Windows Accelerator

10 Top Tips for a Faster Computer

Posted on 16. Dec, 2008 by Jason Biddle, MSCE Certified Tech.

If you find your computer has been running rather sluggish lately, then here are 10 top tips to improve its performance and have it running like new.

1. Reduce the Number of Programs

Reduce the number of programs loading at boot up to a minimum. You can see what programs are being loaded by the operating system when it starts up by clicking on Start – All Programs – Start-up.

Before you make any changes to these, it’s a good idea to create a system restore point so you can undo any changes if a mistake is made. To set up a system restore point, select Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools – System Restore.

Once you have created a restore point, go to Start and select Run. A box will appear and into this box type msconfig. Press OK. Select Start-up at the top of the page.

At this point you can choose which programs are not to be loaded as the system boots up. This will only stop the selected programs from being loaded at start-up and will not affect their ability to be used at any time of your choosing. Your computer needs to be restarted to for these changes to come into effect.

2. Install an Anti Spyware Detection and Removal Tool

Spyware should always be deleted from your PC regularly as it can affect the performance of your computer and pose a security risk. If left unattended to these malicious programs can cause harm to your Operating System and result in a system crash. There are many free anti spyware applications available to download from the Internet. Once it is installed, check for updates and then run a full system scan. Remember to schedule a scan to run regularly and don’t forget to keep it updated to guard against the newest threats. We recommend a running a free scan from a trusted program such as XoftSpy.

3. Keep the Windows Registry Well Maintained

The Windows registry is a vital part of your computer therefore it’s crucial to perform regular maintenance on it to keep your PC running smoothly. Daily use of your computer will cause entries in the registry to build up and many of these entries will no longer be necessary. It’s important to use a good registry cleaner to locate and remove this redundant data. A clean registry will ensure optimum performance from your computer. Again, it is a good idea to create a system restore point before carrying out any work in this area.

4. Defrag Your Computer

This will allow your PC to make better use of the hard disk, allocating data to clusters rather than scattered or fragmented around the drive, resulting in faster processing speeds for your PC. To run the defrag tool go to Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools – Disk Defragmenter. Select the drive you wish to defrag and choose which check you want to run – standard or thorough.

5. Make Sure You Have Security Software Installed

This will include applications such as a firewall. These will guard against security threats such as hackers from gaining access to data on your computer.

6. Use a Good Uninstaller Program

This will ensure that any programs you remove from your computer are thoroughly deleted including any files or data associated with it. This will allow more free space on your hard drive and also enable your PC to function properly.

7. Allow Sufficient Space for the Windows Page File

This will ensure your Operating System has enough room to perform tasks. If you wish to increase the space allocated to the Page File you can do so by right clicking on My Computer, select Properties, choose Advanced tab and click on Change under Virtual Memory. The recommended amount of page file memory should be set at one and a half times more than the physical memory. After making any changes, click the Set icon.

8. Use Clean Manager

This is a Windows system tool designed to free up space on your hard drive by deleting any unnecessary or temporary files. Run the Disk Defrag prior to using the Clean up tool. To start the Clean Manager, go to Start and select Run. In the box which appears, type in cleanmgr.exe. Choose the drive you wish to clean and press OK.

9. Always Have Anti Virus Software on Your PC

It’s vital to have a good anti virus application installed on your PC and to keep it updated. It’s a simple and easy to use program which can either be installed from a CD or downloaded from the Internet. Once you have it installed, open the program and click on the icon which allows the software to check for updates. Install any updates and run a full system scan. The program should automatically remove viruses found.

10. Always Seek the Help of a Professional

If you have any hardware problems, always seek help from a pro. Unless you have the necessary computer knowledge and skills you will do more damage to your PC and could incur costly repair bills.

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6 BIOS Settings to Improve Your PC Performance

Posted on 16. Dec, 2008 by Jason Biddle, MSCE Certified Tech.

The BIOS which stands for Basic Input / Output System is a piece of programming which enables your PC to start up. Primarily it carries out a Power On Self Test (POST) which checks that all hardware attached to your PC, including the chipset, video cards, memory and hard drive, are all functioning correctly. The user can configure the BIOS settings, particularly the boot sequence, choosing to start up the PC from a floppy disk, CD or from the hard drive. Tweaking the BIOS settings can improve the performance of your PC.

Making amendments to your PCs BIOS settings can however damage your system so it’s crucial that you understand exactly what you’re doing before you make any changes. If you’re unsure in any way the best thing to do is exit the BIOS Setup without pressing the save option and start again. Here are some simple BIOS tweaks:

1. Disable Any Unused Ports

Each time your PC is switched on, the BIOS scans every port on the motherboard, checking for any devices which are installed. Most of these ports will have no devices installed but the BIOS will still check them, prolonging the boot up time for your computer. To rectify this and speed up the boot process, go to the BIOS Setup and change the Auto setting to Disabled. Whenever you install new hardware, remember to switch it back to Auto so the new hardware will be detected.

 

2. Backup Your BIOS

It’s important to make regular backups of your BIOS settings. If for example your BIOS settings become corrupt, leaving you with a PC which won’t function, you will have the backup data enabling you to restore the BIOS settings to normal. You will also be able to overwrite BIOS settings if you make a mistake when tweaking your BIOS.

 

3. Turn Off Any Built-In Features

Modern motherboards usually have various components and cards already integrated such as video and sound cards or network and RAID cards. These use up the system resources and can cause poor performance particularly if they are rarely used or perhaps even not used at all. You can disable these cards on the BIOS Setup if they are not needed, therefore increasing the system performance.

 

4. Use a Password

If there are other people using your computer it may be advisable to set up an administrator password so that no-one but yourself can make any changes to the BIOS settings. This will prevent any tweaks either intentional or unintentional by other users of your PC.

 

5. Update Your BIOS

The manufacturer of the motherboard installed in your PC will occasionally issue new BIOS versions which will overwrite any current configurations. Check the manufacturer’s website regularly and install any updates for your BIOS. These updates will ensure the stable running of your computer.

 

6. Connect Remotely

If you own a laptop and use it regularly outside of the home, it is possible to configure the BIOS settings to allow you remote access to your home PC. All that’s needed is to change the BIOS settings so that the PC will respond to an external modem. You will need a telephone connection which will then allow you access to your desktop PC.

The performance of your computer will depend on how efficiently the resources are allocated. This is the job of the BIOS so it’s important it is configured correctly and kept updated to ensure an optimal PC performance. Learn how to tweak your PC BIOS settings for best results from your computer.

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