New Year, Old Computer?

Why not start 2012 off right by taking time to do some quick maintenance to your PC?
January 2012
by Robin Wark

It does not take long to do some simple maintenance and optimizing. A little bit of time can result in a faster, better performing PC. Here are some easy tasks that anyone can do:

Secure your PC

There are all kinds of malware looking to cause problems on your machine. These programs might try to take over and use your PC to send spam or attempt to swipe personal information. Others try to hijack your Internet browser or cause frequent pop-up ads. Viruses, spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers and other malware also can hurt your PC's performance. ParetoLogic has a variety of security solutions to safely boot these baddies off your computer.

Stop unneeded programs

Unwanted programs running on your PC steal resources from needed processes and applications while slowing down your computer. You can halt unneeded processes by using the Task Manager. This handy tool can be accessed by pressing Ctrl, Alt and Delete (at the same time). You can also prevent processes from becoming a problem by stopping them from launching when you boot up. The Startup Manager in various ParetoLogic programs can help you prune the programs that begin at startup.

Get rid of what you don't need

You can free up disk space and resources by removing unneeded files and programs. Software that you do not use often can be uninstalled and then downloaded and installed when you need it. Another option is uninstalling it and storing the installer files on flash drive or other storage device for when you need them. You can easily uninstall programs by going to Start, Control Panel, and Add or Remove Programs. Just find what you want to uninstall and click Remove next to it.

Defragment your PC's memory

Your computer is a packrat. It stores information wherever it can. It will break files up into several parts and store them where there is space. This means that it might take some time for it to find and recall your files. Defragmenting, also knowing as defragging, involves your computer putting the parts of the file in nearby locations so it quickly can be recalled. ParetoLogic PC Health Advisor has a defrag tool. Please note that defragging can take some time so you might want to start it in the evening and run it overnight.

Clean the Windows registry

The Windows registry is a database that keeps track of all kinds of settings and preferences. Your computer refers to it often during regular operation. With constant use, the registry can become a scrambled mess with outdated, unneeded or corrupt entries. ParetoLogic PC Health Advisor can safely clean your Windows registry to improve performance and prevent freezing, crashing and errors.

Check for updates

You might as well start 2012 off up to date! Check to see if you have the latest Windows updates from Microsoft. This can contain important security or performance fixes. Go to Start, Control Panel and click Windows Update. It is also good to make sure your anti-virus or anti-spyware is up to date.

Optimize your browser

Many computer users have come to rely on their web browsers. You can make your browser – whether it is Internet Explorer, Chrome or Firefox – even faster and safer. Set it not to keep pages in the history for longer than a couple days. You could also set the disk space to use to 8MB. It is a good idea to routinely remove temporary files and wipe clean privacy files. This can be done by PC Health Advisor or ParetoLogic Privacy Controls. You can also remove unwanted Browser Helper Objects (BHOs), such as toolbars and add-ons, with features in various ParetoLogic products.

The start of the year can often be busy. However, taking a few minutes now to clean and optimize your PC can help it perform better, and save you time in the long run.

Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.