Tired of another pc slowdown! Thinking of upgrading your system!

WAIT! Because you can speed up your pc without spending a dime. Let me share with you some tips that you can use to maintain your computer and keep it running smoothly without any hiccups.

WARNING: The information given below can only improve your pc speed provided that there is room for improvement. Ultimately it is the speed of your machine that will matter. Moreover the information given below is intended for Windows OS only.

By freeing disk space, you can improve the performance of your computer. The Disk Cleanup tool helps you free up space on your hard disk. The utility identifies files that you can safely delete, and then enables you to choose whether you want to delete some or all of the identified files.

Use Disk Cleanup to:

• Remove temporary Internet files.
• Remove downloaded program files (such as Microsoft ActiveX controls and Java applets).
• Empty the Recycle Bin.
• Remove Windows temporary files.
• Remove optional Windows components that you don't use.
• Remove installed programs that you no longer use.

Tip: Typically, temporary Internet files take the most amount of space because the browser caches each page you visit for faster access later.

To use Disk Cleanup

Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup. If several drives are available, you might be prompted to specify which drive you want to clean.

Disk Defragmenter is a Windows utility that consolidates fragmented files and folders on your computer's hard disk so that each occupies a single space on the disk. With your files stored neatly end-to-end, without fragmentation, reading and writing to the disk speeds up.

When to run Disk Defragmenter

In addition to running Disk Defragmenter at regular intervals—monthly is optimal—there are other times you should run it too, such as when:

• You add a large number of files.
• Your free disk space totals 15 percent or less.
• You install new programs or a new version of Windows.

To use Disk Defragmenter

Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.

Windows PCs have had a long tradition of not managing well long and uninterrupted use across different applications, too many applications when installed and removed from a PC and a slew of processes and services running at all times inside your PC RAM memory but which may actually be completely unneeded by your computer.

Your computer is indeed filled with hidden functions and services whose existence you may barely know.

Most of the times, such a large number of unnecessary background programs is likely to slow down your computer to a crawl without any valid reason or necessity to do so.

The tricky part is to know whcih services to close and which ones to shut down. For more help refer to this services guide.

Spyware collects personal information without letting you know and without asking for permission. From the Web sites you visit to usernames and passwords, spyware can put you and your confidential information at risk. In addition to privacy concerns, spyware can hamper your computer's performance. You should have a good anti-spyware program installed on your pc at all times. There are both free and paid anti-spyware programs available.

In addition to running Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.

As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult, or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced.

If you use your computer daily, you should run this utility once a week to help prevent data loss.

To run the Error Checking utility

1. Close all open files.
2. Click Start, and then click My Computer.
3. In the My Computer window, right-click the hard disk you want to search for bad sectors, and then click Properties.
4. In the Properties dialog box, click the Tools tab.
5. Click the Check Now button.
6. In the Check Disk dialog box, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start.