How do you make your computer faster?

Question

I just got The Sims 2 & The Sims 2: University. How do I make the computer perform better without wearing the computer out? I have a Dell Dimension E310 Series with an Intel Pentium 4 Processor 521 (2.80GHz) and 1MB cache W/ a 80GB SATA Hard Drive & 512MB RAM. Your advice would be much appreciated!

Answer 1

You should go to http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/referrer/srtest

and check whether your pc can handle the game. If your pc specs doesn't meet the recommended bar, then check why it couldn't.

Can I give you some simple tasks to do only once in a week? This will surely give you the best out of your PC:

1. Run Disk clean-up. Then delete unused files. (start>program>accessories>sys... tools> disk clean-up)
2. Check for disk errors.
3. Run disk defragmenter.
4. Delete cookies. (you can do it from your browser options: tools>internet options)
5. Delete cache. (you can do it from your browser options)
6. Delete all history files. (you can do it from your browser options, or, CTRL + H, then delete)
7. Empty recycle bin.
8. Delete unused icons & short-cuts from anywhere including desktop.
9. Uninstall any software or game that you use only once or twice in a week.
10. Delete temporary internet files. (you can do it from your browser options: tools>internet options)
11. Delete all recent files. (click on start, click run, then type "recent", delete all the files which show up)
12. Run a full virus scan. If any threat found, eliminate that completely.

If you did these all at the same time, restart your computer.

Now you can be sure your PC is much faster than before.

Answer 2

I am a professional computer mechanic and I have just the answer for you. You can try one or more of the following:

1) If you have a slot for another RAM (Random Access Memory) chip, I would buy one. A 512 MB chip will do you good, but if you want even better performance, buy a 1 GB chip. 1 GB chips can run up to $100, though. But RAM and your processor are the primary factors for your computer's speed performance. Your processor, you can't change easily, but RAM chips are a better story: you can easily upgrade RAM for better computer performance.

2) This option won't speed your computer up very much, but it does do a somewhat helpful deed. By clearing some unused or occasionally-used files from your hard drive, you can get a bit faster-running system. This isn't the best way to speed your computer up, but it can be helpful in emergencies (like when you need space for a anti-spyware program or such).

3) Buy a external hard drive. This also isn't your best option, but it help somewhat.

I would recommend Option #1 to you, because RAM is what controls your computer's performance, as I explained before. I hope that helps you. :)

Answer 3

If you have a windows program, click start, control panel,

If XP, click Performance and Maintenance
then click rearrange items on your hard disk to make
programs run faster.

If other Windows program, Click Disk Defragmenter.


It will take a long time to finish defragmentation. Games really slow down your computer. Microsoft Windows Disk Defragmenters are not the best. I recommend buying the "Executive Software Diskkeeper" at Wal-Mart or another store.

You can also go to downloads.com, type adaware in the search box, and download the free version of adaware called "Ad-Aware SE Personal. It really helps. It erases viruses, tracking cookies, and other malicious files from your computer.

Answer 4

Get yourself a graphics card with at least 256 mb of memory on it. Increase your ram memory to the max your pc can handle. If you are able to/know how to-overclock the graphics card or the processor,I would for speed. This is not recommended.but some peeps do it. Clear all your temp files and cookies out of the pc. Remove all ad ware-spy ware and viruses from the pc.Scandisk and remove all the junk on the disk. Defrag the pc to get rid of broken and useless files and to organize the files. Increase the frame rate on the monitor.

Answer 5

Do what David C. said.
On Dells 310 most of them ship with two slots for memory and if you have 512 shipped more than likely it has two 256 in each slot.
Also they don't have a AGP or PCIe slot just two PCI slots.
Open the case and look before you buy!

Answer 6

1. prevent programs from automatically starting - Go to Run\msconfig, click the startup items tab, uncheck those items you do not use. be careful & do not delete critical programs.

2. stop those programs from running that you are not using - Task Mgr\Processes; delete unused programs. be careful & do not delete critical programs.

3. download a good spyware protection program

4. run scandisk & disk defragmenter.

Answer 7

Get an external hard drive and load everything in there.
Clean your cookies
Clean your temporary internet files

United Bikers of Maine
http://www.aroostook-county-ubm.com

Answer 8

Maybe you have lots of things stored in your hard disk or check out your internect connections.

Answer 9

if you have another slot for ram get a 1GB ram card... theres plently of other little things to tinker with to make your computer faster... go to www.tigerdirect.com thats a really good site... i hope it helps you!

Answer 10

Training, Training and more Training.