Ok first thing you're going to want to do is go to start > Control Panel > add or remove programs. From here, you're going to look through the massive list of programs and games currently installed on your computer. Search this list and find anything programs that you don't use anymore and uninstall them.

Now that you're free of old, outdated, unused programs, you're going to free up even more disk space. Ok, what you want to do is run the disk cleanup utility. To do this go to start > All programs > accessories > Disk cleanup. The disk cleanup utility will remove temporary internet files, remove unused downloaded program files (such as Microsoft ActiveX controls and Java applets), empty the recycle bin, remove Windows temporary files, remove optional Windows components that you don't use, and remove installed programs that you no longer use.

The next thing that will help is de-fragmenting your computer. What this does is fixes any corruptions and problems with your file system that would cause it to run slow. Ok, so you want to run the disk de-fragmenter. Do this by going to start > All programs > accessories > Disk De-fragment. When the Disk De-fragmenter comes up select analyze. Windows will tell you whether or not you need to defag. If you do, then select Defragment.

Ok, you're nice and defragmented. Now we need to fix errors with your drives, by running the Error Checking utility. This will scan your hard drives for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced. To run the error check you should go to start > my computer. In the my computer window right click the drive you want to error check (most likely C), and select properties. In the properties window select the tools tab. Click check now. Make sure you have Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors checked and then start it.

Next you are going to search and destroy spyware. If you already have spyware software, make sure that your definitions are up to date and run it. If not Spybot - Search & Destroy is a good, and free, spyware eliminator (You can download Spybot here). After installing it scan and delete spyware, adware, malware, and anything else it's telling you that's bad for you computer.

Viruses: You defiantly don't want any of those. So once again, if you already have antivirus software, make sure that your virus definitions are up to date and run it. Be sure that you delete all viruses and not just put them in quarantine (as many anti-virus programs do). Now if you don't have antivirus software you can download Antivir. Antivir is a free antivirus that is updated regularly. Get it at free-av.com. Once it's installed scan and destroy all viruses. You're almost done!

Finally, fixing any registry problems, final cleanup, and icing on the cake. There is a great program called ccleaner that can do all this for you. It's free and I use it pretty much daily. Download it at ccleaner.com.

After downloading and installing ccleaner start with clicking cleaner and analyze. It will tell you how much junk it's going to fix. Then hit run cleaner and go get a snack. I'm just kidding, after you've already cleaned up most of your computer with all those other programs it shouldn't take all that long.

Now select the next tab down, registry. Make sure everything is checked and hit scan for issues. This will scan your registry for any problems, once again, you shouldn't have all that much because you ran all the other programs first. It will tell you how many you have and what types if you really needed to know. Then hit fix selected issues. It will ask you if you want to back up your registry.

I would just say no, ccleaner is a very stable program and it's not going to break anything. On down the tabs you go, now select tools and go to startup. Look though there for anything that doesn't say windows or look important that you don't use. Such as aol, aim, msn, things like that that automatically start. Delete the entries for the things that you don't use and there just in the background.

After that's finished you're done! I would restart my computer just because you've just changed so much and then test out your new speed. You should be starting programs, searching files, opening folders, and more, much quicker than before. Congratulations on your fixed computer. I hope that you liked my guide and that I might have saved you the money of buying a new computer.