7 Tips to Make Your Computer Faster For Gaming
*Click* *Click* You wait and you wait, but it takes what seems like FOREVER for your browser or music app to come up. We have all been there, and many of us have put up with painfully slow load times and computer crashes.
But hey, have you ever wondered “How can I make my computer faster?” Well, read on my friends.
The first step to solving a problem is identifying them. And the rest of this article will explore some common problems and their solutions.
Problem: Hard drive fragmentation
Imagine you just got home from the grocery store. You are in a hurry to get out to a movie and meet your friends, so you just toss your groceries haphazardly into the fridge and cabinets. This is sort of what happens when your computer downloads, moves or creates a file on your hard drive.
It gets the job done fast, but in the long run, it will slow you down when you try to FIND the particular item you want. You could resolve this by REORGANIZING the items, that way when you need something you know EXACTLY where it is at. The computer equivalent to this is called…
Solution: Defragmentation
This is a free and VERY powerful way I make my computer faster. Click the Windows button on your taskbar. Navigate to “All Programs,” then “Accessories,” and then “System Tool.” In this menu, you should see an option to Defrag your hard drive. Simply run this program 1-2 times a month to keep your files ordered and your system running smoothly.
Note: If you have never done this, it may take a LONG time. If you use Mac or Linux, you do not need to defrag your computer.
Problem: Viruses, adware, spyware
*Cough* *Cough* *Sniffle* Your computer is sick. It went out into the social playground known as the web and caught a cold. Viruses and spyware are nasty little programs that malicious people put onto your computers for profit or simply out of some psychological malfunction. The Internet can be a scary place, so it’s best to protect yourself.
Solution: Run a virus scanner
Unlike defragmentation, Viruses are not something the average person will want to try to remove themselves. It is best to use the software.
I personally recommend you shoot over to Norton Antivirus and give their software a try. It removes both viruses AND spy/adware and it is insanely EASY to use. One-click. That’s it. Get your copy from Amazon.
Problem: Messy registry
Let’s say you like your thermostat at 70 degrees, and your toaster set at 3, and your desk organized a certain way. Perhaps, you have preferences and settings for many more items/devices in your house. Your brain remembers where and how you like things, but settings for programs on your computer are set in its “Registry.” Uninstalled programs can leave in unused data and an error may cause an issue in your registry. These things can slow you down, just like resetting your thermostat or reorganizing your desk.
Solution: Clean your registry
For those of you (and myself included) who would whether not risk messing some vital part of the Operating System, use a registry cleaner. There are several out there on the market. I cannot vouch for all of them, but one I have always had luck with is CC Registry Cleaner. It is free (mostly), fast, and SO SIMPLE to use that a 5-year-old kid can do it.
Use BleachBlit to clean up individual program databases
We talked a bit about registries and defragmentation. Both of these examples were those that occur in your Operating System. Did you know that the databases for individual programs can also have errors? This is where the free tool BleachBit comes in! It runs through a bunch of installed programs and fixes errors in their databases and configuration files. It is an easy way to REALLY speed up your rig.
Delete old unused files
Having your hard drive too full can cause a lot of problems. Periodically, I like to run through my hard drive and delete files I don’t use anymore. I also make sure that once a month I uninstall any programs that I have not used in a while. Keeping a hard drive free of clutter is a very important step in keeping your computer running quickly.
How can I make my computer fast…Faster than factory?
There are a few ways to make your computer faster than it was when you first bought it. The first and easiest way is to purchase some ram, which you can easily buy on Amazon. RAM is an essential component for keeping your computer running quickly, but it can be a little confusing if you are not an advanced computer user.
There are different types of RAM for the types of the motherboard. One type doesn’t suit all. RAM upgrade is a highly effective solution to improve your system’s performance. Be it for gaming, video editing, and whatnot.
Just comment below with your system model if you need help choosing the right memory. I’ll be more than happy to help you.
Overclock your computer
Another way to get a huge performance boost is to overclock your processor. Most manufacturers set the chips in your computer to run slower than their full capacity for a variety of reasons (energy consumption, and overheating). If you can keep your computer well ventilated, overclocking can be a cheap and easy way to make your computer faster. Check out: WikiHows overclocking guide here.
NOTE: While it is an effective method to improve your system’s performance. It’s risky at the same time and can damage your PC if done improperly. So take it as the last option and preferably on an older PC.
Over to you!
I hope these tips have been helpful. Now you know how to make your computer faster, with some of my favorite techniques. Good luck, and happy computing.
