Internet Browser

  • The internet is a critical part of business processes so keeping your browser clean can also help your PC run more efficiently. Do not install any toolbars from AOL, Yahoo, Google, etc. This causes another layer of interference. Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox have a nice built in search feature now that allows you to choose who you want as your search engine and it works great. Along with toolbars there are many add ins to internet explorer that can cause problems. The easiest way to remove these are to uninstall these toolbars and programs is using Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel.

Computer Memory

Memory may be the most important area, often overlooked that is simply vital to your PC. If you are running any version of Windows XP you need at least 512MB of memory. To check what you have now, go to START > RUN and type WINVER and press OK. It will tell you the “Physical Memory Available to Windows” If this number is below 500,000KB you do not have enough. It takes 256MB to operate XP and by the time you add Word, Excel, Outlook, QB or software specific to your industry your computer is starving for memory. The difference between 256MB and 1024MB on a new machine is around $150 and well worth the price. This difference can mean adding a few more years to life of your PC investment. So what is the minimum amount of RAM in a new machine I would suggest no less than 1024 MB. With the next generation of Windows Vista the requirements are only going to increase.