When I format a hard drive I completely erase all the information that is stored on it so that it can be reloaded with all the necessary programs and drivers. After a reformat it will run faster and just like new, since it will only have the information that it had when you first bought it.

When a hard drive is defragmented then all the data is put together on the disk instead of spread out in random places. When information is spread out it makes the hard drive arm inside move more, and wears it down. This also makes it take longer for programs to load. So yes, it is a good idea to defragment your hard drive, but not too often because it is hard on the disk so I suggest once every six months.

RAM is an acronym for Random access memory. Your computer uses RAM to accomplish tasks that it is given. If you are typing a word document then you will be using RAM to save the words that you are typing until you save the document. RAM is know as volitile because it is all erased when the computer is turned off. This is what causes files to be lossed when the computer shuts off in the middle of you working on them.

Some people might not have enough RAM in their computer. RAM helps the computers accomplish taks faster because it is quicker at reading and writing then the hard disk, ie. C: drive. When there is not enough RAM in a computer then it often will go slower than it should and this can easily and cheaply be fixed. Most of the time a computer will cost hundreds of dollars in upgrades to go faster but often, extra RAM will cure this problem and costs as little as 60 dollars. Recommended RAM by me is usually 512mb. This can be checked by right-clicking on "My computer" and clicking on properties. Then it should say a number followed by "of RAM" under the Computer section.