A new laptop is usually a fast one, but most computers tend to slow down over time. The more you use your laptop, the more bloated it becomes, as a result of thousands of files that keep guzzling your system resources. With that said, you might be looking for ways you can make your new HP or Acer work faster and I came up with a few of these that might be exactly what you need.
Disable startup programs
We’ve all been there – you turn on your laptop and it takes ages for it to start up Windows and allow you to use programs. The real reason why this happens is because the more programs you install, the slower your laptop becomes. However, you don’t have to uninstall any of them in order to make sure your laptop boots in a more timely fashion. Instead, all you need to do is disable some programs from starting during boot-up. The easiest way to do it is to use the CTRL + SHIFT + ESC shortcut key, switch to the startup tab and disable programs you don’t want to run at startup.
Uninstall programs you don’t use
This one is pretty straightforward. Chances are there are a number of programs in your laptop that you simply no longer use. In fact, if you’re like most PC owners, there are some programs you never even opened. No matter how tiny these things may be, having them installed on your laptop just slows things down. This is why it’s a good idea to go through a list of programs on your laptop every once in a while and uninstall everything you no longer have any use of. To uninstall programs from your laptop, click Control Panel and find Add or Remove programs.
Install more RAM memory
Just like adding an SSD will help your laptop perform faster, adding more RAM memory will do the same. Of course, you first need to know how much RAM you already have and whether upgrading it is an option. If the answer is yes, all you need to do is buy a RAM memory module and insert it into your laptop. Most laptop models have an access panel at the bottom and that’s where you’ll be able to find latching sockets. Just make sure your laptop is turned off and unplugged when inserting your new RAM module. If installing more RAM memory doesn’t get the job done, chances are there’s something wrong with your hardware and turning to experts who offer laptop repairs is recommended.
Use the Disk Cleanup tool
We talked about how too many programs can hurt your laptop’s performance but there’s much more that can slow things down. Belonging to this list are a number of files that can be deleted without actually affecting your laptop’s functionality. While deleting them manually can be risky, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing, there’s a tool that can delete all these files for you and using it is a much better idea. The Disk Cleanup tool, which is a part of Windows, can search for these files and delete them for you. To access this tool, click All Programs in your Start bar and click on Disk Cleanup under System Tools.
Defragment your hard drive
Another important thing to do if you want your laptop to run its best is to defragment files on your hard drive. Defragmenting or consolidating your files is a maintenance task and helps improve your laptop’s performance. What’s important to know is that defragmenting your hard drive may take a while and in case you have an energy-saving feature on your laptop, disabling it before you start might be a good idea. Ideally, you should be able to run your defrag overnight. Another option is to instruct your laptop to run the procedure automatically on a regular basis. To perform it manually, click on Disk Defragmenter tool in the Administrative Tools window.
Upgrade to SSD
Upgrading to SSD is one of the most foolproof ways to speed up your laptop. SSD performs much faster than HDD and doing an upgrade shouldn’t be tough. However, the most important thing you need to do is make sure your laptop is SSD compatible. That should help avoid buying an SSD only to discover that your laptop doesn’t support it. Inserting a new drive into your laptop involves finding the right slot for it and using a magnetic screwdriver to install the screws that’ll hold the drive. In case you’re not sure how to do it, it’s better to have professionals get the job done for you.
Perform a virus check
Of course, there’s always a chance your laptop is infected with a virus and that’s what causing it to perform slower than it usually does. In case you suspect this is the issue, consider getting a good piece of antivirus software and using it to detect the virus. If you invest in a good software, it’ll identify the virus and remove it for you. Most antivirus software will perform regular checks but make sure you do it manually from time to time as well. Also, don’t forget to upgrade your antivirus software whenever possible.
Over to you
Have all these things in mind and there should be nothing stopping you from speeding your laptop up. Even once you’ve done it, don’t forget to perform regular maintenance on your laptop and have it repaired as soon as you identify a hardware issue.
