Desktop clean-up – speedier computer

Often customers ask me how they can speed up their computer. Usually they complain it is slow and sluggish. Sometimes it takes a very long time to get going when it is first powered up. One cause of a slow start is that there is too much on the desktop. Whatever is on the desktop loads into memory at start up. Desktop Clean Up is the answer.

Desktop clean-up

Whenever you start your computer what is on your desktop is loaded into RAM (Random Access Memory). If there is a large amount of data on your desktop it will take a long time to load into RAM

A good example of what not to put on your desktop is a movie you have downloaded. It consumes a large amount of RAM. The movie should not be on the desktop but a shortcut to the movie is the answer. The shortcut does not contain much in the way of bytes.

How to check how much is on your desktop

Below is a screen shot of a laptop desktop:

The shortcuts lead the way to programs but the programs are not on the desktop. To check how much is on the desktop is easy.

Using File Explorer find C:Drive and the Users and find the User you want. You should see a screen similar to the one below.

Scroll down and click on Properties

The Properties will show how many bytes are on your desktop.

As you can see in the example used, there are 42.8 MB on the desktop which is good. However some people have several hundred megabytes and some have 3 or 4 gigabytes which is definitely not good.

Desktop Clean-up – how to do it

In conclusion, transfer any movies, image files and programs you have on your desktop to suitable folders. Move your video files to the video folder. Move your images to Pictures etc. Put a shortcut to your programs on the desktop.

Housekeeping and cleaning up will make your computer much faster. If you need more information contact Cath.

Or read this for more information – Clean Up your Desktop.