Completely Remove Old Data From Your PC

Everyone wants their computers to be fast and efficient. You probably spent a lot of time evaluating the processing speed of various computers when deciding on which one to purchase. However, while a new computer may perform at a very high speed, it tends to get slower and slower over a period of time. This is primarily due to various downloads and upgrades which you perform overtime. The common symptoms of a computer that is slowing down are an increase in the loading time of programs, a delay in system start-up, slower Internet access and so on.

There could be many reasons for the slow down of your PC, but one of the main reasons is the presence of old and unnecessary data which is present in your computer. These stray bits of redundant data hamper the optimum performance of your PC by clogging the system. It is possible to enhance the speed and overall performance of your computer if you completely remove old data from your PC.

The following are some of the top tips that can help you clear this old data from  your computer and resolve the “my computer is slow” problem:

Remove Old Data from Your Registry

A computer registry is a centralized database that contains important configuration information related to system software and hardware. Whenever a software or hardware is installed or uninstalled from your Windows PC, its configuration data is added or removed from the registry. A lot of times, small pieces of unwanted information get left behind in the registry, especially if the component is not uninstalled properly. Over a period of time, these stray pieces of information can add up to a huge pile of unwanted data and cause bloating of the registry. This leads to a delay in accessing the registry and an overall slow-down of your computer.

You can increase the speed of your computer by removing this junk data with the help of a trusted registry cleanup tool. A good registry cleanup tool improves computer speed by:

1. Cleaning your Windows registry of unnecessary data.

2. Consolidating broken files in your registry.

3. Repairing error entries within the registry.

Remove Old Data from Your Hard Disk

All vital information of your computer including the operating system and device drivers are stored on your hard disk. Even though hard disks are available in huge sizes, they get filled up quicker than you expect them to. This leaves very little space for your system to perform optimally.

You can prevent this slow down if you follow these steps to cleaning up your hard disk:

1. Empty Recycle Bin: This is the easiest thing to do and can give you quite a lot of additional space. It is a good idea to make this a habit, and empty your recycle bin every once in a while.

2. Disk Cleanup: Performing disk cleanup on regular intervals helps perform tasks such as compress old files, clear temporary files and remove old Windows XP and Vista System Restore points. To perform Disk Cleanup, click on the Start button, select Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Clean Up. You will see a screen from where you can select to remove whichever files you do not need.

3. Disk Defragmenter: This program helps increase speed as well as increase the amount of disk space, by rearranging files stored on a hard disk so that they occupy contiguous storage locations. To use the Disk Defragmenter, click on the Start button, select Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter.

4. Remove Old Programs: You can increase the performance of your computer by uninstalling programs which have not been used for a long time. This can be done with the help of the Add or Remove Programs tool or a good uninstaller. The Windows 98, Me and XP Disk Cleanup screen has a tab named More Options which will take you to the Add/Remove Programs tool. You can also use the Control Panel to open the Add/Remove Programs utility.

If you follow these simple tips to remove the old data from your PC, you can stop the slow down process and increase the speed of your computer.