5 Ways to Keep Your PC Running Faster

Is your PC running slowly? Microsoft has some recommendations for keeping your PC free of clutter that can help performance and can also save valuable disk space. These few simple tips will help you maintain your PC and maximize performance.

• Run The Windows Live Clean Up Scanner

The cleanup scanner available from Microsoft at http://safety.live.com/site/en-US/scanner/ is a utility that checks your hard disk for any unnecessary files and deletes them (with your permission). The cleanup scan will also check your PC for other known common issues as well if you choose.

• Clear Your Internet Browser"s Cache

Your Internet browsers cache automatically caches (or stores) files as you surf the web. Your browser will save a copy of every page you visit as well as the associated images to this cache. This makes the website load faster the next time you visit it by loading these images from your hard disk, rather than from the Internet. However, your browser will keep these images and files saved on your hard disk for weeks, months or years even if you never intend to visit the same website again. Clearing these files will clean up valuable disk space.

• To clear your browsers cache in Internet Explorer:

1. Click the Tools menu and the click Internet Options
2. Select the General tab, then click Delete Files in the Temporary Internet Files section.
3. In the Delete Files dialog box, select Delete all offline content and then click OK.

If this is the first time you"ve cleared your internet cache and/or the cache is extremely large this could take several minutes. When complete simply click the OK box to close the window. You"re done!

• Remove Programs that you don"t Use

When you install a program and never use it, it is still consuming valuable disk space and could impact system performance if it loads a service or other component at Windows Startup. It is highly recommended that you remove any software that you do not use.

• To remove and/or review programs you"ve installed, but do not use:

1. Click Start and the click Control Panel.
2. In the Category View, click Add or Remove Programs and then click Remove a Program.
3. In the listing, examine the programs that are installed on your PC. Windows will show on the right hand side how often you use each program as well as the date you last used it. Do not remove any program labeled as Update, Hotfix or Service Pack as these are needed for proper operation and security of your PC.
4. To uninstall or remove a program you no longer need or use click the Change/Remove button and then follow the prompts to uninstall it. If prompted check the radio button "Automatic". Some programs will simply uninstall and not provide any options, it will simply remove itself from the list.


After removing unused or unneeded software, we recommend that you reboot your PC. We also recommend rebooting after each individual software package.

• Remove optional windows components

Removing optional Windows components from your PC can free up space and increase system performance. Many software packages are installed as part of Windows but you may not use them. You can always re-install them later if you need them from your Windows CD or DVD.

• To add or remove these optional software packages:

1. Click Start and then click Control Panel.
2. In the Category View, click Add or Remove Programs and then click Add a Program.
3. On the left side of the menu click Add/Remove Windows Components.
4. Follow the instructions in the Wizard.

• Modify the System Restore Options

Windows XP and Vista provide the option to restore your PC to a previous state by saving restore information each time you restart your PC. System Restore takes what is commonly referred to as snapshot. This snapshot can be used to restore you system back after a fouled software or driver install.



These snapshots use system drive space and can take up quite a bit of room on your system drive (generally the C: drive). You can delete snapshots that you know you will never use or that are very old. This will free up disk space for use with other applications.

• To delete all System Restore Snapshots, except the latest one:

1. Click Start, then All Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools, and finally click Disk Cleanup.
2. Wait a moment while Windows checks your system.
3. Click the More Options tab and then in the System Restore area and the click Clean Up. That"s it!



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