Are you among the multitude of people who are suffering from “my computer is running slow” syndrome?

If your PC takes ages to boot, or start an application, or if it freezes regularly then you are definitely a victim of this syndrome. And you may find yourself asking the question, “How do I speed up my computer”? Well, to begin with, your machine could be running slow due to a number of reasons. In this article we will look at six pointers, which will help in substantially speeding up your machine.

First off, you need to keep in mind that your PC’s performance will be determined by its configuration. It is prudent to check your computer’s RAM with regard to the applications you are running on it. Generally, 256 MB of RAM is enough if you are using your PC for Internet browsing or for general purpose activities like accessing MS Office applications. However, if you want to use your machine for gaming, or if you plan to install applications which require more RAM, then you should opt for an upgrade in RAM.

Also, check the free disk space available on your machine. If you find that your hard drive is out of space then we suggest you to go for an upgrade. You can also increase the available disk space by running the Disk Clean Up utility. This utility will help you delete the files which are no longer needed. To run this utility go to the Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Disk Clean Up. We recommend that you run this utility at least once a month.

After you have run Disk Clean Up utility remember to defragment the files on your machine by running Disk Defragmenter Utility. Over time files on your system becomes fragmented and this would be the best time to organize your hard drive into contiguous sections. To run Disk Defragmenter go to Start |Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Disk Defragmenter.

In addition, we suggest that you check for the applications which start automatically when you power on your machine. These applications take up a portion of your computer’s RAM and can slow down your computer. So, keep only those applications which are needed. To see this list, go to Start, click on Run, Type 'msconfig' and click on OK. In the Systems Configuration Utility box select the Startup tab. From the list, select the programs you want to start automatically. Another good practice will be to keep the desktop items to a minimum and use low resolution wall papers.

Another reason for slow performance of your PC can be viruses. We recommend you scan your machine for viruses regularly. Also, check for malicious programs like spyware using a good anti-spyware tool.

It is also important that you maintain a clean and compact Windows registry for smooth functioning of your machine. To do this, we recommend you download a good registry cleaner from the Internet. A registry cleaner will not only help you maintain a clean registry, but will also help perform a registry restore in case your registry gets damaged or corrupt.

Remember, a little awareness and regular maintenance will help you get the maximum performance from your computer.