Why is My Computer So Slow?

There’s nothing like the speed of a brand-new computer, just out of the box! But over time, sometimes in as little as a month, it feels like the computer is slowing down – you are NOT imagining this! Just using a computer regularly - adding programs, accessing the internet and opening your e-mails - can leave little bits and pieces in your system that cause it to run sluggishly.

The following housekeeping tips will keep your computer clean and running up to speed. Try it once a month and you’ll be amazed at how much smoother your system is running. If it seems to need it more often, you can always change to once a week – or whatever time schedule suits your needs.

1. Run Disk Cleanup
Click Start
Programs
Accessories
System Tools
Disk Cleanup
After it runs, check all boxes except "Compress old files" and click Okay - if it asks you to confirm, say "yes"

2. Run Advanced SystemCare
Go to www.iobit.com
Download & run Advanced System Care - the free version only! You don't need to pay for this.

Alternate #2 - Download and run the most recent free version of Adaware from www.lavasoft.com. I like Advanced Systemcare better, but this is a good program too.

3. Do Windows Updates
Click Start, Control Panel (or if Control Panel's not on the Start Menu, Click Start Settings Control Panel)
Click Windows Updates on the left side
Choose “Custom”
When it finishes finding updates, go to the left side and choose "Software" - then go to the right and "Select All" (it defaults to choosing high priority updates only - I want you to add the software updates to that)
Click Install Updates

4. Defrag your computer (let this run overnight)
Click Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter
Choose Defragment
Just let it run till it’s done, don’t do anything on the computer while this is running

And, of course, be sure to keep your antivirus program up to date and run scans regularly!

E-Mail Tip of the Month:
Writing Effective Subject Lines
· Always include a subject.
· Writing effective subject lines can be tricky. The goal is to summarize the entire message without being overly wordy or vague.
· Remember, long subjects tend to be ignored, and often they don’t fully display in e-mail viewers.
· Always use sentence case for subject lines; avoid typing subject lines in all capital letters.
· Avoid words like important, urgent, and critical.

~J~