Get The Best Performance From Your Computer!

By Sam Whitewick

Improve System Performance

• This slideshow will explain how to improve system performance by doing the following tasks:

• Virus Protection — run an update to the virus definition files • Schedule a full system scan• Install Service Pack 3 patch for Windows XP• Defragment the Hard Drive• Format a Hard Drive• Install and run a firewall• Create Folders• Copy and delete files• Back up to removable storage device

Why Do I Need To Do These Tasks?

These tasks will make your computer run better and will help you learn about your computer

Virus Protection — run an update to the virus definition files

• Running an update on your virus software can help prevent your computer from getting a virus

• Getting a virus can cause harm and slow down your computer. It can also retrieve personal information from your computer

• So running an update is important for performance

Schedule a task• Scheduling as task is a simple way of setting up something to occur

on your PC.• Under control panel, there is an option to schedule a task• There are many utilities which you can choose to schedule. The disk

clean up is recommended as removes any un-needed files

Defragmenting A Hard Drive

• Defragging a hard drive involves your computer moving all the sectors to a convenient place for it to look for file quickly

• A Hard Drive is made up of lots of different sectors

• Each sector has many different files sorted in it• When the computer moves the sectors, it moves

the files with it into a neat organisation so it can be found easily and quickly

• To defragment a hard drive, click start > all programmes > accessories > system tools > disk defragmentation

• Click defragment and you should see a screen like this:

Formatting a floppy disk

• Formatting a floppy disk involves wiping all the data off it

• The reason you would want to do this is when it runs out of room and you want to get rid of everything in the floppy disk

• To format the floppy disk, right click on it under My Computer and click format

• It will then give you this screen:

• Click Start to format the floppy disk• After it has finished, you should now have a clean

floppy disk

Installing Service Pack 3

• Installing a service pack updates the operating system

• It installs new drivers, updates security on your operating system and often makes the operating system more stable and makes it perform better

How to install the service pack

• You need to obtain the file through the internet or off a CD. Once you have the file, and put it into the C directory of your hard drive. Double click the exe file and follow the on screen instructions.

• It should install without a problem. Your operating system will then be up to date.

Install and running a firewall

• A firewall is important when surfing the internet. It protects your computer from malicious software coming from the web which can cause harm to your computer

• It monitors connections coming in and out of your computer.

• Installing a firewall is highly suggested.

Installing the firewall

• I recommend installing zone alarm. Its free and easy to use.

• Download it from the internet or install it from the CD and follow the instructions

• Once this has been done, your computer will be protected from the internet

Creating Folders

• Creating folders is a good way of keeping your documents, music etc. organised.

• If you organise them, it will be easier to find and make it easier for your hard drive to access

How to create a folder

• To create a folder, go to the place where you want to create a new folder on your hard drive

• Click File, New, Folder

• Name your folder accordingly

• You now have a new folder

Copy and delete files

• Copying and deleting files is a good way of backing up, moving and/or making space on your hard drive

• To copy a file, right click on the file and click copy. Go to the location of where you want to make a copy of the file, and right click and select paste

• To delete a file, right click on the file and select delete• Select yes to the recycle bin notification

Backing up to a floppy disk using compression software

• Backing up your work and other files is recommended to save it from being lost, corrupted, or accidently deleted.

• To do this, you can use the compression software built into Windows XP

• Right click on the file you want to compress and select send to > compressed file

• This will make the file smaller, and it will put it into the folder as the original file

• To back it up, copy it to a removable storage device such as a floppy disk

Utility type and name Description

Disk Defragmentation

Auslogics Disk Defrag

This free defrag utility, is another version of the windows disk defrag utility. It is boasted to be faster and better than the windows defrag utility

UltraDefrag Another good choice for a defrag utility. Its free and has a good GUI

Clean-up utilities

Tune-Up Utilities 2009

This programme costs £30. It provides an all in one package for cleaning your computer. With one click it can optimise your computer and clean up unwanted documents

Disk Clean Up Windows has a built in disk utility which comes with XP. It cleans the temporary internet files, the recycle bin and many other things to make your computer faster

Utility type and name Description

System Profiler

Everest Home Edition

Everest home edition is a free piece of software which shows you all the system information such as how much memory you have installed or what processor you are running

Windows XP System Information In the system information under system tools, there is the basic information. It doesn’t go into much detail, so Everest is a good alternative

Winzip Winzip is an alternative to the built in XP compression software. It is more advanced but costs €30. It compresses your files to make them smaller

Spybot Search and Destroy Spybot S&D scans your computer for spyware and also has a resident shield. This means that it protects your computer all the time. It has regular updates and is free