Top Tips to Speed up your PC
Even though I own the slick Sony Vaio Z series notebook which runs on Windows 7 Professional, I’ve noticed that over time the operating speed has decreased, as has happened with all my previous computers.
This is a common problem with Microsoft Windows – the system takes an increasing amount of time to respond to actions such as opening files and folders or browsing online.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to boost your PC’s speed. The following guide will give you some top tips to go about it. As a rule of thumb, always go for the least invasive measures first and work your way up the list until you notice your computer is more responsive.
Tidy Desktop
If your desktop is filled with lots of files it will slow your PC speed – this is because every time Windows starts, the computer then has to swap out information from the operating memory to the hard drive (called memory paging) to keep everything you might want to do running at the same time. Thus, do some housekeeping. Organise your files in My Documents and try placing only shortcuts on the Desktop to cut down on the operating memory you use.
Scan Windows System
As your operating system is simply a collection of files performing different tasks, over time some of these can become corrupted, making your PC work harder. To prevent this, run the Error-checking tool. This will analyse all file system errors and correct any problems it finds. Go to My Computer, choose a disk drive, right click and select Properties then Tools.
Run Anti-virus Program
Unfortunately cyber criminals are only getting cleverer at infecting computing devices with malware, and this is one of the surest ways to bring a PC to a halt. Even the less malicious spyware and adware which are used to collect data about your browsing habits without your knowledge can slow things down significantly by taking up memory space. It’s absolutely crucial to consistently run your anti-virus software to prevent these nasties from gaining access to your computer. Make sure to run a deep scan regularly and have the most up-to-date security patches to recognised new malware strains when they try to gain access.
Simplify Visual Effects
While Windows offers some fun visual effect options, such as fading menus and animated windows, these also take up operating memory. If you don’t have a lot of space, this can slow down your PC significantly. So, keep these effects to a simple minimum.
Minimise Automatically Active Programs
All your PC’s programs will naturally use up operating memory (RAM, also called system resources). For this reason it’s a good idea to only allow the programs you use most to start up automatically. The lesser used ones you can manually choose to open when you need them.
Remove Unused Programs
It’s easy over time to accumulate programs that you don’t use, and even while inactive they create connections between themselves and the operating system which can slow down performance by taking up memory space. To get rid of the, use the ‘Add or Remove Programs’ function which can be found in Settings> Control Panel.
Defrag Hard Drive
The more programs and files you have on your PC, the more likely it is that over time, Windows will place parts of them in different locations on your hard drive. This means that your computer will have to work harder to find and present them to you. The utility called ‘Disk Defragmenter’ effectively places each file in one place, freeing up space and thus boosting performance speeds. You can access this function in Programs> Accessories> System Tools. Be aware however that if there is a power cut while performing a defrag, it could do damage to your PC. For this reason it’s wise to backup all your files as a precaution.
Reinstall Operating System and Programs
The final and most extreme measure you can try if you’ve attempted all of the above and still have no joy, is to completely reinstall your PC’s operating system and programs. You should have all your original installation disks and regularly backup your data anyway, so it’s a matter of wiping your computer and placing everything back to get a totally clean start. This is advisable if you’ve had your computer for around four years even if you’ve not noticed any problems, since in that time alot of junk plus outdated software can accumulate and make your PC sluggish.
Conclusion
Having performed all of the above (it turns out my PC had a Trojan virus infection), I can vouch for these methods as my Sony Vaio is now back to its original Ferrari speeds. Above all, when trying these steps, it’s important to be methodical, since many computers problems are easily solved on a trial and error basis that excludes potential causes one by one.
About the Author: Michael Dehomme is a Sony Vaio PC owner.
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