The more you use your computer, the slower it seems to get. At least, that is the general consensus among many average computer users. It is a pretty common phenomenon to see a computer that is mainly used for checking email and playing solitaire eventually bog down to nearly a grinding halt. The problem is that these computers are not broken, as many owners would assume, but they are simply clogged with garbage, such as spyware or the occasional computer virus. So the question comes up, when was the last time you ran a good computer checkup on your system? As the saying goes, well, that is too long.



You can always disconnect your computer tower and drag it down to your local computer repair shop and hope that they will not charge you very much to check it out. The truth is, they most likely will. Part of that will be labor, which can run you anywhere from $30 per hour and up. Most people are not aware of it, but it is very easy to perform a computer checkup on your own. And it is also a whole lot cheaper to do it yourself.

A couple common fixes for a slow computer are very simple to perform. In fact, this can get your computer running nicely again in no time.

First, you will want to go to the start menu and run 'msconfig'. Under the startup tab, you will want to uncheck any programs that are not necessary to Windows performance - and most of them are not. If you make a mistake, after a reboot you can always recheck the disabled program to start it again when you next power cycle your machine. This should always be your first step when doing a computer checkup where your system is running slowly. If you know what you are looking for, you can find all sorts of things in here that can slow you down, including viruses. It is good to be familiar with this trick.

Second, you will most likely want to download a free spyware removal tool from a reputable internet site. Be sure to do your research, because there are many programs that pretend to be a helpful program, but in fact hide spyware of their own, trying to trick you into purchasing their product. Once you get your program, install it, upgrade the definition tables, and scan your system. Do not be surprised if you find a bunch of things...this is a common problem.

Next, you will want to follow suit and download and install a good quality antivirus program. Also be sure to do your research and select a reputable program, because like anti-spyware programs, there are nasty bugs in disguise with these, too. Do a quick computer checkup with this as well.

The last tip is a great one. Simply do the above, then drop in another RAM stick. You will see a very noticeable boost in computer performance, and with all of these steps you will have that good old system back up in no time.