In many ways, computers are magic. Billions of electrons flow across a screen to create the illusion of a picture that we seem to rule.

A magnet holds bits of information in place to indicate if a bit is off or on, and millions of those bits combine to form files that hold our information. Powerful graphics, sound and Internet capabilities combine to form powerful applications for work or games for our amusement.

The next time your change the oil in your car, think of your personal computer. You flush the oil in your car to get rid of the gunk and sediments that have slowly been deposited over time. Your PC tends to have many of deposits that come from a variety of sources. Each time a file is modified it may be moved or become fragmented (spread across different areas of the hard disk instead of remaining one intact whole). “Temporary” files are created that remain in the system, potentially forever. Keys and entries are added to the Windows Registry that are never removed. It all adds up to one slow computer, but there are several things you can do to fine tune your PC into top performance.

New cars are known for that “new car smell.” New personal computers are known for their speed. Both seem to fade, however over the months and years after buying.

Nearly all new personal computers come equipped with some kind of Microsoft Windows operating system. The operating system in the essential software that makes the computer run. Unfortunately, most computers also come with a wide assortment of “value enhancing” software, much of which has no value and no enhancement. In fact, much of this software can actually slow the performance of your computer.

The Windows Registry is both the boon and bane of the Computer world, a world that almost exclusively belongs to Microsoft. The registry is the core of any Windows PC.

It hides in the background and is deliberately difficult to access manually due to the dangers involve. One bad move and your computer becomes a very expensive paperweight.

Nobody likes leftover night for dinner. Food that tasted good the first time is just never the same when reheated three days later. PC leftovers are no better, and they can slow your computer to a crawl.