Is your computer running slower than a turtle? Getting strange error messages?  Windows, including individual programs, taking forever to load and/or crashing altogether?  Wondering how to speed up a slow computer? There are a few simple things that you can do to speed up your slow computer, while at the same time increasing your performance and reliability. There are some basic steps that you can take that will dramatically increase your PC's speed and performance. 

• Registry needs cleaning: Windows errors are a common cause of computer crashes and error messages. They can certainly slow down your computer as well. I highly recommend Registry Mechanic for cleaning your registry of errors, duplicate files, and files leftover from unistalling software on your PC. I installed Registry Mechanic when my computer was running slow and it found and repaired believe it or not over 152 registry errors, duplicate files, etc! I immediately noticed an increase in my computers performance and speed.  In fact, I am so satisfied with Registry Mechanic that I recommended this software long before I became an affiliate of it.  You can download an absolutely free, time unlimited, trial of Registry Mechanic.  The trial does have one limitation however.  It removes problems found in the first six sections of the registry only. A registered version is required to remove all detected problems.
• Hard Drive Full Of Clutter:  If you have surfed the Internet for any length of time, you likely have a hard drive full of browser cache, duplicate files, and temporary files, etc. A lot of people don't realize it, but Windows keeps a copy of every picture downloaded, web site visited, etc. stored in your hard drive. Besides being a threat to your Internet security and privacy, this can really reduce your computers performance and speed over time. A couple of years ago, I discovered software that permanently and securely deletes files on your hard drive. This software is called Cyberscrub Privacy Suite.  The first time that I used Cyberscrub Privacy Suite I deleted over 7 gb of temporary files, browser cache, etc. off my hard drive!  This signifigantly enhanced both my computers speed and performance. 
• Computer Viruses: Viruses and worms can wreak havoc on your computer - being very much a real threat to your Internet security and privacy...not to mention slowing down your computer. If you are connected to the Internet(if you are reading this chances are high that you are) it is essential that you have antivirus software installed on your computer.  It is important that you keep antivirus software up-to-date.  However, it is good to know that most modern antivirus software updates automatically.  There is actually free antivirus software available for download on the Internet.
• Adware and Spyware: Can certainly slow down your computer down.  This is because adware and spyware are not designed to run efficiently.  Besides slowing down your computer, spyware and adware is a real threat to your Internet security and privacy.  Though most spyware and adware is detected by antivirus software not all of this malicious software is.  That is why it is crucial that you have anti-spyware software installed on your computer.  Anti-spyware software, as well as other Internet security software can definately help speed up a slow computer.  It is good to know that there is free anti-spyware software available for download online.
• Your Hard Drive Needs Defragmenting: Finally, defragging your  hard drive can certainly speed up your  and increase its performance. Fragmentation occurs when an operating system breaks a file into pieces because there is not enough space on the storage device where the file was originally saved.  Use the defrag utility on Windows 98, ME, XP, and Vista to defragment your PC's hard drive. Beware that this can be a time consuming venture, sometimes taking several hours.

As you can see there are fortunately some steps you can take to speed up a slow computer.  While doing this you can also increase your computers performance, at the same time guarding it against Internet security and privacy threats.

Other Pages You Might Be Interested In

• Free Internet Security Software
• How To Permanently Delete Files On Your Hard Drive