{"id":4074,"date":"2016-08-30T01:13:03","date_gmt":"2016-08-30T06:43:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.filepuma.com\/?p=4074"},"modified":"2024-06-18T05:06:08","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T12:06:08","slug":"how-to-stop-your-computer-from-running-slow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/how-to-stop-your-computer-from-running-slow\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stop Your Computer From Running Slow"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re a few months into the year and you\u2019re starting to enjoy that new\u00a0computer. Your new computer glides like a dream, but in a few months it\u2019s going to slow down; after all, there are only three things certain in life: death, taxes,\u00a0and sluggish computers after hours of Internet browsing.<\/p>\n

With all the new software, pictures, music, videos, and games you\u2019re going to tack on to that computer this year, now is the best time to pick up a few habits that will keep your computer\u00a0as fast as the day you bought it, with tools already present on your PC!<\/p>\n

Keep Temporary Files Temporary<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Although the word of Windows caches\u00a0is extensive and mysterious, there is one Windows file cache which reigns over them all as the largest nuisance \u2014 the local temp cache. This cache stores files downloaded through your web browser when loading websites.<\/p>\n

You can delete your Windows temp cache using the\u00a0Disk Cleanup<\/strong>: go to\u00a0Start<\/strong>\u00a0and type\u00a0Disk Cleanup<\/strong>. For the\u00a0Windows XP\u00a0user, access this program under\u00a0Start > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"disk_cleanup\"<\/p>\n

Disk Cleanup will analyze the storage of your system\u00a0drive (often named C:\/ by default) and prompt you to delete some files. Click on the\u00a0Temporary Internet Files<\/strong>\u00a0selection and your Disk Cleanup tool will delete your temp files automatically. For the hands on Windows aficionado, you may remove these temp files manually: go to\u00a0Start<\/strong>\u00a0and type\u00a0%temp%<\/strong>. For Windows XP\u00a0users, the same file can be found by pressing\u00a0Windows key + R<\/strong>\u00a0to launch the Run menu, type\u00a0%temp%<\/strong>\u00a0and hit\u00a0Enter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Doing this once a month will reduce computer sluggishness brought on by continual Internet use; reduce the risk of insidious computer viruses nesting themselves within your local machine, and\u00a0instill basic knowledge concerning what cleaning software does regularly.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Fragmentation Is Not Your Friend<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This advice applies to hard drives\u00a0only<\/strong>\u00a0and is particularly helpful to people\u00a0who save, edit, and store different file types onto their computers often. Your Windows machine does not simply write over your original file when saving a document (e.g. a Word or Excel document). The file is instead saved onto a different part of your drive. After extended use, these chunks of information become scattered, or fragmented, which can slow down the computer\u2019s ability to open files quickly.<\/p>\n

At first sight of sluggishness,\u00a0Disk Defragmenter<\/strong>\u00a0programs (otherwise known inWindows 10<\/strong>\u00a0as the\u00a0Defragment and Optimize Drives<\/strong>\u00a0application) become essential. Although you can choose from many third party defragmenters\u00a0to sort out\u00a0your\u00a0hard drive, the simplest option is already present on your\u00a0Windows computer.<\/p>\n

To\u00a0access the tool, go to\u00a0Start<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0type\u00a0Disk Defragmenter<\/strong>.\u00a0In\u00a0Windows XP<\/strong>\u00a0you\u2019ll find it under\u00a0Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"optimize_drives1\"<\/p>\n

The window will display disk drives located on your computer and will automatically choose the main drive present (often named C:\/ by default). You can analyze the drive, which will display the percentage of fragmentation present on your \u00a0hard drive, or optimize right away to begin the process.<\/p>\n

Defragmenting a\u00a0hard drive\u00a0is resource- and time-intensive, so it is advised that you begin the process when your computer is in a relatively low state of use. After optimization has finished, which may take up to an hour depending on the size of your\u00a0hard drive\u00a0and your computer\u2019s processing power, restart your computer. Do this monthly and you will find a noticeable difference in speed when opening and accessing files, along with gaming and editing applications.<\/p>\n

CAUTION:\u00a0<\/strong>If you have a solid state drive\u00a0(SSD), Disk Defragmenter will do more harm than good. The easiest way to check whether you are using a\u00a0SSD\u00a0or a HDD is through Windows 10\u2019s\u00a0Optimize Drives<\/strong>\u00a0application (see screenshot above), which lists your disk type under the\u00a0Media type<\/strong>\u00a0menu.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

For other Windows versions, you can find this information under\u00a0Start > Program > Accessories > System Tools > System Information > + Components > + Storage > Disks<\/strong>. Do not mistake a Standard Disk Drive for\u00a0a\u00a0Solid State Drive; if your drive is listed as a Disk drive, you are using a HDD. If so, disk defragment away.<\/p>\n

\"system_information3\"<\/p>\n

Adjust Your GUI<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This is by far the easiest and most productive method to speed up your computer \u2014 adjusting your GUI (graphical user interface) for best performance.<\/p>\n

To\u00a0access these settings in \u00a0Windows XP,\u00a0go to\u00a0Start<\/strong>, right-click\u00a0My Computer<\/strong>, select\u00a0Properties\u00a0> Advanced Tab > Performance<\/strong>. In\u00a0Windows 10<\/span>\u00a0open the\u00a0File Explorer<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/strong>right click\u00a0This PC<\/strong>\u00a0and go to\u00a0\u00a0Properties > Advanced System Settings > Advanced Tab > Performance > OK<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"performance_options1\"<\/p>\n

Out of the three radio buttons, choose the button labeled\u00a0Best Performance<\/strong>\u00a0> OK<\/strong>. By default, the Visual Effects option in Windows is set to\u00a0Best Appearance<\/strong>, so your new operating system has that bright, fresh out the box look. Unfortunately, it does so at the cost of your computer\u2019s performance<\/p>\n

This is the first tweak I use when I receive a new \u00a0Windows computer\u00a0or set up a virtual Windows image. It\u2019s simple, one time only, and a sure way to minimize background processing on your computer.<\/p>\n

Change Up Your Startup<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Recently downloaded software can slither its way into your startup programs, drastically reducing the wake time of your\u00a0Windows computer. Under\u00a0Startup<\/strong>, you can find\u00a0a list of services which initiate when you first turn on your device. Some of these programs are necessary computer functions, while others are unnecessary services which slow down your computer\u2019s wake time.<\/p>\n

To open the\u00a0startup list in\u00a0Windows 10<\/strong>,\u00a0right click the\u00a0Taskbar<\/strong>, select\u00a0Task Manager<\/strong>, and switch to the\u00a0Startup<\/strong>\u00a0tab.\u00a0In\u00a0Windows XP<\/strong>\u00a0press\u00a0Windows key + R<\/strong>\u00a0to launch the Run menu, type\u00a0msconfig<\/strong>, and click\u00a0OK<\/strong>.\u00a0This command opens the System Configuration Tools panel. Click on the\u00a0Startup<\/strong>\u00a0tab and you\u2019ll be free to configure your startup as you see fit.<\/p>\n

\"task_manager3\"<\/p>\n

To ease the process, click the\u00a0Status<\/strong>\u00a0listing to order programs by their enabled or disabled status. Check whether any given program is a necessary Windows program or some pesky annoyance (or worse yet, a Trojan virus or spyware) by accessing an online startup registry\u00a0to gauge the program\u2019s necessity.<\/p>\n

Although adjusting startup programs is a careful procedure, checking the startup list once a month can mean the difference between seconds or minutes of\u00a0waiting for your computer to boot.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Defend Your Windows with Windows Defender<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While there are a slew of\u00a0antivirus options\u00a0you can choose from, the most trusted option has long been\u00a0Windows Defender. Because of its simplicity, low processing usage, and constantly updated virus listing, Windows Defender is the premiere choice for users that want an effective and no fill\u00a0anti-virus\u00a0software.<\/p>\n

If you are using\u00a0Windows\u00a08, Windows\u00a0RT,\u00a0Windows\u00a08.1, Windows\u00a0RT\u00a08.1, andWindows\u00a010,\u00a0Windows Defender is already installed\u00a0onto your computer. For older Windows versions, you can\u00a0download Microsoft Security Essentials, but we recommend a\u00a0third-party antivirus\u00a0software.<\/p>\n

\"windows_defender1\"<\/p>\n

Install it, run it, and choose between the\u00a0<\/span>Quick<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>Full Scan<\/strong>\u00a0option to scan your computer. For full time protection, click on the\u00a0<\/span>Settings<\/strong>\u00a0tab and enable the option to keep Windows Defender running in the background. A full scan once a month will keep your \u00a0Windows computer\u00a0<\/span>free of viruses and other malware lurking in the shadows, which is necessary for an optimal Windows performance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Side Note \u2014 Please don\u2019t.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re like me, you once tried every trick in the book to run that new World of Warcraft expansion on 1 GB of RAM. Allow me to impart some wisdom on where exactly to limit your desperate search.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • DO NOT<\/strong>\u00a0delete any files located in your System or System32 folder, unless you are sure of what you\u2019re doing.<\/li>\n
  • DO NOT<\/strong>\u00a0rely on system optimization software to increase the performance of your computer, when you can achieve the same speed through simple tweaking options.<\/li>\n
  • DO NOT<\/strong>\u00a0expect software tweaks to match the speed gained by \u00a0upgrading your hardware.<\/li>\n
  • DO NOT<\/strong>\u00a0rely on one time optimizations to keep your computer in optimal conditions. Your computer requires continual upkeep for optimal performance.<\/li>\n
  • DO NOT<\/strong>\u00a0begin adjusting your BIOS settings or overclocking your computers hardware, unless you are well aware of what setting you are changing. Although there are plenty of\u00a0lists online which promise unreal computer speeds, none are as effective as relying on your own computer knowledge.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    We\u2019re a few months into the year and you\u2019re starting to enjoy that new\u00a0computer. Your new computer glides like a dream, but in a few months it\u2019s going to slow down; after all, there are only three things certain in life: death, taxes,\u00a0and sluggish computers after hours of Internet browsing. With all the new software, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4074","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-utilities"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4074","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4074"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4074\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4887,"href":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4074\/revisions\/4887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.filepuma.com\/reviews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}