| Poor computer performance by your Windows-based | | | | your registry: Your computer's registry is a tool that |
| machine can sneak up on you gradually. You may find | | | | most non-computer specialists never see but which is |
| its performance deteriorating increasingly until one | | | | vitally important to computer operations. Your |
| day you realize you must fix it or buy a new one. | | | | registry stores settings and options for your |
| Signs of poor performance can include applications | | | | hardware, operating system, and other software. |
| running very slowly, programs closing or freezing up | | | | Unfortunately, given its fundamental role in the |
| suddenly, and a generally slower response time to OS | | | | performance of your system, your registry is often |
| (operating system)-related commands. I have | | | | the target of attack or infection. To thoroughly and |
| compiled 9 fixes for you here that you can leverage | | | | automatically clean your registry, run a regular |
| right now to greatly improve your computer's | | | | registry scan using a registry cleaning tool. I |
| performance. Fix #1: Download and run MS Service | | | | recommend RegCure, which recently found 1,626 |
| Pack 2: Every operating system requires patches and | | | | problems with my registry (ugh!), is cheap and easy |
| upgrades by its maker from time-to-time, with | | | | to use. Fix #6: Run anti-spyware software: Spyware |
| Microsoft XP being no exception. While Service Pack | | | | is computer software that installs itself in your |
| 2 was released in 2002, some people with older | | | | computer and performs a number of unwanted |
| systems are still not running it: make sure your | | | | functions, including monitoring your computer usage |
| computer is. You can download it FREE from | | | | and interfere with your control. It represents a real |
| Microsoft's Web site. Fix #2: Run the Disk Cleanup | | | | threat and has become a significant problem in recent |
| utility: Your computer likely has a number of unused | | | | years. Fortunately, fixes are easy to find and include |
| and unneeded files that take up valuable space on | | | | a number of free and inexpensive anti-spyware |
| your hard drive and slow performance. Run your | | | | programs. Try SpyBot Search & Destroy. Get it FREE |
| FREE, built-in Disk Cleanup utility to automatically | | | | online. Fix #7: Increase your computer's memory: |
| remove these files. Find it by going to: Start | | | | | Today's applications require more and more memory |
| Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Disk Cleanup | | | | (RAM) to run. If your computer is more than two |
| and following the prompts. Fix #3: Defragment your | | | | years old or if you selected the minimal memory |
| hard drive: Over time, your computer will store files in | | | | option upon purchase, you might benefit from adding |
| an increasingly inefficient manner on your hard drive, | | | | another 1 GB or more to your computer. Check |
| affecting file retrieval times and other performance | | | | online or at your local computer dealer for pricing. Fix |
| factors. To fix this, you need to defragment your | | | | #8: Clean your hard drive: More comprehensive than |
| hard disk drive. To do this for FREE, just go to: Start | | | | the Disk Utility tool introduced above, cleaning your |
| | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Disk | | | | hard drive with professional cleaning software is a |
| Defragmenter. First, highlight the drive you want to | | | | great way to improve performance. Try CCleaner for |
| clean up (e.g., C drive) and choose Analyze. Once | | | | FREE by doing an online search. Fix #9: As a last |
| complete, choose Defragment. Note that the | | | | resort, re-format your hard drive: If after trying all of |
| defragmentation process could take up to an hour or | | | | the above items and your computer still performs |
| more, so do this during a time when you can step | | | | poorly, a last resort is to completely reformat your |
| away from your computer. Fix #4: Run an anti-virus | | | | hard drive. Warning: proceed with caution since this |
| tool: Computer viruses are malicious programs that | | | | action will erase your entire hard drive, including your |
| drastically affect your computer's performance, either | | | | operating system (OS)! If you decide to take this |
| all at once or insidiously over time. You can stop a | | | | route, consult an online tutorial for how-to steps. At |
| virus attack by installing and running anti-virus | | | | minimum, remember two things: be sure to back up |
| software which performs regular scans, locates the | | | | all of your files and applications and retain a copy of |
| offending viruses and quarantines them. Fix #5: Clean | | | | your OS on CD so that you can re-install it later. |