Here are a few of my recommendations:
Lite programs usually load faster & perform better as a result.
Less code = less bloat.
I recommend a couple programs:
- Haihaisoft PDF
- Infra Recorder
There are many areas that can speed up a PC. Let us address a few of them.
- Check your tasks folder. It is starting to be common for programs to abuse that area
- Turn off CD/DVD/USB autorun. Viruses LOVE this function.
- Startup Run is a great program to disable startup + BHO. The fewer, the better.
- Check the Hosts file for hijackers. Redirects are not funny.
- Install Firefox with updated Flash + adblock plugin. Using IE with Active-X is a laugh! May as well be using swiss cheese for security!
- Turn off indexing service - It wears out the drive faster + slows system performance. I use Locate32 to find files. Much faster/better.
- Turn off all visual effects you don't need. In XP, disable all but Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts. Leave Visual Styles if you want it pretty.
- In Vista/7 the Aero effects can kill performance. Disable that & items that state slide or fade.
- Disable System Restore, then re-enable so you are protected. This can free several GB.
- Run CCleaner, then use it's tools section to uninstall toolbars/heavy programs that are no longer needed or have lite freeware counterparts that work better.
- Move folders with lots of compressed files to an external drive. This will speed up directory browsing.
- Turn off automatic search for network folders & printers if you don't use that.
- Check if the machine has malware. Malware slows machines down.
- If you use automatic updates, do so with care. Be sure you have a full system backup.
Updates are intended to patch things, but there are some possible side-effects to be aware of.
Updates have been known to do the following:
- Bluescreen 300 + business machines because of a bad update file
- Bluescreen a machine because of a bad or buggy driver file
- Introduce new holes
- Cause certain programs to stop working
- Interfere with programs or functionality
Keep in mind that the most fully patched machine still does nothing to prevent an "inside" job, or that is to say, if someone locally installs a malware with full user profile permissions, then your machine WILL get infected. Patched or not.
Also, updates WILL slow your system tremendously over a several month period of updating. It may make your system more secure... If it doesn't crash or bluescreen it first! Update with caution, & always with a good backup in case something horrible goes wrong so you can recover.
Having a good bi-directional firewall helps tremendously as Windows has a unidirectional firewall that still leaves a few ports open such as file & printer sharing. Have Microsoft learned nothing by now? *Shakes head*.