There are lots of software programs out there to make your computer run faster or speed up your computer. Let’s take a look at some programs that can bring your system back to its former glory.
1) MSConfig / Task Manager
In theory, having lots of software on your computer probably isn’t causing a slowdown by itself. When you have two dozen programs or more and you have all trying to run when you first start the system, that’s where problems occur.
The Windows built-in utility MSConfig can help you cut down on the amount of programs that run automatically. To access it in Windows 7, type msconfig into the Start Menu to open the System Configuration window.
Click on the Startup tab to view everything that starts running when you boot into Windows.
If you’re on Windows 8 or 10, this tab will instead refer you to the Startup tab of the redesigned Task Manager. Once in the Startup menu, you can start unchecking boxes (on Windows 7) or right-clicking and choosing Disable (on Windows 8 or 10) to prevent items from running at boot.
Be sure that you know what a program does before disabling it.
You don’t want to stop your antivirus or backup software from running at startup, since you need those active all the time.
2) Disk Cleanup / CCleaner
You might already know, but a lot of files on your computer aren’t necessarily used by any program. From leftover Windows Update files to temporary data used by your web browser, you could have several gigabytes of junk just sitting around.
If this is filling up your hard drive, it could affect performance.
Your best two options for cleaning up temporary data are the built-in Disk Cleanup tool and CCleaner.
3) Revo Uninstaller
While it helps to prevent non-critical software from running at startup, it’s even better to uninstall programs you don’t use. This will free up space and save resources.
You can always use the Programs and Features menu in Windows to uninstall software, but going a step further with Revo Uninstaller is a good idea.
Revo allows you to obliterate every trace of a program on your system.
After running the built-in uninstaller, it scans for extra pieces.
However, don’t worry much about the items that Revo finds in the Registry during the uninstall process.
Cleaning the Registry is useless and you’re better off leaving it alone to avoid damage.
Paired up with our other tips, Revo is one part of a great offense against troublesome software that might be slowing down your system.
4) Disk Defragmenter
While solid state drives (SSDs) are becoming more popular, traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) are still widely used.
If you use an HDD, regular defragmentation can help keep the drive performing at its best.
The built-in Disk Defragmenter / Optimize Drives tool in Windows is all most people need for defragmentation. Simply click Analyze to find out how fragmented the drive is, then Defragment / Optimize to begin the process.
Modern versions of Windows perform this process on a schedule automatically, so you won’t need to manually run this utility.
Consider Lighter Alternatives
In some cases, you can replace slow software with a faster alternative to keep things running quickly.
One example is Google Chrome, which is notorious for using too much RAM and running slowly on low-end systems.
If you can break out of Chrome’s trap, speed up your browsing by using Firefox or giving Opera a try. Other software you use might be slowing down your experience.
If you regularly work with massive PDFs, try a lighter alternative to Adobe Reader. Don’t use the, bloated µTorrent; replace it with a BitTorrent client that’s light as a feather.
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