How to speed up a PC that slowed down over time

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Sl33py

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Hi
I have had a few complaints this week from customers saying their PC are very slow.
I thought maybe we can put down some steps we can follow to get a PC back as close as possible to a fresh install speed. I have increased RAM in some of them with little effect so it must be software then. This is what I normally do.
1. Check RAM
2. Check free Space
3. Remove temp and clutter files with CCleaner
4. If the PC boots up slow delete Prefetch files
5. Check Antivirus is installed and up to date.
6. Run a Spyware remover like Spybot Search and destroy

Or is a reload the best option? :( Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks
 
Check start up processes and services.

The more crap you have running in the background, the slower the pc gets.
 
My PC slowed down a lot. I managed to speed it up a bit by freeing up some hard drive space, defragging, unchecking a lot of outdated or unnecessary startup programs and services and uninstalling AVG 8.
 
I usually check:
a) RAM
b) Uninstall software that is no longer used
c) Run a software package called Defraggler (can download it off defraggler.com)
d) Run a virus scan
e) Check processes running, if running high then find out what is causing it, stop and uninstall the relevant processes.
f) Check how old the machine is. If seriously old might be more economical to quote on new one then spend hours trying to speed up a Celeron processor from 5 years ago.
g) If has not been formatted in years than that is also a sure fire way of going ahead. The registry gets overloaded and I have never really found a registry program that speeds up the pc that much.

Phew... looks like I am writing an essay. Just message me if you want more hints :)
 
1) Update all hardware drivers
2) Update windows
3) Remove unwanted startup entries
4) Stop unneeded services
5) Use CCleaner to clean disk and registry
6) Reboot into safe mode with command prompt. From cmd, run jkdefrag
7) Scan for viruses and spyware (Avast + malwarebytes + spybot + asquared)
8) Chkdisk
9) wise disk cleaner + wise registry cleaner (only if the problem wasn't solved by the previous steps)
10) Clean registry and defrag registry with Tweaknow PowerPack 2009
 
All of the above and +100 for drive space, in my experience XP needs about 10-20 gigs free to run optimally... maybe less but never tested it in that much detail.
I do know that in the 2-5 gigs free space range your going to have issues.
 
SlinkyMike said:
All of the above and +100 for drive space, in my experience XP needs about 10-20 gigs free to run optimally... maybe less but never tested it in that much detail.
I do know that in the 2-5 gigs free space range your going to have issues.
Click to expand...

+1. Actually it's not XP that requires the free space, but rather NTFS. 10% free space is recommended to run optimially.
 
killadoob said:
Nothing speeds up xp but a fresh install if you ask me.
Click to expand...

yeah - all these defrag, chkdsk, handy andy on your HDD Platters, clean out the spiderwebs from your PC, etc aint gonna work.

Re-install - it's only 30 minutes of the setup and a few mins to install the programs you use. 1-2 hours tops and it would speed it up to a worthy speed.

reg cleaners, -mechanics and -wipers and all that junk are just going to make your PC slower
 
Do yourself a favour and download TuneUp Utilities 2009. Its the ultimate pc tuning software. Clean up all the start up programs. Clean the registry. Defrag the registry. Defrag the hard drive. Get rid of unnecessary programs. And for the love of god do not delete the prefetch folder! Thats just shooting yourself in the foot.
 
Thanks for all the input, format is properly the best solution, if the customers have all their software CD and license. I personally have an old XP PC that I have been putting off to reload so will try all the steps and see.
 
Best way:

(1) Reformat
(2) Reload the OS
(3) Install all essential software and updates
(4) CLONE the fresh install
(5) Store the cloned HDD image somewhere so next time you just restore the image for a fresh system.
 
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