ELM Bulletin - March 11, 2010
Performance Enhancing Tip # 2 – Remove Unused Printers
Our previous ELM Bulletin showed how to improve computer performance by defragmenting its hard disk drive. It was a hit so I decided to make computer performance the topic of this ELM Bulletin as well. This time around I’ll discuss how you can keep unused printers from slowing your computer.
For a printer to work with a computer requires the installation of a printer driver. A printer driver is a program that tells the computer how to format your document so the printer can print it. Each printer model has its own printer driver, which will not usually affect comptuer performance. Most printers also come with utilities to help manage the printer and report on printer status. These utilities are useful but can slow a computer, especially if many are installed for printers that are no longer used.
To resolve this problem you need to remove from the driver and utilities for any unused printers. There are two ways to remove a printer’s driver and utilities from your computer:
OPTION ONE – Use the Add/Remove Printers tool in the Control Panel and delete any printer in the list you no longer use by highlight it and pressing Delete. This will remove the printer’s driver but may not remove its utilities. If a printer has been removed through the Add/ Remove Printers tool but its utilities remain you will need to use Option Two to completely remove the printer.
OPTION TWO - To remove the utilities you need to use the Add/Remove Programs tool in the Control Panel. (Add/Remove Programs is renamed Programs and Features in Windows Vista and 7.) This tool lists all programs installed on your computer; you can scroll to find the utilities for your unused printer and remove them. Be careful, as any installed program can be removed with this tool. (Many printers add an entry to the Start Menu that will remove the printer’s driver and utilities. This is a better option as there is no opportunity to remove software you want to keep.)
Once the printer driver and utilities have been removed it is recommended that you restart your computer to ensure that any running printer utilities have been shut down and can be removed completely.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about this or any other issue.
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