Many computer owners are constantly looking for ways to improve the performance of their systems. One way of doing this is by continually upgrading various components of their PCs (for example, getting a new video card). While this will indeed give you better performance, many of us can't afford to buy new components every few months or so. In addition, many users with state-of-the-art systems may notice that after a few months of usage, their systems don't seem to be quite as fast as they were when they first bought them. Fortunately, there are a few simple steps you can do that will improve or restore the speed of your computer without requiring expensive hardware upgrades.

First of all, let's talk about your hard drive. As you use your hard drive, files will begin to be scattered over the surface of the disk. In many cases, these files may even be stored in pieces scattered on different locations on your disk. This phenomenon is known as file fragmentation. Over time, file fragmentation becomes more of a problem, and the effect adds up as you use your hard drive more and more. In severe cases, it can greatly slow down the speed of your hard drive, making your PC search all over your drive to find the different pieces of that file you saved last week. This extra work also means more wear and tear on your drive, which could cause it to fail more quickly than normal. Fortunately, there's an easy fix for this problem. Most modern operating systems include a defragging utility that can eliminate the fragmentation and restore your hard drive to its normal speedy self. In DOS, you can run the "defrag.exe" program to clean up your hard drive. In Windows 95, select the Disk Defragmenter utility from the Programs\Accessories\System Tools menu. These utilities will report on the level of fragmentation on your hard drive as well as clean it up. Most experts recommend that you defrag your hard drive whenever fragmentation levels reach 10%. I usually defrag about once a month; doing this will ensure that you'll get all the speed out of your hard drive that it can deliver!

Another way that you can speed up your hard drive is by cleaning up the excess files on it. The best way to do this is by running an uninstaller utility on your hard drive. These utilities can identify orphaned, unused, or duplicate files on your hard drive and remove them for you, thereby removing unwanted clutter that can slow down your drive. They are also the best way to remove programs from your system that you're no longer using; trying to manually remove them will almost guarantee that you'll be leaving some extra files behind (unfortunately, most programs scatter files all over your hard drive when they are installed). Most uninstaller programs are inexpensive (usually around $50), and are well worth adding to your computer. Also, remember to occasionally run scandisk on your PC to remove any lost clusters or other file allocation errors that can occur on your hard drive (most often, these errors are caused by system crashes and lockups, which can write erroneous data to your drive). Doing this will also free up hard drive space and improve your system's performance. "Scandisk.exe" can be run from the DOS prompt, as it's part of your operating system. In Windows 95, this tool is found in the same location as the Disk Defragmenter.

Your video card is another area where you can often improve your system's performance. All video cards use drivers to communicate with your computer's operating system. While most drivers that are included with your operating system will work fine with your video card, they are usually generic drivers that don't always take advantage of any special features (such as hardware acceleration) that are built into your video card. As a result, you should try to see if your video card's manufacturer has come out with an improved set of drivers for your particular card and operating system. New drivers can often improve the speed and performance of your card by 10-30%, so it's definitely worth the effort to get them. Fortunately, most video card manufacturers make new drivers available on sites easily accessible through the Internet, either via FTP or the World Wide Web. You can also find drivers on CompuServe and America Online as well. A new set of video drivers can definitely pump up your video card's performance, which will make the rest of your system seem faster too!

While most of these tweaks to your system don't cost a lot of money, they can make a real difference in your PC's performance. Who knows - they might even help you put off that dreaded day when you'll have to buy a new system or add a lot of new hardware to your current one! In any case, give them a try - you may be pleasantly surprised!

Gateway offers this column to its readership as a service, but please note that it is not responsible for the accuracy or opinions of the author and offers no warranty either expressed or implied that the information will produce the desired result.

The information provided in this article is based upon the writers particular experience with certain equipment. Familiarize yourself with the requirements of your local and state electrical code and insure yourself that the work you plan to do does not require a licensed professional. If you decide to attempt to do the work yourself, always exercise extreme caution when working on electrical systems because accidents may cause serious injury including death and damage your computer. If you experience difficulty or do not understand the instructions, please consult a professional in your area.

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