How To Make my Computer Run Faster for Free
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
When purchasing a computer system, users are normally prefer faster machines with the ability to store more information and make use of newer technologies. However, these new machines eventually will experience a dip in their performance leading to a notable slowdown which at times creates frustration to the end user. To some, it is unthinkable to spend more money just to be able to maintain the machines running condition in top performance after shelling out huge amounts in purchasing it. The good news is that there are some good computing practices which when applied can prevent or minimize the slowing down of the machine's performance and gain more mileage for your buck.
Materials Needed:- Computer
- Web browser
- Windows Operating System
- Internet connection
Step 1
Make sure that you received critical and regular updates for your operating system and installed applications. Launch the Web browser and connect to the website of the developer of your software or Operating System to download and install program updates.
Step 2
For Microsoft Windows based computer systems, the Operating System provides an option to allow for the downloading and installation of automatic updates. Activate it by clicking on the Start button and selecting the Control Panel option.
Step 3
Click on the Security Center option and make sure that the Automatic Update option is turned on. This will allow your machine to function properly and take advantage of newer technologies. This is also the way how developers fix programming errors in their software.
Step 4
Any computer system must have adequate protection from viruses and other malicious software. Search the Internet for free protection programs. Download and install them in your machine and make sure to keep it updated.
Step 5
Unused programs are just eating up hard drive space which the system can allocate for other worthwhile operations. Go to the Add/Remove Programs option of the Control Panel. Click on the appropriate programs that are not being used and uninstall them.
Step 6
Open Windows Explorer and right click on the hard drive icon. Select Properties and click on the Tools tab.
Step 7
Choose the Disk Cleanup option to remove unnecessary and temporary files stored in the hard drive. This will not only remove the clutter but also provide more space for other programs to operate faster.
Step 8
After completion of the Disk Cleanup, it is time to fix hard drive fragmentation. Click on the Defragment Now option. Click the Analyze button to begin the process. This will make sure that all files are arranged as close to each other as possible making the read operation faster.
Step 9
Close all open windows and restart the machine after completion of the two processes.
Step 10
After rebooting, click on the Start button and select the Run option. Type msconfig and press the OK button.
Step 11
The System Configuration Utility window will be displayed. Click on the Startup tab. Remove the check in the box for items that should not be loaded on system startup.
Step 12
Click on the OK button to restart the machine automatically and apply the system changes. Upon restart of the system, only necessary programs will be allowed to run freeing up valuable system resources.
Step 13
Aside from the general hardware requirements, some computer programs also have software requirements prior to installation. Double check if you need to update or upgrade your Operating System or if there is a need to download other tools or utilities.