A clean computer is key to a fast computer. Below are some programs that will help you achieve a fast and clean computer.
Free online virus scan. If you don't have a anti-virus program then you can use a free online one to check your computer for viruses.
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/solutions/activescan/
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html
A couple of free anti-virus programs can be found at
http://free.grisoft.com/
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
Now to clean your machine of spyware I suggest 2 programs. Spybot and SuperAntiSpyware. These programs will be most effective if you run them in Safe Mode. On many computer you can get there by repeatedly pressing the F8 key as soon as your computer starts to boot. Then use your arrow keys to select Safe Mode.
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html ---- Don't forget to use the Immunize feature.
http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html
You can also use a program to prevent spyware from being installed in the first place.
Spyware, adware, browser hijackers, and dialers are some of the fastest-growing threats on the Internet today.
By simply browsing to a web page, you could find your computer to be the brand-new host of one of these unwanted fiends!
The most important step you can take is to secure your system. And SpywareBlaster is the most powerful protection program available.
Prevent the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser hijackers, dialers, and other potentially unwanted software. Block spyware/tracking cookies in Internet Explorer and Mozilla/Firefox. Restrict the actions of potentially unwanted sites in Internet Explorer.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
Now lets move on to cleaning up your disk and saving space.
Do a disk Cleanup and Disk Defrag. You can get to both of them by following the path below.
Start>all programs>accessories>system tools>Disk Cleanup. Then follow the same path and click on Disk Defrag.
For Vista just click on Start>accessories>system tools>Disk Cleanup. Again follow the same path to get to Disk Defrag.
You can check every box that has a amount to delete during the Disk Cleanup process.
Now lets tweak you connection for speed. If you speed is good I would suggest you do not mess with tweaking it since you can get into trouble sometimes and actually slow down your connection speed. I will give you 2 programs that can speed up your connection.
The TCP Optimizer is a free, easy Windows program that provides an intuitive interface for tuning and optimizing your Internet connection. There is no installation required, just download and run.
The program can aid both the novice and the advanced user in tweaking related TCP/IP parameters in the Windows Registry, making it easy to tune your system to the type of Internet connection used. The tool uses advanced algorithms, and the bandwidth*delay product to find the best TCP Window for your specific connection speed. It provides for easy tuning of all related TCP/IP parameters, such as MTU, RWIN, and even advanced ones like QoS and ToS/Diffserv prioritization. The program works with all current versions of Windows, and includes additional tools, such as testing average latency over multiple hosts, and finding the largest possible packet size (MTU).
The TCP Optimizer is targeted towards broadband internet connections, however it can be helpful with tuning any internet connection type, from dialup to Gigabit+ :)
You can download it from http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php
The second one is called CableNut.
You can get it from http://cablenut.com/
Now lets clean up your registry. Again there are many programs that can do this. I will give you 2 that I use all the time. I have not had any problems with them.
CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware! :)
Download it from http://www.ccleaner.com/
The second one it CleanUp.
Introducing Windows CleanUp!, the quickest and easiest way to delete temporary files from your system.
CleanUp! is a powerful and easy-to-use application that removes temporary files created while surfing the web, empties the Recycle Bin, deletes files from your temporary folders and more.
CleanUp! frees disk space and reduces the "clutter" on your computer helping it to run more efficiently. It also can be used as a way to protect your privacy on the Internet. You can even instruct CleanUp! to securely delete files making it impossible to retrieve their contents using lower-level disk tools - just another way of protecting your privacy.
No gimmicks here, CleanUp! is so easy to set up and use that you'll have a lean, clean, mean machine in minutes.
Download it from http://www.stevengould.org/index.php?Itemid=69&id=15&option=com_content&task=view
After running the programs above you will have a clean and faster machine. You will enjoy the Internet much more now. Enjoy!