June 09 Newsletter.

Is it possible to make my computer run fast again?

Hello and welcome to the June 09 edition of the TommyCTech newsletter.
In last months issue we talked about some of the various culprits that cause degraded system performance also known as "Im going to throw this #^*!& computer out the window."
This month we will discuss some of the tools and methods used to breath vim,
vigor, and vitality back into our computers just like the day we first bought
them and brought them home.

Before we begin lets do a quick recap on the top 10 system performance killers as we discussed last month.

10. Hardware problems. i.e. bad memory, overheating processor.
09. Internet and Windows temp files
08. Full or over crowded hard drive
07. Remnants of uninstalled programs
06. To many items in startup
05. Badly fragmented hard drive
04. Corrupted windows registry and/or user profile.
03. To many internet freebies and questionable surfing habits
02. Virus
01. Spy ware, Ad ware, Mal ware and Bloat ware

So many items can seem a bit intimidating at first but reader take heart, a solution is on the horizon. First off let me insert my disclaimer here. I like to point out to business owners that they are professionals at what they do, managing employees, customers, and making money. Tech professionals are professionals at what they do, keeping the technology running reliably so the business professionals can concentrate on their job and above all, please remember rule #1. Keep regular backups of your data!.
Home owners: your time management role is not as critical, however if you are not comfortable with all of the methods discussed in this article do not hesitate to call on your local tech professional to help you out. He can take the stress out of these tasks by knowing how to handle the little surprises that pop up when things don't go as planned and above all please remember rule #1. Keep regular backups of your data !

OK, lets begin.

1. Remove Spy ware and Viruses
Spy ware and viruses are a leading cause of computer slowing.
Update and run your spy ware and virus software at least weekly.
If you do not have tools installed to protect against mal ware, spy ware, and viruses, download a free copy of AVG Anti-Virus 8.0. Never install multiple anti virus programs.

2. Defragment Your Computer
Over time, as you add and remove files the data on your hard drive gets all scattered around. Running defrag arranges all your data nice, neat and orderly so your computer does not have to work so hard to find it. This definitely helps speed things up.
Click start, then click run.
Type, "dfrg.msc" in the text field.
Click Defragment to start it.

3.Perform a disk clean up.
Click start in the bottom left corner, then click run.
Type, "cleanmgr.exe" in the text field.
Press "okay". This can take a while if you have never done it before.

4.Remove unwanted software.
Click start, then click control panel.
Click add/remove programs.
Highlight any old software you do not use and then click "remove".

5.Stop unwanted Start-Up programs.
Run msconfig
Choose startup box
Select uncheck programs you don't want to run on startup

6.Disable Services you do not use or need.
Open control panel, open Administrative Tools, and select Services. Disabling the wrong Services may lead to serious problems that you may not notice right away. Please consult a reference such as overclockersclub.com for information on specific Windows XP Services. If you do not know what it is, do not disable the service.
Be careful when tweaking services. Disabling the wrong service can prevent your computer from booting up properly.

7.Make Windows load faster
Click Start, then Run.
Type in 'msconfig' and press enter.
Click on the BOOT.INI tab at the top.
Over to the right there will be a box labeled Timeout with 30 in it. Change the 30 to a 3.

Be careful when using msconfig. Do not uncheck unfamiliar items, and do not experiment with settings in any other tab. Doing so could prevent Windows from booting!

8. Speed Up Processing Time
Turning off the fancy Windows XP graphics will noticeably increase the speed of your computer.
Go to Start, (Settings), Control Panel, System. NOTE: You may need to 'Switch to Classic Mode' to see the System applet.
Go to the Advanced tab. Click the Settings button under Performance.
Select the 'Adjust for best performance' radio button, then Apply, and OK.
The graphics aren't as flashy, but your computer will run a lot faster.

9. Speed Up RAM
Go to Start, (Settings), Control Panel, System. (This is just like the step above this.)
Go to the Advanced tab. Click the Settings button under Performance.
Now switch to this Advanced tab, and click on 'Change' under Virtual Memory.
You will see the 'Initial Size (MB)' and the Maximum Size (MB)'.
Change 'Initial Size' to the same value as 'Maximum Size' then click set.
NOTE This setting will help your gaming by speeding your computer up.

10. Keep Internet files to a minimum
My favorite maintenance utility is CCleaner. Download it free at www.ccleaner.com. Depending on internet usage activity you can run this handy little utility at least once a week.
First open CCleaner
Go to the Cleaner tab and you will be confronted by a very confusing lineup of checkboxes.
To make this brief, below is my recommended setup:
Under internet explorer check temporary internet files, cookies, and last download location. Most users don't really need this stuff.
Keep history and bookmarks unchecked, history is a maybe, but you don't want to lose book marked sites.
You can normally leave Windows Explorer, System, and Advanced alone.
Run CCleaner and it will start deleting files.
Afterward it will present you with a list of the files deleted, you really don't need to go through it as it will be several pages long.
The registry cleaner is recommended for slightly more advanced users. Use it after uninstalling programs as they will often leave behind incorrect registry entries.
If you decide to run Registry cleaner then review the items detected and always back up the registry (I keep a folder aside for this)
The Tools tab lets you uninstall programs and set startup programs.

With a little effort and know-how you can turn your PC from lamer into gamer in just a couple hours. As mentioned above, if you are not comfortable with the steps outlined in this article do not hesitate to contact your local PC tech for professional assistance. After all, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Tommy C

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