How to speed up a slow computer
How to speed up a slow computer
Laptop or PC running slow? Here’s what you can do
Slow
laptop or computer? Before you go out and get a shiny new one, there’s
lots of things you can do to give your current machine a speed boost.
You can get a nice performance boost from tinkering with start-up
programs or defragmenting the hard disk, but there's even more gains to
be had if you’re willing to get your hands dirty. Here are 9 affordable
and relatively easy ways to squeeze every ounce of performance from your
old PC or laptop
If
you want a little more performance for multi-tasking, but don't want to
shell out on an SSD then a cheaper option is to start looking at some
RAM upgrades.
If you’re running on a system with under 2GB of RAM, sticking an extra few gigabytes in won’t cost you too much and can make all the difference. Combine a RAM upgrade with an SSD, and it's safe to say that your old PC or laptop won't feel quite so old anymore.
Check out our tutorial on how to install RAM for all the info you will need.
Buy the right RAM for your laptop or PC now from Amazon
Because
there are no moving parts in SSDs, the read/write speeds are far
superior to older optical (spinning disk) hard drives. Buying one won’t
break the bank, but you might have to compromise a little on storage
space, as SSDs still cost more per GB than mechanical hard disks.
Before you worry about finding your old Windows disks – don't. It's easy enough to clone your old disk and existing Windows installation onto your new SSD. Download a free program such as EaseUS Todo Backup Free 8.9, and cloning your old HDD onto a speedy new SSD is a fairly simple affair.
And even if you can't replace your HDD easily, don't abandon hope – it's often possible to clone your operating system to an SSD connected via a USB 3 (or Thunderbolt) adapter. We've had great results moving an iMac's OS from the difficult-to-replace internal HDD and onto an SSD with a USB 3 adapter.
For a detailed breakdown of how to improve your Windows-based system with an SSD, read our article on how to install an SSD.
Buy the latest SSDs now from Amazon
So, before you reach for the credit card, the first thing anyone with an ailing computer should do is to make sure it's not clogged up with unnecessary data. Over time, various scraps of code build up like digital cobwebs, slowing your machine down.
Fortunately, there are many utilities designed to hunt down and remove unwanted files and extensions. One program we particularly like is CCleaner. This free piece of software scours your hard drive for all the pesky files hogging your disk space, including temporary files, internet cookies and unused registry files.
An
added benefit is the 'Registry' tab, allowing you to scan and fix
redundancies or other problems in your PC's registry archive, helping
improve speed. In the 'Tools' tab you can also uninstall programs,
disable startup programs, find out what kind of file takes up the most
space on your drive, and even locate duplicate files.
Essentially, ReadyBoost attempts to act as a turbocharger for your system's RAM. It will use a section of a USB flash drive's memory for caching, increasing the random read access speed of the hard drive, and helping regularly-used applications to open more swiftly.
However, there's still debate as to the effectiveness of this method. Bear in mind tha it's generally only considered useful if you have less than 2GB RAM and if your main system drive is a mechanical HDD rather than an SSD – solid-state drives are much faster than even the quickest USB 3 flash drives.
The Autoplay dialogue box will pop up asking what you
want to do with the drive. Select the 'Speed up my system using Windows
ReadyBoost' option, which will open another window where you can select the amount of space on the device to allocate for boosting.
One of the most common problems with long-suffering HDDs is disk fragmentation. With repeated use, the information on your hard drive can become scattered, meaning the computer has to work harder to find it. By performing a disk defrag, you can neatly reorganise all your information, which can significantly improve your computer’s overall speed.
Often, they can be disabled and simply opened when you want to use them, meaning they won’t slow down your PC with constant operation.
Any antivirus services, programs from Microsoft or your PC manufacturer, or background programs you use regularly should be left on.
Things like Adobe Reader or any automatic update checkers can safely be unchecked, however.
Photoshop, for example, can slow less powerful computers to a crawl. For this specific example, a less intensive program such as GIMP - an open-source alternative to Photoshop - requires a fraction of the disk space and power, while maintaining a good level of sophistication.
Similarly, those with low-powered machines may want to experiment with using a lightweight web-browser. Google's Chrome is a terrible resource hog, and we've seen it bring machines with 8GB RAM to their knees with its greedy memory demands. Other browsers, such as Microsoft Edge in Windows 10, or Firefox and Opera, may give your PC an easier ride. Alternatively, an ad-blocker may help if your PC is really struggling – sometimes the adverts can push older machines over the edge.
The
best bet? Make a list of the programs you use most, and then do a bit
of research. You might find that there’s a much faster alternative.
1. How to speed up a laptop or PC: upgrading your RAM
If you’re running on a system with under 2GB of RAM, sticking an extra few gigabytes in won’t cost you too much and can make all the difference. Combine a RAM upgrade with an SSD, and it's safe to say that your old PC or laptop won't feel quite so old anymore.
Check out our tutorial on how to install RAM for all the info you will need.
2. How to speed up a laptop or PC: switch to SSD
One of the best ways to rejuvenate a laptop or PC is to install an SSD. We've installed modern SSDs on everything from old Lenovo ThinkPad laptops to dusty old AMD desktop PCs, and the results are always worthwhile – boot times are a fraction of previously, and even the most frugal of processors feels more sprightly with an SSD working alongside.Before you worry about finding your old Windows disks – don't. It's easy enough to clone your old disk and existing Windows installation onto your new SSD. Download a free program such as EaseUS Todo Backup Free 8.9, and cloning your old HDD onto a speedy new SSD is a fairly simple affair.
And even if you can't replace your HDD easily, don't abandon hope – it's often possible to clone your operating system to an SSD connected via a USB 3 (or Thunderbolt) adapter. We've had great results moving an iMac's OS from the difficult-to-replace internal HDD and onto an SSD with a USB 3 adapter.
For a detailed breakdown of how to improve your Windows-based system with an SSD, read our article on how to install an SSD.
Buy the latest SSDs now from Amazon
3. How to speed up a laptop or PC: CCleaner
Sometimes, though, even the fastest hardware can get bogged down – there's no point shelling out for pricey SSD or RAM upgrades if your Windows installation is cluttered with tens or hundreds of programs and apps which you never use.So, before you reach for the credit card, the first thing anyone with an ailing computer should do is to make sure it's not clogged up with unnecessary data. Over time, various scraps of code build up like digital cobwebs, slowing your machine down.
Fortunately, there are many utilities designed to hunt down and remove unwanted files and extensions. One program we particularly like is CCleaner. This free piece of software scours your hard drive for all the pesky files hogging your disk space, including temporary files, internet cookies and unused registry files.
Step 1
Once CCleaner has downloaded and installed, start the program. By default, CCleaner opens to the 'Cleaner' tab.Step 2
From here, you can fine-tune the elements you want to clean out. You can choose specific programs or OS components to scan, and even which files you’d like to remove within.Step 3
If you're happy with the scan, hit the “Analyse” button to see how much space you could free up. After the scan is complete, make any further adjustments, and then click 'Run Cleaner' to remove the files.4. How to speed up a laptop or PC: Windows ReadyBoost
If you're using Windows Vista or later, and you maybe able to speed up your computer with an inbuilt function called ReadyBoost, which allows you to use an external flash drive to give your computer a little extra memory. This is something of a last resort, however – upgrading your RAM or moving to an SSD will make a much bigger difference.Essentially, ReadyBoost attempts to act as a turbocharger for your system's RAM. It will use a section of a USB flash drive's memory for caching, increasing the random read access speed of the hard drive, and helping regularly-used applications to open more swiftly.
However, there's still debate as to the effectiveness of this method. Bear in mind tha it's generally only considered useful if you have less than 2GB RAM and if your main system drive is a mechanical HDD rather than an SSD – solid-state drives are much faster than even the quickest USB 3 flash drives.
Step 1
Plug in a flash memory device - we would recommend a medium-sized USB (at least 2GB).Step 2
Step 3
Microsoft recommends using at least as much USB space as you have RAM, but we'd suggest using the whole thing and reserving the drive exclusively for speeding up your computer.Step 4
Once you've selected your desired amount and confirmed the settings, the box will close and your computer will automatically detect and use the drive whenever it's plugged in.5. How to speed up a laptop or PC: hard disk defragmentation
Got an old mechanical HDD? Then this tip is for you. (SSDs don't suffer from defragmentation, so you needn't bother with this step if you have one of those.)One of the most common problems with long-suffering HDDs is disk fragmentation. With repeated use, the information on your hard drive can become scattered, meaning the computer has to work harder to find it. By performing a disk defrag, you can neatly reorganise all your information, which can significantly improve your computer’s overall speed.
Step 1
You can find the Disk Defragmenter by going into the Control Panel, navigating to ‘System and Security’ and looking under administrative tools.Step 2
By using the buttons in the window, you can analyse your disk to see how fragmented it is currently, or just run the process straight away. You will need to perform this for every drive in your computer, so make sure to run the process on all your hard drives.6. How to speed up a laptop or PC: disabling Start-up Programs
Another good tip is to disable startup programs. These are programs that boot every time you turn on your computer, and run in the background until you need them.Often, they can be disabled and simply opened when you want to use them, meaning they won’t slow down your PC with constant operation.
Step 1
To stop these programs from starting automatically on earlier versions of Windows, open the Start menu and type ‘msconfig’. This will open the system configuration menu. Windows 8 users can find the list of startup programs in the task manager.Step 2
Switch to the ‘startup’ tab and scroll down the list; you’re looking for anything that you don’t immediately need.Any antivirus services, programs from Microsoft or your PC manufacturer, or background programs you use regularly should be left on.
Things like Adobe Reader or any automatic update checkers can safely be unchecked, however.
Step 3
Once you’re happy that you’ve unchecked everything you don’t want, simply click Apply and OK, then reboot your computer to finalise the changes.7. How to speed up a laptop or PC: using alternative programs
Older PCs can often have a problem with modern resource and graphics-intensive software.Photoshop, for example, can slow less powerful computers to a crawl. For this specific example, a less intensive program such as GIMP - an open-source alternative to Photoshop - requires a fraction of the disk space and power, while maintaining a good level of sophistication.
Similarly, those with low-powered machines may want to experiment with using a lightweight web-browser. Google's Chrome is a terrible resource hog, and we've seen it bring machines with 8GB RAM to their knees with its greedy memory demands. Other browsers, such as Microsoft Edge in Windows 10, or Firefox and Opera, may give your PC an easier ride. Alternatively, an ad-blocker may help if your PC is really struggling – sometimes the adverts can push older machines over the edge.
8. How to speed up a laptop or PC: turning off animations
While all the animations and fancy visual effects certainly make Windows look pretty, they can also eat up a whole lot of your processing power – especially on old, power-starved machines.Sure, turning these off will make your PC look like it’s from 1994, but it’s the same principal as drag racing; strip out everything but the bare essentials and it will be considerably quicker.
Step 1
The quickest way to do this is opening the Start menu and typing ‘Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows’.Step 2
Click the result under Control Panel, and it’ll open a dialogue menu.Step 3
Step 4
Click OK and, after a brief visual recalibration, you should be good to go.9. How to speed up a laptop or PC: switch your OS to Linux
While it's not ideal for gaming, for simple tasks like word processing, music and surfing the web, it can make ancient hardware feel like a new machine.
It’s free, easy to install, and there are enough versions to suit everyone, including low-resource options that will make your computer fly.
If you’re considering converting to Linux, avoid getting overwhelmed by choices with our buyer's guide to Linux distros, and then check out our guide on how to install Ubuntu when you’re ready to get started.
Leave some comments...
Posted By Abayomi Ismail
source: http://www.alphr.com
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
There aren't many more
frustrating things than a slow computer. Spending minutes at a time
waiting for your laptop or all-in-one to load up a simple web page or
Microsoft Office program can make even a sane person want to throw their
PC in the bin.
But don't... there are simple steps you can take to make your computer
fast again. Malware removal and a couple of tweaks to your settings are a
good place to start. Here are some must-do activities to keep your PC
in tip-top condition.
Tired of waiting and just want a speedy new laptop? Click to access all
our expert laptop reviews.
Keep software up to date
Make sure all your software is up to date. This includes web browsers,
applications, drivers for devices such as printers and, most
importantly, Windows itself, as Microsoft issues regular updates to plug
security holes or fix glitches in the operating system. And if you're
weighing up a move to Windows 10, take a look at our Windows 10 review
to see whether it's worth it.
Regularly defrag your hard drive
When your PC saves a large file to the hard drive, it breaks it into
smaller pieces and stores them across several locations. As these files
accumulate, the hard drive takes longer to access them. Disk
defragmenter tools, such as the one included in Windows, reorganise this
data in a more logical fashion, so your computer performs quicker.
If you have a solid-state drive (SSD) this process won't be necessary,
as Windows will automatically do it for you from time to time in the
background. It's widely recommended that you don't defrag an SSD
yourself.
Check for viruses and other malware
Run your antivirus software program regularly. Viruses can slow down
your computer and cause data loss, while spyware can compromise security
by monitoring your activity and collecting information about you.
Launch your antivirus software and make sure it's up to date. Then run a
full scan of your hard disk and, if your package allows, set up regular
scheduled scans.
If you don't yet have a malware removal suite and aren't sure whether
the built-in Windows protection is good enough, head to our antivirus
software reviews to see which one to install.
Clear your cache and cookies
Every time you visit a webpage, your web browser stores or ‘caches’ it
as a small file in your Temporary Internet Files folder. Similarly, it
stockpiles small files called 'cookies', which contain information about
your browsing history and personal details. Over time, the volume of
these files can build up. Periodically clearing out your browser’s cache
will help it to work faster when loading pages and reduce the amount of
valuable disk space that these cached files take up.
In most browsers, these settings can be found within the Settings menu,
labelled something along the lines of Clear browsing data or Clear cache
& cookies.
Limit startup programs
How fast your computer starts up depends on several things, including
the hardware you’re using and the version of Windows. But the number of
programs that are scheduled to start up when Windows can also have a
significant effect.
Many programs will start running invisibly in the background when you
turn on your computer, slowing down the system startup time and
potentially causing software crashes. Yet you can easily disable
programs that you don’t need to start straight away:
Click Start, type msconfig in the search bar and press Enter. In the
System Configuration window, click the Startup tab.
From the list of programs that appears, untick the box next to those
you don’t need to launch automatically at startup. Only deselect
programs that you don’t use regularly or know that you don’t need.
Click Apply and then click OK. Now restart your system.
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
There aren't many more
frustrating things than a slow computer. Spending minutes at a time
waiting for your laptop or all-in-one to load up a simple web page or
Microsoft Office program can make even a sane person want to throw their
PC in the bin.
But don't... there are simple steps you can take to make your computer
fast again. Malware removal and a couple of tweaks to your settings are a
good place to start. Here are some must-do activities to keep your PC
in tip-top condition.
Tired of waiting and just want a speedy new laptop? Click to access all
our expert laptop reviews.
Keep software up to date
Make sure all your software is up to date. This includes web browsers,
applications, drivers for devices such as printers and, most
importantly, Windows itself, as Microsoft issues regular updates to plug
security holes or fix glitches in the operating system. And if you're
weighing up a move to Windows 10, take a look at our Windows 10 review
to see whether it's worth it.
Regularly defrag your hard drive
When your PC saves a large file to the hard drive, it breaks it into
smaller pieces and stores them across several locations. As these files
accumulate, the hard drive takes longer to access them. Disk
defragmenter tools, such as the one included in Windows, reorganise this
data in a more logical fashion, so your computer performs quicker.
If you have a solid-state drive (SSD) this process won't be necessary,
as Windows will automatically do it for you from time to time in the
background. It's widely recommended that you don't defrag an SSD
yourself.
Check for viruses and other malware
Run your antivirus software program regularly. Viruses can slow down
your computer and cause data loss, while spyware can compromise security
by monitoring your activity and collecting information about you.
Launch your antivirus software and make sure it's up to date. Then run a
full scan of your hard disk and, if your package allows, set up regular
scheduled scans.
If you don't yet have a malware removal suite and aren't sure whether
the built-in Windows protection is good enough, head to our antivirus
software reviews to see which one to install.
Clear your cache and cookies
Every time you visit a webpage, your web browser stores or ‘caches’ it
as a small file in your Temporary Internet Files folder. Similarly, it
stockpiles small files called 'cookies', which contain information about
your browsing history and personal details. Over time, the volume of
these files can build up. Periodically clearing out your browser’s cache
will help it to work faster when loading pages and reduce the amount of
valuable disk space that these cached files take up.
In most browsers, these settings can be found within the Settings menu,
labelled something along the lines of Clear browsing data or Clear cache
& cookies.
Limit startup programs
How fast your computer starts up depends on several things, including
the hardware you’re using and the version of Windows. But the number of
programs that are scheduled to start up when Windows can also have a
significant effect.
Many programs will start running invisibly in the background when you
turn on your computer, slowing down the system startup time and
potentially causing software crashes. Yet you can easily disable
programs that you don’t need to start straight away:
Click Start, type msconfig in the search bar and press Enter. In the
System Configuration window, click the Startup tab.
From the list of programs that appears, untick the box next to those
you don’t need to launch automatically at startup. Only deselect
programs that you don’t use regularly or know that you don’t need.
Click Apply and then click OK. Now restart your system.
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
There aren't many more
frustrating things than a slow computer. Spending minutes at a time
waiting for your laptop or all-in-one to load up a simple web page or
Microsoft Office program can make even a sane person want to throw their
PC in the bin.
But don't... there are simple steps you can take to make your computer
fast again. Malware removal and a couple of tweaks to your settings are a
good place to start. Here are some must-do activities to keep your PC
in tip-top condition.
Tired of waiting and just want a speedy new laptop? Click to access all
our expert laptop reviews.
Keep software up to date
Make sure all your software is up to date. This includes web browsers,
applications, drivers for devices such as printers and, most
importantly, Windows itself, as Microsoft issues regular updates to plug
security holes or fix glitches in the operating system. And if you're
weighing up a move to Windows 10, take a look at our Windows 10 review
to see whether it's worth it.
Regularly defrag your hard drive
When your PC saves a large file to the hard drive, it breaks it into
smaller pieces and stores them across several locations. As these files
accumulate, the hard drive takes longer to access them. Disk
defragmenter tools, such as the one included in Windows, reorganise this
data in a more logical fashion, so your computer performs quicker.
If you have a solid-state drive (SSD) this process won't be necessary,
as Windows will automatically do it for you from time to time in the
background. It's widely recommended that you don't defrag an SSD
yourself.
Check for viruses and other malware
Run your antivirus software program regularly. Viruses can slow down
your computer and cause data loss, while spyware can compromise security
by monitoring your activity and collecting information about you.
Launch your antivirus software and make sure it's up to date. Then run a
full scan of your hard disk and, if your package allows, set up regular
scheduled scans.
If you don't yet have a malware removal suite and aren't sure whether
the built-in Windows protection is good enough, head to our antivirus
software reviews to see which one to install.
Clear your cache and cookies
Every time you visit a webpage, your web browser stores or ‘caches’ it
as a small file in your Temporary Internet Files folder. Similarly, it
stockpiles small files called 'cookies', which contain information about
your browsing history and personal details. Over time, the volume of
these files can build up. Periodically clearing out your browser’s cache
will help it to work faster when loading pages and reduce the amount of
valuable disk space that these cached files take up.
In most browsers, these settings can be found within the Settings menu,
labelled something along the lines of Clear browsing data or Clear cache
& cookies.
Limit startup programs
How fast your computer starts up depends on several things, including
the hardware you’re using and the version of Windows. But the number of
programs that are scheduled to start up when Windows can also have a
significant effect.
Many programs will start running invisibly in the background when you
turn on your computer, slowing down the system startup time and
potentially causing software crashes. Yet you can easily disable
programs that you don’t need to start straight away:
Click Start, type msconfig in the search bar and press Enter. In the
System Configuration window, click the Startup tab.
From the list of programs that appears, untick the box next to those
you don’t need to launch automatically at startup. Only deselect
programs that you don’t use regularly or know that you don’t need.
Click Apply and then click OK. Now restart your system.
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
There aren't many more
frustrating things than a slow computer. Spending minutes at a time
waiting for your laptop or all-in-one to load up a simple web page or
Microsoft Office program can make even a sane person want to throw their
PC in the bin.
But don't... there are simple steps you can take to make your computer
fast again. Malware removal and a couple of tweaks to your settings are a
good place to start. Here are some must-do activities to keep your PC
in tip-top condition.
Tired of waiting and just want a speedy new laptop? Click to access all
our expert laptop reviews.
Keep software up to date
Make sure all your software is up to date. This includes web browsers,
applications, drivers for devices such as printers and, most
importantly, Windows itself, as Microsoft issues regular updates to plug
security holes or fix glitches in the operating system. And if you're
weighing up a move to Windows 10, take a look at our Windows 10 review
to see whether it's worth it.
Regularly defrag your hard drive
When your PC saves a large file to the hard drive, it breaks it into
smaller pieces and stores them across several locations. As these files
accumulate, the hard drive takes longer to access them. Disk
defragmenter tools, such as the one included in Windows, reorganise this
data in a more logical fashion, so your computer performs quicker.
If you have a solid-state drive (SSD) this process won't be necessary,
as Windows will automatically do it for you from time to time in the
background. It's widely recommended that you don't defrag an SSD
yourself.
Check for viruses and other malware
Run your antivirus software program regularly. Viruses can slow down
your computer and cause data loss, while spyware can compromise security
by monitoring your activity and collecting information about you.
Launch your antivirus software and make sure it's up to date. Then run a
full scan of your hard disk and, if your package allows, set up regular
scheduled scans.
If you don't yet have a malware removal suite and aren't sure whether
the built-in Windows protection is good enough, head to our antivirus
software reviews to see which one to install.
Clear your cache and cookies
Every time you visit a webpage, your web browser stores or ‘caches’ it
as a small file in your Temporary Internet Files folder. Similarly, it
stockpiles small files called 'cookies', which contain information about
your browsing history and personal details. Over time, the volume of
these files can build up. Periodically clearing out your browser’s cache
will help it to work faster when loading pages and reduce the amount of
valuable disk space that these cached files take up.
In most browsers, these settings can be found within the Settings menu,
labelled something along the lines of Clear browsing data or Clear cache
& cookies.
Limit startup programs
How fast your computer starts up depends on several things, including
the hardware you’re using and the version of Windows. But the number of
programs that are scheduled to start up when Windows can also have a
significant effect.
Many programs will start running invisibly in the background when you
turn on your computer, slowing down the system startup time and
potentially causing software crashes. Yet you can easily disable
programs that you don’t need to start straight away:
Click Start, type msconfig in the search bar and press Enter. In the
System Configuration window, click the Startup tab.
From the list of programs that appears, untick the box next to those
you don’t need to launch automatically at startup. Only deselect
programs that you don’t use regularly or know that you don’t need.
Click Apply and then click OK. Now restart your system.
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
There aren't many more
frustrating things than a slow computer. Spending minutes at a time
waiting for your laptop or all-in-one to load up a simple web page or
Microsoft Office program can make even a sane person want to throw their
PC in the bin.
But don't... there are simple steps you can take to make your computer
fast again. Malware removal and a couple of tweaks to your settings are a
good place to start. Here are some must-do activities to keep your PC
in tip-top condition.
Tired of waiting and just want a speedy new laptop? Click to access all
our expert laptop reviews.
Keep software up to date
Make sure all your software is up to date. This includes web browsers,
applications, drivers for devices such as printers and, most
importantly, Windows itself, as Microsoft issues regular updates to plug
security holes or fix glitches in the operating system. And if you're
weighing up a move to Windows 10, take a look at our Windows 10 review
to see whether it's worth it.
Regularly defrag your hard drive
When your PC saves a large file to the hard drive, it breaks it into
smaller pieces and stores them across several locations. As these files
accumulate, the hard drive takes longer to access them. Disk
defragmenter tools, such as the one included in Windows, reorganise this
data in a more logical fashion, so your computer performs quicker.
If you have a solid-state drive (SSD) this process won't be necessary,
as Windows will automatically do it for you from time to time in the
background. It's widely recommended that you don't defrag an SSD
yourself.
Check for viruses and other malware
Run your antivirus software program regularly. Viruses can slow down
your computer and cause data loss, while spyware can compromise security
by monitoring your activity and collecting information about you.
Launch your antivirus software and make sure it's up to date. Then run a
full scan of your hard disk and, if your package allows, set up regular
scheduled scans.
If you don't yet have a malware removal suite and aren't sure whether
the built-in Windows protection is good enough, head to our antivirus
software reviews to see which one to install.
Clear your cache and cookies
Every time you visit a webpage, your web browser stores or ‘caches’ it
as a small file in your Temporary Internet Files folder. Similarly, it
stockpiles small files called 'cookies', which contain information about
your browsing history and personal details. Over time, the volume of
these files can build up. Periodically clearing out your browser’s cache
will help it to work faster when loading pages and reduce the amount of
valuable disk space that these cached files take up.
In most browsers, these settings can be found within the Settings menu,
labelled something along the lines of Clear browsing data or Clear cache
& cookies.
Limit startup programs
How fast your computer starts up depends on several things, including
the hardware you’re using and the version of Windows. But the number of
programs that are scheduled to start up when Windows can also have a
significant effect.
Many programs will start running invisibly in the background when you
turn on your computer, slowing down the system startup time and
potentially causing software crashes. Yet you can easily disable
programs that you don’t need to start straight away:
Click Start, type msconfig in the search bar and press Enter. In the
System Configuration window, click the Startup tab.
From the list of programs that appears, untick the box next to those
you don’t need to launch automatically at startup. Only deselect
programs that you don’t use regularly or know that you don’t need.
Click Apply and then click OK. Now restart your system.
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
There aren't many more
frustrating things than a slow computer. Spending minutes at a time
waiting for your laptop or all-in-one to load up a simple web page or
Microsoft Office program can make even a sane person want to throw their
PC in the bin.
But don't... there are simple steps you can take to make your computer
fast again. Malware removal and a couple of tweaks to your settings are a
good place to start. Here are some must-do activities to keep your PC
in tip-top condition.
Tired of waiting and just want a speedy new laptop? Click to access all
our expert laptop reviews.
Keep software up to date
Make sure all your software is up to date. This includes web browsers,
applications, drivers for devices such as printers and, most
importantly, Windows itself, as Microsoft issues regular updates to plug
security holes or fix glitches in the operating system. And if you're
weighing up a move to Windows 10, take a look at our Windows 10 review
to see whether it's worth it.
Regularly defrag your hard drive
When your PC saves a large file to the hard drive, it breaks it into
smaller pieces and stores them across several locations. As these files
accumulate, the hard drive takes longer to access them. Disk
defragmenter tools, such as the one included in Windows, reorganise this
data in a more logical fashion, so your computer performs quicker.
If you have a solid-state drive (SSD) this process won't be necessary,
as Windows will automatically do it for you from time to time in the
background. It's widely recommended that you don't defrag an SSD
yourself.
Check for viruses and other malware
Run your antivirus software program regularly. Viruses can slow down
your computer and cause data loss, while spyware can compromise security
by monitoring your activity and collecting information about you.
Launch your antivirus software and make sure it's up to date. Then run a
full scan of your hard disk and, if your package allows, set up regular
scheduled scans.
If you don't yet have a malware removal suite and aren't sure whether
the built-in Windows protection is good enough, head to our antivirus
software reviews to see which one to install.
Clear your cache and cookies
Every time you visit a webpage, your web browser stores or ‘caches’ it
as a small file in your Temporary Internet Files folder. Similarly, it
stockpiles small files called 'cookies', which contain information about
your browsing history and personal details. Over time, the volume of
these files can build up. Periodically clearing out your browser’s cache
will help it to work faster when loading pages and reduce the amount of
valuable disk space that these cached files take up.
In most browsers, these settings can be found within the Settings menu,
labelled something along the lines of Clear browsing data or Clear cache
& cookies.
Limit startup programs
How fast your computer starts up depends on several things, including
the hardware you’re using and the version of Windows. But the number of
programs that are scheduled to start up when Windows can also have a
significant effect.
Many programs will start running invisibly in the background when you
turn on your computer, slowing down the system startup time and
potentially causing software crashes. Yet you can easily disable
programs that you don’t need to start straight away:
Click Start, type msconfig in the search bar and press Enter. In the
System Configuration window, click the Startup tab.
From the list of programs that appears, untick the box next to those
you don’t need to launch automatically at startup. Only deselect
programs that you don’t use regularly or know that you don’t need.
Click Apply and then click OK. Now restart your system.
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
There aren't many more
frustrating things than a slow computer. Spending minutes at a time
waiting for your laptop or all-in-one to load up a simple web page or
Microsoft Office program can make even a sane person want to throw their
PC in the bin.
But don't... there are simple steps you can take to make your computer
fast again. Malware removal and a couple of tweaks to your settings are a
good place to start. Here are some must-do activities to keep your PC
in tip-top condition.
Tired of waiting and just want a speedy new laptop? Click to access all
our expert laptop reviews.
Keep software up to date
Make sure all your software is up to date. This includes web browsers,
applications, drivers for devices such as printers and, most
importantly, Windows itself, as Microsoft issues regular updates to plug
security holes or fix glitches in the operating system. And if you're
weighing up a move to Windows 10, take a look at our Windows 10 review
to see whether it's worth it.
Regularly defrag your hard drive
When your PC saves a large file to the hard drive, it breaks it into
smaller pieces and stores them across several locations. As these files
accumulate, the hard drive takes longer to access them. Disk
defragmenter tools, such as the one included in Windows, reorganise this
data in a more logical fashion, so your computer performs quicker.
If you have a solid-state drive (SSD) this process won't be necessary,
as Windows will automatically do it for you from time to time in the
background. It's widely recommended that you don't defrag an SSD
yourself.
Check for viruses and other malware
Run your antivirus software program regularly. Viruses can slow down
your computer and cause data loss, while spyware can compromise security
by monitoring your activity and collecting information about you.
Launch your antivirus software and make sure it's up to date. Then run a
full scan of your hard disk and, if your package allows, set up regular
scheduled scans.
If you don't yet have a malware removal suite and aren't sure whether
the built-in Windows protection is good enough, head to our antivirus
software reviews to see which one to install.
Clear your cache and cookies
Every time you visit a webpage, your web browser stores or ‘caches’ it
as a small file in your Temporary Internet Files folder. Similarly, it
stockpiles small files called 'cookies', which contain information about
your browsing history and personal details. Over time, the volume of
these files can build up. Periodically clearing out your browser’s cache
will help it to work faster when loading pages and reduce the amount of
valuable disk space that these cached files take up.
In most browsers, these settings can be found within the Settings menu,
labelled something along the lines of Clear browsing data or Clear cache
& cookies.
Limit startup programs
How fast your computer starts up depends on several things, including
the hardware you’re using and the version of Windows. But the number of
programs that are scheduled to start up when Windows can also have a
significant effect.
Many programs will start running invisibly in the background when you
turn on your computer, slowing down the system startup time and
potentially causing software crashes. Yet you can easily disable
programs that you don’t need to start straight away:
Click Start, type msconfig in the search bar and press Enter. In the
System Configuration window, click the Startup tab.
From the list of programs that appears, untick the box next to those
you don’t need to launch automatically at startup. Only deselect
programs that you don’t use regularly or know that you don’t need.
Click Apply and then click OK. Now restart your system.
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/laptops/article/how-to-speed-up-a-slow-computer - Which?
Aucun commentaire: