Below are steps for Microsoft Windows users can follow to
help speed up the computer or at least determine why the computer is running
slow. It should be noted that this page only covers an overall slow computer
and not a computer that starts slow or has a slow Internet connection.
Reboot
If your computer has not been rebooted
recently, make sure to reboot it
before following any of the steps below.
Background programs
One of the most common reasons for a slow
computer is programs running in the background. Remove or disable any TSRs and
startup programs that automatically start each time the computer boots.
Tip: To see what programs are running in the background and how much memory and CPU they are using, open Task Manager. If you are running Windows 7 or higher, run Resmon to get a better understanding of how your computer resources are used.
If you have an antivirus scanner on the computer, spyware
protection program, or another security utility, make sure it's not scanning
your computer in the background. If a scan is in progress, it decreases the
overall performance of your computer. If this is the case, allow the scan to
complete, and the computer's performance should improve.
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Delete temp files
As a computer runs programs, temporary files are stored on the hard
drive. Deleting these temp files can help improve computer performance.
First, we suggest using the Windows Disk Cleanup utility to delete temporary
files and other files no longer needed on the computer.
Unfortunately, the Disk
Cleanup may not delete every file in the temp directory. Therefore, we also
suggest deleting temporary files manually. To do this, open the Start menu and type %temp% in the Search field. In Windows
XP and prior, click the Run option in the Start menu and
enter %temp% in the Run field. Press
Enter and a Temp folder should open. You can delete all files found in this
folder and, if any files are in use and cannot be deleted, they can be skipped.
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Free hard drive space
Verify that there is at least 200-500MB of
free hard drive space. This available space allows the computer to have room
for the swap file to increase in size, as well as
room for temporary files.
Bad, corrupted or fragmented hard drive
Check
the hard drive for errors
Run ScanDisk, chkdsk, or
something equivalent to verify there is nothing physically wrong with the
computer's hard drive.
Make
sure hard drive is not fragmented
Run Defrag to
help ensure that data is arranged in the best possible order.
Test
hard drive
Use other software tools to test the hard
drive for any errors by looking at the SMART of
the drive.
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Scan for viruses
If your computer is infected with one or
more viruses, it may run more slowly. If your
computer doesn't have an antivirus program installed, run Trend Micro's
free Housecall online utility to scan and
remove viruses on your computer. We also recommend you install an antivirus
program for active protection against viruses.
Scan for malware
Today, spyware and other malware is a big cause of many computer
problems, including slower performance. Even if an antivirus scanner is
installed on the computer, we recommend running a malware scan as well. Use the
free version of Malwarebytes to scan your computer for
malware.
Hardware conflicts
Verify that the Device Manager has no
conflicts. If any exist, resolve these issues as they could be the cause of
your problem.
Update your drivers
Make sure you have the latest drivers for
your computer hardware, especially the latest
video drivers. Having out-of-date drivers can cause an assortment of
issues, including slow performance.
Reboot the computer again
After making any of the changes above, be
sure to reboot your machine.
Run a registry cleaner
We usually do not recommend registry
cleaners. However, if you followed all the steps above and your computer is
still slow, try running a registry cleaner on the computer.
Memory upgrade
If you have had your computer for more than
two years, you may need more memory. Today, we suggest computers have a minimum
of 2 GB of memory (RAM) for a 32-bit system and 4 GB for a 64-bit system. By having enough memory for
programs to run within memory, your computer doesn't need to swap information
stored in memory to the swap file. If the hard drive light is
continuously active, it's an indication the computer is frequently swapping
information between your memory and hard drive.
Hard drive upgrade
One of the biggest The bottlenecks of a computer are the hard disk drive. Upgrading from a standard hard
drive to a Solid State Drive (SSD)
drastically improves the performance of a computer.
Computer or processor is overheating
Make sure your computer and processor is
not overheating. Excessive heat can cause a decrease in the computer's performance
because most operating systems automatically reduce the speed of the processor
to help compensate for heat-related issues.
Dust, dirt, and hair can
also constrict proper airflow inside your computer, which causes a computer to
overheat. Make sure your computer case is clean, and that the fans are not
obstructed.
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Increase or upgrade the processor speed
Increasing the speed of the processor (CPU)
can help improve your computer's performance. There are two options for
increasing processor speed: overclocking or upgrading.
Overclocking a processor means increasing
its speed beyond what it's designed to run stably. While overclocking can
increase the processor speed, the increase is often not very significant,
resulting in maybe a 10% or 20% speed increase at most. Furthermore, the
processor itself must be capable of being overclocked. You would need to find
the specifications for the processor in your computer to determine if it can be
overclocked. An overclocked processor generates more heat, thus requiring a
more powerful heat sink and fan to pull the excess heat
away from the processor.
A safer alternative to overclocking is
upgrading the processor in your computer. You would need to get the
specifications for your motherboard to determine what type of newer processor
may be used in it. You can then install the new processor in place of the
existing processor.
Erase computer and start over
If none of the above solutions resolve your
issues, another option is to either reinstall Windows or erase everything and
then start over.
Erasing everything on your
computer and reinstalling the operating system can increase performance by
getting rid of old software or drivers. Installing a fresh copy of Windows,
software programs and the latest drivers help verify there are no software
related issues causing your computer to be slow.
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Hardware issues
Finally, if your computer is still slow
after trying the above recommendations, there's likely a more serious hardware
related issue (e.g., failing component). Examples of failing hardware could
include the hard drive, CPU, RAM, motherboard, or other components.
You can run hardware diagnostic tests using
the Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD) utility. This
utility provides information on whether or not your computer has a bad piece of
hardware.
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Old computer
If your computer is more than five years
old, it performs slower than a new one. As more advanced software programs are
released, they are optimized to run more efficiently on newer computers. Older
computers are not able to run these new programs as well, which causes them to
perform more slowly. Furthermore, new software tends to be more demanding in
general, which is another problem for old hardware. We recommend you consider
purchasing a new computer or upgrading your current one.