Are Online Hitchhikers Taking Your Computer for a Ride?

By Carl Weiss

Courtesy of Flickr

Nobody likes freeloaders, particularly on their computers.  The problem is every time you upload a free game or trial program you can also upload other applets and toolbars that you don’t necessarily want.  Not only do these unwanted hitchhikers take up valuable space on your computer, but they can also cause conflicts with other programs, slowing down or even causing your system to crash.  Below are a number of ways to clean up and speed up your system.