CLEAN UP A SLOW COMPUTER
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- Delete temporary files.
Type %temp% in your search bar to find it. Double-click the folder. Select all items within the folder, then delete them. - Uninstall unnecessary programs.
There's a great application called, “Should I Remove It” that I recommend installing first. It evaluates all of the software on your computer and helps you determine if it is necessary for your computer to operate. If it's something you haven't used in ages, it's probably a good idea to get rid of it; however, IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT IS, DON’T REMOVE IT! You should really only uninstall things that you installed yourself. - Empty your recycling bin.
Find the trash can icon on your home screen. Double-click it. Then click Manage > Empty Recycling Bin. You can also change the size of your bin while you're there so that it doesn't keep so much data on your computer at any given time by clicking "Recycle Bin Properties" and adjusting the MB allowed.
- Disable startup programs.
A lot of times, your computer is set to run certain programs as soon as you power it on. To change this, type "start" in the search bar. Then click on the "See which processes start up automatically when you start Windows." A task bar will open up. Go through each line and decide if you need for each program to be running when you turn your computer on. Skype, for instance, is one that I had to stop from running on my startup. I haven't used that program in years! Again, it's important to note that IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT IS, DON’T DISABLE IT!
- Run a Disk Cleanup.
Type "disk cleanup" in your search bar. It should automatically select to run it for your C:/ drive. Click OK. Select the boxes of the items you don't mind getting rid of. Click OK. It will run through again, so click OK one final time when finished.
- Defrag your hard drive.
Type "defrag" in your search bar to find it. It comes up as "Defragment and Optimize Drives." Then click Analyze to see what it recommends. Then click Optimize to defrag. If your computer isn't set to automatically do this periodically (like once per week), it's probably a good idea to set this up while you're there. - Make sure updates are set to auto and restart your computer often so that they are triggered to run.
Type "updates" in your search bar to find it. Click "Check for updates" then again on the next screen. If your updates aren't set up to run automatically, go ahead and set this up while you're there.
- Restart your computer.