Why is My PC Slow

It's a fact of life: even the fastest of PCs slow down eventually. But it's a fact you can do something about. Windows XP comes with some system tools you can use to get some of your PC's original speed back.

The first tool is the disk cleanup utility. Whenever you surf the internet, temporary files and temporary programs get downloaded onto your system. This makes surfing the net easier and faster but eventually can clog up your system and fill up your hard drive. The disk cleanup utility will rid your hard drive of these unneeded files as well as other optional deletions. To reach the utility, go to the Start button, click "all programs", click "accessories" and click "system tools". Choose "disk cleanup" from the list.

A dialogue box opens and displays the various items it suggests for deletion such as temporary internet files, Recycle Bin items and downloaded programs. It also shows you how much disc space it will recover. In addition, you can choose to remove unwanted Windows components, programs you don't use and all system restore points except for the most current one.

The next tool to run is the disk defragmenter. A hard drive becomes fragmented over time which makes your system work harder than it needs to in order to find all the files it needs. The files become scattered here and there. The defrag tool realigns the files so they are easier and faster for programs to access. You can access the disk defragmenter from the disk cleanup utility by clicking "tools" or you can start it by going to the Start button, clicking "all programs", clicking "accessories" and clicking "system tools". Choose "disk defragmenter" from the list and follow the prompts.

The Add and Remove Programs utility is a handy tool for removing unused programs. Not only does it list programs installed on your system, it tells you how large they are as well as how often they are used. A large program hogging up space that is rarely used is a good candidate for removal. Take care though not to remove security updates and hot fixes. Removing those will set your system back.

Whenever you uninstall a program be sure to either use its uninstall feature or go through Add and Remove Programs. Don't just hit "delete" as you will not completely remove it.

Removing programs from the start up items list is another good idea for recovering speed. To do this, use the MSCONFIG command. Simply click the start button, choose "run" and type in "msconfig". A screen appears with several tabs to choose from. Choose "startup" and deselect the programs from the list.

One of the most important tools to run isn't provided with Windows. Instead, you must purchase it or find a reputable free one - an anti-spyware program. Spyware is the latest scourge of the internet, sneaking onto your system and doing all kinds of bad deeds. A side effect of spyware infections is they tend to slow your PC down and hog up resources such as memory, hard drive and bandwidth. Removing these nasty programs will protect your identity and speed up your system.

Make sure to keep your anti-spyware and anti-virus programs up to date and run regular scans. In addition perform regular maintenance and recover your PC's speed.

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