Whether you’re installing a new operating system, such as upgrading to Windows 7, or you just want your computer to run as well (or better) as it did when you bought it, it may be time for you to format your hard drive and install or re-install your operating system. Your computer may be running slowly and you may be considering buying a new computer, but before you choose such an expensive option, consider taking some steps to revive your old computer.

If your computer is infected with malware or viruses you may need to re-format your hard drive in order to thoroughly rid yourself of the problem. If you do have those problems but are not up for formatting your drive, be sure to check out the guides, “How to Remove Malware From Your Computer”, “How to Protect Your Computer from Malware”, and “How to Protect Your Computer from Viruses”. Malware and viruses could be affecting your performance.

When formatting and re-installing the operating system, you may want to consider dual booting so you can operate more than one operating system at a time. This may be especially true if you’re trying out a new operating system and may want to run some programs that are only compatible with your old one, or you’re just not quite sure about making the switch. Check out the guide, “How to Dual Boot” to learn how. Also, don’t forget to backup all of your important data. Everything will get wiped out when you format, so if you want to keep your data, follow this guide on “How to Backup Your Computer Hard Drive.”

Using these “how-to” guides you can improve your computing experience and make your work go more smoothly. If that’s not enough and you’re just frustrated and want a change, you can always learn how to convert from PC to Mac!