Run Scandisk regularly, especially when you start to experience problems. Click on the start button, up to Programs, across to Accessories, to system tools, select ScanDisk
Disk Defragmenter will improve disk performance in most cases. Click on the start button, up to Programs, across to Accessories, to system tools, select Disk Defragmenter
Clean your hard disk of unneeded folders and files, you'll improve performance and gain space. By removing applications and drivers that are no longer being used, it will open up more memory for your other applications. Be careful, removing files that are still needed can cause Windows or other applications to stop functioning. It's always wise to move any questionable files to a different drive or directory before deleting them.
Speeding Up Windows:
Start by right mouse clicking on the My Computer icon on your Desktop, click on Properties, then click on the Performance tab. Then click on the File System button. You'll see two settings in the Hard Disk dialog box: The setting labeled Typical Role of This Machine determines how much space is set aside in main memory to handle path and filename caching. The default Desktop Computer choice allocates space for only 32 paths and 677 filenames, whereas the Network Server choice increases those settings up to 64 paths and 2,729 filenames. Even if your computer is used for only desktop applications, change the Typical Role box to Network Server. Then set the Read-Ahead Optimization slider all the way to the right, giving Windows 64K of read ahead buffering, reducing the number of times your machine has to engage the slower hard disk to get data.
Windows 95 does a fine job of managing virtual memory, but if you use high memory applications like Microsoft Office 97, managing your own virtual memory settings can speed things up. First completely defrag the hard disk. If you have more than one, defrag the fastest hard disk where the swap file will be located. Again right mouse click on the My Computer icon on your Desktop, click on Properties, then click on the Performance tab. Click on the Virtual Memory button. Mark Let me specify my own virtual memory settings. Choose the drive where the swap file will be located. To reduce swap setup time, set the minimum and maximum size of the swap file to the same number. 2 1/2 to 3 times your main memory. If you have 16MB of ram, set to 48MB minimum and 48MB maximum, or if you have 32MB of ram set to 80MB minimum and 80MB maximum and so on. Click on OK and restart Windows to engage the new swap file settings.
