Reinstalling Windows is a dreary task, to be avoided if at all possible. But how else can you regain the speed your computer had when it was new?

A sluggish computer might need only an afternoon of TLC to get back on its feet. We have tips, from cleaning out dust to removing unnecessary apps.

With wear-and-tear, your computer certainly won't last forever, but a case can at least protect the hardware from any crashes (trust me, I've paid $400 to replace just a screen, in the past).

That means your Steam games, Photoshop, iTunes and the like, so again make sure you’ve done your research about what you need to get these up and running.