What are the Top 5 Things You Can Do To Resolve Unexpected Computer Behavior and Improve Your Computer's Performance?

Overview

Is your computer experiencing any of the following behaviors?

Here are some common steps you can take to resolve unexpected behavior and improve your computer's performance:

  1. Uninstall Unwanted "Spyware" and "Adware"

  2. Uninstall Unused Programs

  3. Hard Drive Maintenance

  4. Restore the Computer

  5. Add Memory

Click the links above for detailed instructions.


Uninstall Unwanted "Spyware" and "Adware"

Some free software applications (like file-sharing applications) that are downloaded from the Internet may have some additional unwanted third-party software (sometimes called adware or spyware) running on your system that can make it slower.

To find out more about spyware, refer to Dell Knowledge Base Article:

"What is Spyware? "


Return to Overview


Uninstall Unused Programs

Uninstall programs that you no longer need or use. These programs sometimes remain running even if they are not being used.

To learn how to find and uninstall programs, refer to Dell Knowledge Base Article:

"How Do I Determine What Programs Are Installed On My System Using Add/Remove Programs in Microsoft® Windows® XP?"


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Hard Drive Maintenance

Your hard drive can accumulate many files that are no longer necessary and may degrade performance.

To find out how to delete Temporary Internet Files, refer to Dell Knowledge Base Article:

"How Do I Clear My Temporary Internet Files, Cookies, and History in Internet Explorer?"

To find out how to empty your Recycle Bin, refer to the Dell Hints and Tips Article below:

"Empty the Recycle Bin"

To find out how to run Disk Defragmenter, refer to the Dell Knowledge Base article below:

"Improving System Performance By Using the Microsoft® Windows® XP Disk Defragmenter Utility"

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Restore the Computer

System Restore is a tool that allows you to roll the system back, or restore it to a previous "Know Good" version in order to correct issues caused by the system becoming unstable. This utility should be used whenever you suspect that the system is improperly configured, as the result of installing incompatible software or hardware or making inappropriate configuration changes.

For instructions on how to use System Restore refer to the following Dell Knowledge Base Article:

"How do I use the System Restore utility in the Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system?"

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Add Memory

Adding memory allows your computer to run more programs at the same time without slowing down your system.

For instructions on how to install more memory on your computer refer to the following Dell Knowledge Base Article:

"Where can I find information on upgrading the memory on my DellT computer?"


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