Speed Up Computer

Working with a slow computer is a drag in more ways than one. Getting rid of the things that slow your computer to a crawl can help improve your productivity and your computing experience. But what exactly can you do to make your computer run faster? Here are some tips that will help you reclaim some of the performance your computer has lost over time.

Keeping Things Clean Helps Speed Things Up

Generally, you can’t go wrong by keeping things clean, and this is especially true on your computer. To keep things clean on your computer, try deleting files you no longer need. This includes temporary files that your browser or installation routines may create or leave behind. Use the disk cleanup utility to identify this clutter and give it the heave-ho.

If you have large files stored on your hard disk that you don’t use (or use only infrequently), consider moving these off to a DVD, CD-ROM or external hard drive. This will help make more space available on your main drive, which in turn, will speed things up for you.

I discussed bloatware in my last post, and this stuff is an ideal candidate for the recycle bin. Consider getting rid of font packages you don’t use, either. Those files load each time you start your computer and they will drag your performance down.

Keeping things clean is only one way to improve your computer performance. Keeping things neat is another way to speed things up. Your Windows file system has an order to it, and keeping files stored in the file system will help. Don’t store files on the desktop because the desktop is a special place that’s treated differently than a folder in the file structure is. Use the Downloads folder or something similar to catch files you pull off the Internet, and store the files you create in My Documents or a sub-folder.

Keep your registry clean and use a trusted registry cleaner/optimizer like Speedy PC Pro. Speedy PC Pro is easy to download and install, and it’s simple to use. You can scan your computer for problems with a click of the mouse, and fixing errors is just as simple. Speedy PC Pro is a trusted, well-recommended product and will have your computer operating at peak efficiency in no time. Download a copy and see for yourself what a difference Speedy PC Pro can make!

Photo Credit: purplejavatroll, via Flickr

The term “bloatware” refers to the collection of applications that arrives with a new computer. Bloatware often includes time-limited anti-virus programs, utilities, games, demonstration programs, adware and other not-very-desirable programs that tend to slow computer performance. Bloatware tends to stick around because many users don’t know what the applications are, what they do, or why they were put on the computer in the first place.

Nothing Wrong With Getting Rid Of Bloatware

Bloatware changes from computer to computer, and manufacturer to manufacturer. Normally, manufacturers make deals with application publishers to place a certain number of demonstration applications or time-limited applications on new computers. These applications may not have any appeal to a user, or may never get used. As such, they can be removed using the Add/Remove Programs tool in Windows.

Some bloatware is persistent, but getting rid of the junk you don’t want right away will make more room available for your files and for the applications you do want. If you have a computer with an application that you don’t recognize, a quick Google search will tell you what the application is and where it came from. You can then determine whether you want to keep the application or not.

Most critical applications (e.g., the ones that are part of the OS) will be stored separately from your run-of-the-mill applications. Chances are good that if a questionable program is stored with all of your other applications, and you didn’t specifically purchase it or load it onto your computer, it falls into the category of bloatware and can be safely removed without disturbing your computing experience.

Bloatware can take up a significant amount of hard disk space, and worse, some bloatware may be configured to run automatically when you start your computer. This situation is what you really want to look out for. Not only is the software taking up space on your hard disk, but also it may be taking away valuable RAM from the programs you do want to run on your computer.

Once you remove the bloatware, consider running a registry cleaner like Speedy PC Pro to clean up your computer’s registry file and optimize the performance of your computer. If you begin this regimen when your computer is new, it’s much easier to keep your computer performance at peak levels. By eliminating bloatware, you’ll improve your hard disk performance and keep your computer running smoothly.

Photo Credit: Ivan Walsh, via Flickr

There’s no doubt about what malware can do to your computer. Among other things, it can turn a perfectly good computer into a slow computer. It can also share sensitive information you may have stored on your computer, or trick you into revealing important information like passwords and credit card information.

FBI Busts Malware Ring

Late last year, the FBI busted a small group of hackers operating outside of the United States who were running an operation designed to take advantage of a flaw in Internet Explorer. The flaw and malware redirected user’s website requests and sent unsuspecting users to a site run by the hackers instead. The hackers made millions off of ads sold on the site and viewed by hijacked users.

In some cases, infected computers were also prevented from updating their anti-virus software, which in turn, made the computers more vulnerable to other kinds of malware attacks. About 500,000 computers in the United States were affected by the malware, called DNSChanger.

At its core, DNSChanger reassigned users’ DNS server to one of its own, thereby forcing the computer to travel through the hackers’ illegal ad servers. When the FBI made its arrests, it substituted clean, working DNS serviers for the rogue DNS servers operated by the ring. The FBI recently announced, however, that those clean DNS servers will be shut down on July 9, 2012.

The FBI’s rationale for substituting the servers in the first place was to give affected users time to clean and patch their systems. Some users, however, may be completely unaware that their computers are affected by the malware. Unless these users determine they’re infected and take steps to fix their problems prior to July 9, the affected users will suddenly find themselves unable to access the Internet after the July 9 server shutdown.

To help avoid major slowdowns, users should visit a special website set up by the FBI to see whether their computer is using the FBI’s DNS server. The website address is http://www.dns-ok.us/. Users who visit the site will be shown their DNSChanger status. If the website displays an image with a green background, the user’s computer is not affected by the malware. If the user’s computer displays a red background, the user must take additional steps to reconfigure/clean his or her computer prior to July 9.

At this site, visitors can also find a more complete explanation of the problem, how it originated and what affected users must do to clean their computers.

Photo Credit: Steve A. Johnson, via Flickr