Originally Posted by PatriceJ

this is a summary, really, of what you've read above. to speed up your computer:

1. buy as much RAM (memory) for it as the motherboard and your budget allow. everyone who's suggested that is absolutely correct. before you plunk down the dough for RAM, though, compare that cost to the price of a new computer. sometimes you're better off buying the new one. after four years, a new computer will be bazillions times faster than an old one with the maximum RAM. (obviously, a decision best made by you and your wallet. :wink: )


2. definitely run Disk Cleanup and then defrag the drive at least once a month.

if you accidentally delete a critical file, such as a .dll, you don't need to replace the computer. if you don't have that file somewhere on a backup disc, you can either reinstall the program that depends on it or run the Windows repair utility. (to do this, run the Windows setup as though you were going to install it for the first time, but choose the repair option instead.) the worst thing you'll need to do is a complete reinstallation of Windows. you CAN do that without deleting all your data files. you may have to reinstall all your programs when you're done.

3. a storage device you can hang on a key chain is most likely an external USB drive (also called thumb drives, memory sticks, and jump drives.) if you copy files to the drive, the originals will stay on your hard drive until you delete them. if you MOVE the files to the external drive, you'll copy them to the external drive and automatically delete them from the hard drive. i don't usually move. i copy, and check to make sure they all stored properly to the external drive before i delete them from the hard drive.