Turn off Startup Programs

When you install a program in Windows, it may add a small program that runs
when Windows starts. After installing a lot of software, your boot up process
could become slow. If there are programs you dont use much, they probably
dont need to start every time Windows does. You can disable startup programs
manually or use the free tool CCleaner.

Clean Up Unnecessary Files on Your Computer

As you use your computer, files collect in all kinds of places. Windows and
programs running in Windows create temporary files and log files. Files you have
deleted may collect in the Recycle Bin, if you dont empty it often. When you
browse the internet, browsers create temporary files, sites put cookies on your
computer, and the download history and form history grows. CCleaner can help
you clean up your computer. You can set up CCleaner to automatically run on a
schedule and you can also create a shortcut to run CCleaner quickly and silently.

Schedule a Task to Perform Disk Cleanup

Windows provides a built-in Disk Cleanup tool that removes old files and
temporary files to help you reclaim hard disk space and possibly speed up your
PC. Its a good idea to run the Disk Cleanup tool on a regular basis, such as
weekly or monthly, depending on your computer usage. You can use the Task
Scheduler in Windows to set up a task to run the Disk Cleanup tool on a set
schedule.

Remove Malware, Spyware, and Adware

If you have malware, spyware, or adware on your computer, that can affect its
performance. The articles below describe some tools that help you get rid of
malware, spyware, and adware and also how to get rid of fake antivirus
applications that are actually viruses in themselves.

How Does Spyware, Malware or Crapware Get on My Computer?

Remove Stubborn Malware with SuperAntiSpyware

SUPERAntiSpyware Portable is the Must-Have Spyware Removal Tool You

Need

Remove Malware Quickly with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

How to Remove Win 7 Anti-Spyware 2011 (Fake Anti-Virus Infections)

How To Remove Antivirus Live and Other Rogue/Fake Antivirus Malware

Turn off Windows Features

By default, Windows enables a lot of features that you most likely dont use and
take up valuable resources on your computer. However, these features can be
disabled. There are many ways to disable Windows features. We have previously
written about the 50 best ways to disable built-in Windows features you dont
want or need.

Disable the Indexing Service in Windows

The Search Indexing service in Windows scans through the files and folders on
your system and records information about them in an index file to speed up the
search process. However, this also consumes resources on your system and can
slow it down. If you dont do a lot of searching through files and folders, you can
turn off the indexing service to free up some resources and speed up your
computer.
Open the Start menu and enter services.msc (without the quotes) in the search
box. Press Enter or click on the services.msc link when it displays.

In the right pane on the Services dialog box, scroll down until you find the
Windows Search service. Right-click on it and select Properties from the popup
menu.

The Windows Search Properties dialog box displays. Select Disabled from the
Startup type drop-down list. Click OK to accept the change and close the dialog
box.

You are returned to the Services dialog box. Select Exit from the File menu to
close it. Reboot your computer to finalize the change.

Reduce the Delay of the Start Menu Display

By default, there is a delay before the Start menu and its submenus display. If
you want to make the Start menu open faster, you can change a key in the
registry to accomplish this.
Open the Start menu and enter regedit.msc (without the quotes) in the search
box. Press Enter or click on the regedit.msc link when it displays.
If the User Account Control dialog box displays, click Yes to continue.

NOTE: You may not see this dialog box, depending on your User Account
Control settings.
In the tree in the left pane of the Registry Editor, navigate to the
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop key. In the right pane, scroll
down until you find the MenuShowDelay data value. Right-click on the name and
select Modify from the popup menu.

In the Value data edit box on the Edit String dialog box, enter a new value
between 0 and 4000. This indicates how many milliseconds it takes for the Start
menu and any submenus to display. We dont recommend you use 0 as the
value. It might make it hard to navigate through the menus. Click OK to accept
your change.

Select Exit from the File menu to close the Registry Editor. Reboot your
computer to apply the change.

Fully Uninstall Unused Programs

Sometimes, when you uninstall a program, remnants are left behind that the
uninstaller doesnt remove. If you install and uninstall a lot of programs, these
files can accumulate. How-To Geek shows you how to use Revo Uninstaller to
completely uninstall a program or utility from your system.

Change the Number of Recent Items Shown on the Windows 7

Start Menu
If you have a lot of recent documents displaying in the Recent Items menu on the
Start menu, it can slow down access to the menu. It is a quick and easy task
to change the number of items that display on the Recent Items menu.

Delete Unnecessary Items from the Send To Menu

Some programs may add items to the Send To menu when you install them. If
so, your Send To menu may become slow to access. However, you can
easily customize the Send To menu in Windows and remove items you dont
use or even disable the Send To menu completely.

Limit the Number of Items in Each Folder

If you have lots of files in a single folder, it can slow down Explorer. Its best to
create multiple folders and spread out the files among the folders.

Thoroughly Clean Your Computer

The fan in your computer that draws in air to cool the components may become
clogged with dust, pet hair, and other forms of dirt. This can cause your system
to overheat and run sluggishly and maybe even eventually break down. How-To
Geek shows you how to thoroughly clean the inside of your desktop computer.

Install Programs into a Virtual Machine

Installing programs in a virtual machine to test them using a virtualization
program like VirtualBox or VMware Workstation or Player keeps your host
machine trim and fast and can prevent it from slowing down. When you uninstall
them, any remnants are left in the virtual machine, not on your host machine
(although, you can also use Revo Uninstaller, as mentioned earlier in this article,
to uninstall software completely). Also, you can test how the program itself, when
running, affects system resources.

Now, you can be faster and more efficient when working or goofing off!

How to Speed Up a Slow

Windows Computer for Free

1,805,447 views
84 Editors

Edited 10 weeks ago

Two Methods:Freeing Up Resources Making Hardware Adjustments

Windows PCs typically slow down as applications are installed and used.
Whether you are using a word processor, writing a spreadsheet, surfing the
internet, playing games or anything else, hard drives fill with temporary
files that do not always get removed when no longer needed. Hard disks
can succumb to this wear and tear over time, and this article will teach you
how to fix that. Read on to learn of ways to help keep a PC running
smoothly with little or no money.

Method 1 of 2: Freeing Up Resources

1.

1
Stop all unneeded background processes. Look at the right corner of
your Taskbar, to the left of the time,date, and essential system icons. You
will see a group of small icons, collectively called the 'notification area' or
'system tray'. Each of these icons represent a program that has been at
least partially started or is running "in the background". Regardless of state,

each causes a reduction of available memory and processing power, or

resources. Closing, exiting or canceling any unused background process
returns those resources to the system, and becomes available for use by
the application(s) started specifically by the user. Go to your task manager
and click on the Process tab. End all process that you can.

A utility called Process Explorer (procexp.exe) can be used to list all

programs running on your Windows system. It is more comprehensive than
the Task Manager, and hovering your mouse pointer over any program
name will tell you what it is about.

A utility is built into Windows that can enable/disable task bar programs and
processes from automatically loading with Windows. To access it, go to
Start > Run > type in MSCONFIG and click OK. If you do not know what a
process does, search its name. Do not disable processes if you are unsure,
as some processes are necessary for your computer to function normally.

A freeware program called Game Booster by IObit (the same people who
wroteAdvanced SystemCare ) will temporarily disable unnecessary
background processes and boost performance on your computer when you
are actively using only one program; such as a game program or video
editing software. When you are finished, you can resume "normal mode"
and all the background processes will be reloaded. Keep in mind that the
performance gains will be negligible and unnoticeable unless you have a
very slow PC.

2. 2

Turn off unneeded Desktop Features that try to make things look
better. The fancy rounded window corners, the way the menus fade in and
out, and the 3-D button styles on modern Desktops all require some
computing power and can overwhelm older machines. To turn off these
appearance only enhancements:

Windows XP - right click on My Computer, and choose the Properties

option, then choose the Advanced tab, and click the Settings button under
the Performance section. In the Performance Options dialogue that comes
up, go to the Visual Effects tab, and choose "Adjust for best performance".
You can also try the "Custom" option, and turn on and off individual settings
to see which ones will work without slowing your machine down.

Vista - Click the Start button, then Control Panel, then choose System and
Maintenance, then Performance Information and Tools. Click Adjust visual
effects. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation,
type the password or provide confirmation. Click the Visual Effects tab, and
choose "Adjust for best performance". You can also try the "Custom"
option, and turn on and off individual settings to see which ones will work
without slowing your machine down.

Windows 7 - Click the Start button, then Control Panel, and then System
and Security. When you see System, click on it and then Advanced system
settings. From here you can make sure you're on the Advanced tab and
click on Settings under Performance. Here, you can also choose Adjust for
best performance or choose Custom if you'd like to compromise between
fancy visuals and performance. On a side note, this menu can be accessed
much quicker by right-clicking on Computer, from either the Desktop or
Start menu, selecting Properties, and then Advanced system settings.

3.

3
Do a shut down/reboot also known as a cold reboot. Some programs
do not release memory properly when they close, which is the case for
some operating systems. Even doing a warm restart will not release some
of the memory drivers and other core programs had allocated. The
computer has to be completely shut down and then restarted. When a
program is asking for some memory, a space would be allocated for it by

the operating system (like Windows). This allocated memory can not be
used by any other programs. "Well-behaved" programs typically let go of
their hold of this memory space but some programs don't - this is known as
a "memory leak", which is caused by a programming error. A memory leak
is easily evident when a program uses up an abnormally high amount of
resources because it keeps on asking for more and never gives back any
of the allocated memory space. The user workaround is to terminate the
program or process, but some processes and core processes can not be
closed. Shutting down the system will have the operating system forget
which memory locations aren't free, so on the next boot, all memory
locations are free to use.

4.

4
Empty the Recycle Bin. Simply deleting files from the disk doesn't really
delete them at all, rather they are moved to a temporary holding area on
the hard drive for easy restoration. This area is called the Recycle Bin and
is usually displayed on the Desktop. Review the contents before emptying.
Once emptied, the space on the hard drive that the data occupied is made
available for reuse and the restoration of any files emptied from the recycle

bin becomes extremely difficult if it is overwritten by new data. Note that

this will only speed up your computer if the hard drive is nearly full.

5.

5
Uninstall all applications that are no longer needed. When applications
and games are installed to a Windows PC, some files are written in the
Windows directory structure and dozens (or more) changes are made to

the Windows Registry file. Most of these changes are not readily apparent
to the user, so proper removal requires uninstalling the application through
the Control Panel's "Add or Remove Program" or "Programs and Features"
icon. There are 3rd party applications that can assist removing applications
that do not have uninstall routines - or do not fully remove themselves.
Revo Uninstaller Pro and CCleaner are two such popular uninstall
applications.

If the program is not listed in the Control Panel use the "uninstall"
command provided by the application.

Simply deleting the entire application directory is not the same as

uninstalling, as all the files written to the Windows directory and changes to
the Windows Registry file will remain and may be reloaded when the
system is rebooted.

Make sure that you do not uninstall any programs that are required by
others. e.g. iTunes will not work if Quicktime is uninstalled, and many
programs rely on other Microsoft programs.

6.

Run "Error Checking" on all hard drives. Right-click a drive icon in "My
Computer" and select "Properties" followed by "Tools". Choose "Error
Checking" to let the utility scan the drive for damaged files that can
contribute to slow drive access speeds. This process may take several
minutes or more to complete. Warning: Do not do this if you have an SSD.

7.

Run "De-fragment" on all hard drives. Right-click a drive icon in "My

Computer" and select "Properties" followed by "Tools". Choose "Defragment" to let the utility clean up fragmented files and consolidate free
space on the drive. Note: this is not needed on an SSD drive.
Defragmentation should be done at least once per week, or more often if
the PC is used heavily. Some versions of Windows allow for the scheduling
of this utility, and in those cases could be set to run automatically without
ever having to manually run again. This process may take anywhere from
several minutes to an hour or more to complete depending on size of the
drive(s) and amount of unused capacity or free space. Consider starting the
defragment process so that it will run over night or prior to logging off. After
completion the speed of hard drive read and write times may improve
significantly. There are also stand-alone defragmenting programs available
from other developers available for download that may or may not charge a
fee for use. A very good example of a free defrag program that allows
automatic and scheduled defragmenting is found at iobit.com Smart Defrag
2. Warning: Defragmenting an SSD will yield no performance gains, and
can actually damage the SSD.

8. 8
Install anti-virus software and keep it current. Today, anti-virus (AV)
suites are an absolute must. There are many from which to choose at the
software store, but there are free AV solutions that do a very good job, too.

Three popular free AV solutions are Avast!, AVG, and Avira AntiVir. All
include regular "virus definition" file updates that allow the AV program to
detect and protect from the latest viruses being released. Note that while
installing antivirus software actually slows down your computer, it does not
slow it down as much as a virus does.

9.

Install an Ad Blocker; it not only blocks malicious websites, but also

reduces temp disk space usage for the browser by about 30% by not
downloading advertising

10.

10

Find and Delete Temporary Files. Temporary Files are used for
supporting some applications for a limited period of time and left unused for
later. Go to "C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp"
(Windows XP), "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp" (Windows
Vista), or "%TEMP%" (any version of Windows) and delete all the files from
this folder. If there is a problem deleting one or more files, skip those files
and remove the rest. This will free a lot of space on the drive. The
Temporary Internet Files directory can also be emptied. Do this with
caution, deleting the temp folder can break several programs, causing them
to crash. You may also lose any unsaved work in any open programs.

11.

11
Be realistic. The "high end" computer purchased as new 5 years
ago may run the latest version of Windows, but that doesn't mean that it will
do it very well. Keep in mind that the Minimum System Requirements on
the software box is indeed, minimum. The best experiences usually require
that the system is configured toRecommended System or better, instead.
Technology marches on and it seems there is a game of "one-up-manship"

played between software developers and hardware designers. Regardless,

eventually new software will require new hardware or vice-versa. It seems
that the amount of frustration you can endure best determines how long
you will run your current setup.

12.

12

Set your computer's energy settings to High Performance. This is

especially useful in Laptops and Netbooks where the processor speed is
altered in accordance to energy settings (and if you are running on battery
power)

13.

13

Clean up the primary partition. Click "Start" type "cleanmgr" and press
"Enter" key. Select your primary partition ( Windows installed drive, in most
cases C:/ drive) and scan it for junk files. After few seconds, it will show a
list of unnecessary files and simply select all these check boxes and start
cleaning your drive.

Making Hardware Adjustments

1. 1
Proceed carefully. A lot of the tips in this section involve pushing your
hardware beyond their standard limits. While small adjustments usually
won't have any negative effects, going overboard can significantly damage
your components.

2. 2
Check your computer's temperatures. If your computer is overheating,
then chances are the hardware is not running as well as it should. One
easy way to help lower temperatures is to increase the speed of your

computer fans. The drawback to this is potential increased noise and fan
failure.

Use the SpeedFan program to both monitor your computer's

temperature and change the various fans' speeds.

3. 3
Overclock your memory. You can sometimes increase your memory
bandwidth to improve your computer's performance. The drawback is
potentially damaging your RAM. To change the bandwidth, open your BIOS
menu and look for the RAM Frequency option. Not all RAM can be
increased, and it may have a negative impact on your system. Always
check temperatures when increasing the frequency.

4. 4
Overclock your processor. this is a pretty involved process, but if you
have the right hardware and good cooling you can see significant
performance increases. Overclocking can greatly increase the chances of
hardware failure if not performed correctly. See this guide for detailed
instructions on overclocking most PCs.

5. 5
Overclock your graphics card. If you're using the computer to play a lot
of 3D games or HD video, you may get a good performance boost from
overclocking your graphics card. Much like overclocking a CPU, you run
the risk of damaging your card if you aren't careful. See this guide for stepby-step instructions for overclocking virtually any Nvidia or AMD graphics
card.

Always keep an eye on your temperatures when overclocking!

6. 6
Adjust the settings in your games. While not exactly a hardware tip, you
can gain massive performance increases from your games by dropping the
graphics quality down to "Low". Your games may look ugly, but you'll likely
be able to play them much more smoothly without having to shell out cash
for new hardware.

We could really use your help!

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Video
A video detailing step by step on how to speed up your computer.

Tips

Be aware that some of these steps are specific to a specific version of

Windows; not all are cross-compatible.

Keep malware in check. If running utilities mentioned in this article gives

you an "Access Denied", "You don't have rights to run this", or the program
will not run, you probably have a malware infection. Symptoms other than
these are frequent phony, but realistic-appearing, anti-virus warnings that
your system is infected, or your web browser sending you to pornographic
websites or search sites you have not configured it to send you to.

Add memory. While not free, adding memory is a very effective way of
boosting performance, especially if your system has 1 GB of memory or
less. Increasing the amount of memory installed reduces the need for the
computer to write to and read from the hard drive. Check the motherboard
or system documentation to determine size, type, speed and permissible
configurations of memory before purchasing and installing additional
memory. If unavailable or you're unable to obtain it, you may wish to
download and run the Crucial System Scanner to detect this info and
provided suggestions for upgrades. Systems with lower amounts of
memory (256 MB to 1 GB) installed receive the greatest boost when
increased to 2 GB or more (as this represents a 100-400% or more
increase in system memory). Systems that have 2 GB or more memory
installed also receive a boost - but it is less noticeable.

Consider re-installing Windows. It may be easier to format the hard drive

and re-install Windows on the computer. Be sure to back up important data
first and have all program installation disks ready for re-installation. Be
aware that the format process will delete all files on the disk. This means
that you will need to reinstall all software and restore all documents from a
backup.

Keeping Windows Up-to-date, especially with Security Updates, is very

important and can prevent BADWARE infections which slow computer.

Keep your PC cool. When a computer gets too hot, the CPU fan will
speed up. If the CPU is still too hot, the CPU will enter something called
"thermal throttling" which slows down processing speed in order to prevent
the CPU from breaking down. Turning off or hibernating your PC when not

using it, increasing airflow, and keeping the room which your PC is located
in cool will help keep your computer cool -- and fast.

Consider using a different operating system. If you have a slow or old

computer consider switching to Linux. This has its own set of issues such
as needing to learn a new Operating System, and much more. This is a
significant step, and as such; is not covered in this Wiki. Please refer to the
WikiHow article: Learning How To Use Linuxfor more information.

Warnings

Do not delete unknown types of files, because they may be System

Programming Files.

Discharge any static electricity. Touch an electrically grounded source (a

heating or plumbing pipe or the metal case of an electrical device powered
by a grounded 3 prong cord connected to a grounded receptacle) prior to
touching components inside the PC case. Static electricity can pass
through hands and could cause delicate electronics inside the PC case to
fail.

Beware of using MSConfig Using MSConfig as anything but a

troubleshooting tool is considered dangerous by many in the IT field to long
term computer stability.Autoruns will allow you to do the same thing and
much more including permanently removing unneeded/unwanted entries.
Since it can do more, it can be just as or more dangerous than using
MSConfig. If you're unsure of something do your research and don't
remove it until you know for sure you don't need it. You can always
uncheck it and come back later.

Download files from trustworthy sources. The developer's page is best;

P2P, newsgroups and anonymous file hosting sites are more likely to be
infected with a virus.

Shut down your computer and disconnect all the cables from it prior
to opening the case. This eliminates the chances of electrocution or
damage to system components.

Do not download any software which tell that they will speed up your
computer. More downloads can also cause your computer to slow down as
they(softwares) put more load on your PC's processor and eat up its RAM.

Do not use registry cleaners Registry cleaners can be dangerous. They

may seem legitimate, but after some amount of usage, they can fragment
your registry. Leave them alone, If you feel that it must be cleaned up,
make a backup and defragment afterwards. The registry does not need to
be cleaned, so cleaning it can only result in nothing, or damage
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

s your PC slow? 10 tips to speed up

your computer
IBNLive.com@ibnlivetech

341

40

21

New Delhi: Most of us often discover that our old PC has started lurching
and has stopped performing the way it would work when it was young.
Consequently, we either call up an engineer or start planning for a new

machine. In both cases, we end up spending money which could be easily

saved. Most of the time, a few, simple commands can speed up a sluggish
PC and can improve its performance. Here are 10 tips and tricks to boost a
Windows PC.
1. When your system starts, a lot of programs auto load which slow down
your machine. Therefore, it is suggested to remove unneeded programs at
startup with the help of Microsoft's MSConfig tool. Go to Start > Run > type
"msconfig". Go to the startup tab and uncheck the programs you don't want
to load whenever the system boots up. Click OK and restart.
2. Your PC comes pre-installed with a lot of programs which you don't even
use. They unnecessarily eat up a significant amount of space on your
machine and slow your system down. Go to Control Program > Programs
and Features > Unintall the programs you don't use.

Most of us often discover that our old PC has started lurching and has stopped performing the way it
would work when it was young. Here are 10 tips and tricks to boost a Windows PC. (Computer
frustration, via Shutterstock)

#slow computer

#slow pc

#windows pc

#computer

3. Whenever a program runs on your computer, it leaves certain files on

your machine which consume a certain portion of disc space. Over a period
of time, hundreds of programs run and thousands of files pile up on your
device - which eventually decelerate your machine and sometimes lead to
system crash. Therefore, you are suggested to periodically delete
temporary files. Go to Start > Run> type "%temp%" > click OK. A folder full
of files comes. Select those temporary files and delete.
4. You are advised to timely update software running on your machine.
Most of us tend to click on the "Remind Me Later" button whenever a
window pops out suggesting us of any update, and we never bother to go
back to update.
5. A computer is vulnerable to viruses and other types of malicious
programs like Spyware and Adware. These malware load into computer
memory and slow down its speed. Thus, it is recommended that you install
an antivirus on your machine to check for such programs. While there are
many antivirus software available for free, we would recommend you
Microsoft Security Essential. Also, ensure that the antivirus installed on
your machine is not scheduled to run scan during the time of the day when
it is heavily used. Schedule it to run scan when you are not using the
system.
6. As your PC runs, files get spread across the device in pieces framgents. It is recommended that you defragment your disk to bring back
separated parts in one place. Defragmenting disk has a noticeable effect
on a slow computer. Windows 7 comes with a built-in defragger which
automatically defrags at intervals.
7. By turning off Windows graphics, you can set your computer to deliver a
slightly better performance. Go to computer icon on your desktop >
Properties > Advanced System settings > Advanced > Click Settings under

performance > Enable Adust for best performance. It will have an impact
on the speed of your PC.
8. Users should optimise the browser they use as per their needs. Ensue
that your brower does not have unnecessary plugins and add-ons installed
which may affect the performance of your device.
9. Hard drive on your machine must be partitioned. Portioning your hard
disk helps in improving the speed of your slow PC.
10. Ready Boost in Windows 7 can use your flash memory device to add
instant RAM to your PC. Plug in a USB flash drive or card and Ready Boost
is active to use. Ready Boost is designed to help when your PC's memory
is running low. Ready Boost works with most flash storage devices.