Consultant

Do you remember how in the beginning the recently installed Windows worked fast, without any errors or freezes? You are probably nostalgic for these old good times. Do not get discouraged yet, because there is still a chance for you to restore the “life” in your computer.

Most of us utilize Windows. Without a doubt, the most popular computer system has many advantages, as well as disadvantages. With a little bit of effort and following of our recommendations and instructions, you may never see the “bad” side of Windows. After all, Windows is the easiest computer system to maintain.

Before all, you have to know what exactly you are doing with and to Windows. If you feel like you are not knowledgeable enough, it is better to not mess with the set up and to not go into the system part of the hard disk to delete files and folders (Windows is almost always installed in the C drive). Actions like these lead to more problems and instability of the operating computer system.

First and foremost - the viruses

Very often the reason for the instability, delays, and errors of your computer’s operating system is its infection with a harmful code, such as a virus, Trojan horse, or just harmful software. The installation of an antivirus program, firewall, and software that fights spyware is not just recommended, but absolutely necessary and vital in order to avoid serious problems with your computer system.

Let’s consider that your computer is not infected with a virus or you have already removed it from the system. The next thing we have to do is to begin with the thorough cleaning of the hard disk – one of the slowest components in a contemporary computer. If the hard disk is highly fragmented, it may not improve the overall efficiency of the system, even if you have a very fast processor. Why? Because the information which you need to reach is hidden in the highly fragmented disk and so it cannot be read fast enough. Also, the highly fragmented disks often lead to errors, freezing of the system, and even total refusal to start. Before you start with the actual defragmentation of the disk, it is a good idea to get rid of all temporary files as well as unwanted games and programs.

Removal of temporary files

First, you have to delete the folder “TEMP”. The removal of temporary files in the mentioned folder can be achieved in two ways. The first way is to delete these temporary files from the folder manually – an option which is not as recommended as the second one. If you chose this option, however, all you have to do is to find the folder TEMP, click on it and delete all the temporary files in it. If, for some reason, some of the files are being used by the operating system at the moment, your attempt to delete them would not be achieved.

The second way is to use a program to assist you in this process. There are many programs that would do this job – both paid and free. Last, but not least, is the built-in device for cleaning of Windows, which is called Disk Cleanup. To access it, simply click the right button of the mouse on the disk which you would like to clean, chose Properties. In Properties, you would see a button named Disk Cleanup. You shouldn’t have great expectations for this device, because it does not remove all of the unnecessary files but just some of them. This is why we are offering you another program, which is more effective and totally free. It is called Ccleaner. We recommend you use this program because there is no risk that it would somehow delete necessary and important files from your computer.

Removal of unnecessary programs

After you finish with the first two procedures, you can delete all unnecessary programs and games, including demo versions which have stopped functioning long time ago. This can be achieved by going to Control Panel and opening up Add/Remove Programs. This option allows you to uninstall all unnecessary programs and games. From here, you can also remove all unnecessary Windows components. You must be very cautious when you delete Windows components. If you do not have the necessary knowledge and expertise to perform this task, do not attempt it at all. Deleting vital components of Windows can cause you lots of problems, including a new installation of Windows

For perspicuity and convenience, you can also delete all of the shortcuts on your desktop.

All of the steps mentioned above can be performed in any order.

Often, some programs do not delete their temporary files. Usually they are разширение tmp, so if you find them somewhere on your computer you can delete them. Also, you are probably going to find temporary files from Microsoft Word. If this program is not in use at the moment, then these temporary files are left over in the computer for one reason or another and can be deleted.

Cleaning of the Register

Now, to optimize the work of the operating system, we have to clean the register (?) from past errors. The cleanup can be performed manually, but this is not a recommended option. Messing with the register without knowing exactly what you are doing or looking for is extremely dangerous for your computer while the entire cleanup of everything unnecessary is practically impossible because it requires you to review thousands of paragraphs. Yet, we will tell you how access Windows’s register. Click the START button and choose Run. A little window would open up, in which you would have to type regedit. Everything you do from here on is your own responsibility.

To safely clean up your register, use a specific program. Again, you have a wide range of paid and free programs that you can choose from. And again, we would recommend that you utilize Ccleaner. Before you delete any error in the register, do make a duplicate copy of it (before each removal, the program would ask you if you would like to make a duplicate copy; it is your choice whether or not to make duplicate copies of the register every time you attempt to delete something, but the first time is necessary that you do so).

Hard disk defragmentation

Now that we have finished with the basic cleanup, it is time to take care of the efficiency of the hard disks by doing defragmentation. There are many programs that can be used for this purpose, including the built-in Windows program. Good results can be achieved with one of the following programs: Diskeeper and O O Defrag. The most recent version of the first one is 10 and keep in mind that the program is not free. You can choose from three different versions of Diskeeper designed for home users and business offices. The price of the program varies depending on its version. The second product, O O Defrag has also proven its abilities. Its most recent version is 8.5.

Whichever program of the two you choose, you must perform the disk defragmentation periodically in order to avoid high disk fragmentation. The more a disk is fragmented, the more time it takes the program to perform the defragmentation.