How to keep a system running @ its best

[ShadowThrone]

Hey guys
I have just built myself a new system primarily for gaming, and watching tv.
I am after suggestions as to how to best keep my system running quickly, and well for the future, and not have to slow down, and maybe even if possible speed it up! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[LiNuX]

please open threads in the right category next time, it will help you getting proper responses

as for making it faster, you can read this thread here: Want faster gaming? - Gamers Forum (http://www.gamers-forum.com/showthread.php?t=1764)

as for keeping your hardware running, make sure it stays cool, overheating will lower the lifespan of any hardware. Also clean the system every once in a while, the dust can and will clot up fans and other parts which will make the hardware overheat faster.

As for software, make sure you don't have anything installed that you don't need or use, they use up unnecessary space and RAM (some programs run even when you don't even know they are running). I would also recommend that you don't overclock your products, they overheat and die faster and you void warranty doing that anyway. Although overclocking promises faster speeds, it's not a good idea.

Other than that, you can google stuff.

[Street_Soldier69]

umm, to keep it running fast downlaod CCleaner (CrapCleaner) it will delete all files that might slow or effect the speed and maintence of your PC. And you also need to delete your Temp. files everyday.

[LemonRising]

The weekly/monthly defrag doesn't hurt <:

[sivik.chen]

You probably want to put an antivirus/antispyware suite on there as well. I recommend Spyware Doctor and Avira Antivir (freebies) or Norton Internet Security (paid).

[Street_Soldier69]

i dont even use my virus protection, if you do gaming on a PC download GAME BOOSTER, it shuts down all the programs and files and other items that will effect of lagg your gameplay, it shuts down files that you cant just shutdown on your own.

[mphilip876]

Make it clean from viruses...

[roguekiller23231]

My essential list of things to keep it all running at peak performance (after the usualy ccleaner, removal of useless startup programs:

1 Graphics/chipset/soundcard (less often) Driver updates. always keep them upto date, as newer drivers usually boost performance in the newer games.

2 defrag, i'm constantly defragmenting my system, there are a number of tools that you can use. I always use o&o Defrag 10, as it will rearrange the drive according to what i want, i always do a 'Complete/access) defrag, which seems to rearrange the files into the times they were accessed, so putting them into a good order to be read one after the other when loading games.

3 I have a seperate drive (physical, not partitian) for my games, although people say it doesnt make any diffrence in load times, i have to disagree, after speed tests, 45mb/s for my main drive and 100-120mb/s for the seperate drive (which doesnt get accessed much so the transfer rate is good).

4 (since i cant post links just yet i'll just say what it is, you can probably find it in google) There is a tool to turn off all unneccisary programs and services, iobit Game booster.

Oh and a little tip, disable Antivirus, spyware, defrag programs, practically anything that has an automated activation befor playing anything, they destroy gameing.