Windows is designed to run slow and crash every so often. But if you are running Win95 or later, you don't have to put up with much of their nonsense programming. First, there are alot of things to clutter the system from cookies to temp files. Microsoft's definition of temporary seems to mean "till the end of the next ice age." Once a week, at least, empty folders (directories) of the junk Windows heaps in them.
First, go to "start" then "programs" then to "windows explorer." Open the folder (directory) called "windows." You may get a warning...ignore it and click "show files."
Open the folder called "cookies." Click on the first cookie icon then click "edit" then "select all." Click "delete" and tell it "yes." The index must remain so just say "o.k." when prompted.
Next, click the "back" button, then "show files" again.
Empty the "temp" folder and "temporary internet" folder the same way you did the cookies. Note, in some versions of MSIE, the "temporary internet" folder will ask you on each cookie if you want to delete it. You just have to keep clicking "yes" at each prompt.
Important: you should NEVER attempt to delete the folders...just what's IN them. Once you have these folders empty, exit "Windows Explorer."
Now, open your "my computer" icon. Left click the C: drive icon to highlight it. Then go up to the top and click the "view" menu...hover on "explorer bar" then slide over and click "history." Surprise...every place you've visited for however long history is set for is there for anyone to see. Right click on one day at a time and left click "delete' and "yes" each time. Close "history" box then "my computer." Your computer will now run much better and not squeal on you if you've been to any questionible sites! (This is how others on shared computers can go to sites you have visited.)
But there's lots more. Microsoft also seems to think we are boneheads who can't figure out how to run a program when we want to use it, so they cram many into start up so the programs run all the time your computer is on. Many of these we never use, I call them "dum-dum stuff," and they slow computer use down terribly! Depending on the pkg. you have, you can shut some of these off and never miss them.
Go to "start">"programs">"accessories">"system tools">and click "system information." Now click the "tools" menu and click "system configuration utility." Click on the "startup" tab. You will see a window with a scroll bar. If you see any of the following items with a check mark in the box in front of them, click the check mark to remove it.
1.) reminder.....
2.) quick finder sch......
3.) enc. monitor.....
4.) perfect print.....
5.) run=.....
6.) avconcole exe.....
7.) vsecomer exe.....
8.) vshwin32exe (this may appear twice, do them both).....
9.) vs stat exe.....
10.) in control desktop manager.....
11.) photo express calendar checker se.....
At this point, click "apply" then "o.k."
For the ultimate list of all start up programs that anyone could find on their computer, CLICK HERE! This long list will tell you what all the programs do and whether you need them or not.
Next, think of your computer as a large skyscraper full of offices. As you add programs and use them (even emailing) files get stored in different spots of the hard drive. Over time things get fragmented. It's like things that belong together in the file drawers in different offices in the skyscraper find no room there, so have to be put in different offices on different floors. When the computer tries to pull the program together, it's as if you are sending someone out into the skyscraper to find documents from different floors. This not only slows your computer down, it's asking Windows to crash in your lap. Running the Defragmenter copies everything on your hard drive and rewrites things over putting them where they belong resulting in faster response time and a generally happier computer. Defragmenting should be done at least once a month. First, go to "start"> "settings"> "active desktop" and "customize my desktop." Click the screensaver tab and see the spot that says "wait # minutes." Set the time to the max and click "apply" then exit. This is to not allow the screensaver to come on and interfere with defragmenting. Next go to "start"> "programs">"accessories"> "system tools" and click on "disk defragmenter." Choose physical drive C: and start the defragmenter. Click show details. Now, this is about as much fun as watching grass grow, but it will show you what's happening and you'll see when it's done. This will take from 20 to 70 minutes, depending on the size of your hard drive and how much you have on it. When finished, just exit and go back and set screen saver to whatever you had it at.
Last, it's surprising how many don't do this, but in your mail system, when you delete something from your inbox or sent items, they go to "deleted items." This should be emptied occasionally too as to not muck up the system. A quick way is to click on the first item in the list then scroll down and hold down the "Shift" key while clicking on the last item in the list. This will highlight everything at once and you can clear it all with one click on delete. Don't forget to empty the recycle bin from time to time as well. Your system should now be running much better!