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.