May 5, 2011 06:03 PM EDT by Dana WollmanRecover From and Prevent Crashes
Install security software.
Oftentimes a notebook will become unstable because it has become infected with a virus or other malware, so you need to shield your machine from potential damage. BitDefender Total Security 2011 ($79.95;www.bitdefender.com) combines anti-malware protection with PC tune-up tools—not to mention online backup and parental controls. This lightweight suite also has an intuitive, customizable interface. For Macs, we suggest Intego Internet Security Barrier X6 ($79.95; www.intego.com). Want malware protection on the cheap? Try Ad-Aware Free Internet Security (www.lavasoft.com).
Make sure your drivers are up to date.
Download the latest drivers for your video card, wireless radio, and other components. You can find these drivers on your PC maker’s support website. Usually, there’s a section called “drivers and downloads,” or something to that effect, where you can find drivers by specifying what laptop model you own. The drivers are usually broken down by category (e.g., audio), though you can choose to see all available downloads. Click “Download” and follow any on-screen instructions, just as you would if you were downloading a piece of software. Restart the computer as soon as you’re done to ensure that these drivers take effect.
Download any updates for your operating system.
You’ll also want to update other software that you use most frequently, such as iTunes, browsers, and photo editors. With each update, software should become more stable. To do this, go to Control Panel > Windows Update > Check For Updates. Then click “Install Updates” when your PC is done searching.
Reinstall the operating system.
Note that we only recommend this step if all else fails. To start, insert the disc containing your Mac or Windows operating system and factory settings. This disc should have come with your PC or Mac. Then, follow the on-screen directions. Before you do this, though, make sure that you back up all your programs and files to either an external hard drive or an online backup service. The length of the backup will depend on how many gigabytes you are backing up and how much time has passed since your last backup.
How to Fix Your Laptop
- Introduction
- Speed Up Your Boot Time
- Improve Performance
- Maximize Battery Life
- Free Up Hard Drive Space
- Recover From and Prevent Crashes
- Clean Your Laptop
- Boost Your Internet Speed
May 5th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Hi Dana,
Regarding your laptop key article, I am a tech and we replace laptop keys for customers all the time, I use a company called http://www.replacementlaptopkeys.com they are a great company, we used them so often we have become friends, how about adding them to your list of laptop keys companies you have listed there for the laptop key vendors. I would personally be grateful as they have helped me many times.
Oscar D
May 6th, 2011 at 12:43 am
Good advice — But I would give more emphasis to the importance of defragmenting your hard drive.
Unfortunately, most users don’t do these vital actions because they take too long, especially defragmenting. If using the built-in, defrag can take a very long time (and you can’t use the PC while it’s defragmenting)
I recommend using a good automatic third party program that can defrag transparently while using the PC.
Here is a Top 10 Reviews side-by-side comparison of the best defrag programs around:
http://disk-defragmenter-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
The gold medalist also prevents fragmentation.
Get a free trial of the gold medalist at http://www.diskeeper.com
May 6th, 2011 at 3:21 pm
A couple other great options to send your files to the cloud are SpiderOak and SugarSync. Both offer sharing and file sync as well as backup so you don’t need to fuss with two different programs like Dropbox and Mozy etc. SugarSync is a little ahead in the mobile access and backup applications so if you want mobile access to your files SugarSync is a great choice.
May 8th, 2011 at 6:29 am
I used reginout and it helped a lot in improving performance of my Inspiron 1525 happy with it
July 10th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
Another option is change the OS to Ubuntu of Linux Mint. Ya I’m that guy. (just as bad as a Jehovah’s Witness)
March 16th, 2012 at 2:22 am
LAN Sync does not transfer directly without sending to the cloud. If the file hasnt been synced to the cloud yet, it will NOT be transferred directly.
May 12th, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Let me remind all you folks out there that have upgraded there slow, evergrinding, persistantly needing defragmentmenting harddrives. That, if you have upgraded to the newer, NO moving part flash drives. DO NOT defragment them, there is no need. Actually, defragmenting flash drives can damage them over time, and since they are almost instant access compared to the standard, it is not necessary.
May 13th, 2012 at 12:18 am
I have a Dell Dimension 8300 PC with Windows XP Pro (SP-3) and I upgraded to 4 GB of ram a couple years ago and to this day it never recognized more than 2.5 GB.
May 15th, 2012 at 2:57 am
Speaking of flash – I recommend to use SSD to accelerate the HDD with something like the Corsair Accelerator or Crucial Adrenaline. It’s best PC upgrade for $100 ever. It used to take my PC 2minutes to boot, but now just 36seconds.