Simple Tips to Clean and Speed up your Computer
- Steven Paniccia
- Feb 12, 2023
- 5 min read
If your computer is running slow, there's nothing to worry about. PC's slow down and the performance you once had is now lagging. However, this is totally normal over the course of time and use. Below are some steps you can take to restore your computer back to the way it used to perform.
1. Windows Updates
It's important to run windows updates for a few reasons. Not only does it provide security patches for bugs and errors in windows but they also provide performance enhancements for windows components which help your computer run smoother. Windows updates, by default, are automatic but they really push the high priority updates. Running a manual Windows updates will allow you to pick and choose what you want to update.
To run a Windows update, simply click on Start > Settings > Update & Security from the menu. Once you do, you'll see the screen below and then press the Check for updates button and let Windows process the updates accordingly.
I suggest running a Windows update, then rebooting when prompted too. After the reboot, do it again until you get the You're up to date stamp of approval from Microsoft.
2. Running an SFC Scan
Running an System File Checker Scan or simply an SFC Scan is a built in Windows utility that checks for problems with files for windows and attempts to repair them. Its a good idea to run this a few times if errors are found. a good rule of thumb is 3 times if errors are found.
Click on Start > Windows System > Right click on Command Prompt and select "Run as Administrator" (If you're using Windows 10 and 11 you might have to press more then you'll see the additional options)
You can still continue to use your computer while this runs without worrying about it slowing down. This scan is very lightweight and doesn't eat up a lot of system resources to run.
3. Manufacturers Support Tools
Running Support tools from the computers manufacturer is a great way to get your computer up to date component wise. Running tools like Dell Support Assist or HP Support Solution provides manufacturer specific updates to components that help patch / improve how your computer functions.
They provide updates to components like your Bios, video drivers, motherboard chipset. Its always best practice to keep them up-to-date. Running these tools might also help resolve minor issues like adding an additional display.
Simply go to your manufacturers website and download their tool. Below are a few links that might help you.
Lenovo: Lenovo Support – Drivers, Updates, How-To Guides, Technical Help and more - Lenovo Support US
4. 3rd Party Applications
There are some really powerful 3rd party tools that can help speed up your pc with little to no technical knowledge needed. Applications like CCleaner and Malwarebytes are great for rooting out problems and speeding up your pc.
CCleaner by Piriform is a really powerful tool that scans your pc and lists how much data can be cleared to give you computer more resources and space.
If you'd like to download CCleaner you can click this link here: Download CCleaner | Clean, optimize & tune up your PC, free!
The free version is powerful and works great. I also recommend running the registry cleaner as well to clear up any unused registry keys that might be left behind from programs that were removed. I recommend you back up the registry when you're prompted to after selecting the Review Selected Issues button. Its also a good idea to run it a few times as it doesn't always catch everything the first time.
Another powerful free program to use is TreeSize by JAM Software. It shows you a graphical layout of where your pc is space is being used up from high to low consumption. From here you can clear up space which will also provide restore some performance back to your pc. This program is extremely lightweight and doesn't take much to run at all.
5. Defragging your Drive
Defragging your drive doesn't require you to download any specialized programs. Windows built in Disk Defragmenting tool is actually pretty powerful and will get the job done as good as anything else.
To get to the built in Disk Defragment tool, go to Start > Windows Administrative Tools > and select Defragment and Optimize Drives.
Not only does this tool tell you what type of drive you have, it also tells you if you need to optimize your drive or not. You might see Hard Disk Drive or Solid State Drive depending on what is installed on in your pc.
6. PC upgrades
Today, most pc's come with either an SSD or a NVMe M2 SSD installed and Plenty of Ram. The days of HHD and 4GB of Ram are well in the past however, if you have an older laptop that you just don't want to get rid of, Updating these 2 components are a sure bet to breathe new life into your laptop or desktop.
With the standardization of SSD's in computers now, they're fairly cheap to buy and easy to install. Check out Amazon or any local PC repair store to purchase an affordable SSD. I would recommend a minimum of 500GB as they're cheap and leave you plenty of space without overkill. Not all laptops and desktops support NVMe M2 chips, so before you buy one I would highly recommend checking the specifications of your computer with the manufacturers website.
RAM is also important to upgrade and is also very affordable depending on how much you want to put in your computer. Its also important to make sure you check out your system specs to find out the maximum your system can hold before purchasing anything. When it comes to RAM, I would recommend a minimum of 8GB to have your system run smooth.
7. Windows Reset
I would recommend this as a last option. Resetting your laptop back to square one is a sure way to breathe life back into your system. However, it also removes all applications from your pc which will force you to reinstall all of them again after you're back up and running. You have two different options to choose from when you do a Windows reset but first to get there you need to go to Start > Settings > Update and Security and select the Recovery tab on the left-hand side menu.
From here, select the Get Started button and you'll be prompted to choose between two options which I'll explain below:
The First option is Keep my files. This option is the best option if you're looking to keep your personal files, like documents that you wrote or pictures you have saved that you don't want to lose, however, you need to reinstall all your applications like Microsoft Office and any programs you use frequently. If you're looking to restore your system back to a healthy fast-paced pc, I would recommend this option. I want to also note, and this is important,
ALWAYS BACK YOUR IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND PICTURES UP!
The Second option I would use if you're looking to sell your computer or are giving it away to a family member or a friend. This cleans the drive and gives you an additional option to secure wipe the drive which makes it harder for someone to use recover any information off it.
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