No doubt, as a computer owner you’ve probably become frustrated on more than one occasion due to your machine becoming unbelievably slow. Let’s face it; nobody enjoys having to wait for what seems like an eternity, and that just so that you can access one of your programs. Of course, it can be even more soul destroying when you’re forced to wait for ten or fifteen minutes each time you boot-up your computer.

Irrespective of what’s causing it, slow computers are something which millions of users have to deal with daily. Even though there is no guaranteed cure for a slow computer, there are however four things you can do to speed it up.

#1. Computers need to be rebooted

You’d be surprised at just how many people never bother rebooting their computers, and this in itself is a major cause for computers being slow. With so many people having 24 hour Internet connection, and their computers being an integral part of their lifestyle, many people tend to overlook the fact that all computers need to be rebooted frequently.

Bear in mind that many software programs fail to shut down entirely even when you close them. Furthermore, many software programs also contain what is known as a memory leakage and this without a doubt has a direct impact on the computer’s available memory. This is because when a computer is using a large slice of its available memory, there is simply no way for it to be as efficient as what it was designed to be. By rebooting your computer you are essentially allowing it a chance to reset its memory and providing you do this from time to time, you’ll more than likely notice a considerable increase in speed.

#2. Upgrade your memory

One could almost say that a computer’s memory is like its muscles, in that if it doesn’t have sufficient available memory, it becomes weak and slow. In fact, insufficient memory is perhaps the biggest course for personal computers becoming slow and sluggish. Nowadays, you simply cannot get by without at least 512 megabytes of RAM, and that only if you’re running one of the older Windows operating systems such as XP for example. Those who are using the Windows Vista platform will require at least 1.5 GB of memory, while those using the new Windows 7 system will require at least 1GB. Irrespective of which operating system you’re using, you should ideally have at least 2 GB of memory if you have a 64-bit system, or if you frequently play games and run many programs simultaneously.

#3. Defragment your computer

As you may well already know, if your hard drive is fragmented it results in your machine becoming inefficient. You can bet your bottom dollar that if you’ve not been using the built in defragment tool, you’ll be forfeiting a substantial amount of your computer’s potential with regards to accessing files and etc.

Windows PCs have a built-in defragmentation tool for a reason — you should use it at least once a month to ensure that your files are not heavily fragmented, and you will likely see a nice speed boost once you run a defragmenter, especially after not using it for a while, or ever, for that matter.

#4. Registry cleaners

The windows registry inevitably becomes full of clutter and this is why it is necessary to run a registry cleaner from time to time. In simple terms, the registry is virtually like the brains of a computer, and whenever you choose to install or uninstall a program, data is either added or removed respectively. Unfortunately however, very few programs uninstall as they should, and as a result pockets of data remain left behind. Because this data then has no use, it simply occupies available space, not to mention the fact that it can cause serious conflicts between different programs and different drivers. In fact, a cluttered registry can cause your computer to slow down to a snail’s pace. As a result, it is highly recommended that you use a registry cleaner frequently if you want your computer to continue operating at its best.

For many people, just using the tips which have been mentioned above, has proven to make a noticeable difference in terms of speed. However, you should also bear in mind that practically all computer users will experience a gradual slowdown over a period of time. Of course, this is not something anyone enjoys encountering, especially if it reaches a stage where you need to reformat your computer or take it in for repairs. By applying the tips provided in this article you’ll at least be safe in the knowledge that you’re doing all you can in order to maintain the efficiency of your computer.