By following a few simple guidelines, you can maintain your computer and keep it running smoothly and at top speed. There are tools available in Windows 7, Vista, and XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to help efficiently maintain your computer and protect your privacy when you're online.

One: Free up disk space.

By using the Disk Cleanup tool you can free up space on your hard disk to improve the performance of your computer. The tool identifies files that you can safely delete, and then allows you to choose whether you want to delete some or all of the identified files. Typically, temporary Internet files take the most amount of space because the browser caches each page you visit for faster access later.

Two: Speed up access to data.

Disk fragmentation slows the overall performance of your computer. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk when the file is opened to piece it back together. The response time can be significantly longer. Disk Defragmenter is a Windows utility that consolidates fragmented files and folders on your computer's hard disk so that each occupies a single space on the disk. With your files stored neatly end-to-end, and without fragmentation, reading and writing to the disk speeds up.

Three: Detect and repair disk errors.

In addition to running Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.

As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult, or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced. If you use your computer daily, you should run this utility once a week to help prevent data loss.

Four: Protect your computer against spyware.

Spyware collects personal information without letting you know and without asking for your permission. From the Web sites you visit to usernames and passwords, spyware can put you and your confidential information at risk. In addition to privacy concerns, spyware can slow your computer's performance. To combat spyware, you might want to consider using the PC safety scan from Windows Live OneCare. This scan is a free service and will help check for and remove viruses.

Five: Learn all about ReadyBoost.

If you're using Windows 7 or Windows Vista, you can use ReadyBoost to speed up your system. A new concept in adding memory to a system, it allows you to use non-volatile flash memory—like a USB flash drive or a memory card—to improve performance without having to add additional memory.