- 1). Delete unnecessary files on your hard drive by using the Disk Cleanup utility. Go to the start menu, select All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup. After it calculates how much space it can free up, check the boxes for the files you wish to delete. Temporary Internet Files usually take up the most space, but you can also delete Downloaded Program Files, Offline Webpages, the Recycle Bin, Setup Log Files, Temporary Files, memory dump files, Thumbnails, and error reporting files.
- 2). Defragment your computer by opening Disk Defragmenter in the same folder in the start menu. This will make the computer access memory faster. In the Defragmenter window, select the C drive and click "Defragment Disk." This may take a long time, and it is a good idea to leave the computer alone while it completes the task.
- 3). Prevent programs you don't need right away from running when Windows boots up using the System Configuration Utility. Type "msconfig" in the search bar on the start menu and hit enter. Go to the Startup tab and uncheck any programs that are set to start with Windows unnecessarily. It will ask you to restart to make the changes.
- 4). Cleaning your registry can prevent programs from encountering problems and bogging down the computer. This can't be done without software, but there are many registry utilities available, both free and for purchase. Examples of free ones are CCleaner, Comodo Registry Cleaner, Eusing Free Registry Cleaner, Argente Registry Cleaner, and EasyCleaner. Registry utilities available for purchase include CleanMyPC Registry Cleaner, RegCure, Registry Mechanic, System Mechanic, and Registry Booster. Running them after they are installed is usually very automated, and will involve clicking a button to scan and then fix any errors that are found.
- 5). Scan your computer with an antivirus or anti-spyware program. Spyware and malware are one of the biggest reasons a computer may not be performing as it should. Windows Defender, Microsoft Security Essentials, Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy, and AVG Anti-Virus are all good programs for protecting your computer from spyware and virus infection. While it's not good to have multiple antivirus programs, having adware and spyware protection in addition to an antivirus program is. Have your software scan for spyware or viruses regularly, since browsing the internet always puts your computer at risk.
- 6). Go to Control Panel, Power Settings, and make sure your computer is set to the High Performance plan. This will automatically configure settings for your hard drive, processor, and monitor so that it runs quicker, but uses the most power.
- 7). Adjust the paging file size. This is a portion of the hard drive that is used for virtual memory, and it is suggested to set this to 1.5 times the size of your computer's RAM. Windows does not do this by default. Go to Start, Control Panel, System, and click Advanced System Settings. Go to the Advanced tab, and select Settings in the area where it says "Performance." This will bring up a box called Performance Options. Again, go to the Advanced tab, and click the button that says "Change..." in the Virtual Memory box. Select the radio button that says "Custom Size" and type in the amount. There are 1024 megabytes in one gigabyte, so multiply the amount of RAM your computer has by 1.5 or 2 for the best performance. You can find the RAM in the System box you opened in the Control Panel. Once this is done, you may notice your PC making less noise while it's running.
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