How do I make my PC run smoother without taking it to the shop?

Question

I would love to know the easiest way to improve the quality of my laptop. I deleted every program I added except for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. I deleted other old files and cleaned the recycle bin. When I tried to defragment my computer, it said I didn't have enough space on my computer. I am so confused and I am sick of this Hewlett Packard. Can someone PLEASE help?????

Answer 1

Download the free utility called Ccleaner (crap cleaner) from http://www.ccleaner.com

Read all instructions prior to use.

Answer 2

Step 1

press ctrl+alt+del, and bring up the task manager

switch to the 'processes' tab and make a list of everything in it

search for each item for instructions on IF and how to remove each item

Once you have eliminated all of the extra garbage you should notice a marked improvement in your machines performance.

Next, go to lavasoft.com and download adaware personal for free. Install it, make sure it is updated, and run a full scan. This won't get rid of viruses (if you have them) but it will take care of spyware/adware/malware - stuff that will slow down your internet connection.

Run scandisk on your hard drive, then run defrag.

If you are still having problems, you might have a virus on your machine - try downloading a free virus scan, and determine what it is, then search for either a (free) program to remove it, or step by step instructions on removing it manually.

You can also look for instructions on cleaning out your registry. VERY IMPORTANT make sure to back up any important files from your machine before doing anything.

Answer 3

Speed up your PC This Way

Firstly go to start menu and select "run"

In the dialog that comes up type msconfig

On the next screen select the startup tab and choose disable all - apply it then restart your PC - this disables all the tat that starts up when your PC starts - dont worry if anything has to start when your pc reboots it will automatically re-enable it's self

now go to control panels and select internet options - and delete temporary internet files (Including Offline content)

Remove the appallingly bad Norton and/or mcaffe - spybot S&D / Adaware and any other virus or spyware checker on your PC (Start > Control panels > Add remove programs) then after they are all removed

Download AVG Free & AVGS Free from

http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/

run both of these programs and clear any viruses / spyware you may have

after that - run the disk defragmenter Programs > System tools

Make sure windows firewall is enabled - But dont download any other firewalls as this on does it's job fine and you dont need 2 (This will only cause you more problems)

Good luck

Hope this helps

IT Support for 25 years and counting........

Answer 4

1) scandisk weekly
2) defrag weekly
3) msconfig -- however, you'd be best off unticking the programs that start up one at a time. The reason for this is - there maybe a program that NEEDS to start and if it is not able to it could cause issues with either using the PC or getting other programs to run properly.Therefore disabling them one at a time is a good option.
4) check for updated drivers for video card/sound cards which might improve the performance on your pc

Answer 5

If you want to exist within the box that Microsoft built, and remain restricted, the advise of others is OK, clean out the Windows start menu of all superfluous programs.

But, the anti-virus, and other necessary protection rackets, er, programs, are all overhead you don't need. Each one slows down your system, even more...

Benchmark speed tests prove that Linux is upto 50X faster in processes, installed on the same computer. You could multi-boot up to 23 OSes; boot menu included.

http://pclinuxos.com is a LiveCD that you can run in the CD, as it boots in a RAM virtual disk. Leaves no traces, immune to all "114,000 Microsoft Virus Definitions".

Then, you can click the 'install' icon.

Read the instructions on screen, in the 'install help' icon, FIRST! Or, you could wipe out the evil empire OS!

310 more, of the 800+ FREE OSes, are at http://livecdlist.com

Hundreds more, at: http://distrowatch.com

They all run upto 50X faster in processes, multi-task, offer 20 desktops, with upto 200 open applications in each, concurrent processing.

Like, at the Airport, Microsoft would have a single gate to check into, single file, consecutive processing. Everyone waits...Some 'disappear' suddenly, as if vaporized. Drivers, word files, even Power point projects are vulnerable to instant disintegration!

The Free, Open Source OSes offer 4,000 parallel gates, all processing concurrently. No one waits for anyone else, ever.
No one 'disappears' suddenly, as if vaporized.

I can give you a speed comparison, of surfing on the Internet, concurrently at three web pages, while three of my email services are open, while I am watching a DVD (Happy Feet!)
on a 7th desktop, and burning a LiveCD on the 8th desktop, on my Dell Dimension 4100 (curbside donation!) with it's 933 Mhz cpu, and 512Mb RAM.

Also, 12 programs are copying over to my external drives, and the USB is in a 10th desktop, of the 20 available.

It seems to run about as fast as my P4 3.0Ghz system did, on Microsoft XP Pro. But, that system would stutter if I tried to play a movie while surfing...

But, now, back to my movie. I will check back over here in a about two minutes... Everything will keep running on all the open pages on all the desktops!

(and folks wonder why Dell would try to tap this market of 200 million Linux users).

Answer 6

delete all temporary files and clean recycle bin. Also try to keep your Primary Drive clean (i.e Drive on which Operating system Installed).

Answer 7

There are many ways to do this, but this is the only way that is 100% certain:

Back up all your personal data, re-format the hard drive and re-install Windows.