Computers are like pets  – they need care to keep them healthy, responsive, and fast. In this post I’m going to share with you some tips that will help keep your computer in top shape. If you want to improve your computer’s speed and performance – read on.

1. If your computer suddenly becomes really slow and starts acting up, the first thing you need to do is scan it for viruses and spyware, because in most cases they are the culprit. There are great free anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, just go to download.com and do a search. Remember to download only programs that got lots of positive user reviews.

2. Test your RAM to ensure error-free performance. Failing memory can be the cause of numerous errors, and the worst part is that they may seem random. So, use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool from time to time. Vista users can find it on their Windows installation disk and XP users will need to create a CD.

3. Just as it is a good idea to test RAM, it’s a must to check your hard drive regularly. To do that run Check Disk:

• Go to My Computer
• Find the disk you want to check, right-click on it and go to Properties
• In the Properties dialog  box click Tools
• Click Check Now
• Check both options in the dialog box that will appear and click Start
• Most likely you will get a message that Check Disk wants exclusive access to the disk and wants to start right after your reboot. Click OK
• Restart your computer

4. And last, but not least, always remember to clean your disks weekly, clean the Registry once a month, defrag your hard drive at least once a month, compact the Registry to keep it as small as possible, and keep your Windows and drivers up to date.

All this will help you keep your computer fast and stable. There is no need to wait for your PC to become infected with viruses and spyware, cluttered with junk, and show you the blue screen of death to start performing basic maintenance.