Free Tools that makes your computer faster Part 1

The longer you use any computer for, the slower it'll get, since operating systems leave a trail of hard-drive clogging mess behind. Thankfully, there are a handful of free applications that'll clean up, and others to solve otherwise painfully mundane problems with printing, converting files and the like.

Dump junk data: CCleaner.

This superfast program cleans up unused files in around a second, getting rid of all the crap (that's what the first 'c' stands for - honest) as it goes. CCleaner doesn't run all the time; just have it give your machine a quick spruce up every week to keep it ship shape.

Free fax machine. Faxtastic.

Thanks to clever little tool Faxtastic, it's possible to turn your PC into a fax machine. You get your own special number which people can fax you on and faxes are then converted into email format.

There are a couple of things to watch out for though; you're given an 0870/1 number which costs people faxing you 8-10p/minute during the day (it's cheaper evenings and weekends). Normally I rail against these numbers (see the Say No To 0870 article) yet as this provides a service, it works well. Still, do let people faxing you know how much it will cost, as effectively they are subsidising your free fax machine.

To keep the service active you must receive at least one fax in the first seven days of opening an account, and at least one every 90 days thereafter, else you'll lose the allocated fax number and will have to re-register.