You might have already followed the steps in Optimize Windows for better performance: Part 1 and Part 2. In this part of PC optimization tutorial, you will see what other things you can do beside the ones that are already discussed in Part 1 and part 2. They include performance troubleshooter, uninstalling programs, limiting startup programs, defragging and cleaning up hard disk, and avoiding too many programs running at the same time. In this blog, we will see how visual effects, adding memory, running antivirus, and checking computer’s speed will work for windows optimization.

Note: This blog primarily deals with optimization in windows 7; however, it applies to all versions of windows. The program-accessing steps might somewhat be different but the actions performed to optimize windows for better performance are same for all versions.

Actions you can take for windows optimization

Turning off visual effects

Would you prefer appearance over speed? If not, you must disable some visual effects to enhance computer’s speed and performance. Out of 20 visual controls, either you can choose yourself which ones to disable or let the windows do the magic. To do so:

1. Go to start and click control panel. In the search box, type “performance.” Among the search results, click “Performance information and tools.”
2. By clicking on “Adjust visual effects”, a dialog box will open. It is recommended to choose “Let Windows choose what’s best for my computer”; however, you can choose “Adjust for best performance.”

Adding memory

Typically, Windows 7 can run with 1GB RAM. But to have better performance and optimal results, go for more than 1GB. The more is the better. One of the reasons for your computer slowing down is inadequate RAM.
Another way to boost up computer speed is to use Windows ReadyBoost.

Running antivirus scans

If you computer has been as slow as being almost dead, one of the reasons might be malware infection. You must always be scanning your system with a powerful antivirus software regularly and keep it up to date. You can read about and fix various types of viruses, malware, spyware, worms, and Trojans in Antivirus category.

Checking speed of your computer

If your computer is slow even after following all the steps described in Windows optimization tutorial, you are left to choose hardware upgrade or buying a new PC. But you can also check your computer’s speed through Windows Experience Index.

Hope this tutorial helped you for windows optimization.

In the blog “Optimize Windows for better performance: Part 1”, we discussed few actions you can take on your operating system for better speed and performance of your PC. In this blog, There are few more things you can do that will optimize Windows for better performance and are going to heal your computer’s slowing down.

Note: This blog primarily deals with optimization in windows 7; however, it applies to all versions of windows. The program-accessing steps might somewhat be different but the actions performed to optimize windows for better performance are same for all versions.

Actions you can take to optimize Windows for better performance

Defrag your hard disk

Defragmenting involves rearranging the fragments on your hard drive so that whenever you open a file or program, it is easy and quick for your hard drive to open the file. Fragmentation causes inefficiency and your hard disk takes time to gather scattered fragments of a file or a program. You must do this for better performance. Your system is designed to perform defragmenting automatically; however, you must manually check whether it is doing so or not. You can defrag your hard drives easily.

Cleaning hard disk

There are different unnecessary files on your hard disk that should be deleted to free up disk space and improve your computer’s speed. Those files are no longer needed. “Disk cleanup utility” will perform clean up for you. To do this:
1. Go to start and type “Disk cleanup” in search field. Click on it when it appears at the top.
2. You will be prompted to select the hard drive you want to clean. Select and click OK. It will tell you which files you need to cleanup which will result in how much of free disk space. You can read the description of the files below when you click on them. Click OK to complete the process.

To know and understand the steps in detail and what more you can do with disk cleanup utility, read how to delete files using disk cleanup.

Avoid too much Multi tasking

Show mercy on your computer and run few programs at a time. Do not have:

1. More than one antivirus software running
2. Unnecessary browser tabs opened
3. Running chat messenger while you are not using it
4. Too many programs running at the same time without you using each one of them

All these actions slow down your PC. To optimize Windows for better performance, you must visit “Action center” to see important messages related to computer’s security and maintenance. Make sure you resolve PC issues as the top-priority task.

Rebooting

Restarting can also help to speed up your computer as it shuts down all the errant processes, services, and programs running in the background without you even knowing of it. If you feel you cannot restart as you have lots of programs opened, then it is the exact point you really need to restart. All those programs and processes are slowing your computer down. It is good to restart your computer once in a week.

Read more tips to optimize windows for better performance and make your computer run faster like never before.

If your computer has slowed down and its performance has deteriorated, read different steps to optimize Windows for better performance that you can take yourself before deciding to reinstall windows, change hardware, increase RAM, or sell your computer or laptop.

Note: This blog primarily deals with optimization in windows 7; however, it applies to all versions of windows. The program-accessing steps might somewhat be different but the actions performed to optimize windows for better performance are same for all versions.

Actions you can take to optimize Windows for better performance

Performance troubleshooter

This helps you to find and fix performance issues in your computer automatically. To do this:
1. Go to start and click “Control panel.” Look for and click on “Troubleshooting.”
2. When troubleshooting windows opens, click “Check for performance issues” under “System and security.”
3. Windows will automatically find and prompt you to fix identified issues. If any issue is found, click on “try these repairs as an administrator.”

Get rid of programs you never use

There are certain programs in your computer that you installed yourself; however, there are many programs that are manufacturer-installed. They came with the service pack your operating system has and now that their free trial is over, they are still residing and taking up valuable memory space in your RAM. To enhance your computer’s speed and performance, simply delete or uninstall all those programs that you don’t use. To do this:

1. Go to start> Control panel> Programs and Features.
2. Navigate through the list and right click and uninstall all those programs you don’t use. For instance, uninstall Torrent if you don’t download movies or delete hotspot shield if you don’t want to access blocked websites.

Control the number of startup programs

There are programs that start automatically when your computer starts up. They run in the background and open easily and readily should you access them. This is good only for those programs you use a lot. What about the ones you don’t use much yet they become the cause of computer’s slow startup? You can see the startup programs in the notification area in the taskbar; however, they may not contain all of them. You can download “autorun for windows programs” to see which programs are running automatically at startup. To manage the startup programs:

1. Go to start and type “system configuration” in the search field. Click on it when it appears in the start menu. Or press “Windows+R” keys together, type “msconfig” and then Press OK.
2. Click on the tab “startup” and either click “disable all” to disable all programs or disable one or more by unchecking the boxes beside each one of them.

You must have noticed better speed and performance by now. But you must read more tips to optimize windows for better performance and make your computer run faster like never before.

You may have received an error message while working on any of Microsoft office programs like “Your system is low on virtual memory. To ensure that Windows runs properly, increase the size of your virtual memory paging file. For more information, see Help.” This is a result of low virtual memory problem.

What is low virtual memory?

Virtual memory, stored on your hard disk as page file or swap file and 1.5 times greater than real memory, is used when running programs require more memory than your computer actually has. Windows can use hard disk space as random access memory (RAM).

Windows manages memory processes itself by swapping saved programs between virtual memory and physical memory. Windows takes care of the size of page file and it is not something to be worried about; however, it is a common windows problem. It is probably because of low paging file size setting or not having enough physical memory. You can continue to breathe with low physical memory. But you might face memory related issues especially when a certain program is memory intensive in nature or you are running multiple programs at a time.

How to fix low virtual memory problem?

The process for all versions of windows is more or less same.

1. Increase the size of page file. Go to start and type “computer” in the search box. After opening computer, right click on the computer and click properties. A dialog box of system properties will open. On the advanced tab, click settings on the performance pane. On dialog box of performance options, you will see different tabs, Click Advanced. Then click Change on virtual memory pane. Uncheck the box “automatically manage paging file size” if you are unable to edit custom settings in windows 7 and vista. Change the initial size and maximum size, click set, and Ok. Keep clicking Ok so that all dialog boxes close. If it needs restart, then reboot.

2. Upgrade your computer’s memory.

You switched your computer on and then waited so long to begin operating it. You must have experienced programs taking time to load in memory, getting frequent system error messages, and getting your computer literally stuck while starting. If these are the symptoms, then problem is slow windows startup.

First you must understand that a slow computer startup process and computer’s overall slow functioning are two different things. You may notice your computer takes time to start up before you can finally begin your operations. This is what we call slow windows startup. It happens because of various reasons yet diverse remedies are also available.

Reasons for slow windows startup

• Too many startup programs are waiting in the queue at the system boot.
• Startup delay is caused by system configuration errors.

How to fix slow computer startup?

You can disable startup programs which you don’t often use as it will reduce boot time and give windows an opportunity to start up faster. You can remove Terminate-and-Stay-Resident (TSR) programs from loading up automatically as windows starts. The process depends on the version of windows you have. The processes are more or less like one of these:

1. Open start, click programs and then startup. Right click the file you wish not to start automatically and click delete. You may find that particular program in system registry or system configuration utility. Editing system registry comes with potential risks so you need to understand registry processes well before doing anything on it.

2. Open start and type the words “system” or “configuration” or both in the search box. Click system configuration from the programs that appear on the top. Or open run and type msconfig. When the tool opens, uncheck the programs you wish to remove from automatic startup under the tab “startup.”

3. You can also reduce waiting time before boot. On the system configuration tool, click the tab “boot” and change the timeout from 30 seconds to 4 seconds. You should opt for 5 to 10 seconds in case you have more than one operating system.

Ask any computer expert and he will recommend you to have benign yet useless junk files to be deleted. Overtime your computer stores unnecessary files on its storage space that might not affect your computer system performance-wise much; however, it does take a lot of space as it keeps piling up. It’s always good to clean your computer from junk files so that the quality of your experience may not suffer.

What are Junk files?

Ever thought of what actually is a junk file? Junk files are type of files that were temporarily stored in your computer to serve a purpose. It outstayed and became a piece of filth. These can be temporary internet files, cached thumbnail images from sites you viewed, or program setup files that are no more needed after the installation is finished. All these files are useful as long as they are needed. But they are not deleted by the system automatically once they are out of use. They are going to stay unless you remove them. Although, they do not cause much harm, you need to get rid of junk files to keep your computer running at its perfect speed and capacity.

Is Junk file problematic?

The basic consequence of having a heap of junk files is shortage of space on hard drive. The hard disk space is limited and can store data up to a maximum. Junk files occupy valuable disk space that could otherwise be used to save a new file or download a program. It may also cause trouble by slowing down the running of programs and applications. Your computer can also be slow on startup.

How to delete junk files?

It’s best to clean up your entire disk as you never know where your junk files are stored. Follow the simple steps to use your system’s in-built disk cleanup tool.

1. Open start, click “All programs”, click Accessories and go to system tools. There you will click Disk Cleanup. It will prompt you to select the drive you want to clean up.

2. Go to control panel. Click system and security. At the bottom you will see administrative tools. Click “Free up disk space” under that. It will bring forward a window which asks you to select the drive for clean up.
This may take few seconds or minutes depending upon data on your hard drive. Check the boxes beside the files you want to delete and then reboot.

3. To clean up temporary internet files, press “CTRL + H.” After history opens, click clear browsing data. It’s preferable to check all the boxes.

This is all about junk files. Make sure your browsing history, cookies, temporary internet files, recycle bin items are always cleared.

Now that we understand that it is recommended for windows XP to perform manual defragging using its in-built disk defragmenter, we must also see how to defrag your computer. Make sure you close all programs before defragging your machine. You must not be using your computer at all while defragging. So, attempt to defrag your computer when it is idle.

How to open disk defragmenter?

There are different ways to access disk defragmenter in Windows XP.

1. Open start. Type the words “defragmenter” or simply “disk” in search box. Click “disk defragmenter” among the options that appear on the top.

2. Click start, go to accessories, then system tools and click disk defragmenter.

3. Alternatively, you can open “My computer.” Right click on the drive you want to defrag. Click properties. On the tools tab, you will see “Check now” and “Defragment now.” You can click on “Check now” to undertake error checking. It will open the scandisk tool for you and check errors on the drive. To defrag your hard drive, click on “Defragment now.”

What to do when disk defragmenter opens?

After opening defragmenter, you will see drives listed in the top window pane. Only the drives which can be defragmented are shown. Select any one of them to defrag. You can analyze your drive, see the report or simply start defragging manually by clicking on “defragment.” You need to analyze your disk before deciding to defragment. It tells you whether that particular drive needs defragmentation or not.

Since the program is all about arranging files on your drive, make sure you close all programs and no file is being accessed during the process. Otherwise, it may not be able to move or work on them. You may think about the time it takes to defragment, right? It actually depends on the size of the hard drive and the percentage of fragmentation on it.

Sometimes, when you notice your files take longer than expected to open and your computer slows down, you tend to do weird things like deleting files and programs or calling a computer technician. But you can actually fix the problem yourself. All you need to do is to defrag your computer.

What is defragging?

Defrag, a short for defragment, is required maintenance by your hard drives. When the data is written on your computer drive, it is done in blocks having sequential order on drive’s platter. Fragmentation causes the files to be broken down into pieces between the blocks with each piece not in contiguous order. Hard drive takes longer to read the file because it has to run around multiple places on the platter. You can put those blocks back into their respective places after defragmentation which results in improved performance of your computer.

Do you really need to defrag your computer?

You need to understand few things before jumping into defragmentation:

1. Keep in mind that Windows 7, 8, and Vista defrags your hard drives automatically on a pre-set schedule. You should check the disk defragmenter once in a while to see if it is performing its job well. You can also change the schedule; however, you may need to defrag your computer manually in older versions of windows like Windows XP.

2. If you are using solid state drive (SSD), you don’t need to defrag your computer. In fact, Windows 7 disables defrag for SSDs. SSDs perform better even with random read operations.

3. In case of Windows XP, you may either upgrade or setup defrag on a schedule.

4. It is not necessary to defrag your computer through third party defrag applications. They do have better features and perform defrag a little better than your windows default defrag; however, you probably don’t need one with faster and spacious hard drives and improved systems. But if you want your computer not to lose even a pint of performance, you must go for it.

Let’s conclude

If you have windows with SSD > don’t defragment
If you have windows 7, 8, or Vista > Automatic defrag
If you have windows XP > Setup an automatic defrag schedule