How To Maintain a Fast Computer

        Hi everybody. Maintaining a fast computer does not happen by itself. It requires a bit of work on the consumers part and maintenance must be performed on a regular basis. Many people are led to believe that a computer will take care of itself and no maintenance is needed. This is entirely false. In the following paragraphs, I will highlight some of the common techniques that help to keep your PC fast.
        One of the biggest slowdowns for a computer especially in regards to the internet is the browser cache. The browser cache or more commonly called temporary internet files is a process that helps your web pages load faster. The process is a simple one. When you open a webpage, the contents of that page are both displayed on your screen and also loaded into a temporary location on your hard drive. The next time you open that same webpage, it will load faster because parts of it are already there and ready to load from the cache. Only the new content has to be downloaded. This will dramatically increase your internet experience. This works up to a certain point. Once you open many web pages, the cache will begin to get larger and after a certain point, your web experience will start to slow down and is some cases, pages may not display at all. To avoid this, the temporary internet cache must be periodically cleaned.
         The cleaning process is quite simple and only takes a minute or two. There are two ways to clean the browser. You can do it directly from the browser or through the control panel. If you are doing it through the browser, you can simply go to the top of the browser and click on TOOLS > INTERNET OPTIONS. Internet properties will now be displayed. Under the browser section you will see an area that says BROWSER. Under that header you will see an option that says DELETE. Click on the DELETE button. Check the items you want to delete but be sure that Temporary Internet Files is checked. Now hit the DELETE button and wait for the process to complete. If you do this at least once a week, the process will only take a minute or so.
        Another way to access the option is through the Control Panel. Go to START on your taskbar and click on the Control Panel option. Once it is open, be sure you are in Classic View (Windows XP) or you are viewing in large icons (Vista and Windows 7). Now, look for Internet Options. Once opened, follow the steps as described in the above paragraph.
        Once these files are cleared, the first time you visit your favorite web page, it might load slightly slower but then the fast speed will return the next time you click it. Overall, your internet experience will be enhanced. For a more complete cleaning, a computer cleanup at least once a year by a professional computer repair technician is recommended. Enjoy your faster browser experience!