Tips on how to improve the performance of a Windows computer

The obvious hardware upgrade     

           

-          Upgrade to a faster (higher frequency) /multicore CPU (Central Processing Unit):

A CPU with many cores can offer parallel processing, as a result a higher system performance.

-          Buy more RAM (Random Access Memory):

RAM practically is the memory used by the program processes when they get executed, the more RAM you have the more processes you get run (32-bit operating system can support up to 4 GB but 64-bit can support >4 GB).

-          Buy a SSD (Solid State Drive):

Solid State Drives is a new category of drives based on solid state technology which surpass the conventional hard drives in data write/read speed since it does not consist of moving parts. It will significantly improve the total performance of the system especially the boot time of the operating system.

The changes suggested above are proper for people who are interested to invest some extra money on their system but what if you cannot spend even a penny on your computer? Is there still a way to improve the performance of your system?

Next, there are some free tips following on how to improve the speed of a Windows system.

Free system tips

  - Get rid of programs that you do not use: go to Start menu>Control Panel>Programs>Uninstall a program, pick the programs you do not need and uninstall them one by one by right clicking on them and pressing Uninstall.  This tactic will free up some space on the disk.

-          Get rid of temporary files: go to Start menu>Computer>Local disk (C:)>Right click on it>Properties>Disk cleanup>Clean up System files. These files are generated from programs running on Windows but they are not deleted until you take care of it.

-          Get rid of unnecessary Desktop Gadgets which consume valuable RAM. Go to Start>Gadgets> View List of Running Gadgets>Remove.

-          Adjust Visual Effects for better performance: go to Start menu>Control Panel>Performance Information and Tools>Advanced Visual Effects>Adjust for Best Performance.

-          Use simple background: Do not use colorful backgrounds which consume much RAM.

-          Do not put program shortcuts on the Desktop: many icons on the Desktop can consume RAM as well.

-          Choose which programs are in the start-up: go to Start>Accessories>Run>type msconfig>Startup tab, in the latter tab de-activate any program that is unnecessary.

-          Defragment disk: defragmentation increases the system speed since it collects fragments of files scattered across the disk platter and puts them in sequential order. Go to Start>Computer>Local Disk(C:)>right click>Properties>Tools>Defragment.

-          Clean registry: clean registry with a free register cleaner tool like CCleaner

-          Increase Page file size (Virtual Memory): go to Control Panel>System and Security>System>Advanced tab>Settings>Performance>Advanced tab>Change>Uncheck “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives”>Custom size, in this tab set a higher size of MB that used to be reserved for Virtual memory. Do not increase this size too much because it will negatively affect (slow down) the performance of the system.

-          Windows updates: Always make sure that the operating system is updated with the newest updates which fix old errors etc.

-          Scan the system for viruses: Use a free antivirus program such as Avira to scan for malware which can decrease the performance of your system.

-          Change the power plan: go to Start>Control Panel>Power options>High performance to set the system power settings for highest performance.

Overheating problems

Often overheating problems can cause decrease in the performance of the system. One simple solution is trying get rid of the dust which sits on the computer components. Another tip is replacing the thermal paste which sits between the CPU and the CPU fan. Buying a laptop cooler for laptops is also an option.