Don't Toss Out The Computer

Don't Toss Out The Computer

“Hey Honey, when you get done cleaning out the garage, can you take a look at the computer? Farmville isn’t loading.”

10 years ago, you would not have heard that come from anybody’s mouth. But in modern times, we need to accept some responsibility for the computerized stationary sitting on the desk in the corner. This is definitely an area you shouldn’t pass up during your spring cleaning routine.

At some point you’re going to have to accept that your home computer just doesn’t run as good as it used to. The good thing is, you don’t have to accept a mediocre web surfing experience due to your sluggish ‘machine’. Instead of hauling your PC down to the over priced tech super chain to wait in line for an hour (where they’re going to just fix your computer in 5 minutes while you hand your wallet over to them), we’re going to show you a few things you can try at home before you seek out a higher power. These are questions I run into constantly in an average conversation with friends, relatives and acquaintances. One of the curses of telling people I work with computer…

Browser Arouser “My computer is slow!”
This is usually based on 3 things; Hardware, Software, or Connection. Sometimes the simple answer is “It’s not necessarily your computer.” If it’s hardware, seek a professional. Sometimes it’s the actual internet connection. If the bytes aren’t coming to your web browser fast enough, it can actually slow you down a bit. But before you pick up the phone and pay more for your internet service, take a look at the browser. Like most people, you may still be using Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Maybe because it’s convenient, it did in fact come installed with the computer. I usually install two other browsers on my machines. Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome are two options you can try out. They both seem to be a little bit faster and smoother running than Internet Explorer (or even Safari on the Mac).

Regardless of what browser you’re using, some software you install, and even malicious websites, have ways of installing Toolbars in your browser. These can be a pain and definitely effect system performance. I’ve seen Yahoo! and even Google toolbars plague people’s browsers. You don’t need them. If either of those are your favorite search engines, you can easily set it as your default search engine in your browser’s search box. Usually, to uninstall a toolbar, you can just right-click your toolbar group and deselect the offending bar. Some may even have an uninstall option in Control Panal->Programs.

Dust Control “My computer randomly shuts off!”
This could be a list of reasons but one place to start is airflow. Your computer has at least one fan in the CPU Case and, in some cases, up to three. Like most fans, these little guys pull in a fair amount of dust which restricts airflow and cooling inside the case. The extra heat will drastically effect the performance of your computer and most motherboards will shut down if the CPU heats up to dangerous temperatures. You’re going to have to open the case and go in with some canned air or a vacuum cleaner to get the ‘dust bunnies’ off the fans.

MiSCONFIGuration “There’s like 100 programs running when it starts up!”
One in three programs you install will want to run at system start up. This can be a pain considering you don’t always need the program running all the time. A good practice is to open the ‘Run…’ program in the ‘Windows’ Start Menu and deselect nearly all items in the Startup tab, AntiVirus programs excluded. This will decrease the start-up time and help your computer run a bit smoother during your usage.

Anti-Virus “I keep getting viruses!”
Viruses have a way of ALWAYS infecting your computer. And once you get one, it seems to multiply. The best advice is to get Virus Protection installed. You don’t have to go for the Kimbo Slice Norton package though. There is a free antivirus program called Avira [www.avira.com]. Just look for the “Free Personal” version. It does a great job keeping unwanted files out of your hard drive.

Other ways of keeping out the bugs….
If you have the money, get a Mac.
Definitely, stop using Internet Explorer.
Don’t download illegal software, videos and music.
Stay away from adult-oriented websites.

If you still can’t get the life back into your computer, take it to one of your local computer repair shops like Insta-Tek. Those bigger places are just going to overcharge for dust bunny removal.

Other Articles You Might Like: