Steps to improve performance of computer

If you feel that your computer has gone slow as compared to earlier days here are few always recommended steps that will help in gaining some speed.

These steps are not limited to users with slow computers, they can be followed on computers giving satisfactory performance.

1. Run Disk Cleanup regularly on disk hosting operating system. It removes unnecessary and temporary files.

Location - Start Menu -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup.

2. Run Disk Defragmenter regularly on disk hosting operating system. It moves scattered parts of data close to each other.

Location - Start Menu -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup.

3. Uninstall unnecessary programs that are no longer required.

4. Run a full anti-virus and anti-spyware scan. This sounds a little confusing as full scanning itself slows the system down but there might be some spywares installed on your machine without your knowledge which are feasting on your computer resources.

5. Stop unnecessary services running in background.

   Location - Control Panel -> All Control Panel Items -> Administrative Tools -> Services.

   Shortcut - Run -> services.msc

6. Stop auto-starting programs. 

Click Start -> Run and type "msconfig" at the prompt. 

Click the Startup tab and disable any application that you feel is not required to be started when you switch on the computer.

Note - For points 5,6, make sure you understand functioning of each running service/application before stopping it otherwise it may affect proper functioning of system.

7. Clean up the registry. This is high risk task and should be performed if you have good knowledge of registries.

8. Delete old network connections. Your computer may be trying to connect to shared hard drives that no longer exist. In Windows Explorer right-click on any network shares you don't actively use and click Delete.

If steps and very small tasks and can be performed anytime. However if the computer is still not performing good upgrade RAM. With an older PC, you will rarely have enough RAM to run today's memory-hogging operating systems and applications, and adding a high-capacity stick or two of quality RAM will give you a quick speed boost.