5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Computer

There is only one thing more frustrating than working on a slow running computer, and that's a computer that freezes up and quits running altogether. Here are a few simple tasks you can perform that will help speed up your computer and keep it running more efficiently. Spring clean your computer today with the tips we've listed here. These suggestions will work for any Microsoft Windows-based PC.

5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Computer:

1. Speed up your computer by removing unused programs

When you have unused programs sitting in your computer, they take up disk space and slow the system down. To clean up your computer and rid them of unused programs, you can uninstall them by doing the following. Go to your computer's Start Menu and click on the Control Panel. Find the area marked Add or Remove Programs and select the programs you would like to uninstall.

2. Speed up your computer by freeing up disk space

Use the Disk Cleanup to remove temporary Internet files, clean out the recycle bin, remove Windows temporary files, and other things that can cause your computer to run slow. To do this, locate 'System Tools' under your computer's Start Menu and click on the 'Disk Cleanup' option. Your computer will identify which files can be safely removed.

3. Speed up your computer by running updates

If there are any updates that need to be installed, don't ignore them! Your computer will run slowly if there are updates waiting to be ran. If you're unsure whether there is an update available for Microsoft available, go to your computer's Start Menu and go to 'All Programs'. Find the area marked 'Windows Updates' and click on it to see what updates are available.

4. Speed up your computer with the right anti-virus software

After years of trying various anti-virus software programs, I have made the determination that some of them significantly slow down a computer. For example, Norton and McAfee bogged my system down and made it almost impossible to use the computer whenever the anti-virus ran. However, Trend Anti-Virus didn't slow it down a bit and I can rest assured that my computer and it's contents are well protected. In other words, find out which anti-virus works best for you and stick with the one that helps speed up your computer and keep it safe.

5. Speed up your computer with regular use of the Disk Defragmenter

All Window-based Pc computers contain a Disk Defragmenter, which consolidates fragmented files that can slow down your computer's speed. You can program your computer to defrag on a schedule so that it cleans itself. To do this, go to your computer's Start Menu and find System Tools under 'Accessories'. Click on 'Disk Defragmenter' and select how often, what day, and what time you want the system to defrag itself. (For best results, select the 'weekly' option)

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SOURCE:

Personal knowledge

Jennifer Wagner - Yahoo! Contributor Network