If your computer seemingly takes forever to open an Internet browser or even a notepad document, the possible causes are many: general computer use, malicious software, memory leaks or, in all likelihood, lack of owner maintenance. Fortunately, the fixes are easy and inexpensive. Applying these tips will have your computer running faster than the snail's pace to which you've grown accustomed.

Delete Erased Files and Empty the Prefetch or Cache Folder
• You can start speeding up your computer by emptying that mass of junk you've allowed to accumulate in the Recycle Bin (or Trash on a Mac). Sending something to these folders, which hold deleted files, just moves it from one location on your hard drive to another. The item remains the same size and takes up the same amount of space. To get rid of the file, take out the garbage by emptying the Recycle Bin or the Trash.
Unnecessary items in a PC's Prefetch folder can slow down your computer. The Prefetch folder contains files that help your computer to speed access by not having to load everything from the beginning. It saves remnants of the pages you've visited and files you've opened. So to speed things up, empty out the Prefetch folder: open it, highlight what's not needed and delete. Follow the instructions below to locate Prefetch:
Click on My Computer or Computer.

Click on your primary hard drive (usually C).
Click on Windows.
Scroll down to Prefetch.

Throw Out Those Temporary Internet Files and Cookies or Empty the Cache
• Temporary Internet files and cookies (Windows) and the Cache folder (Mac) work the same way as the items in Prefetch---they help speed your Internet browsing by retaining Web-page information so the computer doesn't have to load it all over again. However, too many of these files can slow your computer. Delete them often, especially if you're a big Web surfer, because temp files and cookies pile up quickly. Remove them by pulling down the Tools menu in Internet Explorer and Firefox or access the Cache by clicking on the Safari toolbar button on a Mac.

To delete these files in Internet Explorer:
Click on Tools and click on Internet Options.
Click on the General tab and click on Delete.
Check both Temporary Internet Files and Cookies and click on Delete.

In Firefox:
Click on Tools and click on Options.
Select the Privacy tab.
Click on Settings in the Private Data section.
Check Cookies and Cache and then click on OK.
Click on Clear Private Data to delete the items.

In Safari:
Click on Safari.
Scroll down to Empty Cache... and click on it.

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Install a Memory Module
• Adding memory is one of the easiest, fastest, least expensive ways to speed up your computer, and it most often takes only a Phillips-head screwdriver and about 10 spare minutes. Memory modules supply random access memory (RAM) to support programs. With more memory, a computer can spend less time alloting modest amounts of memory to all the programs it's running.

Delete Programs You Don't Use
• Programs can pile up on a computer, especially if you're a gamer or an electronic musician. Get rid of programs sitting idle on the hard drive to free some space for applications you are using. Uninstalling gets rid of the program and most of the Registry entries created when it was installed. The fewer programs hogging space, the faster your computer runs.

Run Your Utility Programs
• Regularly run your Disk Defragmenter, Disk Clean-up, antivirus software and any other applications that help make your computer fast and efficient. Scan the antivirus software weekly and run the others at least every two weeks. You can install dozens of other free programs that are compatible with both, Windows and Mac. CCleaner, Tweak Now! Reg Cleaner and Revo Uninstaller will each keep your hard drive free of clutter. A Revo Uninstaller utility is said to erase data off your system so effectively that even the FBI might be unable to restore it. Avast Antivirus, AVG Antivirus and Avira, also free programs, eliminate malicious software and come with firewalls to protect your computer. These utilities work together, stripping out anything that will make your computer sluggish, allowing the system to work faster and more smoothly.