Q: How Can I Speed Up My Computer?

(There are many factors that go into how fast your computer will perform.  This article will cover hardware issues.  You may also want to read the Windows FAQ entries for How to Speed up Windows XP or Windows Vista.)

Before you consider a hardware upgrade, you need to be certain your computer is running as fast and efficiently as possible with the hardware you currently have.  Problems that can slow you down unnecessarily include not enough free space on your hard drive, fragmented files, too many temp files, too many programs are running (including background tasks), presence of spyware and viruses, and others. 

Once you have done that, if your system is still slower than you would like, then it is time to consider are hardware upgrade.  There are basically only four components than can be upgraded on a computer; they are the video card, processor, hard drive, and RAM (random access memory).

Unless you are a gamer, your video card is probably more than adequate and is probably not slowing you down.  Frankly, this site is geared towards the average home and business user, not gamers, so I really don't have much advice on specifically what kind of video card you should buy.  However, if you are looking for a site that caters to higher end hardware, I have found TigerDirect.com has the best selection and prices in the industry.

If your computer is only a few years old, the processor is probably also more than adquate for all but the most demanding CAD/CAM, video editing, Photoshop, and large database programming enthusists.  A processor upgrade is not for the faint of heart, and I seriously doubt you need one anyway.

If after defragmenting your hard drive and cleaning the temp files, you find you don't have enough hard drive space, you can consider adding a second hard drive to your system. 

Which leaves SelfGeek Rule#1: "The single most cost-effective way to speed up your computer is ensure it has suficient RAM."   A RAM upgrade from Crucial.com is the answer to most slow computer issues. You may wish to read the RAM upgrade article for more details. 

This topic is covered in greater detail in Computer Secrets Unleashed and Computer Training Unleashed.  

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