How to optimise your computer for peak performance

Working on a slow computer does not only cause stress to you as a user but can waste your precious time. This is avoidable and you do not need be a computer wizard to make your computer run faster.

The following tips can help improve your computer’s performance.

Clean up disk errors

Whether you are using Windows Operating system or open source, it’s crucial to once in a while clean up your disk.

According to Chris Tull, a technology specialist and freelance writer, whenever a programme crashes or you experience a power outage, your computer may create errors on its hard disk (sometimes referred to as a hard drive).

“Over time, the errors can result in a slow PC. Fortunately, the Windows operating system includes several PC tools, including a Check Disk programme, to identify and clean any errors on your computer and to help keep it running smoothly,” advices Tull.

Remove temporary files

When you are browsing or working on documents, your computer can pick up and store temporary files. Over time, these files will slow your computer’s performance.

It is advisable that you, once in a week, use cleaning softwares like the Windows Disk Cleanup tool to rid your computer of these unneeded files. There are other free cleaning programmes available on the Internet. It is, however, prudent to be choosy when downloading programmes from the Internet as you can end up infecting your PC with deadly viruses.

Optimise your data

As you retrieve files from your computer, a complicated process runs in the central processing unit (CPU).

Technically speaking, as you add programmes and files to your computer, it often breaks files side by side to increase the speed of access and retrieval.

However, as files are updated, your computer saves these updates on the largest space available on the hard drive, often found far away from the other adjacent sectors of the file.

The result is a fragmented file which cause slower performance because your computer must now search for all of the file’s parts.

Windows includes a Disk Defragmenter programme to piece all your files back together and to make them available to open more quickly. According to a Microsoft manual for instance, Windows 7 and Windows Vista are preconfigured to run Disk Defragmenter on a weekly basis.