21 Essential Steps to Make Your PC Better/Faster/Stronger

MaximumPC ^ | 05/28/09 at 11:30:40 AM | Gordon Mah Ung

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

A sucker buys a new PC at the first signs of a slowdown. A savvy power user gives his aged PC a fighting chance for redemption. From tweaking your OS to compressing files to overclocking your videocard or CPU, there are plenty of ways to tune up a computer, and none require a trip to Bob’s House of New PCs. Follow along this step-by-step as we show you 21 of our favorite techniques for making a PC better, stronger, and faster — for free. These essential tweaks and tune-ups range from common-sense caretaking measures to practical adjustments that you'd be foolish to ignore. Combined, they release your PC's untapped potential and breathe new life into your system.

1. Secure Your Applications

You know to update your antivirus definitions and run Windows Update, but did you know about that massive security hole in Acrobat 8.0 or the potential risks of running that obscure unzipping app you favor? Probably not. That’s where Secunia’s Personal Software Inspector (http://secunia.com) comes in. PSI uses its massive database of security holes to monitor all the apps on your machine and let you know which ones need updating. PSI even provides a link to any available patches and is on constant vigilance for new application security holes as they arise. 

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This is an interesting site...has list of backup Storage options...from different sources....

UberBargain: so cheap, it's nuts!

I shop Fry's & Microcenter and online...Newegg...

It's always smart to have backups of important data when messing with your computer....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Newegg External HDD:

Today's External Hard Drives Deals

[an amused spectator]

Get rid of Adobe Reader, and use Foxit instead. Half the RAM footprint, and it doesn’t hassle you all the time like Adobe...

[Matchett-PI]

bttt

[McGruff]

I don't know if I'd recommend some of these tips.

20. The Mother of All Upgrades: Overclock Your CPU

Isn’t for amateurs.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This looks like the deal:

SimpleTech Duo Pro Drive PROD1500Q 1.5TB USB 2.0 / IEEE 1394a / 1394b / eSATA External Hard Drive - Retail $174.99

Must have a pair of 750 Gig Hard drives...Simple Tech owned by Hitachi...but not sure.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Well...if it is Raid 1...mirroring...then it must have a pair of 1.5 Terabyte drives..

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Link at #46 goes to Newegg...

Model is PROD1500Q

******************************

This goes to Fry's Model is PROD2000Q :

Simple Technology Duo Pro Drive Quad Interface 2.0TB External Hard Drive - PROD2000Q Retail $ 229.99

**************From Frys**********************

Detailed Description

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Features

Two drives in one - Duo Pro gives you two ways to save: Speed Mode (RAID 0) and Copy Mode (RAID 1). Speed Mode works across both disk drives to read and write your files much faster than using one disk alone. Copy Mode makes an extra copy of your files on the second disk drive, so you always have two separate copies for extra protection

Two levels of backup protection - Duo Pro includes Fabrik's backup software suite that makes it easy to steer clear of life's little disasters and protect your irreplaceable pics, flicks and tunes from spilled drinks, curious toddlers, fire or theft.

Powerful, yet simple to use - saves copies of your stuff on both your Duo Pro Drive and on encrypted, secure servers for ultimate online backup protection.

Works with - USB 1.1 or 2.0, FireWire 400, FireWire 800, and 3Gb/sec eSATA. Backed by a three-year warranty, compatible with both PC and Mac computer, the Duo Pro is high performance storage and backup made simple and affordable.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Product Detail

• Part number: PROD2000Q
• UPC: 705487176742
• Capacity: 2000GB
• Form factor: 3.5"
• Interface: eSATA/USB/FW400/FW800
• Warranty: 3 Year

  Performance

• Dual-Drive Performance storage and backup with Speed Mode (RAID 0) and Copy Mode (RAID 1)
• Quad interface for plug and play flexibility: USB 2.0, FireWire 400, FireWire 800, and 3Gb/sec eSATA
• Compact design stacks or stands upright Award-winning Fabrik backup software, including 2GB free online backup
• Quiet fan for reliable, cool operation
• Security lock slot
• Friendly, free unlimited technical support
• PC and Mac compatible
• 3 year warranty

[editor-surveyor]

Try a piece of nylon stocking at the cooling intake. You can just throw it away after a few weeks, and put a new piece in its place.

[LadyPilgrim]

For later..

[rarestia]

I think those small handvacs for cars and couches should be just fine. I agree with the article... I wouldn’t use the most powerful home vac system money can buy.

Never use a vacuum with computer components! Additionally, air from a compressor can contain water droplets and should not be used if the computer is going to be turned on right away. The vacuum, regardless of size, will generate a magnetic field due to the vortex of dry dust and sand. If an arc occurs, you will fry any component on that board.

Use the compressed air if you have to blow out the case. Filters are a great idea and very functional. Nylon is a great idea, I hadn't thought of that, but I would be cautious since nylon can be whipped into a magnetic field as well. I use plastic "wool" material that can easily be removed, cleaned, and dried with a few pats of a paper towel. Make sure you have an equal number of intake to exhaust fans. Include the fans in your power supply. Having one extra exhaust isn't a bad idea.

PCs are very much like automobiles. I had to relate it to my old man in car terms and he understood it that the processor was the engine, the RAM was the carbeurator, the hard disk was the fuel tank, etc. If we maintain our automobiles, we should look at computers are items that can use some TLC, esp. if you live in filth or smoke indoors.

[sheana]

ping for later
Thanks!

[FLAMING DEATH]

I just got over a bad case of Mint. (just kidding).

That was the path to Ubuntu for me. Started using Mepis in 2002, which was based on Debian, then they switched to Ubuntu. Well, when they switched back to Debian again, I didn't go with them. Just seemed that Ubuntu stuff was way better done than Debian...packages didn't break the system when I tried to install.

So, I tried Mint, because it had all the multimedia stuff included, as you said. I didn't like it. Didn't care for the Gnome setups, thought the menu was kinda cluttery, and it seemed glitchy. I kept having problem after problem with it.

Then I went with Ubuntu 7 and never looked back. Just installed 9.04 a few weeks ago and it is nice and peppy and runs without hiccups.

My desktop, on my HPDV6000 widescreen (and full 3D nVidia support):

[red irish]

Ok. what did you just say and what does it mean.

[razorboy]

Sure is a lot of “run this software” on that list.

[FLAMING DEATH]

At the risk of sounding insulting, I’m going to assume you know nothing about what I was talking about. If you did, just skip the parts that look familiar.

What I meant was...

...when your computer starts to slow down, it usually has nothing to do with any piece of hardware in your computer. 99% of the time, the hardware functions just as well as it did the day it was new. The problem is, your operating system (Windows) has become “clogged” with all kinds of programs that might be running without your knowledge. Settings and configurations that might have been changed by various programs that you’ve installed can mess things up too. Some people call this “Winrot”.

What most people don’t know is, in most cases, all you have to do to “reset” your computer to “like new” performance is re-install the operating system; in other words, reinstall Windows. And, you probably got the discs to do that with your computer when it was new. Surprising how many people just throw that stuff away, though.

When you re-install the operating system, that wipes all of the nasty stuff off the hard drive that slows your computer down over time and resets all your configurations. Viruses, spyware, malware and stuff like that is deleted and your computer is reset to a “like new” configuration. Unfortunately, it also deletes stuff you want to keep, like photos, music, documents, etc. You would have to make backup copies of that stuff before you reinstalled Windows.

Most people don’t want to mess with it (it can be kinda technical) and just go and get a new computer. And, since they think the old one is unusable or unfixable, they don’t care to give it to me for a few bucks, sometimes even after I tell them it can be fixed. Many times, people are just looking for an excuse to buy a new computer.

So, instead of re-installing Windows, I install a version of Linux called Ubuntu. Ubuntu is free to obtain, the updates are free, and it comes with a big bunch of free software. Plus, it runs a little better with on older slower computers.

The Ubuntu people have been working for quite a while to make it easy to use. It is not for everybody, though, and it is often a good idea to have a fair amount of computer knowledge to know what you are doing before you try to use it.

Sorry if it sounded like I was talking down to you, but does that answer your question?

[Excellence]

My hard drive data (not programs) is backed up on a 64G USB drive. If I now reformat, then put the data back, how can I be sure I'm not just putting back bad stuff, too?

[Gondring]

From #1 (PSI by Secunia), there's this in the Terms and Conditions. What does it mean? Does it mean that if it detects a program on my machine that I haven't registered with the company, it will send them my info (since earlier in the Terms it says that you have to give them your personal info)?

7.1 As a part of our services, we will detect which of the applications covered by the Software you have on your system and then register which of these applications you have on your system. The registered applications are then continuously matched against our database to determine whether they are up-to-date or not.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

That seems to go with the malware issues...the curse of windows I guess you could say.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Well,...a clear reading is not there...but it could just mean they put it in their database to see if the application has updates...from the company that made the application....but it could mean ...as you say. but I would doubt it, unless they got money for reporting.