on your computer's hard disk so that each file is stored on a single, adjacent space on the hard drive. This enables your system to find and access to files and folders much faster. Disk Defragmenter also consolidates your hard drive’s free space making it less likely that new files will be fragmented.

How to defragment your            hard drive:

Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter.

     3. Clean up the spyware on your           machine.

Spyware is Internet jargon for hidden programs advertisers install on your PC without your permission to “spy” on you, gather information, and report this information about you and your online activities to some outside person.

Spyware works in the background sucking up system resources and considerably slowing down your PC’s performance. But that’s not the worst of it. In addition to slowing down your computer, it can be responsible for delivering a boatload of spam, altering your web browser, and serving up a bounty of pop up ads. In some of the more extreme cases, spyware can also steal your identify, passwords, e-mail address book, and even use your PC for illegal activities.

There are a number of programs available to keep your computer spyware free. These include Ad-aware, (http://www.lavasoftusa.com), Spybot-Search & Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org), Microsoft Windows Defender (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads), and Spy Sweeper (http://www.webroot.com). All but Ad-aware can be used to block further infections, and they are all free except for Spy Sweeper, which is $30.
    

     4. Super-charge your Internet Connection.

If you are still using dial-up access, you would be blown away at the speed of broadband.
Broadband simply means that the “pipe” delivering the data to and from the Internet is bigger, which translates to a much faster experience. People are often amazed at the difference and wonder how they ever got along without it.

The primary broadband methods are DSL, which is delivered over telephone lines, and cable, which is delivered via television signals. DSL is 8 to 30 times faster than dial-up and cable can be as much as 100 times faster. If you use the Internet and e-mail frequently, this is money well-spent.

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     5. Add memory.                                                         This is a relatively cheap way to speed things up. If you have 128 megabytes of memory in a Windows 98 or ME machine, you can raise that to 256 MB or even 512 MB for a real boost.

You could also upgrade the motherboard, hard drive, chip, and video card, but then you are getting into more money. If your machine is that old, you would be better off purchasing a new computer. But before you do that, try these 5 tips and see if that won’t get you a little more life out of your computer.

Get a Free  Dinner for Two

Thanks to loyal customers like you, Direct Link is growing faster than ever!  We certainly couldn’t have done it without the help of our customers referring their friends and colleagues. That’s why we’d like to thank you for your referrals with a delicious dinner for two at Outback Steak House restaurant.

All you have to do is refer a business owner or IT Manager to Direct Link who is looking for any of the services we offer. As a token of our appreciation, we’ll send you a gift certificate to have a great dinner for two on us. Just consider this our way of saying “Thanks!”

To send us a referral, simply call John or send him an e-mail to info@dlhelp.com. Or you can tell your friend to mention your name when they call.