by Sucahyo Aji

Created on: November 11, 2009   Last Updated: December 19, 2009

Five ways to speed up a slow computer

No matter how fast the processor and memory being designed today, there is still one component that do not improve as much. It is harddisk. This component slowing everything down. While the processor can do giga hertz and memory can do mega hertz, the harddisk still operate at mega byte per second. Even flash disk is starting to catch up with the harddisk speed and capacity that some exotic system use them instead of harddisk.

Since most bottleneck in current computer system is in the harddisk, most method to improve your computer speed involve around the harddisk.


1. Archive your unused file

Current computer file system has tendency to slow down even a very fast system if there are too many files. A computer need to allocate some resource to remember the location of files. The large number of files will make the computer waste a lot of resource just to remember files location. By reducing the number of files, the computer will have more resource to do something else. Reduce the number of files in your computer by compressing or archiving your file using your favorite archiver.


2. Delete temporary or cache file

Cache or temporary files are usually consist of many small file. A large number of files will slow your computer. Set your cache and temporary fiels to minimum. You may have to change it trough the application interface. Browser is an application that incorporate cache. Delete or change the cache option from browser option menu. Limit their cache size to smaller value, like 20MB or so. Application may also leave their temporary file or folder in your temporary folder. Check your temporary folder often and delete any files you find in there.


3. Use Compressed folder

Processor and memory are so fast this day that the performance impact of compressed folder implementation is minimal now. Enabling compressed folder option will increase your harddisk space and minimize slow harddisk access. Try and see if turning on compressed folder on your windows will increase your computer response time.


4. Defrag your computer

The way the data stored in a harddisk will often change during use. Harddisk work optimal if the data is stored in sequence. The harddisk data can be reorganized via defragmenting. Defrag your computer once in a while, do at least twice in a year. Do more often if you are often reinstall application.


5. Upgrade the hardware

It is unavoidable that software developer now seek the easy way to get the application launched faster. The end user have to provide better computer to allow that kind of application run fluently. Modern software may run slow on old computer system. See the software system requirements. If your computer computer is bellow recomendded value, you may need to upgrade your computer. Software developer expect end user to keep upgrading their device, we have no choice than to follow them.



Above are general ways to speed up a slow computer. It may not solve all the problem of a slow computer. It is best to observe carefully the cause of a slow computer. It is best to take time to do the observation instead of wasting many days with empty result.

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