One of the biggest problems that laptop users have to face is low speed in terms of performance, particularly when you know that it can work better. However, it is costly and impractical to buy a new laptop or PC, which is why it is better to look into some ways you can make your existing laptop work faster instead of having to buy a new one. On the internet, it is frequently searched by users on how they can speed up the performance of their systems. Slow laptops tend be a great inconvenience for users and can hang during important tasks. Laptops tend to slow down due to debris, unnecessary files and irrelevant softwares. No matter how fast the processor of your laptop is, it is possible for it to slow down as time passes. However, fixing up your laptop and getting it to work faster is not as hard as you may be thinking it is. You do not need to hire an IT professional or spend any money, you simply have to implement a few simple tricks and check a few things. Following are ten Ways to maintain your Laptop’s Speed
- Uninstall Unused Programs: First of all you should uninstall any programs that you do not use or are not important. When you buy a new PC, they come with a number of programs that most people have no use of, and most users are even unaware of their presence. Some of these programs are able to run processes in the background while your computer or laptop is loading, even if you are not using these programs. In order to get rid of such useless programs, you have to open the Programs and Features page in the Control Panel. Then you have to go through the list of installed programs that you will find there. Then choose the ones that you are sure that you will not have any need of and uninstall them. However, be cautious that you do not remove any programs that are necessary for the proper running of your computer’s hardware. Important programs are usually distinguished by their publishers who will be listed as the maker or as Microsoft, depending on your laptop. If you are doubtful as to which programs are useful or not, then you can use a software like PC Decrapifier which does not cost you anything. This will be able to tell you what programs you need and what programs you do not.
- Delete Temporary Files: Delete any temporary files that might be on your computer. While performing everyday tasks on your computer, temporary files can accumulate on your hard disk and then stay there; this can slow down your computer’s performance. If you get rid of irrelevant files like these, as well as your internet history and cookies, this will give you even more space on your hard disk, which will result in faster laptop computer speed. In order to do this, you have to go to ‘My Computer’ and then go to your local drive which is usually the C drive. Then select the folder named, “Windows” and open the folder named ‘Temp’. Using your mouse, right-click on this folder. In the View option go to Details and then select all of the files that are older than the present date and then delete them using the delete key, typically on the right side of your keyboard. Then go the Recycle Bin that will be found on your desktop and empty it of its contents. You may also use CCleaner which is available in both free and paid versions.
- Adjust Window for Better Performance: If you are interested in making your laptop work smoothly rather than all the animation & effects of windows then this tip is for you. Right click on “My Computer” and then click “Properties” (alternatively you can go to Control Panel & then click “system”). In the left bar, click on “Advance System Settings” and then open “Advanced” Tab. Click “Settings” under “Performance” section and select “Adjust for Best Performance” option, click on Apply & then click on Ok. After doing this, Right click on desktop and click Personalize, then select the theme you like again. Your system will have the same theme but without extra animation and effects making it perform faster.
- Solid State Drives: You should install a solid state drive. In laptops and computers, the main cause of lagging speeds and sluggish startups happen to be their hard drives. Even though solid state drives are not very cheap, they have very fast read timings which will quicken your startup pace by a considerable amount.
- Increase Storage: Another way to increase your computer’s speed is by getting more storage on your hard drive. Even if you clean out temporary files on a regular basis, your hard drive getting full by more than eighty percent will have a noticeable impact on the speed of your laptop, and slow it down. For people who film movies or record television with the help of their computer, then such people should make sure that the storage on their hard drive is as plentiful as possible, more than 1TB in size. You can check this video on how to install a new hard drive by clicking here.
- Startup Programs: Avoid redundant startups. This method plays a key role in how much time it will take for the startup of your laptop. Usually several of the programs that get launched during startup then keep on running which wastes the memory of your laptop. To do this, select Start and then Run. In the Run option, type ‘msconfig’, after this press the Enter key. Then you should be able to see the Startup tab. In this you will see the programs that load when your computer performs a startup. These programs will be marked with a tick. It is likely that that in this list there will be many programs that you did not know ran on your computer while startup, or even knew they existed at all. Then you can easily unselect those programs that you do not want to be loaded when you start up your computer. You can also select the ‘disable all’ option and then select the programs that you would want to run, especially those like anti-virus software’s that are important for your computer to run efficiently. Another thing you can do is that you can remove all of the unimportant fonts that are loaded by Windows. When you use Windows 7, it loads more than two hundred fonts when you startup which will make the speed at which it boots up considerably slow. To remove these, you have to go to the search box in the Start Menu and look for the Fonts folder and then select all the fonts you do not require and then select the Hide button that is in the toolbar.
- Increase RAM: Increase the amount of RAM you have. RAM, Random Access Memory, refers to the temporary storage memory that your computer uses and is used when multiple tasks are being run by several, different programs. For people who use many programs, even more RAM is required and if they do not have a sufficient amount of RAM then their computer will be quite slow. The most obvious way of knowing if the RAM you have is not enough is if your laptop lags whenever you want to process heavy files. Your computer can also freeze when many different tasks are being executed at the same time. You can solve this problem in a few handy ways. You can add more RAM by putting in an extra memory card or stick. You can also buy brand new memory if the slots in your computer are unavailable. There is no limit of the amount of RAM that can be used if your operating system if of 64-bit but for most users a 4GB tends to be sufficient. If you want to know how you can easily upgrade your computer’s RAM then you can watch video by clicking here. Another method to find out how many RAM is being used by your computer is to go the Performance tab of the Task Manager. To go to this option simply click Ctrl->Shift ->Esc and the option will appear.
- Disk Defragmenter: Run a defragment of your disk. This may seem like a complex task, but it is technically just a method of reconfiguring your hard drive in the way it stores the information provided and make it do so in the most efficient way possible. To do so, go to My Computer and right-click on it. Go to the Properties option and go to the Tools tab. Then select the ‘Defragment Now’ option.
- Disk Cleanup: It is always good to run a disk cleanup. For Windows computers, they come with a built-in cleaning tool called Disk Cleanup. This is able to look through the system and root out large files that you have no use of. These could be temporary Internet files or installers for programs or anything like that. You can open Disk Cleanup by going to Start then All Programs then Accessories then System Tools where you will be able to find the Disk Cleanup option.
- Static IP: Another effective method is to give a static IP to your computer. This is a highly convenient trick by which you can make the loading time of your computer even faster. This address does not change. When your computer is started up, then it will spend a long time asking the network to provide it with an IP address. If you have a static IP address then it will be not be as difficult for you to manage the network especially you have several devices that work on that network. This also lessens time spent during startup. In order to do this, you have to go to the Network and Sharing Center of your computer and go to Change adapter settings. Then you have to right-click on the local adapter after which you will go to the Properties option. Then you have to highlight what will be titled Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and then select Properties. The option will come of ‘Use the following IP address’ in which you should enter the right IP, Subnet mask and the default gateway which will correspond to the setup of your network. Please ensure that you have checked the ‘validate settings upon exit’ so that if there are any problems with the addresses that have been entered by you, Windows can find them. If you do not know what your IP, Subnet mask and Default gateway are then just go to Start then Run and then type in ‘cmd’. At the prompt you should type ‘IPCONFIG/All’ and the details you require should show up.
- Clean Dust: The last thing you can do is to air out the dust that could have gathered. While this way may sound a little extreme to some people, it is important to remember that dust poses one of the greatest threats to your laptop and its performance. Dust blocks the necessary airflow which is important to ensure the proper temperature of your computer. If your laptop overheats, this will usually result in a lag in the performance. If you want to stop this from happening, then you can remove the exterior of the laptop and air out some of the dust using a hoover that is set on the lowest setting for power. You can also use a can of compressed air on it and wipe away the dust using a clean cotton cloth. However, before you clean make sure that the laptop has been powered off for a maximum of half an hour and that any cables that need to be attached while usage have been disconnected.
Conclusion
Once you have applied a few of these tricks you will see a noticeable change in the speed of your laptop. These tips are not very time-consuming and can be done easily. Adding new hardware might cost you a little but it can be easily done by yourself. In fact, if you use all of these tips then you will see that your laptop has restored to its maximum speed. If you follow these tips, then you can prevent your laptop from ever lagging, overheating or behaving sluggishly. This way you will never be inconvenienced and the performance of your laptop will always be optimal. You can easily process files and run programs without worrying about your computer being burdened or getting damaged. Repairing a damaged laptop is always an expensive route and users should always do their best to avoid it. If you want your laptop to always be in the best shape, then it is best to follow these steps and make sure that you do not end up having to going through any hassles.
