Simple Steps to Improve a Slow Computer. Part 1
by Wolfdave
Dealing with your Desktop.
Many slow computers which I regularly get in for repair are not slow at all. They are just so full of clutter. I have heard of some PC repair shops charging a fortune to fix slow computers. They install more memory and a faster CPU and sometimes they even persuade the owner that they need a new hard drive. How much would all that cost! When all that is really needed is a little basic maintenance, and some good house keeping. More memory is always a good idea to improve your computers performance. But first, you should try to ‘take a load off’ your computer with these few simple steps.
At the end of the day, it is your computer. I am not going to preach to you, I will offer my advice then it is up to you whether or not you follow it. We all remember our Mum’s nagging us to “Tidy your room!” don’t we guys. Can you imagine when computers start speaking back to us? I know some PC’s have voice recognition now, but I’m talking about intelligent computers as in Star Trek. They are not to far away. Then we will have another nagging female voice telling us “Will you tidy up your desktop!” I sincerely hope we still have control over the off button. By the way, are any of you Star Trek Voyager fans, do you miss the show? I was really disappointed at the rather abrupt ending. I’m sure it could have run for many more years. Anyway, back to your PC.
The first thing I tend to see when a computer is brought in is the desktop full of short-cut icons. There are usually so many, that the very nice background picture of a sunset in Antigua is completely obscured. Every one of these icons is using valuable system resources, just by being there. And the background picture also takes up a sizeable chunk. There is no need to have a short cut to every one of your programs on your desktop. Rather than scanning your desktop for the right one to open a program, it can be just as quick to hit the Start button and choose the program from the menu. The six programs you use most often, will be displayed on the left, right after you hit the Start button. If it is not there, just rest your pointer on ‘All Programs’ for a moment, and choose from the main menu. The whole process takes only 2 seconds. To remove a shortcut from your desktop, simply right click on it and choose delete.
If you really do prefer to have your shortcuts on your desktop, then consider putting them into a folder. Your computer considers any items in a folder to be closed, and therefore does not assign any resources to those items until they are opened. To create a folder on your desktop for your shortcut icons, right click any where on your desktop. A short menu will appear. Rest your pointer on ‘New’ for a moment and then choose ‘Folder’. Give this new folder a name, such as, My Shortcuts, or something similar. Once this is done, you can move all your shortcuts into this new folder. The easiest way to do this is to Drag and Drop. Left click on an icon then with your finger still pressed down, drag the icon across your desktop until it is over your new folder, and then let go. The icon will now be in your new Shortcut folder. Repeat this with all of your shortcut icons. The only three I personally leave still visible on my desktop are the: Recycle Bin, My Broadband Connection Icon and Internet Explorer.
Most of us have a personal picture, or wallpaper, on our desktops. However, these do consume a sizeable amount of system resources. So if your computer is low on resources, consider disabling your active desktop to see if things improve. If you simply can’t live without your favourite picture and your shortcut icons on your desktop, then the only other option is to install more memory.
Part two deals with your Files, Music and Pictures.
If your computer is slow in general, there are utilities which can check the health of your system. For more information on one of these, click HERE