A simple and easy overview of what you can do to keep your Windows PC running smoothly. Free and easy cleanup and optimization tips with useful links and short intros.

1. Seven Steps to Better PC Health
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Stay Productive – Organized – Secure
with these simple, invaluable tips

2. What are the symptoms of a PC in bad
health?
• Runs slow – when starting new applications or
switching between running applications
• Windows takes a looooong time to launch
• Applications run unpredictably and return strange
errors
• Files and folders keep disappearing
• Strange files and folders keep appearing
• Browser home page and default search
engine change unexpectedly

3. What IMPACT does this have?
• We use computers for everything!
• Working, playing games, listening to music or
watching movies, organizing finances, staying
in touch, creativity… the list goes on.
• A PC is just a tool. When that tool stops
working properly – our productivity, creativity
and efficiency is affected.
• Then it‘s time to take action!

4. Step 1: Cleanup and Defrag
• Your hard drive fills with old data over time. Windows
has tools which prevent build-up of these files.
• The first tool is the Disk Cleanup tool. To access
this, click Start, click All
Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then
click Disk Cleanup.
• The second tool is the Disk Defragmenter, which rebuilds
files that have become fragmented. Click Start, click All
Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then
click Disk Defragmenter. Analyze first, then Defragment
the hard drive.

5. Step 2: Check for Disk Errors
• Another tool that comes included with Windows
7 is the Error Checking Utility.
• It checks the integrity of files stored on your hard
drive, and repairs bad sectors (areas of the hard
drive which cannot be properly read).
• In Windows Explorer, right click the hard drive to
check and choose Properties, then Tools. Click
Check Now to start the Error Checking Utility.

6. Step 3: Install and Run
Antivirus/Spyware Software
• Any decrease in performance or strange
behaviour exhibited by your PC could be due
to a virus or spyware infection.
• Get protected! There are many free antivirus
tools that remove pre-existing infections and
prevent new ones.
• AVG Antivirus, Avast!, Comodo, Avira Antivir
Personal, Panda Cloud Antivirus, Immunet
Protect Free are just a few examples.

7. Step 4: Delete Temporary Internet
Files
• Your browser also collects old data over time.
These are called temporary internet files and
they are used for caching – improving the
speed and responsiveness of browsing.
• Cache files are useless when they are old and
accumulated. All web-browsers allow you to
delete your temporary internet files. This
option is always within the Tools menu.

8. Step 5: Keep Windows Up To Date
• Microsoft are constantly improving Windows and
its various components.
• This includes security updates that you won‘t
want to miss!
• To make sure you have automatic updates
switched on, click the Start button, type Update
and choose Windows Update.
• In the Important Updates panel, ensure
automatic updates are switched ON. Then do the
same for the Recommended Updates.

9. Step 6: Organize Your Hard Drive
• Although Windows doesn’t really care how you
organize your hard drive, if you do this well then
you use up less space and work more efficiently.
• Create folder and sub-folder structures on your
hard drive that support the way you use your
computer, for work or personal use.
• Always save media files (images, music, video) in
the correct folders so that you can find them
easily – and don’t download them twice.

10. Step 6: Organize Hints
• Do not keep thousands of files in your
“Documents” folder. If you have a bazillion
holiday photos in there – Windows might get
slow. Keep those many files in “C:myData”
or somewhere else!
• Outlook: If you need many many emails since
the beginning of time: split up your datafiles
(PST files) in outlook. Move older emails into
an extra PST file. It is easy and helps!

11. Step 7: Monitor Resource Usage
• If your PC is still running slow after doing all of
this, it might be that you are trying to do too
much with it.
• Check the running processes in the Task Manager
(press CTRL + ALT + DEL). Which programs use the
most amount of RAM and CPU power?
• Either run less applications simultaneously – or
think about upgrading your RAM and CPU so that
it can handle the workload.

12. Now your PC is healthy, keep it that
way!
Ensure you run through the steps in this
presentation regularly for the best results.
TRADEBIT has many tools to help
cleanse, optimize and secure your PC – at low
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