The operating speed of PC software depends greatly on your computers specifications. In other words, your PC's internal parts determine speed. However, there are a few things that you can do to boost the performance of those internal pieces, helping your software run more smoothly and quickly. In just a few quick steps, even a novice PC user can optimize software performance.
Step 1
Click on the "Start" menu to begin the process of increasing your computer's virtual memory. Your PC's Random Access Memory, also called "RAM" for short, is a primary determiner of software processing speeds. If your PC doesn't have much RAM, then software will run sluggishly. RAM updates are expensive, but you can set aside part of your hard drive as virtual memory. According to Microsoft, virtual memory is designed to take some of the burden off of your built-in RAM for increased performance.
Step 2
Click on the "Control Panel." This will open a new window.
Step 3
Click on "System and Maintenance" and then "System."
Step 4
Click on "Advanced System Settings." This will open a new window.
Step 5
Select the "Advanced" tab from the top of the new window; then click on the "Performance Settings" button. A window will pop up with additional options.
Step 6
Select the "Advanced" tab yet again.
Step 7
Click "Change" under the "Virtual Memory" heading.
Step 8
Enter a new value for your system's virtual memory. Microsoft recommends a virtual memory value of 1.5 times the amount of RAM on your computer. Virtual memory is given in megabytes. Therefore, if your computer has 2GB of RAM, a recommended virtual memory value would be 3000. You can increase this number up to 3 times your PC's RAM, but you should try using the Microsoft recommended value prior to increasing the value any further.
Step 9
Close the current window in order to return to the "System" window from Step 3.
Step 10
Click on "Performance," located near the very bottom left-hand corner of the screen.
Step 11
Click on "Open Disk Cleanup" from the list of available options. This will trigger an automatic clean up of your hard drive. Over time, hard drives become cluttered with unused or fragmented files; disk cleanup will free up space on your computer, helping the PC run smoothly. In tandem with your new virtual memory settings, disk cleanup should restore your PC's software processing to its peak condition.
