How to Make Your Old PC Act Like A Newer One for Free

If your old computer is running on an old operating system (Windows 98, for example) there's a chance it can't quite be a "power house" when you're using some sites. As time has gone on many websites have upgraded their own systems and outgrown at least some of their previous compatibility with your PC's old operating system. This problem is more likely to show itself when you're doing more than just checking e.mail or shopping online, but sometimes it isn't enough to prevent functioning on a site. It just means running into situations where all will be slower than it should be.

Having pointed that out, there are ways to improve the performance of your old computer:

Run disk defragmenter. That, alone, can make a big difference.

Run disk clean-up. Disk clean-up will show you which drives need more space freed up, so after running disk clean-up, itself, look at the files on each of the drives and decide which ones can be deleted, copied to a disk, or moved to another drive.

Get rid of as many graphics files as possible. Consider copying music files to a disk and keeping only the "most crucial" ones on the PC.

Go to through programs and find out if there are free upgrades available for any of them. This information can be found at the program's website. You need to look for information and downloads for your particular operating system. Don't delete old .exe files for your existing programs until you know upgrades function properly. There are times when an updating a program doesn't go well, and you may need to uninstall and re-install the older version.

When possible, get the "lowest level" of features in any program. Some programs allow you to download the basic program but also offer things like toolbars or other extras that you may not need. This could require your uninstalling a program and reinstalling it, selecting only the minimum features when you do. If you have the old .exe files for programs you now have they will allow you to install the old version.

Browsers offer upgrades, but there are times when some upgrades will create more problems for an old operating system. Get the latest version of your browser that works well on your PC. If you have more than one browser consider keeping the one that works best and getting rid of the any others.

Uninstall any programs you don't use. Be careful not to just try to delete them. Getting rid of all files associated with any programs requires uninstalling properly. Old computers often have multiple programs that do the same thing -different instant messaging programs, different media programs, etc. Keep the one you use/want and save "having extras" for when you have a newer computer.

Don't forget wallpapers, screensavers, games, and things that don't necessarily strike you as a "program" (calculators, desktop rulers, or other little "niceties"). Things you don't use can be copied to a disk (in case you ever want them or give the machine to someone who may) and deleted or uninstalled from your machine. Screensavers and things like desktop rulers are programs, so copy the .exe file for them.

Check for driver updates for hardware. Older monitors or USB phones are sometimes needed. Going to the site for the company that manufactured the hardware, or simply doing a search such as, "latest drivers for x phone", should point you in the right direct. Once you've located the site that offers upgrades you'll usually be asked for the make and model of the hardware, and your operating system, and then directed to any downloads.

Once you've done all that, run the latest version of a good anti-virus program. If you have one check to see if you can update it. If you need one you can always download a free trial of one of the better anti-virus programs, scan your machine, clean it up, get a clean "bill of health" for it - and then decide which anti-virus software you'll buy later. Don't be fooled by offers to download free anti-virus scanning software that doesn't also allow you to fix problems.

The above steps usually dramatically improve the performance of your PC. How dramatic an improvement you get does depend on how old your operating system is; but even if "the outside world" is increasingly outgrowing your old operating system, these steps will usually make your PC's performance generally better in most situations - and all without spending a penny.