Windows Part 1 Un Install Programs Update Windows Defragment Hard Drives
Windows Part 1: Un-Install Programs, Update Windows, Defragment Hard Drives
Take back control over your windows computer!
Part 1: un-install programs, update Windows, defragment hard drives
This is the first of many more articles to come .
I will show you step by step how you can take back control over your windows computer .
Just follow my instructions and soon you will be using your computer to work or play again instead of spending hours trying to just keep it running .
Best of all, I won't try to sell you anything .
I will show you ways to do many things on your computer for free .
As with most instructions, please read the whole thing before doing anything.
Lets start with a little house cleaning .
Close all programs on your computer .
Click on the START button in the bottom left corner, select Settings, then Control Panel .
a new window should have opened up .
Double click on Add/Remove Programs .
This will show you most of the programs installed on your computer .
Go through the list and if you find any that you installed, but no longer need or use, just un-install them .
This will free up disk space .
Some un-install programs will ask you to restart your computer .
When you are done go ahead and restart again .
Windows loves to be restarted .
Be careful that you do not un-install programs you are still using and also do not un-install any Windows updates .
Basically, if you don't know what it is, don't touch it!
After a clean restart, we will now make sure your computer has the latest updates installed .
Click on START, then on Windows Update .
If you do not have Windows Update in the START menu, open Internet Explorer, then click on Tools, then on Windows Update .
Follow instructions on the Microsoft Update website and install all available critical updates for your computer .
Restart when prompted to do so .
Also, select to automatically check for updates .
But do not select to automatically download and install them .
You always want to be asked before downloading and installing updates! This can take a long time and just let your computer do it's thing .
You can do something else in the meantime .
Restart when you are done.
Now that your computer is updated and we've also done a little house cleaning, it is time to de-fragment the hard drive .
Windows is not very efficient in where it puts stuff on your hard drive .
After a while it gets fragmented .
But Windows includes a tool to clean that up .
You should do this at least once a week if you use your computer on a daily basis .
Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop .
a new window will open and show you all hard drive, CR ROM drives and other storage devices connected to your computer .
In most cases your main hard drive will be labeled the C: drive .
If it has any other letter, that's OK too .
Right-click on it, then select Properties .
Another window will open .
At the bottom to the right click on disk cleanup, then select all check boxes .
If you have off-line web pages, do not select them .
If you don't know what they are, you probably have not used that feature and can select it .
Then click on OK and on Yes in the confirmation box .
Once this is cleaned up, click on the Tool tab and then on Defragment now .
In the new window, click on Defragment again and let the computer defragment the hard drive .
Depending on the size of your hard drive, this can take several hours, especially if it's the first time you do this .
Just let it run until it is done .
Repeat these steps for all other hard drives you have on your computer.
That's all .
You have now deleted un-needed programs, updated Windows and de-fragmented your hard drive .
Restart your computer and your computer will be more secure and run better than before .
Check back for more articles on how to take back control over your computer.
