This article focuses on Windows desktop and laptop computers because Windows is by far the most prevalent type of operating system used by CPAs on their main computer (as opposed to Apple computers, tablets, or smartphones). (Caveat: If your firm or company employs IT staff or IT consultants, it may be best to have them fine- tune your computer's performance after all, that is their job.) If the system reboots in less than a minute and the applications launch in less than two seconds each, then your system's performance is adequate otherwise, perhaps you should consider implementing some of the measures outlined below to rejuvenate the computer's performance.

To quickly test its performance, simply reboot the system and then launch Excel and a browser. With productivity in mind, this article provides a list of measures you can take to ensure that your Windows computer is operating at peak performance. That might not seem like much, but saving just 10 minutes a day translates to a time savings of more than 40 hours per year, so even a minor computer tuneup could yield significant productivity dividends. Before too long, the user is waiting an additional four or five seconds for each application to launch, each file to open, each webpage to load, and each page to print. Sometimes, malware also ends up on the computer (without the user's knowledge). The main reason is the installation of unnecessary applications and add- ins. Computers, as most anyone can tell you, tend to run slower over time.

Wise disk cleaner says to select drive