Cleansing and organizing your computer
Hard drive Cleanup
To conduct a disk cleanup on Windows XP you can simply click on "my computer" under the start menu. Then right click on the "c drive" or "hard disk" and select properties. And then click "disk cleanup" and follow the prompts. While picking files to clear up, or erase, Windows will give you details to help you come to a decision. When looking over the listing of file types, you would merely click on the title of the file type and read the description positioned below in the description area.
Now, performing a disk cleanup is not really time consuming, just a few short minutes, and it may possibly save more time in the end by making your laptop or computer run more quickly. However, a disk cleanup ought to be performed periodically rather than just once in a great while. One method to make this function periodically is to make it a scheduled task. This will allow your computer to run it automatically with durations and time of day decided by you.
Add or Remove Programs
The material provided previously can aide you to you wipe out some unnecessary files, but you will probably also need to clear out a number of unneeded applications at the same time. This can be done with the use of the "add or remove programs" software application in Windows. This is located in the control panel and lists all of your currently installed applications along with an option to un-install it.
If there are programs listed that are no longer needed, you can simply highlight the application and click the uninstall option. Windows will than start in on the process to un-install the program. In most scenarios, to finish deleting a program, it is sensible to restart your pc.
The add or remove programs software program is very helpful, but not all of the applications are displayed up front. Programs that come pre-installed on your pc and the Windows os can also be un-installed. For example, Outlook Express is a default e-mail application that comes with the Windows XP os. If you do not use this e-mail program you can un-install it. Click "add or remove windows components" located in the add or remove programs software application and simply follow the instructions.
Defragment
In a computer, the files that are stored are stored on the hard drive. However, they are stored with respect to the time that they were saved. So, if you open a word document and save the document as "file A" and than open another document and save it as "file B", you have a "file A" positioned next to "file B." This is okay, but if you open "file A" down the line and save it again, then the additional information is saved alongside "file B."
When files are broken up this way it is described as a fragmented file. Which means that the pc must look for the first portion of the file and afterward find the next component of the file to open that one word document. This can make your computer or laptop run more slowly. However, Windows has produced a software program that is designed to arrange data files so that they are no longer fragmented stay sit right next to each other.
You can easlily run the disk defragmenter by selecting "all programs" under the start button. After that, pick "accessories" and "system tools" and you will discover "disk defragmenter." Actually, this is also an alternative method by which to select the disk cleanup talked about previously. Before starting up the defragmenter you'll be able to analyze yourharddrive to determine if Windows suggests executing the defragmenter.
Should you need to defragment your pc, simply hit the defragment button. It may possibly take your personal computer a while to finish this job depending on the speed of your personal computer and the quantity of fragmented files. It could take about 30-60 minutes if not more.
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