- 1). Back up your work. Whether you use a DVD burner, flash drive or external hard drive, it's important to move important files to a secure space in case a program crashes or a file is corrupt. A DVD can hold up to 2.5 gigabytes of files. Many flash drives are small and portable, and can hold many gigabytes of files. Use an external hard drive for large video files and program data.
- 2). Clear out older programs. To clean up your PC and improve performance, go to the "Start" button on the task bar on your desktop screen. Go to "Control Panel." Click on "Programs." Your computer will populate all programs. Click on the "Uninstall Programs" icon for the programs you want to delete. Click "Continue" when prompted.
- 3). Clean up your hard drive. On the "Start" task bar, click on "Computer." Right click on the "C" drive or "Computer." Click "Properties." A pop-up box of controls and instructions will come up. On the front tab, click "Disk Cleanup." This procedure will have the computer find all temporary files and folders that aren't useful in the functionality of the computer. Check off each type of file you'd like to delete. The process usually takes less than five minutes.
- 4). Defragment your computer. Fragmented files are broken into two separate areas. By defragmenting your computer, you're bringing files together so the computer runs quicker and efficiently. Click on the "Start" button on the task bar. Click "Computer." Right click on "Properties." In the new window, click on "Tools." Click "Defragment Now." The process can take several minutes to several hours depending on the number of files that need to be reconnected.
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