I decided to make a guide for all of the members, here on Support Forums. This guide is aimed towards keeping your computer's performance at top-notch, with simplicity. In each of the sections, which I have labeled in the Table of Contents, I will explain each topic and how to execute it. If you have any further sections you would like me to cover, please mention it below. Enjoy!
I. Remove Malware
II. Defragmentating your Hard Drive
III. Utilizing an Antivirus Program
IV. Disabling Startup Programs
V. Clearing up your Hard Drive
VI. Deleting Temporary Files
VII. Cleaning the Registry
VIII. Disk Cleanup
X. Updating Windows
And there you have it folks. This guide took me numerous hours, so a thanks or any feedback is greatly appreciated.
Hope you enjoyed the read!
Table Of Contents
I. Remove Malware
II. Defragmentating your Hard Drive
III. Utilizing an Antivirus Program
IV. Disabling Startup Programs
V. Clearing up your Hard Drive
VI. Deleting Temporary Files
VII. Cleaning the Registry
VIII. Disk Cleanup
X. Updating Windows
I. Remove Malware
Malware, otherwise known as malicious software, is the leading cause of slowdown in computers. Including worms, trojans, spyware, adware, crimeware, rootkits, viruses and more, these softwares are created to harm a computer system. With clever programmers constantly producing these new types of malware, it is most likely that everyone has been infected once or twice. Depending on how severe an infection may be, it might hog up your computer’s resources, limiting its full potential to run efficiently. A great anti-malware application is Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. With its daily updated virus database, this program is able to pick up the most common malware that may lie on your computer. I suggest running a full scan with this program before anything, as it will most likely pick any malicious files. Run a full scan, and delete any infected files that the program picks up. Alongside this, be sure that you utilize a reputable antivirus, as this is one of the easiest ways of preventing infections. I will go more into detail of the importance on antivirus programs and which too choose later in this tutorial. Selecting an anvitirus program from the many that are available is controversial for some, but all I recommend is one that keeps you clean. My golden rule of staying uninfected is to use your common knowledge when using the Internet. On top of that, use a secure and well-known Internet browser. I would strongly recommend Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Opera. I don’t want to get too off-topic, so if you would like to further inform yourself on how to prevent computer viruses, check out my guide here. If you are ever infected, and unable to cleanse yourself, please check out this thread. There you are able to receive assistance from our very own HijackThis Squad, here on Support Forums.
II. Defragmentating your Hard Drive
Many people are familiar of the term "defragmenting your hard drive" but not many people actually know what it does. Fragmentation occurs when your computer does not have enough space to store a file, but puts it in gaps between other files. With the countless amount of files that are from a computer's programs, these misplaced files degrade the performance of a computer. What further prevents the process of fragmentation is defragmentation. Defragmenting your hard drive arranges the files on your computer so where they are in order, reducing the time it takes for it to access those files. It scans your computer rejoining these incomplete files into an entity. The most simple way to go about this on a personal computer is the disk deframenter included with Windows. An alternative is third-party software, such as Smart Defrag, Defraggler, and Auslogics Disk Defrag. Whichever you find more effective and prefer, I would recommend to defragment your hard drives at least once a month. Because I use the computer so often, I try to schedule deframentation about once every two weeks. Remember that if you have a large hard drive, that this process will take numerous hours. If this pertains to you, I recommend that you let it run overnight. To run defragment your computer, execute the following steps:
1. Make sure that you close all programs before starting.
2. Uninstall programs prior to this, as this will free up your hard drive, leaving more space for defragmentation.
3. Go to Start > Run and enter dfrg.msc in the text box.
4. Select your hard drive, click Defragment, and let your computer run until this process is completely finished.
III. Utilizing an Antivirus Program
Being a proponent of antivirus programs, I can not stress how vital it is to utilize one. Many people complain on how antivirus programs are resource hogs, and slow down your computer. My counterargument to this is that if you run an antivirus, it will keep your computer clean allowing for maximum performance. Remember, if you have a reputable antivirus program, that it will be suffice. Running two or more of these programs will cause conflicts between them, and will slow your computer down. There are many programs on the market; each has its advantages and weaknesses. Although I won't dictate you on which to use, all that I recommend is that it is reputable, and ultimately keeps you free from infections. Ever so often, be sure that you run a full system scan to pick up any malware that may exist on your computer system. It may not seem as if you are infected, but running a system scan can cleanse you from these hidden files. Removing these will free up your computer usage, speeding up your computer's overall performance. Below are a list of reputable antivirus programs:
Avast!: http://www.avast.com/index
Avira: http://www.avira.com/
Norton: http://www.symantec.com/index.jsp
Kaspersky: http://usa.kaspersky.com/
Eset: http://www.eset.com/
BitDefender: http://www.bitdefender.com/site/Downloads/
IV. Disabling Startup Programs
One factor that many people complain about in their computer is the boot-up speed. The most effective, and probably the easiest, way of improving the speed of your computer is disabling any unnecessary startup programs. These programs slow down your computer because they are always running in the background, when in reality they are unnoticeable. Some of the programs that you really need running are the following:
To access the list of start-up programs, direct through the following steps:
1. Go to Start > Run and enter msconfig in the text box.
2. Hit OK, and a window should appear. Click on the Startup tab.
Of this list, you will see a list of about ten programs, more depending on how much software you have downloaded. For me, I only have my antivirus and firewall enabled; everything else disabled. If you are unsure on which program is what, search it up on Google. Be aware that some of these might be malware. Uncheck whatever is unneccessary, click OK and reboot your computer. Presto, your startup should be much faster now.
V. Clearing up your Hard Drive
The core of software is hardware. And one of the most vital pieces of hardware that you can maintain is your hard drive. To run your computer with relatively good speed depends on a suffice amount of space on your hard drive. Remember, the better the hardware, the more efficient your computer will run. I can't stress enough but to only download programs that are vital in your computer usage. Do you have that program that you never use? Uninstall it! On my spare computer, I only use 100GB of my 320GB hard drive, and it works like a charm. If you are planning on investing in a hard drive, take advantage of the technology that is out. A 7200 RPM 6Gb/s hard drive (of course, the motherboard must support these specifications) will contribute to your computer's performance. Essentially, only download the programs that you use often, and eliminate those unnecessary applications on your computer.
To remove programs:
VI. Deleting Temporary Files
Your operating system is designed to use memory as a temporary working area. When files are used in the memory, they must work with files on your computer; to complete this, they need a section on your hard drive. This particular space is called your temporary folder. The files in this folder can be deleted without any harm being done to your computer system. Benefits of this include increasing the volume your hard drive. It also speeds up your computer, because deleting these files will prevent internal errors (which will slow down your computer). To delete Temporary Files, follow these instructions:
1. Right click Start > Explore (or Open Windows Explorer)
2. Click Search > All Files and Folders
3. In the following text box, type in the following exactly:
4. Click Search, and it will display all temporary files on your computer system.
5. Select all of them (Ctrl + A), and click Delete.
Your computer system also stores Internet Temporary Files on your hard drive for quicker viewing when you re-visit a website. It is always a good idea to delete these periodically, I try to plan this out every week, to keep your hard drive free of these unnecessary temporary files. To manually remove these Internet temporary files, follow these instructions:
1. Click the Start button > Control Panel > Network and Internet > click Internet Options.
2. Click the General tab > click Delete under Browsing history.
3. Click Delete all, click Yes to confirm, click OK.
VII. Cleaning the Registry
The Windows registry contains consists of all the information about software that is installed on your PC. Its database stores the all of the software and hardware attached/installed on your computer, different configurations, and the user's personalized settings. In the registry, numerous components of the software/hardware that are installed can be monitored. Before modifying your computer's registry, you should be sufficiently knowledgeable, or it can cause major harm to your computer, maybe making it unable to run. When removing programs, bits and pieces are left behind in the registry. Because programs won't remove all of its components, the registry gets cluttered from all of these files. This is where you are able to clean up, furthermore speeding up your computer. Two methods of cleaning up a computer's registry include manual exporting, or third-party software that automatically cleans it for you. For many, software is the solution, since they do not understand the entries in the registry. I also take this route, because it is very easy to mess up, and using reputable software is the safer method. I would recommend using CCleaner, one of the most popular registry cleaners available. CCleaner, formerly known as Crap Cleaner, removes undesirable files such as corrupted .dlls, files leftover from programs uninstalled, and other unneeded registry files. With it's options to backup your registry, which I highly recommend, you are able to clean your registry without any worries. On top of this, the process only takes a couple of seconds. There are many other registry cleaning programs avaliable, but if you do decide to choose otherwise, make sure it is reputable and backed up by positive reviews on trusted sites. If you desire to remove registry entries manually, be sure that you know what you are doing. Enter regedit, click File, and Export any registry files you want to get rid of. If you don't exactly know what you are doing, use software. Remember, without any registry backups, these changes to your registry are irreversible and can lead to loss of functionality of your computer.
VIII. Disk Cleanup
The Disk Cleanup tool included with Windows frees up space on your hard drive, leaving more room for performance. This tool allows gives you many options on what to delete, and the preference on what you want to delete. Not much to explain, but this underused tool is a great way to improve your system's efficiency. The Disk Cleanup tool's features include the following:
X. Updating Windows
If you use Windows, Windows Update is a must in response to the constant flow of new malware released daily. Programmers are always exploiting security and privacy in Windows' operating system. Keeping your system updated with the patches over these malicious exploits are vital when keeping your computer free from infection. Failure to abide by this will result in invasion of all of your personal information, loss of files and folders, alongside with many other consequences. I strongly recommend that you allow Windows to check for updates automatically. In doing so, you are notified of when the new updates are released, disallowing any chances of those exploits to affect you. Some updates decrease vulnerability to any exploits or malware, others correct Windows errors, and some enhance functionality. Whatever it is, Windows Updates is proven vital to a efficient computer, and hey; you don't even have to lift a finger to activate it.
Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Update.
Malware, otherwise known as malicious software, is the leading cause of slowdown in computers. Including worms, trojans, spyware, adware, crimeware, rootkits, viruses and more, these softwares are created to harm a computer system. With clever programmers constantly producing these new types of malware, it is most likely that everyone has been infected once or twice. Depending on how severe an infection may be, it might hog up your computer’s resources, limiting its full potential to run efficiently. A great anti-malware application is Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. With its daily updated virus database, this program is able to pick up the most common malware that may lie on your computer. I suggest running a full scan with this program before anything, as it will most likely pick any malicious files. Run a full scan, and delete any infected files that the program picks up. Alongside this, be sure that you utilize a reputable antivirus, as this is one of the easiest ways of preventing infections. I will go more into detail of the importance on antivirus programs and which too choose later in this tutorial. Selecting an anvitirus program from the many that are available is controversial for some, but all I recommend is one that keeps you clean. My golden rule of staying uninfected is to use your common knowledge when using the Internet. On top of that, use a secure and well-known Internet browser. I would strongly recommend Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Opera. I don’t want to get too off-topic, so if you would like to further inform yourself on how to prevent computer viruses, check out my guide here. If you are ever infected, and unable to cleanse yourself, please check out this thread. There you are able to receive assistance from our very own HijackThis Squad, here on Support Forums.
II. Defragmentating your Hard Drive
Many people are familiar of the term "defragmenting your hard drive" but not many people actually know what it does. Fragmentation occurs when your computer does not have enough space to store a file, but puts it in gaps between other files. With the countless amount of files that are from a computer's programs, these misplaced files degrade the performance of a computer. What further prevents the process of fragmentation is defragmentation. Defragmenting your hard drive arranges the files on your computer so where they are in order, reducing the time it takes for it to access those files. It scans your computer rejoining these incomplete files into an entity. The most simple way to go about this on a personal computer is the disk deframenter included with Windows. An alternative is third-party software, such as Smart Defrag, Defraggler, and Auslogics Disk Defrag. Whichever you find more effective and prefer, I would recommend to defragment your hard drives at least once a month. Because I use the computer so often, I try to schedule deframentation about once every two weeks. Remember that if you have a large hard drive, that this process will take numerous hours. If this pertains to you, I recommend that you let it run overnight. To run defragment your computer, execute the following steps:
1. Make sure that you close all programs before starting.
2. Uninstall programs prior to this, as this will free up your hard drive, leaving more space for defragmentation.
3. Go to Start > Run and enter dfrg.msc in the text box.
4. Select your hard drive, click Defragment, and let your computer run until this process is completely finished.
III. Utilizing an Antivirus Program
Being a proponent of antivirus programs, I can not stress how vital it is to utilize one. Many people complain on how antivirus programs are resource hogs, and slow down your computer. My counterargument to this is that if you run an antivirus, it will keep your computer clean allowing for maximum performance. Remember, if you have a reputable antivirus program, that it will be suffice. Running two or more of these programs will cause conflicts between them, and will slow your computer down. There are many programs on the market; each has its advantages and weaknesses. Although I won't dictate you on which to use, all that I recommend is that it is reputable, and ultimately keeps you free from infections. Ever so often, be sure that you run a full system scan to pick up any malware that may exist on your computer system. It may not seem as if you are infected, but running a system scan can cleanse you from these hidden files. Removing these will free up your computer usage, speeding up your computer's overall performance. Below are a list of reputable antivirus programs:
Avast!: http://www.avast.com/index
Avira: http://www.avira.com/
Norton: http://www.symantec.com/index.jsp
Kaspersky: http://usa.kaspersky.com/
Eset: http://www.eset.com/
BitDefender: http://www.bitdefender.com/site/Downloads/
IV. Disabling Startup Programs
One factor that many people complain about in their computer is the boot-up speed. The most effective, and probably the easiest, way of improving the speed of your computer is disabling any unnecessary startup programs. These programs slow down your computer because they are always running in the background, when in reality they are unnoticeable. Some of the programs that you really need running are the following:
- Antivirus Program
- Firewall
- Peripheral Software (Mouse, Keyboard, Speakers, etc.)
- Any other program you use often.
To access the list of start-up programs, direct through the following steps:
1. Go to Start > Run and enter msconfig in the text box.
2. Hit OK, and a window should appear. Click on the Startup tab.
Of this list, you will see a list of about ten programs, more depending on how much software you have downloaded. For me, I only have my antivirus and firewall enabled; everything else disabled. If you are unsure on which program is what, search it up on Google. Be aware that some of these might be malware. Uncheck whatever is unneccessary, click OK and reboot your computer. Presto, your startup should be much faster now.
V. Clearing up your Hard Drive
The core of software is hardware. And one of the most vital pieces of hardware that you can maintain is your hard drive. To run your computer with relatively good speed depends on a suffice amount of space on your hard drive. Remember, the better the hardware, the more efficient your computer will run. I can't stress enough but to only download programs that are vital in your computer usage. Do you have that program that you never use? Uninstall it! On my spare computer, I only use 100GB of my 320GB hard drive, and it works like a charm. If you are planning on investing in a hard drive, take advantage of the technology that is out. A 7200 RPM 6Gb/s hard drive (of course, the motherboard must support these specifications) will contribute to your computer's performance. Essentially, only download the programs that you use often, and eliminate those unnecessary applications on your computer.
To remove programs:
- Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs. From there, select the desired program and click Uninstall.
- You may use the executable program that uninstalls the program itself, located within the folder. The shortcut link is usually named "unwise" or "uninstall".
- Use third-party software, such as Revo Uninstaller to uninstall and delete any leftover files.
VI. Deleting Temporary Files
Your operating system is designed to use memory as a temporary working area. When files are used in the memory, they must work with files on your computer; to complete this, they need a section on your hard drive. This particular space is called your temporary folder. The files in this folder can be deleted without any harm being done to your computer system. Benefits of this include increasing the volume your hard drive. It also speeds up your computer, because deleting these files will prevent internal errors (which will slow down your computer). To delete Temporary Files, follow these instructions:
1. Right click Start > Explore (or Open Windows Explorer)
2. Click Search > All Files and Folders
3. In the following text box, type in the following exactly:
Code:
*.tmp4. Click Search, and it will display all temporary files on your computer system.
5. Select all of them (Ctrl + A), and click Delete.
Your computer system also stores Internet Temporary Files on your hard drive for quicker viewing when you re-visit a website. It is always a good idea to delete these periodically, I try to plan this out every week, to keep your hard drive free of these unnecessary temporary files. To manually remove these Internet temporary files, follow these instructions:
1. Click the Start button > Control Panel > Network and Internet > click Internet Options.
2. Click the General tab > click Delete under Browsing history.
3. Click Delete all, click Yes to confirm, click OK.
VII. Cleaning the Registry
The Windows registry contains consists of all the information about software that is installed on your PC. Its database stores the all of the software and hardware attached/installed on your computer, different configurations, and the user's personalized settings. In the registry, numerous components of the software/hardware that are installed can be monitored. Before modifying your computer's registry, you should be sufficiently knowledgeable, or it can cause major harm to your computer, maybe making it unable to run. When removing programs, bits and pieces are left behind in the registry. Because programs won't remove all of its components, the registry gets cluttered from all of these files. This is where you are able to clean up, furthermore speeding up your computer. Two methods of cleaning up a computer's registry include manual exporting, or third-party software that automatically cleans it for you. For many, software is the solution, since they do not understand the entries in the registry. I also take this route, because it is very easy to mess up, and using reputable software is the safer method. I would recommend using CCleaner, one of the most popular registry cleaners available. CCleaner, formerly known as Crap Cleaner, removes undesirable files such as corrupted .dlls, files leftover from programs uninstalled, and other unneeded registry files. With it's options to backup your registry, which I highly recommend, you are able to clean your registry without any worries. On top of this, the process only takes a couple of seconds. There are many other registry cleaning programs avaliable, but if you do decide to choose otherwise, make sure it is reputable and backed up by positive reviews on trusted sites. If you desire to remove registry entries manually, be sure that you know what you are doing. Enter regedit, click File, and Export any registry files you want to get rid of. If you don't exactly know what you are doing, use software. Remember, without any registry backups, these changes to your registry are irreversible and can lead to loss of functionality of your computer.
VIII. Disk Cleanup
The Disk Cleanup tool included with Windows frees up space on your hard drive, leaving more room for performance. This tool allows gives you many options on what to delete, and the preference on what you want to delete. Not much to explain, but this underused tool is a great way to improve your system's efficiency. The Disk Cleanup tool's features include the following:
- Removes Temporary Files (Internet).
- Empties the Recycle Bin.
- Removes Windows error reports, unwanted System Restore points.
- Uninstalls undesired programs.
- Deletes Windows components (optional).
- Cleans temporary files, such as error reports, logs, etc.
X. Updating Windows
If you use Windows, Windows Update is a must in response to the constant flow of new malware released daily. Programmers are always exploiting security and privacy in Windows' operating system. Keeping your system updated with the patches over these malicious exploits are vital when keeping your computer free from infection. Failure to abide by this will result in invasion of all of your personal information, loss of files and folders, alongside with many other consequences. I strongly recommend that you allow Windows to check for updates automatically. In doing so, you are notified of when the new updates are released, disallowing any chances of those exploits to affect you. Some updates decrease vulnerability to any exploits or malware, others correct Windows errors, and some enhance functionality. Whatever it is, Windows Updates is proven vital to a efficient computer, and hey; you don't even have to lift a finger to activate it.
Click the Start button, click All Programs, and then click Windows Update.
And there you have it folks. This guide took me numerous hours, so a thanks or any feedback is greatly appreciated.
Hope you enjoyed the read!
