By MICHAEL BUTLER

Tips & Tricks for making your computer go faster

It seems that whenever I listen to complaints from family and friends relating to their computers, they describe it as being “as slow as molasses” or “slower than a
glacier melting”. Yet, when the computer was new, it seemed to perform more quickly. How come the computer slows down over time?

In this article I will focus on the various causes and solutions of computer sluggishness with Microsoft Windows based computers.

1. Installing too much software. Over time, you and your family will have no doubt obtain installed new programs that provide new functionality, whether it be a new game, music player, or production application. Furthermore, printers, digital cameras, MP3 players, and other computer peripherals usually require installation of some software on your computer. The result of all this is that, over time, you will have an assortment of programs, some of them running all the time, when you might not even need them anymore. 

    The solution: Open “Add/Remove Programs” from the Start menu -> Control Panels and see if there are any programs there that you remember using at one time but don’t need anymore. Only remove what you are sure you do not need.

2. Spyware & Adware. These are types of programs that sneak their way into your system, usually by being included with another program that you might want. Some of them are included in web pages that usually trick the user  into clicking “Yes” or “OK” on a prompt. Once in your system, spyware and adware can hog resources by running all the time, and can even provide you with unwanted advertising.

    The solution: Obtain a trusted application like Spybot: Search & Destroy from www.spybot.com. Follow the instructions to simply install it and run a full system scan.

    Get the free McAfee SiteAdvisor at http://www.siteadvisor.com/ that will warn you if you ever go to a known malicious website.   

3. Hard-disk Fragmentation. As more and more files are created and moved around on your computer’s hard drive, the individual parts that make up the digital files begin to get more and more jumbled around. This phenomenon slows down the loading of programs because it takes longer for your computer to find the file.

    The solution: Run the disk defragment tool located at Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Defragmenter. Click the C: drive, and then click Analyze. After a couple of minutes, if it recommends you defragment the drive, click Defragment. This process could take a few hours.

4. Not enough high-speed memory. As programs get more advanced and add more features, they usually require more memory than what your computer originally came with to run smoothly.

    The solution: Installing more (high-speed) memory requires a physical change to your computer which is simple enough for anyone handy with a screwdriver. Alternatively, it may be done by a local professional PC repair service (i.e. On-Site Computer Service http://www.onsitenj.com in Ocean Grove, NJ). Computers produced in the past 5 years use either DDR or DDR2 type memory, and for about 50 to 100 dollars, you could upgrade your PC to 1 or 2 gigabytes of memory, which is the recommended amount now.

5. Dust build up. An often over-looked problem is the physical build up of dust in computer cases. Because computer parts get very hot, they usually require heatsinks and fans to move the heat away. Dust gets sucked in the computer and sticks to the various parts, reducing the cooling capabilities. Believe it or not, a hot computer runs slower than a cool one; it can even crash!

    The solution: Open the computer case according to the manufacturer instructions. Use a can of compressed air and/or vacuum cleaner to force the dust off of the fans and metallic heatsinks. Be careful not to put  pressure or force on any of the internal parts. Computers should be cleaned about twice a year for optimal performance.

Have a question for Michael? He is accepting questions and comments via e-mail.