How to Clean up a Slow Performing Computer Colorado

Steps

1. There may be two reasons why your PC is running slow.
   • 1. You haven't cleaned up your PC for a long time.
   • 2. You have got a virus or spyware on your PC.
2. It is suggested you run a virus test firstly with your virus scanner. If you don't have one, you can download one at http://free.grisoft.com/ or http://www.clamxav.com/
   • 1. Firstly, update your virus scanner database
   • 2. Then run the scanner and check whether you have virus on your PC.
3. When you find viruses, Kill them!
   • 3.Then Restart your Computer.
4. Clear up some space on the hard drive. To do this, you need to right click on ?My Computer,? then click on Disk Cleanup and check every box available and click ?clean my computer?.
5. Uninstall useless or programs that you rarely use. Follow the ?Start Menu? to ?Settings? and then to ?Control Panel?. From this screen click on ?Add/Remove Programs? and uninstall programs that are no longer needed. Then double click on ?My Documents?, which will be on your desktop screen, and just remove anything that you know for sure you ?created? and just delete them; you can also delete pictures that you have on the computer. Remember to empty your Recycle Bin after deleting these files because they are still on the hard drive and taking up space; just right click the icon and navigate to ?Empty Bin.?
6. Download and install a spy-ware removing program. It's suggested to get Spybot Search & Destroy; you can get it here http://www.safer-networking.org/ . Install the program and run it; if you are not an advanced computer user, read the directions.
7. Defragment your hard drive; right click on ?My Computer? and in the new screen click the ?Tools? tab. From this tab just click on the defragment button and then run the program. Hopefully if your computer isn?t on its last leg, you should have a vastly improved computer experience.
8. And if possible, avoid creating unnecessary shortcuts- including quick launch on the taskbar, start menu and on the desktop.
9. If this doesn't take effect,
10. You probably don't need to use a registry cleaner.[1]The most common registry errors don't have a significant effect on performance.

Tips

• Always preform a spy-ware scan and virus scan weekly if you do minimal file/program downloads. If you do many downloads weekly then I suggest that you perform it daily.
• Make it an effort to defrag your computer weekly.
• Never install software that you don't intend to use regularly.
• Be careful about what you install; most free downloads from certain sites can/will come with some form of spy-ware/mal-ware/gray-ware or worse possibly a virus.
• To insure safe broadband internet browsing install a firewall program, Micrsoft has one built in with XP, or buy an external firewall router.

Warnings

• When using the spy-ware removal program; be sure to go over the directions thoroughly. Since this program makes changes to the registry you can actually make the computer preform worse than before. If you are not an avid computer user, just clean the detected items that appear in red, or just find a friend that knows more about computers.
• When uninstalling programs be sure you don't need them; some programs are need for the operation of the computer.

Sources and Citations

1. ? http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000643.html

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