1. Free up the hard disk space - Windows XP, Vista have the Disk cleanup Tool can help you free up your hard disk space. The utility identifies files that you can delete safely, will let you decide whether you want to delete some or all of files.
The Disk Cleanup tool will remove : Downloaded Program Files, Temporary Internet files, Empty the Recycle Bin, Temporary files and Programs installed file that no longer need.
To use Disk Cleanup:
1. Double click My Computer ->right click and select Properties -> select General on the top -> click Disk Cleanup
Temporary Internet files take the most amount of space because the browser caches each page you visit for faster access later.
2. Check boxes for files that you want to delete, and then click OK.
3. When prompted to confirm that you want to delete the specified files, click Yes.
After a few minutes, the process completes and the Disk Cleanup dialog box closes, leaving your computer cleaner and performing better.2. Speed Up Access to Data - Disk Defragmenter is a Windows utility that consolidates fragmented files and folders on your computer's hard disk so that each occupies a single space on the disk. With your files stored neatly end-to-end, without fragmentation, reading and writing to the disk speeds up.
To use Disk Defragmenter:
1. Double click My Computer ->right click and select Properties -> select Tool on the top -> click Defragment Now...
2. In the Disk Defragmenter dialog box, click the drives that you want to defragment, and then click the Analyze button. After the disk is analyzed, a dialog box appears, letting you know whether you should defragment the analyzed drives.
3. To defragment the selected drive or drives, click the Defragment button. Note: In Windows Vista, there is no graphical user interface to demonstrate the progress—but your hard drive is still being defragmented.
4. After the defragmentation is complete, Disk Defragmenter displays the results. Click View Report to display detailed information about the defragmented disk or partition, To close the View Report dialog box, click Close. To close the Disk Defragmenter utility, click the Close button on the title bar of the window.
3. Scan and Repair Disk Errors - As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult, or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced.
To use the Error-Checking:
1. Double click My Computer ->right click and select Properties -> select Tool on the top -> click Check Now...
2. In the Check Disk dialog box, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start.
3. If bad sectors are found, choose to fix them.
Only select the "Automatically fix file system errors" check box if you think that your disk contains bad sectors.
4. Protect your computer against spyware - Spyware collects personal information without letting you know and without asking for permission. From the Web sites you visit to usernames and passwords, spyware can put you and your confidential information at risk. In addition to privacy concerns, spyware can hamper your computer's performance. To combat spyware, you might want to consider using Microsoft Windows Defender(click to download).
5. Learn all about ReadyBoost - If you're using Windows Vista, you can use ReadyBoost to speed up your system. A new concept in adding memory to a system, it allows you to use non-volatile flash memory—like a USB flash drive or a memory card—to improve performance without having to add additional memory.
