Now, when a new computer arrives, or you start using a machine which you have bought, or inherited, it’s worth taking a little time to ensure that it’s optimised for your particular needs, and that its operating at maximum speed and efficiency.

So, there is a number of things you can do to make sure you’re getting the best from your machine.

Unnecessary Software

It’s amazing how much software can be on your computer which is completely unnecessary. It might have arrived on a new computer as a promotional application (as a marketing tool for some company trying to sell you something), you might have inherited it, or loaded it yourself and forgotten it.

This all takes valuable space on your hard disk, so, to do a bit of housekeeping, have a good look at your programmes. Click Control Panel, then click Add/Remove Programs. There will be a long list of currently installed programmes that your computer will be able to call upon at any time. It will also give you an idea how often it is used and the last time it was fired up, and how much space it used. But a word of caution here. The information about how often it is used can be a little misleading, so don’t do anything rash. Ensure that the programme you want to eliminate is not vital to your needs. But get rid of everything that looks unnecessary. And if you’re not sure, you can search the name and description of the particular programme on the internet, as this will give you an idea of how important it might be.

Unnecessary Programmes from Start-Up

By the time your computer has been operating for a bit, and you’ve added programmes and played around with things, then a number of things will be automatically activated when you start it up. This, eventually, can grow into quite a list. And it can be quite a nuisance, with a quick start impossible.

So, have a look at what programmes are set to fire up when you press the switch. If you’ve got time to have a shower and cook a full English breakfast before you can compose your first email of the day, then maybe a bit too much is going on.

To check, click Start and Run. In the Run Command box, type MSCONFIG and in the box that appears, click the Start-Up. Look down the list of programmes that are scheduled to start when you turn your computer on. It’s usually quite a list.

But, a word of caution. Be careful what you remove. If in doubt, leave well alone. What you are looking for in the start-up are for applications that you rarely use. This writer seems to always have a number of applications that are in the task bar (bottom right) when the computer starts. By using MSCONFIG, I can safely remove the bits and pieces that are just not necessary. What particularly irritates me these days is printer support software. All I think you actually need is the printer driver, but when I loaded my last printer, it came with a software suite that actually – and I’m not joking – needed nearly as much space as Microsoft Office.

That went into the bin some time ago, even though the printer’s manufacturer – who will remain nameless – gave me dire warnings about what would happen if I did. But their annoying little logo is still in my start-up menu, so I’ve also got to get rid of that.

Unnecessary Windows XP Services

There are a load of services on Windows which are not always necessary. Those that you don’t need, and there are many, can be safely disabled.

Now, you can discover the list of these services by clicking Start, Control Panel, Performance and Maintenance Administrative Tools. Then click Services and you will find a long list of them on the right hand side of the screen. Click on each one to see a description and whether it is in automatic, manual, or disabled mode.

But, a word of warning. If you are not sure that you don’t need the service, then don’t disable it. Search online if you’re not sure, but always err on the side of caution. Some of these services are essential.

To provide an example, lets look at one service it might be worth sacrificing: the Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS). Most computers don’t have a system whereby when the mains power fails, there are batteries on hand to keep your computer going until you can safely close it down. So, you can disable that feature with impunity.

Error Reporting/Automatic Restart

When something goes wrong with your computer, it will usually flash up a window asking if you want to report the problems back to Microsoft. Most people don’t and this feature turns into an annoying reminder that your machine has got a little confused. So, you can stop it by clicking Start, Control Panel, Performance and Maintenance, then System. Click the Advanced tab, look for the Error Reporting button and click Disable Error Reporting (but ensure that there is a tick next to But Notify Me When Critical Errors Occur).

If you don’t want the computer to automatically restart (giving you the chance to reset your kit yourself), then in the same System Properties box you found above, look for the Startup and Recovery section, click Settings and near the bottom, and uncheck the Automatically Restart button.

And there you have it: no more annoying ‘let’s call home messages’ and no automatic restarts.

NTFS, not FAT32

A file system is used on the hard disk as a way of organising things. If you’re interested, FAT stands for File Allocation Tables and NTFS for New Technology File System. NTFS supersedes FAT and came into being with Windows NT.

NTFS has a number of advantages over FAT, including less data loss, increased security and better file handling skills.

To check what file system you have, click My Computer and click Local Disk (usually the C drive) and it will say, on the left of the box, the type of File System. If you are running a FAT file system, then you can convert to NTFS by following this process. Click Start, Run and type CMD, and then click OK. Then type, convert c: /fs:ntfs, and press the keyboard’s Enter key.

But, before you change such settings, make sure you have backed up your data, just in case something goes wrong. And, do not attempt such a change if you are uncomfortable with doing so. Switching from say FAT32 to NTFS is a good idea, but you have to ensure that your system is up to such a change.

Data Back-Up

Although not strictly a performance enhancer, it is essential that you back-up on a regular basis, if only to be able to sleep at night.

If a hard disk fails, it fails; full stop. For all intents and purposes, it is dead and buried. You can get a forensic recovery of a hard disk, but what that usually entails is a technician taking your disk into a clean room and trying to salvage what they can. And that can cost from around £500 upwards, so it’s not a nice place to go.

Now, you can get some fancy bits of kit to do a back-up for you, including a software programme that will run a back-up every day, or whenever you want at the frequency you want, to an external hard-drive. But, for most, this is a we bit excessive because all you need to do is back-up the critical files that you would need if your hard disk fails.

You don’t literally need to back-up all your hard disk, as your operating system and applications should have disk support. So, you need to concentrate on things you don’t want to lose, like personal letters, key work documents and pictures. When you get a chance – and don’t leave it too long – tidy up the place where your files sit (mostly in the My Documents section). Sort out and create folders that you can then easily back-up.

Now, you can of course use a CD, or DVD, but these have a nasty habit of not working properly (the data not being written onto the disc properly) and being prone to a short life-span.

Arguably the best possible solution is a USB Thumb Drive, or memory stick as they are also called. These use flash memory to store a load of data and can hold vast amounts on a small stick. And they are getting bigger all the time, with models happily able to hold 4GB of data. They will last for around ten years, are not susceptible to shock and are not affected by magnetism. Finally, the data upon them can be erased and over-written literally thousands of times.

Power Settings

Computers are designed for long periods without being shut down, but that doesn’t mean that if you’re going to walk away from it for quite a period of time, you shouldn’t make use of the power settings on your computer to turn off your hard disk and monitor.

But this is not just about saving electricity, it’s about saving wear and tear on your kit, so it’s worth doing.

Click Start, Control Panel, Appearance and Themes and Display, and the then find the button at the bottom right of the box, called Power. In the Power Options Properties Box, choose Always On the Power Schemes option, then choose a time limit for your hard disk and monitor before they both get switched off. The click the Advanced tab and uncheck all the options. Also, before you finish, click the Hibernate tab and uncheck Enable Hibernation.

One last thing, within the Power Options Properties box, do not use the System Standby, or Hibernation options, if you are using a desktop. These are only really suited to a laptop’s power system.

Screensaver

Screensavers are really a throw-back to a time in the not too distant past when monitors would ‘burn’ with a screen image that was in existence for a long time. Modern screen technology does not have this problem, so there’s no technical need for such a feature these days.

It is actually better to use the Power Options to save your monitor any damage, and power, than using the old fashioned screensaver ploy. This is especially true as screensavers are very often given away as a simple device of downloading viruses on an unsuspecting computer. So, beware.

Tops Tips for Better Performance – Recap

• get rid of unnecessary software;
• reduce start-up applications;
• lose unnecessary XP services;
• drop error reporting and automatic restart;
• don’t be FATs;
• always back-up;
• adjust power settings;
• ditch screensaver.