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Up to Speed: Give Windows a Shot of Espresso

Softonic Editorial Team

Softonic Editorial Team

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Is your Windows machine lagging and dragging? If so, it could just need a boost. Some of these ideas are totally free, while others require a reasonable investment. But all of these ideas will bring the jolt your Windows system needs to perk up and speed up.

Uninstall Bloatware & Junkware

Up to Speed: Give Windows a Shot of Espresso

Some programs aren’t technically viruses, but suck up memory and processing power just the same, all while providing no actual benefit to you or the system. You can go to the Start menu and in the search box, type “Add and Remove Programs”. From here, you can get rid of all the programs you don’t want. Windows comes with a program to help you get rid of unused and useless programs, too. Go to the Start menu and in the search box, enter “Disk Cleanup”. Select the drive you want cleaned (which is most often the “C” drive), and click OK to begin running the program.

Clean Up That Hard Drive

After you’ve uninstalled those unwanted programs, you’ll want to defragment your hard drive so that it’s once again clean, organized, and efficient. Defragmenting speeds the performance of Windows, because everything is stored so that it’s quickly and easily accessible. Go to Start and type “Disk Defragment” in the search box. From there, you can analyze the disk (to determine if it needs to be defragmented) or simply start the defrag. That process might take quite awhile, so don’t do it if you need to use the computer within the next few hours. Anytime the fragmentation is 10 percent or greater, it’s time to defrag.

Invest in More RAM

More memory isn’t the cheapest way to get faster speeds, but it does work. Today’s software is notoriously RAM hoggish, so this investment can help all of your software run faster, not just Windows 7. More RAM is definitely advisable if you are into activities that are memory-heavy, such as working with graphics, video, games, etc.

Soup Up Your System with an SSD

SSD (solid-state drive) has both advantages and disadvantages. While it is far faster to boot up than HHD, it has a limited number of times it can be used. SSD is also a bit pricier than HHD. However, many users opt for SSD for Windows startup, loading, and memory-heavy applications. SSD is also great for computers that take a lot of punishment, such as laptops, where HHD drives typically fail due to heat and vibration.

Get Rid of Spyware & Malware

One of the issues that slows Windows down is spyware and malware. Most people think of viruses as programs that completely shut down a system, but there are a number of malicious programs that simply slow down the system, cause a lot of unwanted pop ups, or track your actions and report back to the developer (which is usually a highly-aggressive advertiser). Windows Defender is a built-in program that can help protect you against these problems, but you can also download any number of free (or paid) antivirus programs that will scan the system, identify the problems, and remove the viruses and spyware.

Watch this video to protect your computer: The Best Antiviruses of 2016!

Softonic Editorial Team

Softonic Editorial Team

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