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Topic: CXO

10 ways to speed up a slow PC

Summary: Is your computer moving at a crawl? Don't give up. There are some things you can do about it.

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This is mainly a Windows thing. While it won't have that much impact on a modern system, and should absolutely not be performed on an SSD, defragging a hard drive could potentially give you that little extra speed boost you're after.

Under Windows XP you can find the defrag tool by right-clicking on your hard drive in Windows Explorer, selecting Properties and then the Tools tab. Click the Defragment Now... button to open the Disk Defragmenter, then click the Defragment button. This can take a long time depending on the size of your storage, so it's best to let it go overnight.

Windows 7 is easier — just click the Windows orb in the bottom left and type defrag, and the Disk Defragmenter application will appear. Click on it, select the hard drive you wish to defrag and then click Defragment Disk.

Screenshot by Craig Simms/CBSi

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Topics: CXO, Hardware

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  • 10 ways to speed up a slow PC

    Get rid of windows and install Linux, that should be number one on the list.
    guzz46
    Reply Vote

    • Yawn!

      N/T
      Ram U
      Reply Vote

    • i agree

      it is strange that installing a linux distro isn't on the list.

      P.S im a loyal linux user (fedora 16 with kde currently)
      emewify
      Reply Vote

    • Funny you should say that.

      Ubuntu chokes on my three year old hardware... Windows 8 however doesn't.
      The one and only, Cylon Centurion
      Reply Vote

      • Ubuntu chokes on my three year old hardware... Windows 8 however doesn't.

        The I suggest you try another distro, Ubuntu isn't the only Linux distro around.

        I have Debian squeeze 64bit with Gnome 2 installed on my mothers laptop and it uses just 150mb of Ram compared to at least 500mb of Ram on windows 7 64bit... and that's without any AV software.
        guzz46
        Reply Vote

      • heh

        "The I suggest you try another distro"

        Well, the point is that Windows can be every bit as fast, or even faster than, a common Linux distro. This idea that Windows is slow/bloated simply does not hold water anymore. Windows 7 and Windows 8 have seen a decline in system requirements, and Microsoft really has put serious effort into performance.

        Yes, there are more minimalistic versions of Linux, but there's a tradeoff - you'll have give up some of the fancier, nice things that the larger distros come with.
        CobraA1
        Reply Vote

      • heh

        "Well, the point is that Windows can be every bit as fast, or even faster than, a common Linux distro"

        Dream on, you obviously haven't tried many distro's, if you tried you might be able to make Linux as slow as windows if, but you can't make windows as fast as Linux.

        Windows 7 using half a gig of Ram is not what you call bloated? how much Ram did XP use?

        Debian isn't minimalistic, its one of... if not probably the largest distro out there, I even have office 2007 installed through wine on my mothers laptop, so what is the tradeoff you speak of? using just 150mb of Ram?
        guzz46
        Reply Vote

      • @guzz46

        As you can see by their lame answers, you are dealing with Windows fanboys who've never used anything else besides Windows in their life.

        Give it up, Redmondphiles. You can't win on this.
        ScorpioBlack
        Reply Vote

    • yes your right it does make it fast but..

      the fact you can't get any good comercial apps will eventually make you return to windows. Linux will be nothing more than a toy for the techies or a plaform for web servers, netapps, and non MS databases.

      It's not and never will be a reall desktop os.
      Bakabaka
      Reply Vote

      • the fact you can't get any good comercial apps

        Really? I have been windows free for years now, and nothing would make me want to go back, it would just feel so limited.

        What makes you think most home desktop users need commercial apps anyway?

        And what is a real desktop OS? one that suffers from the problems mentioned in this article?
        guzz46
        Reply Vote

    • The trolls are becoming quite unimaginative of late

      guzz46's remark looked to be something that most likely took him hours to craft, and yet left many yawning.

      :|
      Tim Cook
      Reply Vote

      • The definition of troll

        "In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community"

        There is nothing trollish about my comment, it's the 100% truth, whether you like it or not.
        guzz46
        Reply Vote

      • @Mister Spock

        Flagged for trolling. Hypocrite.
        ScorpioBlack
        Reply Vote

  • Two best solutions: Linux or buy new computer

    The list makes sense, this was what I used to do. However, at the end you still have a slow computer. In particular, hardware upgrade on an old computers is very expensive. Here are the two best solutions I found:

    - Continue with the old computer, zero hardware upgrade, and install a lightweight Linux.

    - Or just buy a new computer. A modern CPU + integrated graphic + motherboard + DDR3 RAM will cost about $300. It's even better and cheaper than most of used computers people are selling.
    RelaxWalk
    Reply Vote

    • Installing a lightweight Linux is not the solution

      As hardware issues care very little for the operating system.

      Even if you install Linux, the unkept hardware will still be the weak link in the system.

      No matter what you install, cleaning and maintaning the hardware is a practice eveyone should follow.
      :|
      Tim Cook
      Reply Vote

      • Installing a lightweight Linux is not the solution

        It is if you want to speed up your computer, and this article is called "10 ways to speed up a slow PC"
        Linux will run fast on that unkept hardware.
        guzz46
        Reply Vote

      • Linux will run fast...

        ...on Pentium II and Pentium III processors.

        EPIC FAIL for faux pointy ears.
        ScorpioBlack
        Reply Vote

  • Missing link?

    In the paragraph near the end of the article... "While it can change from laptop to laptop, here's a "rule of thumb" chart for what needs to be done on a brand-by-brand basis to get into the recovery environment."

    There is no link. Easy to overlook but should be remedied. Otherwise reasonable content.

    Personally, unless someone's system is fairly modern, it might just be time to look at a new machine since prices are generally very good. Someone who has more time on their hands than money can run these steps. I've had people waste their time attempting to improve their old 286/386/pentium systems with old (back to 3.1) Windows when they should have just budgeted a replacement.
    MasterE@...
    Reply Vote

  • Linux is only a solution for tech people

    I don't have anything against Linux, I have a VM of it (don't use it much) but only a tech person is going to use Linux. The average person just turns on the computer and uses the internet and office, they are not going to be burning ISO's and backing up their data and loading a new OS. The list is not bad, a lot of standard maintenance stuff that I still do. I have a PC tower going on 5 years that is still very fast. 8 GB of ram, 1GB video card, Windows 7 with an AMD x64 processor. I may be a bit biased as I am a Network Engineer by trade, but the most 2 most important things on that list are RAM, and getting rid of stuff you don't use, especially in the start up menu.
    smscanl
    Reply Vote

    • Re: Linux is only a solution for tech people

      I'm a Professional Photographer and use Linux exclusively. It meets every RAW photo processing need I have. Do I use PhotoShop as I can in Linux? - No. I use G.N.U. / G.P.L. applications avoiding the ridiculous price of Adobe Products. My sales tell me Linux and the free apps that can be found is a good one. Yes!, Linux is for Non-Tech, everyday people.

      I create multi-media DVD's as well and once again!, Linux and it's apps is a great solution!

      Keep in mind, Linux is not for the compartmentalized thinker as Linux is a Kernel, not an O.S. The O.S. has been built on the Linux Kernel by many, agreed. The flexibility this offers a potential dissatisfied user of either Mac or Windows lowers the bar for learning something new and getting on with one's computing.

      For my photography and multi-media work, Windows 8 is drastically moving in the wrong the direction as touch is unsuitable for the picture and video processing I do.
      The Rifleman
      Reply Vote
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