K Purdenn asked:


A brand new computer will not need a computer speed test because you are sure that it will run smoothly. As you use your computer you will come to notice that its performance gradually slows down. To make sure that your computer is performing as it was indicated in the package you need to perform a computer speed test.

There are different ways on how you can conduct computer speed test:

1. Look for a software that allows you to measure the speed of the computer’s CPU. This will give you an idea on how well your computer is doing. The CPU speed test application will let you compare your computer’s CPU score with other ratings internationally. If your computer’s measurement is in Mhz then you need to upgrade your system. Your CPU should be running not less than 1 Ghz especially when you are going to install large programs such as games or web development or programming tools.

There are also other computer speed test applications that will indicate if your computer is doing well by the color. Like for instance if the color is green the computer is functioning as stated by the manufacturer. If the color is red it means that the computer is running faster more than what was indicated in the package. For the color yellow, it means that the computer is running a bit faster.

There are also other computer speed tools that can indicate errors on the computer. Then it will provide solutions that will address the problem reported. And you have the option to push through with the repair or not.

These tools are for free so you can download several of these and compare the results you obtained from each of the application. Make sure that you uninstall the programs after use unless you decide to keep it.

2. The second method to perform computer speed test is very simple and you do not need any tool. First restart your computer and time its start up. Then take note of it. Browse through the programs that you have installed in the computer. If you have programs that you are not using then remove it.

Then remove temporary files, cookies, check the registry for corrupt or damaged files and clear the Internet cache. This can be done by using the cleanup utilities in the Microsoft Windows. This will free up space on the hard disk and memory of the computer. Then scan the computer for virus infections. Make sure that the virus/es found are deleted immediately by configuring the settings of the antivirus program,

After doing so, restart the computer and time it again. Compare the number to the first one that you took. You will notice that the computer starts faster and programs are loading smoothly.

But if the computer is still taking time to start up then your best bet will be to reformat the computer. It is safer to let a computer technician do this job. Just make sure that you have installers for the programs that you are going to need.

Computer speed tests will also evaluate the computer’s registry. Detecting registry errors will help the computer run faster because it will get rid of the complications occurring in the computer. The registry is where almost all important files are stored so it is important to maintain it in a good condition.



GALEN

Paul Java asked:


A computer is a complex machine and the amount of usage can be a guide to determine need for maintenance and protection. To extend life of computer, it must be regularly serviced as we do for various machines and tools that we use such as automobile or any machinery in factory. Like your scheduled oil change or tune-up, your computer needs regular maintenance. The following steps about maintenance of personal computer can help extend life of your personal computer.

1. Check physical environment: You need to check whether your computer is placed in an environment with correct room temperature and sufficient ventilation. There must not be much humidity as that may spoil delicate parts. Good ventilation allows machine to cool faster, though your computer has an internal fan. Appropriate environment can go a long way in extending life of your computer. For the hot summer climates, your pc needs adequate air conditioning. Anything over 75 degrees can damage the overall effectiveness of your machine and possibly cause hardware malfunction. Sufficient fans

Help cool the system, the motherboard, and the CPU.

2. Check electric setup: Electricity is an essential factor that determines the longevity of your personal computer. Surges, spikes and sags in electric supply can damage computer thus shortening its lifespan. To extend life of computer, make sure good electrical condition prevail for your computer. It is advisable to have uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with surge protector to meet any contingencies like power outage or poor quality of electricity. This can be a lifesaver if the power cuts off for any reason.

3. Check electronic setup: For extended life span of computer, it is pertinent to automate preventive computer maintenance. You should have important software updates, virus protection, and computer firewall protection automated so as to protect your computer from virus and spyware and this in turn will help in longevity of your computer.

4. Regular cleaning and maintenance: Proper and safe cleaning will go a long way in extending life of your computer. You must clean and maintain your computer’s innards on a regular basis. Lot of dust and debris gets accumulated after use of computer for a period of time. Removing this dust and debris that has been build up from fan and other components will clean up your computer and extend its life along with increasing its speed and performance.

5. Preventative maintenance: There are some tasks that have to be performed on monthly or yearly basis to prevent your computer from performing at its best. Cleaning of temporary files and emptying recycling bin are the tasks that have to be performed on a monthly basis. This will clear the clutter and increase the space of hard disc thus extending life of compute along with increasing its speed. You need to scan hard drive for virus and malware and defragment your hard disc so as to prevent virus attack and to patch up fragmented files. This will extend life of your computer along with increasing its speed.



BUFORD

Warren Franklin asked:


Let’s face it for many being on the computer is hassle-full. Being on the computer isn’t fun and productive any more.

Whether your home or business computers are online or offline over time they seem to slow down and many times crash. Being on the computer isn’t fun and productive any more. What is it that

causes these problems?

It’s my experience that the average individual knows a lot about his/her chosen field and very little about computer repair services and protecting information stored on a home or business computer.

Most of us are looking for a simple easy way to work or play on our computer. Unfortunately, computers have become complicated, necessary tools. Yet, it seems, several months after purchasing a computer it begins to bog down and run slower. You might experience mysterious freeze ups and crashes. Once this problem turns into a nuisance, generally, the computer is taken into a computer repair service shop where it will be out of commission for a week or so and a few hundred dollars spent to clean it up.

Most people don’t understand the relationship between a slow running computer and cyber-crime. Yet, the relationship is huge. There is a huge need to develop safe computer practices and rely on

an emerging computer industry called “Personal Computer Services.”

One of the ways I like to describe computer safe practices is by comparing it to safe dental practices. We are encouraged to develop an everyday practice of flossing and cleaning teeth, right? We do this to keep the teeth clean and avoid dental problems like infection and tooth decay in the future. In other words we do this to avoid dental hassles. We want a hassle-free dental experience.

Now, when you compare best dental practices to keeping your computer running like new, you need to implement similar measures. Only this time instead of brushing and flossing you have to develop safe computer practices including purchasing the computer repair service money can buy. On top of that, you’ll also need to set up a safe practices guideline for everyone in your family.

A slow running computer or a computer that crashes frequently may be a sign of Malware (Trojans, viruses, worms, and other malicious code) on your computer. These hacker tools not only can be used to steal sensitive information from your computer they slow your computer down or even cause computer crashes. Unfortunately, traditional over-the-counter computer protection products don’t keep up with this growing problem. If they did would we continue to have these problems?

Over the last three years there’s been a huge shift from curious hackers to professional hackers creating devious methods to steal proprietary information from computers like yours. This evolving threat is costing individuals and businesses tens of billions of dollars every year. V. McNiven, an advisor to the U.S Department of treasury has stated, “The proceeds from cyber-crime are now greater than the sale of illegal drugs.

These evil hackers continue to find more devious ways of stealing financial and proprietary information. It is important that every individual, family and business have a computer repair service plan in place to protect themselves from these cyber terrorists.

You might be surprised to learn that computers that don’t go online are vulnerable through file sharing from infected flash drives, cds and floppies. These devices, when infected, can install scrambling software or logic bomb software that opens up the possibility of extortion to get your proprietary information back.

A 2007 PC Magazine survey of 42,000 PCs worldwide released last September showed the top speed killers. The problems included:

· Over 52 percent of the PCs surveyed were clogged up with spyware

· Over 60 percent of the PCs surveyed had un-optimized Internet settings slowing the Internet down and even signaling that spyware and other malware have secretly stolen portions of your bandwidth to run on your PC.

· Surveyed computers also contained an average of twelve serious registry problems per unit that may have been caused by spyware and other malware.

Incredible, many of these computers are supposedly protected by the over-the-counter products that aren’t doing what they promise to do. So how can individuals and small businesses protect against identity theft, fraud and extortion? How can they get their computers back to running like new again?

Here are six crucial steps to protecting your computer and making it fun and productive again:

1. Keep your computers patched. Microsoft has automatic patch updates. Make sure are signed up to receive them.

2. Use professional enterprise grade anti-virus and anti-spyware at the email and web gateways. Install a professional grade by-directional firewall to guard against backdoor threats.

3. Use sender-authentication technologies, such as Sender Policy Framework (SPF) to make phishing far more difficult since – In theory – phishers will only be able to send their spam from “unapproved” domains.

4. Develop and enforce a password policy. This will make passwords difficult to be guessed. Use a different password for each situation. Make sure these passwords are changed frequently. If you use one password for every web site, for example, and a phisher manages to steal it, all of your online activity is at risk. Sophos, an enterprise grade Internet Security Company, recently conducted a business poll and discovered 41 percent of the respondents were using the same password for all web sites.

5. Keep an eye on the advice from organizations promoting safe computing. Many of their web sites will list the latest threats, and give advice on how to protect your home and business against them.

6. Always report suspicious activity.

Just as important, find a computer repair service that offers “Personal Computer Services.” Your personal computer service should include online repair at no additional cost. The end result: hassle-free computing making being on the computer fun and productive again. With the right computer repair service, using computers at home and at work should be hassle-free allowing you to focus more on your home and business activities.



AHMAD

Mi Tsung Chang asked:


The use of computer graphics can be traced as far back as 1940, when Jay Forrester at M.I.T. designed equipment for training new pilots. The digital computer was chosen as the ideal instrument, because of its adaptability and the flexibility with which the machine could be programmed. It was not until a few years later that a radar defense system project named Whirlwind showed the first practical use of computer graphics (see fig. 1.2). Whirlwind is a computer linked to radar sites, and it displays an electronic map of the location on its monitor with plot blips that represent incoming airplanes. Whirlwind is the first vacuum-tube computer capable of drawing lines and points on a computer screen.

In 1958, an experimental filmmaker, John Whitney, Sr.,created a short animation by using the analog computer to control the movement of the character. Whitney used the same system to create the opening title sequence of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. Later Whitney and his brother produced more films based on similar techniques.

In 1957, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) opened its company with only three employees. Three years later, DEC introduced the PDP-1 (Programmed Data Processor), the world’s first small interactive computer (see Fig. 1.3). DEC has played a huge role in the development of computer graphics. “The Programmed Data Processor (PDP-1) is a high-speed, solid state digital computer designed to operate with many types of input-output devices with no internal machine changes. It is a single address, single instruction, and stored program computer with powerful program features. Five-megacycle circuits, a magnetic core memory and fully parallel processing make possible a computation rate of 100,000 additions per second. The PDP-1 is unusually versatile.

IBM helped General Motors to develop DAC-1 to showcase General Motors’ automobiles at the Joint Computer Conference in Detroit in 1964. The breakthrough came when Ivan Sutherland at M.I.T. created a computer drawing program called Sketchpad in 1961. Sketchpad is the father of all CAD programs. Sutherland created this sketching program for his doctoral thesis at M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory. Sketchpad allowed users to draw simple shapes on the computer with a light pen. The light pen used a small photoelectric cell in its tip to emit an electronic pulse when the pen was placed in front of a computer screen. Many software companies still use Sutherland’s Sketchpad program’s interface today. This was the first instance in the history of computer graphics that demonstrated the possibility of Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD). Sutherland’s Sketchpad was a perfect example of vector-based graphics comprising lines rather than being based on pixels.

The first video game was created by a student, Steve Russel, at M.I.T. in 1961. Spacewar was the world’s first video arcade game that was written for the DEC’s PDP-1. Later DEC packaged Spacewar with every new unit, so the world’s first video game was run on DEC. By the end of the 1960s, CADD began to appear in the mechanical, civil, chemical, and automobile industries. However, such advancement in digital technology had not captivated the field of architecture. The main reason for the delay was perhaps the high cost associated with CAD systems at the time.

Major corporations such as TRW, General Electric, Lockheed-Georgia and Sperry Rand began to use computer graphics. IBM introduced the first commercially available graphics computer, the IBM 2250 graphics terminal, as a result of the new found interest in computer graphics.

In 1963, the mouse was being invented by Doug Englebart of the Stanford Research Institute. At the same time, the digitizing tablet was being developed. Both the mouse and the digitizing tablet are 2D point devices; therefore you need to switch X and Y coordinates to access a Z coordinate. True 3D pointing devices come at a high cost, which is a major reason why the mouse is still a popular pointing device today. Products such as Spaceball by 3Dconnexion or 3D Controller by Logitech prove effective in 3D space. These products enable the user to pan, zoom and rotate 3D models with accurate control of the design process.

To follow is a list of important events in the 1960s that profoundly affected the future of computer graphics.

1961- Whitney produced the title sequence for Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo by using an analog computer.

1963- Doug Englebart invented the world’s first mouse. At about the same time, the digitizing tablet was developed.

1966- Ralph Baer at Sanders Associates created a first video game for consumers. The same year, Sutherland at MIT invented the computer-controlled head-mounted display system. Many years later, this device is being used for virtual reality study.

1968- Evan and Sutherland created the LDS-1 (Line Drawing System) for hardware-accelerated graphics. LDS-1 is more than 100 times faster than the IBM 2250.

If the 1960s were an era of experimentation in computer graphics, the 1970s saw the birth of the personal computer. Many theories brought computer graphics to a new level of realism. In 1974, Ed Catmull discovered texture mapping, z-buffers and rendering curved surfaces in his Ph. D. thesis in computer science.

In 1971, Phong Bui-Toung at Utah developed a new shading method that was an improvement on the old Gouraud-shading. Phong’s shading method accurately renders the colors on a mesh surface and produces accurate reflective surface shading, but both Gouraud and Phong’s shadings have difficulties in smoothing over the outline edge of a 3D object.

In 1976, James Blinn of Utah developed a new technique called Bump mapping. Bump mapping can simulate the roughness of a surface by interpreting a grey scale map.

Today you don’t need to develop your own 3D software in order to render realistic images. You don’t have to be a millionaire to purchase a computer that runs 3D software. Creating computer rendering is not an impossible dream, but a reality.

 

 



ALAN

Kel. Purden asked:


Having a slow computer can really cause someone terrible stress in this age of technological dependence. There are so many things that can only be accomplished through the services of a computer that works at high speed, including the fast completion of important office documents or school assignments, Internet-based research, and other use of computer programs and applications. If you have a computer that runs painfully slow, it’s understandable why you should feel frustrated. Thus, having your computer repaired as soon as possible is essential.

However, having your computer professionally fixed can be costly - and you can end up feeling even more frustrated with the huge amount you need to shell out just to have your computer running fast again. The good news is that you can fix your slow computer totally free of charge today, all on your own and without expensive assistance. All you have to do is read on.

One of the prime suspects in the presence of speed problems in a computer is chaos in the registry. The registry acts as the thinking tool of the computer, which means that it houses all the files that a computer has and organizes these files in order to make the computer meet the requests or commands of the user. If your registry is full to the brim, your computer would most definitely have difficulty managing the files efficiently and quickly. In order to solve slow computer problems, it is important that you keep your registry properly fixed using a tried and tested registry cleaner program or software.

Aside from the use of a proven program or software to clean out your registry, you also need to check other parts of your computer that also house files, particularly your recycling bin and your temporary files folder. It is a common misconception among users that once they delete a file, said file immediately gets removed from their computer system. On the contrary, the file is only transferred to another area, which is nowhere else than the recycling bin. The presence of too many files slows down a computer’s performance, so it is a must that the recycling bin be emptied not just once but on a regular basis. Meanwhile, the temporary files folder houses the Internet browser’s history and cache. Just like the recycling bin, the temporary files folder can get full if left ignored. Emptying it every now and then can reduce incidents of slow computer problems.

Computer files can really wreak havoc on a computer system. Sometimes, files wander around the hard drive and hide themselves in random folders where they do not belong. In order to solve this particular problem and deal away with a slow computer, performing def ragging on the hard drive is vital. A simple but thorough def ragging arranges your files and puts them in their proper locations. Defragmentation is actually one of the most basic things that a user should do to ensure top-speed performance of his or her computer.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on computer repairs if you have a slow computer. With a few tricks up your sleeve, like the ones you just read, you can solve your computer’s speed problems in no time and with no repair expenses.



SCOTTY

Laprentiss Sampson asked:


Essentially, computers run smoothly over a series of commands. This process allows the user to be able to download and run certain applications. Whatever application you are running in your computer, it is supported by certain commands and would also take up memory in your computer. These lists of commands are located in the computers’ registry. Any task that you want your computer to do, it would automatically refer to the registry and find the information that is needed for your computer to do the wanted task. Over a period of time, it is inevitable that your computer would eventually experience some errors, as instructions and information in your registry gets messed up. As a result, your computer would slow down and worst case, your computer would crash. In order to fix computer errors, there are easy tasks that you can do by yourself at the comfort of your home, without any expensive professional help.

One way is to clean your hard disk, so that the performance of your computer will be improved. Your computer gets fragmented when your hard disk is filled up with unwanted files and junk data. If you already experience that your computer is taking up time in operating programs or opening files, this just simply means that the system had the hard time locating the information or the files that they need as a result of fragmentation. Disk Clean Up tool and Disk Defragmenter are provided by Windows. Simply, the Disk Clean Up tool in Windows will clean up space in the hard disk. In this process, the tool will find and suggest the files that are no longer needed and you can safely remove. Thus, giving you the option whether to delete some or all of the files. Examples of unwanted hard disk files are: Recycle bin, program set up files, temporary file folders, outdated system restore points, browser history and unwanted programs. The disk defragmenter tool would fuse all files stored and speed up your computer.

By performing a virus scan in your computer, the system will have the chance to be fixed and to be prevented from errors. The virus scan must be updated to really ensure the prevention of virus getting into the system and to make sure that your computer is free from malicious information. A virus is one of the major causes that your computer will behave irregularly.

Fixing problems using Windows XP Boot CD is another way. A lot of times, a virus infection will damage the boot sector of your computer. So by using your Windows XP Boot CD, you can now repair the installation of your Windows XP from the damage that the virus has done. This CD would just require you to perform certain tasks to smoothly start up your computer.

Last but not least, we can prevent future problems and also fix computer clutters and errors by performing a registry scan. By doing so, computer files such as DLL (dynamic link library), EXE (executable), and driver files can already perform entries in the computer and you can already operate properly on your computer. If your registry is damaged or unstable due to unwarranted expansion, the system would significantly slow down and eventually cause some errors. Registry scans that are performed regularly to the system of your computer would detect and also remove unwanted data and files from it. Anyone can do this quite easily and economically with the help and guide from a reliable registry cleaner tool.

Thanks to advance technology, there are many free registry scans that you can get without the hassle of contacting an expensive professional to fix your computer. Registry scans will give you registry maintenance, removing malevolent virus and spyware, scan and repair some registry and computer errors, defragging the registry and also registry back up.

 



KRISTOPHER

Joshep John asked:


I have a desktop computer with Windows XP. It was working fine till last night when I was checking mails suddenly there was a popup which warned me about some spyware or virus and stopped working or you can say it hanged. Now I need to get it fixed so I yellow pages website but did not have any satisfactory result. I decided to call my friend, he advised me to use keywords like- computer support, pc repair, online pc repair, online computer repair etc. while searching on Google or yellow pages website.

I followed the advice of my friend and searched for keywords like- computer support, computer help, online computer support, online computer help, computer repair, pc repair, online pc repair, online computer repair etc. this time I found satisfactory results. I noted the addresses and contact numbers and called them one by one but some of them were charging too high or were not able to explain that what exactly happened to my computer?

So again I searched on Google website using keywords like- computer support, computer help, online computer support, online computer help, computer repair, pc repair, online pc repair, online computer repair etc. this time again I got some names and address again I called them but to get the support I need to take the computer to their shop which was really difficult for a person like me who is sixty five years old. So again I decided to call my friend and take his help.

My friend advised me to search on Alta Vista this time, I followed his advice searched for the keywords such as computer support, computer help, online computer support, online computer help, computer repair, pc repair, online pc repair, online computer repair etc. This time I came to know about iYogi Technical Services. I called them and hired their services; their technician took the remote control of my computer and fixed the problem. Since then my system is working fine. I am very happy with iYogi Services.



GONZALO

Amy Nutt asked:


Everyone with a computer will encounter some type of error or unexplained crash. There are many instances when a user will consider enlisting the services of a computer maintenance expert to fix their problem. Before calling a computer technician, there are a number of things you can try to resolve the error. If the following repair measures do not resolve the problem, you should contact a computer maintenance expert:

1) If you are having a connection problem, your internet provider may be having problems. Check your own connections to make sure a cable is not unplugged. Unplug each of your devices and reconnect each cable to make sure you have a good connection.

2) A message saying your computer is low on memory does not always mean you have to buy more memory. Click on the Task Manager and close hidden programs to free memory.

3) If you have memory errors, run a current virus checker.

4) If your computer crashes, reboot it, and run ScanDisk to see if there is an error. The scandisk will fix the error. You can also defragment your computer. It will put files back in order and free up disk space.

5) If your computer crashes before you have saved your file, use autorecovery to retrieve the lost file. The file may also be located in a temporary file folder. Check your temporary file folder to see if the file is there.

6) If your computer freezes, enter Ctrl-Alt-Del. It will bring up a list of running programs. Check to see if a program is not responding. Click on the program and choose ‘end program’. You can also reboot your computer to see if it resolves the problem

When you see a message that says you have a motherboard failure, you need to contact a computer maintenance expert. After trying all measures to resolve the problem with no success, you should contact a computer maintenance expert. They will work remotely from their own computer, come to your home or office, or you can take your computer to their office. Maintain a record outlining everything you have tried so they don’t have to repeat them.

Computer maintenance experts provide the following services:

- Replacing missing or corrupt driver files

- Updating and reconfiguring a motherboard system

- Performing hardware diagnostic on hard drives, memory, CPU, and motherboard systems

- Hard disk optimization and defragmentation

- Downloading and installing updated driver files

- Antivirus checks to locate potentially dangerous dormant viruses within your system. They will remove the viruses from your computer

- Updating your system with the latest software

- Checking for communication conflicts

- Cleaning up old files

- Identifying corrupt or missing driver files

- Checking and repairing your computer registry

- Resolving computer fatal errors

- Repairing invalid system boot configurations.

- Reinstalling or repairing operating systems.

- Small network installation and configuration

- Scanning hard disk for boot record problems

- Restoring slow computers to their original performing speed.

- Repairing , restoring, and troubleshooting the internet connection

- Recovering and extracting data from faulty computers

- Computer setup and security

This is just a small list of the many services a computer maintenance expert provides. In order to help keep your computer free of serious errors, you should clean your equipment regularly. You should also back up your data so you do not lose important documents in the event of a serious computer crash.

Computer maintenance experts are qualified to deal with any computer issue. They are certified from accredited schools and experienced in all computer areas. If you find yourself in a situation where you have had no success resolving your problem, your best option is to contact a computer maintenance expert.



SYDNEY

K. Purden asked:


With computers virtually in every home and office all across the globe, their importance to our daily lives have been felt greater with each passing day. We are now heavily relying on computers to help us with our office productivity as well as make our lives a little bit easier at home. But computers are just machines and therefore capable of breaking down from time to time. Should this happen, we are sure to find a free computer fix either through the computer shops or online where we can seek help for our computer related problems.

Getting a free computer fix is more achievable if done online unlike when you would try at any computer shop. I really doubt if there is a computer shop who will be willing to give you a free computer fix. After all, it’s their business to fix computers and understandably, they expected to earn from it.

Now if you want a free computer fix then you will have to do it yourself. There are two things that you can do. One is you can search for help and follow the instructions stated or you can download a software that will help fix your computer. Let us first discuss finding help from others.

A simple web search for your computer problem will give you countless results on advice and tips on how to fix your computer. There are websites, blogs, wikis and other such sites that you can find that offer help on how to conduct a free computer fix. The thing is, you will have to do everything yourself. You will just have to follow the instructions stated on the website. You must follow it to the letter and make sure that you truly understand what you are being told to do. Remember that the computer is a sophisticated and advanced machine that can easily be damaged with just a few tinkering of its parts.

As much as possible, try to find at least two other sources that deal with the same computer problem. This is to make sure that you are following the advice of not just one, but at least two computer experts. It will give you better peace of mind knowing that more than two people are advising the same thing.

Another way to get your free computer fix is by downloading and installing a software. There are computer programs, both free and proprietary, that offer to help fix your computer. These are usually registry cleaners, anti-spyware and anti-virus programs. Some provide a combination of these computer programs so you only need to download just one software.

These are two of the common and popular ways that you can get a free computer fix. The important thing to remember is before you try out a software or a process, you should do a double check first by asking someone more knowledgeable than you or at least find other resources that deal with the same topic. If you do this, you can easily and quickly fix your computer.



REX

Mr. Guru asked:


Ok.  So your computer is getting on your very last nerve. It’s slow, it takes forever to boot up, your programs are sluggish, it crashes frequently and for no reason, video and audio playback are slow and seem to “skip”, the internet seems lethargic…. So you say to yourself “Maybe it’s time for a new computer!”

Not so fast. A new computer may not be the only answer to your problems. Your computer may just need some cleaning and optimizing or it may be in need of an upgrade. Most people don’t realize that your computer takes on added duties and responsibilities as you use it or “it grows older.”  Every time you load a new program, or surf the web certain files are added to the registry or saved to your computer. The larger the registry gets and the more files that are on your computer directly affect how fast your computer is. There are several things that you can do to clean and/or optimize your machine. Doing this will enhance your performance. Here are some examples of things you can do to “Clean up” your computer. If you are not familiar with these procedures or don’t feel comfortable performing them, call or contact one of the vendors listed at the end of the article and they can do this for you for a very feasible fee.

1.       Uninstall unused programs  –  If you go to your Control Panel and click on the Add/Remove programs icon, a list will come up that shows most of the programs installed on your machine. If you click on the name of a particular program, it will become highlighted and you can then choose to uninstall it. Uninstall anything that you really don’t use… for instance, if you used to use AOL as you internet provider and now have cable or a phone providers internet service, then the AOL program and all of it’s features are no longer needed (unless you prefer using the aol interface instead of using a standalone browser, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape, etc.)

2.       Check for and uninstall “stealth” programs  –  I call them “stealth” programs because a lot of times they are installed unbeknownst to the user. For example when you download the free Acrobat Reader from Adobe, there is a little checkmark that is displayed that says “install the free Google Toolbar.” If you don’t carefully read through all the screens, this program is installed even if you may not have particularly wanted it. Many programs that we install from the internet have “add-ons” that may sneak by you if you are not careful…. So check for those and remove them.

3.       Delete your Temporary Internet Files  – Every single time that you get onto the internet and visit a website, files are saved to your computer. The purpose of these files is to store some of the images and other portions of the page so that when you visit the site again, it loads faster because the files can be pulled from your machine. Periodically, these files should be deleted. Depending on the amount of surfing you do, these files can take up a lot of space and will thus, slow your computer down.

4.       Delete unwanted/unneeded files  –  In order to perform the processes that you ask your computer to perform, it uses three main components; the processor, the memory and the hard drive. The three components work in conjunction to perform any process or function that you ask the computer to perform.  Deleting old, outdated, unwanted files from your computer frees up disk space which in turn allows your hard drive to perform better and will allow your computer to perform better.

5.       Perform a “defrag” – A “defrag” or disk cleanup goes through the sectors of your hard drive and frees up unused space and streamlines how the files that are on your computer are stored. The hard drive is checked for files that are fragmented (parts of a file in one place and parts in another) and repositions them so that they are streamlined and clustered together. This process allows your hard drive to perform better and will allow your computer to perform better.

6.       Run “MsConfig” – Running MsConfig our computer will allow you to determine what programs and features are being started when you boot up your computer. Most times, you will find that not all of the programs that are listed are wanted or needed and, as I mentioned before, every little thing that is run or started when you turn on your computer contributes to the degradation of speed.

Perform these small steps and you will see an improvement in your machines performance. Is it enough to make you want to hang on to that old machine? Well, that’s for you to decide. If so, great! If not, maybe you need to upgrade. Check out part 2 of this article where we discuss the benefits of upgrading. In the meantime, for more great answers to your computing problems…. Check out the blog and maybe we’ll write an article that addresses your particular need !

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