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How to Speed Up My Computer

Are you faster than your computer?
Peoples' time is precious!
Humans should not loose time waiting for machines.

If you feel you are ageing in front of a computer that responds slowly, here are some things you can do to improve its speed.

Free up disk space
By freeing disk space, you can improve the performance of your computer. The Disk Cleanup tool helps you free up space on your hard disk. The utility identifies files that you can safely delete, and then enables you to choose whether you want to delete some or all of the identified files.

Defragment Your Hard Drive
Over time, the data on your hard drive gets scattered. Defragmenting your hard drive puts your data back into sequential order, making it easier for Windows to access it. As a result, the performance of your computer will improve.

Detect and repair disk errors
Check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.
The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced

To run the Error Checking utility:
1. Close all open files.
2. Click Start, and then click My Computer.
3. In the My Computer window, right-click the hard disk you want to search for bad sectors, and then click Properties.
4. In the Properties dialog box, click the Tools tab.
5. Click the Check Now button.
6. In the Check Disk dialog box, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start.
7. If bad sectors are found, choose to fix them.

Scan for Viruses / Spyware
Spyware collects personal information without letting you know and without asking for permission. From the Web sites you visit to usernames and passwords, spyware can put you and your confidential information at risk. In addition to privacy concerns, spyware can hamper your computer's performance.
To combat spyware, you might want to consider using antivirus programs or spyware scanners.
Helpfull links:
Commercial antivirus / anti spyware software scanners
Computer Optimizers: Clean and make your PC faster
Free Online Antivirus Scanners

Uninstall Unneeded Programs
Removing programs that you no longer use can free up space on your computer and speed up your system's performance. However, you need to uninstall the programs properly (via the control panel - add/remove programms) to see much improvement; deleting them is not enough.

Stop Programs from starting on Windows boot
One way you can speed up your computer is to prevent programs from launching themselves at start-up. Not only do the unwanted programs delay the start of Windows, they also continue to slow down your computer since they use system resources. Run msconfig to see which programs start automatically and unselect them.