Are You Looking to Get More from Your Personal Computer?

Is your computer running slowly and too cluttered? Here are 7 quick tips to personalize your computer and keep it running very smoothly.

1. Save only what you need and start over.

If your computer is running extremely slowly, is hopelessly cluttered, and you want a fresh start, it is time to start over. Before you begin, be sure to save anything of importance. Once that has been completed, you can go ahead and format your hard drive. At this time, you may wish to destroy any partitions you've created and repartition the hard drive. You now have a clean slate.

2. Reinstall your operating system (or upgrade), taking time to adjust settings to your liking. Ensure that networking access and printer(s) are properly set up.

It is now time to reinstall your operating system. If you are using Windows, you may wish to upgrade to Windows Vista at this time. Be sure to consider the pros and cons before you spend the money. Once you reinstall Windows or your operating system of choice, take the time to set up your networking access, your Internet connection, as well as your printer. You will also want to make any other major adjustments at this time with regards to display, fonts, etc.

3. Install anti-virus, ad-ware, and spy-ware utilities.

Once you have an Internet access, you can download great, free utility software from Download.com. There are several choices, but you should chose software that will remove ad-ware and spy-ware in addition to just a traditional anti-virus program. Avast! is a great free anti-virus program; Spybot Search and Destroy targets spy-ware; and Ad-Aware leaves your computer free of ad-ware. All work well and are completely free. By using those three programs every month, you will keep your problem free and more secure - all for free.

4. Install additional utilities and office programs.