Top Free Ways to Speed Up PC Performance
Everyone is looking to speed up PC performance without spending a lot. The good news is, you might not have to overhaul your computer or buy a new one. There are some simple steps you can take to keep your computer running smooth.
Before you even think about taking on any cleanup tasks, you absolutely must back everything up. While there is very little risk associated with these simple cleanup routines, there is always a chance for something to go wrong. And things seem to go wrong far more often when you are not ready.
Another great way to speed up PC performance is to keep the registry clean. This can be done with a registry cleaning program. You can find free versions online, but you will definitely want to check out the local computer store for a high quality piece of software that doesn’t come with the threat of infecting your computer with malware or viruses. A dirty registry is a common culprit when it comes to computers loading slowly or even crashing when loading programs. Using a registry cleaner on a regular basis should be a part of any regular maintenance schedule.
Another easy task you can do is run disk defragmenter. You will probably have to run scan disk first and if you haven’t done this in a while it can take quite some time. A badly fragmented drive can take hours to scan and fix, but the difference afterwards is immense. If you don’t have the time to wait, let your computer defrag itself overnight. It is a hands-free process and your computer can do it all without your help. In order to avoid the long defrag nights, run this process every month to make sure your drives are kept in good working order.
Removing some programs from your startup menu may be a little more rigorous and hands on than the other two methods, but it is no less important. Nowadays, we all have dozens of chat, music and other programs we like to run on our computers. But these programs love to add themselves to your start menu when you install them so that they pop up immediately after your boot your computer. However, this can lead to a huge slow down in loading time. If you remove these programs from the startup menu, you can still load them manually, but they will not load themselves when your computer turns on and they will not hog all that memory.
Network drives are just right for sharing files with friends’ computers, but have you deleted unused drives recently? This is another way to speed up PC performance. Operating systems automatically connect to installed networks when they boot up. You can delete these network drives by clicking on “my computer”, then access the “tools” tab. See it right there? It reads “disconnect network drive”. It is simple and fast!
Finally, you can always buy more RAM. A lack of memory, or even bad memory, can lead to big slow downs with your computer. If everything else fails to speed up your computer, consider purchasing some more memory. It is remarkably cheap compared to other computer components, it is easy to install and you will notice quite a difference. While spending money is usually a last resort, more RAM can be a great way to speed up PC performance.
