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There are many reasons your computer could be running slow, and many different solutions to fix it. Let's go over some of the basic steps to make your system perform better.

Over time, more and more programs tend to get loaded onto a computer, and these programs can slow the whole system down. Even if you don't use a program any more, it could still be causing your computer to perform less than optimally. These fixes are intended for Windows XP users, but should more or less apply to other versions of Windows. (Some of the commands may just be a little different.)

- Uninstall old programs

Go to Start Menu > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs. The list that comes up includes almost all programs that are currently loaded onto your computer. Go through the list and uninstall any old programs that you know for sure you don't use any more (old games, instant messaging programs, old printer drivers, etc.). For many programs, the entry will also show you the last time it was accessed. Removing some programs may require you to restart your computer, but you don't have to do this right away.

- Startup programs

Some programs are set to launch every time Windows loads, whether or not they are programs you actually need. There are a couple of ways to view and remove these programs. The easier way is to click Start Menu > All Programs > Startup, and delete any programs from this list that you do not want to load on startup. (Deleting a program from the Startup folder won't actually remove the program; it will just keep it from loading when Windows starts.)

Not all startup programs are shown in this folder. To see a more complete list, go to Start Menu > Run and type "msconfig." This command brings up the System Configuration Utility. Under the Startup tab you will see a list of programs that Windows loads on startup, and you can uncheck any programs you don't need. The next time you start Windows, don't be alarmed if a box pops up saying that Windows is now starting in "Selective Startup" mode... that just means that you made a change to the startup programs.

- Add more RAM

Adding RAM to your computer is the easiest hardware-based solution to increase system performance. If you've ever opened up your computer's case before, installing new RAM should not be much of a problem. Many online memory retailers have utilities that will scan your computer and tell you exactly what type of RAM your processor can work with. The best one I've found is Crucial.com's system scanner

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