PC speed fixes, easy and free

Advanced System Care (ASC) is a free program you can download and use for PC maintenance. With ASC, a few simple mouse clicks enables you to clean and optimize your system registry, remove spyware, disable auto-loading programs, remove junk files, and defragment your hard drive -- all ways to speed up your computer when it's bogged down. I've used this program for years and rely on it to keep my computer running smoothly. (There's a paid version as well with some premium features, but the free version is more than adequate for most users.)

Download ASC for free here: http://www.iobit.com/ld/iobitadvancedsystemcare.html. Save the file to your computer desktop and double-click it to install. Once installed, launch the program from the desktop shortcut and get ready to have a faster computer!

A PC's registry contains vital program and system settings. Unfortunately, it can get bloated over time, which means your computer has to keep a larger file in memory. The registry can also contain information that's no longer needed, like settings for a program you deleted last year. Optimizing the registry helps clean up the file and make it easier for the computer to use.

ASC contains two registry cleaning tools: one under Quick Care and a more thorough one under Deep Care. Quick Care is designed for regular maintenance, so you should use Deep Care to start. Click the Deep Care button, then check Registry Fix and click the Scan Now button on the right. If issues are detected with your registry, an alert icon will appear with the message "Problems found." Click the "Repair Now" button and ASC will proceed to fix your file. A check mark icon will appear when the repairs are complete.

Spyware can take up significant system resources, causing your PC to run slowly; it can even slow down your computer so much that it becomes almost useless. (And spyware can be dangerous, since it's designed to steal information like user names and passwords.) Advanced System Care has an in-depth spyware detection component under the Deep Care menu: check "Full Malware Scan" and click the button on the right that says "Scan Now". If anything is detected, an alert icon will appear with the message "Problems found." Click the "Repair Now" button and ASC will fix the problem. A check mark icon will appear when the repairs are complete. I also suggest you use the "Passive Defense" and "Vulnerability Fix" tools to guard against future infections.

Be sure you have good spyware protection software installed on your computer. (This tool is included with most anti-virus software.) If you don't, AVG Free is a great program you can use for free on home computers.

Many programs and helper applications are set to load automatically when your PC starts. These items use memory and other system resources, and even though each one only requires a little memory, they will add up and affect the speed of your system. Using one of the free tools in Advanced System Care, you can identify programs that load on start-up and disable the ones you don't need.

From the main ASC menu, click "Toolbox" and then click "Optimize." The third item, Startup Manager, will show you the applications that load when your computer starts. Be cautious with this list and be sure you understand what a program does before you disable it; you don't want to shut off your anti-virus program, for instance, or your printer software. If you click each name, ASC will give you some information about the program and whether it's required or optional. If you decide you don't need a program, select it and use the Status button (bottom left) to disable it.

I've saved these options for last since they'll typically have the least effect on your system speed -- but they are worth doing once in a while and can make a difference if your system is overloaded.

There are two options in ASC to clean up unnecessary files. Under Quick Care, you'll find "Junk Files Clean", which will delete temporary files and empty your recycle bin. In the Toolbox (under "Clean"), you'll find the Windows utility Disk Cleaner, which seems more thorough but takes longer. I suggest you start with the Quick Care option, which is probably adequate for most users.

After you've purged your files, you should check the fragmentation of your hard drive and repair it if necessary. (Be prepared; this step can take hours if you hard drive is badly fragmented.) Fragmentation occurs when files are split in storage, with part stored in one spot on the hard drive and the rest located somewhere else. File fragmentation slows down your computer because your system is pulling information from multiple locations. The disk defragment utility is under Deep Care; scroll down to find it, since it's at the bottom. Check Disk Defragment and click Scan (at right) to get a report on your hard drive; the evaluation will take about 5 minutes. At the end of the test, ASC will give you the option to defrag the drive if necessary.

If you're still having problems, I'd also recommend using the "Disk Scan" option (under Deep Care) to test for errors on your hard drive. You'll need to restart your computer to complete the scan, since it can't run when Windows is active.