How to accelerate the speed of your pc

Tips to speed up your computer.

Does it feel like it takes a day and a half for your PC to start up? Is surfing the web or opening your media files so slow that you could prepare dinner in the time it takes for a web page to load? While it might not 'actually' take this long to get things done on your PC, many people are frustrated with their slow PCs. In a day and age where data and information travels around the globe in seconds, we demand ever more power and speed out of our computers. Productivity is sapped and frustration runs high when our PCs, many people's main portal to their digital life and connection with the world at large, are running slower than the tortoise in that well known race.

The good news is that there are many low cost or free ways to get your PC moving again and get back to getting things done. The most common reason that a PC is running slow has to do with the hardware. Many people assume that processor speed is the main determinant of a computer's ability to work quickly. While the processor chip is a critical part of a computer's ability to run at all, RAM (random access memory) is where a computer derives its second to second processing speed capabilities.

Upgrading your PC's RAM is a surefire way to boost speed all around from watching movies on your PC to surfing the internet. In the past few years the price of RAM has dropped dramatically and it is possible to get a lot of RAM for under 100 dollars. Sure, a brand new computer with the fastest processor and best motherboard might be the fastest way to a fast machine, but replacing the RAM is cheaper, easier, and guaranteed to make your computer faster.

Most users today can get by quite well with 1-2 GB of RAM but many users are still using PCs with 512MB of RAM. If you use your computer mainly for web browsing and word processing, then 1GB of RAM is generally more than enough. If you use a lot of media (like watching movies often), play some computer games, or tend to multi-task with a lot of programs running at once then 2GB of RAM is recommended. If you are considered a power user and use your computer for hardcore gaming, video production/editing, or music production then 4GB of RAM is usually recommended.

Getting RAM for your computer is easy. You'll need to first determine the kind of RAM that your PC or Mac takes, the maximum amount of RAM it can handle, and the number of slots available. It is important to know the correct information and also use extreme caution when removing makers as well as many electronics stores offer inexpensive services where they will pick out the RAM for your needs and install it. Installation usually only takes a few minutes so if you know someone who can do it properly, you can save time and money over going through a store or computer maker.

You'll notice an instant difference in all your activities on your computer after new RAM is installed. Web pages will load faster, documents and files will open quicker, and you'll be able to have more programs running at once with less lost speed. Your computer will freeze up less often and you'll be less likely to need to reboot your computer as much. It will feel like a whole new machine.

RAM upgrading aside there are also a few free and simple things to do to accelerate your computer's speed. Over time spyware and unused software can junk up your computer. Surfing the web often will expose your PC to all kinds of unwanted programs in the form of adware and spyware. Programs you may have installed but never use may still run in the background, robbing you of memory that could be freed up.

For most users, simply going into your Control Panel (if you are a PC user) and selecting disk cleanup can free up space. Going to Add/Remove programs can help you get rid of programs you no longer use that may still be running in the background. And downloading free software like AdAware and Spybot Search and Destroy will give you powerful tools that will search for and remove programs and files that junk up your machine and were most likely downloaded without your knowledge.

These basic ways of accelerating the speed of your PC will give you the most power and productivity for the lowest price. It is important with RAM to get the right kind for your PC. With the free programs that help remove unwanted programs and files it is important to have them run a few times a week and making sure that the programs are kept up to date. Removing unwanted programs other then spyware and adware should be done with caution, if you uninstall what may seem like a useless file or program you may in fact be removing a critical system file. Always check with a computer expert of your PC maker if you have questions or concerns and before doing any major changes to your PC. Here's to a faster and more enjoyable PC experience.