Perform frequent system scans for spyware. Spyware programs can actively run in the background as services and processes. Their job is to spy on frequently visited websites and analyze frequent user trends. Then, relevant product advertisements are presented on your screen in the form of pop-ups. Each product purchased from such ads earns the spyware author a commission from the product's manufacturer. Since this requires constant monitoring of the user, your PC gradually loses performance, resulting in slow response times. Scan your computer for spyware at least once a week to ensure maximum system stability.

Clean up excessive system services and processes. Click the "Start" menu and select the "Run" or "Search" box. Type "Msconfig" without the quotes and press "OK" to launch the System Configuration Utility. Browse to the "Services" tab and check the box stating "Hide all Microsoft Services." Uncheck each item that belongs to a third party organization, as long as you do not need it to launch simultaneously with your computer. Deselecting these items does not uninstall the actual program; it disables them from loading during startup, resulting in additional free memory and system resources.

Browse to the "Startup" tab within the Windows System Configuration utility. In this menu, uncheck any third party or non-system programs, such as Windows Live Messenger and other optional utilities. Press "OK" when finished making all modifications. Save any work currently active and restart your computer.

Defragment your computer hard disk. Over time, the more you use a program, the more related files get scattered throughout your local hard disk. This often makes the Start menu slow to respond and computer windows and menus take longer to launch. This process searches all computer data available and organizes it accordingly in your hard disk's clusters. Click "Start," followed by "Programs," "Accessories," then "System Tools," and select "Disk Defragmenter." Defragment your hard disk every week to keep your PC from running slowly and losing valuable performance.