly being updated and changed. The files get moved around and become fragmented causing your computer to slow down considerably. Microsoft recognizes this problem in Windows and they have made it one of the easiest things to fix.

• Windows Vista & Windows 7 Instructions:

  • Click Start

  • In the search box type "Disk Defragmenter". It should be the first one on the list.

  • Click Disk Defragmenter

  • Depending on your computer setting, you may need to click continue and a few more "OK" buttons before the defragmenter opens.

  • Click Defragment Now/ Defragment Disk

    • At this point, you will need to select your drive. Usually, this is C:

  • It could take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more to defrag depending on how badly fragmented it was.

• Older Versions of Windows Instructions:

  • Click Start

  • Click My Computer

  • Right Click Local Disk (C:). This opens an dialogue panel where you will click Properties

  • A new window will pop up, click the "Tools" tab

  • Midway down click the "Defragment Now" button

  • Another window and you can click "Defragment"

  • Just like Windows Vista and Windows 7, this could take a while

#2 Cleaning Your Registry

Everything you do on your computer has a file in the Windows registry. Without the registry, your computer would simply run at a snail's pace. Unfortunately, it is sensitive and prone to mistakes.

A power surge, improper shut down, bad installations and so much more can cause an error in your registry. Luckily, the registry works well enough that you will not ever see one of these problems.

However, you might see some signs your registry needs a good cleaning:

• Your computer runs slower than it used to

• You receive DLL, File Not Found, and Extension Errors

• Programs shut down for no reason

• Your computer Freezes

• Your computer shuts down

If you are experiencing these symptoms, then running a free registry scan is a good idea. A legitimate registry cleaner will allow you to scan your computer before you buy it. The process is simple:

• Search for a registry cleaner

• Install the registry cleaner

• Run the cleaner on a regular basis

You would be surprised at how cleaning your registry can actually speed up your computer. It can really make it run like new again.