The good news is that many common
problems can be sorted out with a little expert help, and this collection of 10 software and hardware tips will help you put a spring back into your PC’s step.
HARDWARE1. Add more memory
Most of our tips cost nothing. However, we will kick off with one cheap upgrade that’s guaranteed to boost performance – adding more memory.
As long as there are no underlying software problems, upgrading a PC’s memory will make Windows more responsive, programs quicker to load and reduce unnecessary hard disk activity.
We recommend 2GB as a minimum amount and with memory modules priced at around £10-£15 per gigabyte, this is an affordable upgrade for many.
Use a reputable website such as
Crucial or
Kingston to find the right memory.
2. Defragment hard disks
Over time files can become fragmented, leading to slow performance. To fix this, defragment your hard disk regularly.
A built-in tool runs once a week in Windows 7 and Vista, but if you want to change the schedule type defragment in the Start search box.
Never defragment USB memory keys or solid-state drives (SSDs), though – they don’t need it and the process can damage them.
3. Enable Readyboost
If your PC has 1GB or less of memory, Windows 7 and Vista have a feature called Readyboost that can improve hard disk performance. Readyboost uses a USB memory key (it needs to have at least 512MB of available space to be effective), and it can give a small but welcome boost for disk-intensive tasks in older PCs.
Slot in a memory key, locate it in Windows Explorer, right-click its icon and choose Properties. Click the Readyboost tab and choose the ‘Dedicate this device to Readyboost’ radio button
4. Enable disk caching
To protect files and folders, Windows is conservative with the way it writes data to the hard disk. But there is little risk in enabling disk caching to improve performance (though if the power cuts unexpectedly, some data loss may occur).
To do this, press the Windows key and R, type devmgmt.msc in the box and press Enter. Expand the Disk Drives section, double-click on the hard disk’s entry and click the Policies tab. Ensure all the boxes are ticked on this page (they are labelled differently in each Windows version) and click OK. Don’t do this for USB drives, though.
5. Replace network cables
Broadband users often complain about unreliable or slow connections. For PCs connected directly to the router or modem via an Ethernet cable, there are a few worthwhile checks.
Network cables can be damaged by kinks, the connectors can break or get dirty. New cables are cheap, so it’s worth trying a new one before blaming the PC or internet service provider (ISP).
6. Clean ventilation grilles
Too much heat can make a PC slow down or, in extreme cases, stop altogether. Keeping any ventilation grilles clean and dust-free is the easiest way to ensure that heat inside a PC or notebook can escape.
Take a look around the PC to see if any grilles are dirty. Clean them with a soft brush or a can of compressed air – but don’t poke anything through the grilles. When you use a laptop, ensure no vents are covered up.
SOFTWARE
7. Prevent programs starting with Windows
Programs that launch automatically in Windows slow down a PC and hog memory. Many are unnecessary and can be started later if needed. To remove them, click Start followed by All Programs.
Now navigate to the Startup folder, right-click each unwanted item in turn and choose Delete (this won’t uninstall the programs). To remove any remaining items, press the Windows key and R, type msconfig and press Enter.
This launches the System Configuration utility. Click Selective Startup and remove the tick from the box labelled ‘Load startup items’. Click OK and restart the PC. Changes can be reversed by launching the System Configuration utility once more.
8. Stop XP’s indexing
Windows XP’s file search feature isn’t good and the indexing service that drives it can cause the hard disk light to be constantly lit when your PC is idle. This can cause a PC to slow to a crawl.
Turn off indexing by clicking Start followed by Search and click the Change preferences link on the left-hand side. Now click the ‘With Indexing Service (for faster local searches)’ link and select the ‘No, do not enable Indexing Service’ radio button. Now click OK.
9. Speed up search
Windows 7 and
Vista
both have a useful search feature, but it can be slow if documents are stored in locations that Windows considers non-standard.
Type indexing options in the Start search box, press Enter and click Modify. Ensure the location of your documents folder is selected in the upper pane (the ‘standard’ location is under your name in the Users folder), and remove unwanted locations by clicking the item in the lower pane and removing the tick from its box in the upper pane.
If you never use Windows search bar, remove ticks from all the boxes.
10. Reduce graphics resolution
If your PC struggles to run games smoothly, this could mean the graphics card is being overstretched. Reducing the graphics quality settings (such as screen resolution and colour depth) can often resolve this.
This can improve performance around Windows, too. In games, these settings are usually located within the game’s options – check the help file or manual.
Start with the least-demanding settings and try to find the highest-quality settings that run smoothly. In Windows, right-click the Desktop and choose Properties followed by the Settings tab (Windows XP), or Screen resolution (Windows 7 or Vista).
