How to Speed Up Your Computer. Part 1

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Author: Nathan Segal

Article source: http://www.articlealley.com/. Used with author's permission.

Q: My computer is running slowly. How do I speed it up?

A: This relatively simple question isn't easy to answer,
nor does this problem only affect graphics users, but
pretty much anyone who has a computer with multiple
software software programs, music, etc. and is connected
to the Internet.

Over the next few issues we're going to look at how to
improve the performance of your computer without spending
your hard earned cash. Spending money should be a last
resort, not something you do first.

Many people think that adding more RAM, a faster video card
with more memory, a hard drive or a motherboard upgrade is
the best solution. That may be true, but it could be a
waste of money.

Before you shell out any cash, let me ask you two questions:

1: What was the last thing you did before your computer
started to slow down?

2. When was the last time you defragmented your hard drive?

Your answers will help determine what's wrong with your
computer.

If your answer to number one is related to downloading or
installing software, you might have an attack of spyware. In
the next issue, we'll go into more depth on how you can fix
that problem.

If it's related to having too many programs installed, here
are a couple of quick fixes. If you work on the Windows
platform and have msconfig installed, execute that from the
Run menu. In the System Configuration Utility dialog box,
click on the Startup tab. This shows you what programs are
loaded at startup. Turning off unncessary Startup Items will
speed up your computer.

To learn what each item is on the list, access Google and do
a search for each name that appears in the list. In the results
that appear, you'll learn what each item does and whether it
can be turned off - or not.

CAUTION: Don't do this indiscriminately. If you do, you could
turn turn off your virus protection software and leave your
computer vulnerable to attacks. If you have any doubts about
your capabilities, enlist the help of a qualified professional.

If your answer to number 2 was that you didn't defrag your
hard drive, that's a relatively simple solution. You can use
the software that comes with Windows but a better product is
Diskeeper Pro.

One of the great aspects of this application is the "Set It and
Forget It" feature that allows you to set when you want the
program to run and how often. As an example, you can set the
software to run every night, on weekends only, or set a custom
schedule.

Next week we'll take an in-depth look at Spyware and what to
do about it.

Nathan Segal boosts your PHOTO-PAINT productivity with proven tips, tools and techniques to create better scans, images and prints in his book, The Corel PHOTO-PAINT X3 Insider. Visit hisblog
for free weekly graphics/photography tips.

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