One way to help our games run smoother and faster is to close all other applications that may be running in the background. To do this, hold down the control and alt keys, and then hit the delete key. You should see a list of programs. (Windows XP users will have to click the “Processes” tab). From the list of programs, select an item and then click END TASK. Do not close “Explorer” or “Systray” items (Windows XP users should not close items in the “SYSTEM,” LOCAL SERVICE,” or “NETWORK SERVICE” groups).
We also recommend clearing your computer of spyware. Spyware is software that may have been installed on your computer by advertisers without your knowledge. You can use programs like Adaware (available at www.lavasoft.de/) and SpyBot: Search & Destroy (available at
www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html) to get rid of spyware.