We all hate it when our computers take a long time to load. You sit down, launch your app, go and cook dinner, eat it and get back to your desk just in time for the app to finish loading.
Our last post was about helping you use your internet better. Today, we will be telling you about the three apps you need to help your computer running at its peak performance. It is important to remember; however, that nothing can make a computer out perform its hardware limitations and that it is only natural that a computer will slow down as the software it runs becomes more complex.
1. Anti-virus software
It goes without saying that an important part of keeping your computer functioning normally is keeping it free of viruses; however, during my time as a computer tech, I saw countless computers come into our shop that didn’t have anti-virus software installed, the anti-virus was out of date (hence not protecting them from much) or the license has expired. It is important not only to have anti-virus installed, but it needs to be up to date and actively working. If you can’t afford anti-virus, there are free apps available. AVG, Avast and Avira are three good examples of free, but reliable anti-virus programs. Lastly, while passive scanning is helpful, I would recommend running a full system scan at least once a week. Remember, nothing is a 100% guarantee to keep your computer virus free, but every little bit of protection helps keep your computer clean. Lastly, there is a common myth that Mac computers cannot get viruses, and while it is true that viruses for Macs are less common, it is possible for a Mac to get a virus as well.
2. CCleaner
Pronounced c-cleaner. This little app is helpful in so many ways, many of which can help your keep your computer running fast. My favorite features are the registry cleaner, hard drive cleaner, view and edit start up processes. You can also remove browser plugins and they even have an uninstaller for applications so you don’t have to sift through your control panel. There are many other useful features, but these are the ones we recommend to keep your computer up to speed.
3. Any web browser other than internet explorer
Internet explorer has always been filled with issues, so much so that with the advent of windows 10, Microsoft released a whole new web browser to replace it. However, internet explorer is still one of the most used web browsers out there. Seriously, don’t use it, there are many free replacements out there that do so much better of a job. Google Chrome and Mozilla FireFox are two of the best. In fact, I would go so far as to say disable it in your programs and features section of the control panel. Of course, a better web browser will definitely speed up how you access the web, but with so many applications moving to a web based model, having a good, fast web browser is a must for speedy computer use.
Like always, these solutions aren’t for everyone, but they are a great place to start. If you know about a good application to speed up your computer that isn’t on the list please let us know by using the contact page. We are huge nerds that are always interested in learning about new technologies and applications. You never know, you may even make our next list.
