Simple Computer Tune-up: Speed Up Your PC- P14 pptx

6
OTHER WAYS TO
OPTIMIZE YOUR PC
T
his chapter shows how to perform many tasks
that will help optimize your PC. Performing
these additional tasks, along with using PC
Pitstop Optimize, regularly or at least once a
month will ensure your PC runs faster and more
efficiently.
Keep Windows Up to Date
Keeping Windows up-to-date ensures your PC is pro-
tected from the latest known security holes and fixes
bugs or errors of the operating system, which will
help increase PC performance.
You can easily check for and perform needed updates
for Windows by visiting the following website:

You can also configure Windows XP to automatically
download updates when they become available:
1. Open the Control Panel, as seen in
Figure 6-1.
If the Start menu is in classic look, the
Control Panel is under Settings on the
menu.
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Figure 6-1: Opening the Control Panel
2. Click Security Center, as Figure 6-2 shows, if the Control
Panel is in category view; otherwise ignore this step and
move to the next step.

Figure 6-2: Opening the Security Center category
3. Click Automatic Updates, as shown in Figure 6-3.
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Figure 6-3: Opening Automatic Updates
4. It’s recommended to use the Automatic option, as Figure 6-4
points out.
Figure 6-4: Automatic Update option
Adjust Visual Settings
You can increase the performance of your computer by sacrificing
some visual effects in Windows XP.These effects include items such as
shadowing, smoothing, and fading of fonts, menus, and your cursor.
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Here is how to change these visual effect settings:
1. Right-click My Computer and click Properties, as seen in
Figure 6-5.
Figure 6-5: Accessing My Computer properties
2. Click the Advanced tab, as Figure 6-6 shows.
Figure 6-6: Advanced tab
3. Click Settings, under the Performance area, as shown in
Figure 6-7.
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Figure 6-7: Accessing Performance settings
4. On the Visual Effects tab, select the Adjust for Best
Performance option, as seen in Figure 6-8.

Figure 6-8: Selecting the Best Performance option
5. When you’re done, click OK.
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