If you PC is sluggish  it moy need more RAM (Random Access Memory), but not necessarily more hard disk (HD) space.  It is a common misconception to confuse these terms since techies use the word “memory” to describe both RAM and HD space.  But before you run over your friendly neighborhood geek for confusing you with misleading terms, here’s an easy way to understand the two types of memory in your PC.

RAM is PC short term memory and HD space is PC long term memory.

Here’s how Wikipedia describes short term memory:
Short-term memory refers to the capacity for holding a small amount of information in mind in an active, readily available state for a short period of time.

RAM is quick and fast and usually looks something like this:

Here is what a HD may look like:

That new high powered anti-virus program was installed on your HD, but it uses
RAM to continually monitor your PC protecting it from Conflicker and the other cyber-nasties.  This requires more PC RAM (short term memory) allocated to security and less available for web browsing, email, music, pictures, and other stuff.  Thus, your PC has short term memory loss for the things you want to do and appears to be running slower.

The good news is that with most PCs you can add RAM putting your PC back in high gear.  However, adding RAM to a PC is not for the faint of heart.  Because there are so many different types of RAM and so many models of PCs, a RAM upgrade can be a daunting task.

If you use the free AVG anti-virus program you should update to version 9.  Hey, it’s a awesome free program so some manual maintenance should be expected.

Here are the instructions for upgrading to AVG 9.

• Close Everything (Browser, Email, etc)
• Make sure you are connected to the Internet
• Go the the following website and click Download Now:

  http://download.cnet.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10320142.html?part=dl-10044820&subj=dl&tag=button&cdlPid=11014801

• Save the file to your Desktop

Run the file you just downloaded and follow the prompts:
Next ->
Select “I want to install free basic protection (AVG Anti-Virus Free) ->
Next -> Check “I have read the license agreement” and click “Accept” ->
Make sure “Stand Installation” is selexted and click “Next” -> Next ->
UNCHECK “Set Yahoo as my default search engine and notify me of changes” (do this first) ->
UNCHECK “Install the AVG Security Toolbar (recommended)” ->
Next -> Finish -> Click “Yes” to restart.

Reboot

After Reboot:
Right click AVG icon in system tray (bottom right corner)
If prompted for Scan Optimization, select “Wait until the first scheduled scan starts”
Select “Update” if available.

Once installation is complete, you can delete the AVG file your downloaded to your Desktop.

Here are some simple tips to help you manage your Outlook file size thus improving your PCs performance.

How big is my Outlook?
To see the size of your Outlook folders:
•    Select Tools | Mailbox Cleanup… from the menu.
•    Click View Mailbox Size….
•    Click Close (two times) to close the mailbox size view again.

Get rid of the big ones first
In your Folder List Click on the “+” to expand “Search Folders”.
Click on “Large Mail” and you will see the largest email (including attachments).  Start deleting from the top and you should be able to recover a lot of email space quickly.  There’s no need to keep the email with the 4MB attachment of the cat playing the piano.  It’s on YouTube.

Here are some tips for cleaning Outlook
•    Every time you send mail a copy is left in your ‘Sent Items’ folder. Please check this folder for messages you no longer wish to keep and delete them.
•    Delete messages with large attachments.  Chances are you have already saved the attachment to your hard drive.
•    Empty your Junk E-mail folder (right-click over Junk E-mail, select Empty “Junk E-mail” Folder)
•    Once you have cleaned all your folders, empty your ‘Deleted Items’ folder.  When you delete mail in Outlook, the mail actually goes to the ‘Deleted Items’ folder. By default Outlook does not empty the ‘Deleted Items’ when you exit. To empty the ‘Deleted Items’ folder, right click on the ‘Deleted Items’, then choose ‘Empty “Deleted Items” folder’.  Saving emails in your ‘Deleted Items’ folder is the equivalent to saving important documents in your trash can.

Archive
Outlook allows your archive data to another file.  This helps keep you main Outlook file size under control and still have access to your data.  The following link provides a good description of the archive feature and how to use it.
http://kb.iu.edu/data/aead.html

If you do not think you have backed up your Outlook data then you probably haven’t.  This means you could loose everything…well, everything in your Outlook data file.  And in many cases, your Outlook data contains your important contacts.  But Outlook backup is a topic for another time.