Make your PC run as fast as the day you bought it!

One of the easiest ways to make a computer run faster and more efficiently is to clean the registry files. Registry files are essentially the complete history of your computer’s working life. Any and all downloads are noted here, along with program protocols, temporary internet files, and more. Windows doesn’t clean itself up well, so a registry can quickly become clogged and cluttered, and may make your system clunky.

Unless you are a computer expert with coding experience, it is best not to mess with the registry editor yourself. One misstep can cause catastrophic failure and render your computer nothing more than a paperweight. Trusted registry cleaners, like Registry Booster, can do the job for you without deleting necessary system files.

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If you don’t want to download a registry cleaner, you can speed up your computer in other ways:

Limit the number of programs running at once:

The simplest way to improve your computer’s speed is to limit how many programs you have open at one time. If you are not actively using a program, close it. Some programs that are running may not have an open window, but can hide in the toolbar. Check the inactive toolbar icons and close anything that doesn’t need to run.

Doing this will place less strain on your computer’s RAM, or Random Access Memory. The RAM is the amount of memory, or power, that your computer can access at any given moment. All programs will use a certain amount of RAM anytime they are opened. They less RAM a program uses, the faster it will run.

Make sure your hardware is up to date:

The first step to manually speeding up your computer is to make sure that your hardware is up to date. Out of date drivers or other hardware won’t be able to properly handle current software, which will slow down your computer or make it freeze.

To update your drivers, you need to first open the device manager, which can be done in a few simple steps:

1. In Windows Vista and 7, click the “Start” icon and search for “Run.”
2. Open the program and type “devmgmt.msc” into the open field.
3. Click OK and the Device Manager will open up.
4. Choose the device that you want to update. (If you are doing an overall checkup, go through the list one by one to update.)
5. In the top left-hand corner is the toolbar. With a device below highlighted, click on “Action” and then “Update Driver Software.”
6. A new window will pop up with the option to either search the internet or browse your computer files for driver software. Browsing the internet is the easiest option.
7. After the Device Manager has checked for updated drivers, install them if need be.

Having updated drivers should significantly improve your computer’s speed and function.

Delete all cookies and temporary internet files:

Cookies are text strings that are stored on your computer’s hard drive when you navigate between web pages, while temporary internet files are small files downloaded to your computer while browsing. Anytime a web page shows a text box, image, or navigation button, a small file is stored in the temporary internet files area. Over time, these can add up and will slow down your computer’s processing speed, much like a car with a clogged air filter.

There are many programs available that will automatically clean out your cookies and temporary internet files, but you can do it yourself. It should be done on a regular basis, especially if you frequent websites that use a lot of graphics.

1. In Windows Vista and 7, open the “Start” menu and type in “inetcpl.cpl” to open the Internet Properties panel.
2. Under the “General” tab, go to “Browsing History” and click “Delete.”
3. Another box will pop up. Delete “Temporary Internet Files” and “Cookies.” This should only take a few seconds.

Remove unnecessary start up programs:

Start up programs are the programs that are automatically launched when your computer starts up. Having too many will slow down the loading speed of your desktop when you turn the computer on, and can hog your RAM. There are two ways to remove unnecessary start up programs. If you are unfamiliar with computers, use option 1.

Option 1:

1. In Windows Vista and 7, open the Control Panel from the Start menu.
2. Go to “Programs” > “Change startup programs.”
3. Windows Defender will open up to the Software Explorer option.
4. Disable any programs that do not need to launch automatically when the computer starts.

Note: Windows Defender will not allow you to disable necessary programs, such as device drivers.

Option 2:

1. Open the “Run” window and type in “msconfig”.
2. Hit “OK” to open up the System Configuration panel.
3. Open the tab labeled “Startup” and uncheck any extra programs that do not need to load automatically.
4. Click “OK.” The unchecked devices should not load on start up now.

Note: Be careful not to delete any device drivers or sys32 files. If you are unsure what a program is, do not disable it at start up.

Uninstall unused programs:

Unused programs installed on your computer can take up a lot of disk space and RAM, though you may not even realize it. Freeing up disk space by uninstalling unused programs will have a significant impact on your computer’s speed and function.

To uninstall unused programs in Windows Vista and 7:

1. Close out all open programs.
2. Open the Control Panel.
3. Go to “Programs” and then click on “Uninstall a program.”
4. The Programs and Features panel will appear. A list of all installed programs and toolbars will load (this may take a few minutes).
5. Choose any programs that you are not using and click “Uninstall.”

Note: If you are unsure of what a program is, do not uninstall it.

Do a regular virus scan:

Regular virus scans are necessary to weed out any unwanted programs that can harm your computer and often contribute to slow processing speed or freezing. A good virus scan will not only find and delete viruses, but also adware and spyware that get downloaded onto your hard drive without your knowledge. Virus scan software is widely available and some programs are free.

If you download a virus scan software from the internet, you should triple check to make sure that it is verified and reputable. Many malware programs masquerade as virus scans. Two commonly-used free virus scan programs are AVG Free and avast!. When you have a good virus scan software, run it on a regular basis. Once a week should be sufficient.

Taking these steps will help improve your computer’s speed and function greatly. It is important to keep up to date with regular computer maintenance and use common sense when browsing the internet or downloading files. Doing so greatly enhances a computer’s performance and will extend its working life.