50+ Ways: How To Speed Up Your Computer
A computer that runs slowly can cause great frustration to its user. To help, I’ve devised a list of 50+ ways to speed up your computer.
If you see a suggestion linked, the linked page explains how to speed up your computer using that method in detail.
I have tried to categorise the suggestions based on difficulty. The first suggestions are the easiest to implement.
How to speed up your computer
Easy ways to speed up your computer
- Defragment your hard disks.
- Check and repair your hard disks.
- Tidy the ‘Startup’ menu.
- Use MSCONFIG to disable hidden startup applications.
- Free up wasted disk space.
- Clean up any unused desktop icons.
- Turn off your backdrop.
- Clean & maintain your PC with anti-virus software.
- Choose Google for your homepage and default search engine.
- Use a third-party internet browser.
- Close applications you’re not using.
- Disconnect unused peripherals.
- Use the Ready Boost feature.
- Try eBoostr if you have more than 1GB of RAM.
- Select the right power settings for your computer.
- Use standby mode instead of shutting down.
- Buy a new computer.
- Delete files from your inbox.
Intermediate methods to speed up your computer
- Disable and uninstall tool bars.
- Create separate user accounts.
- Disable fast user switching in XP.
- Rid your computer of dust to maintain idle operating temperature.
- Disable idle system services.
- If you’re a green-geek, hibernate instead of shutting down.
- Use ethernet cables.
- Consider using an all-in-one messenger. Or even a web messenger.
- Check and correct your system files.
- Download your e-mail to your computer.
Advanced methods to speed up your computer
- Update your drivers.
- Update your BIOS.
- Upgrade your RAM.
- Upgrade your hard disk.
- Consider replacing your hard disk with a Solid State Drive.
- Consider buying low-density RAM if you have high-density RAM.
- Upgrade your graphics card.
- Reinstall your computer’s operating system.
- Consider upgrading to a new version of Windows.
- Try Ubuntu or another variation of Linux.
- Upgrade your processor and/or motherboard.
- Consider using a different security suite better fitted to your hardware.
- Disable the display themes.
- Disable virtual memory.
- Move your paging file to a second drive.
- Overclock your processor.
- Set up your wireless connection the right way.
- Invest in a DNS cache.
- Check the Windows Experience Index for upgrade advice.
- Under-prioritise Peer-to-Peer and other CPU hungry applications.
- Defragment your page file and registry.
- Partition your hard disk.
- Convert your disks to NTFS.
If you have anything to add, do so in a comment!