Have you ever felt that your computer feels a little draggy? I've felt it many times, even with a reasonably powerful computer or laptop with high end specs.
I've tested various computers and laptops but with use over time it becomes slow and laggy. And I can assure you that for most of the part, it's not your fault. Here are few ways by which you can make your computer go faster than ever!
The reason why your machine slows down
There could be a lot of reasons for your computer to slow down. It can be
as simple as caching issues or as complex as Thermal throttling. But we'll
cover all the solutions for each specific problem.
There are numerous reasons why this could happen, in particular order of
importance:
- Ageing hardware
- Lack of internal maintenance leading to issues such as dried up thermal paste
- Presence of bloatware
- Overloading startup apps
- Adware or malware constantly running
- Hardware configuration issues
- Caveats or manufacturing defects in hardware
- A buggy OS update
This calls for the need of general maintenance. Just like how external
maintenance is highly regarded and considered important, internal
maintenance bears the same, if not more significance than external
maintenance. So, if you're familiar with internal cleaning, both software
and hardware wise, then you should do definitely do it 3 to 6 months
once.
Deleting unused junk
Unused apps, games, and files can accumulate over time, taking
up valuable space and slowing down your system. Regularly
cleaning these can significantly reduce the load on your
computer, improving performance and responsiveness.
Benefits of Cleaning Up
- Improved Performance: Freeing up space on your SSD or hard drive can enhance your system's speed. SSDs, in particular, perform better with ample free space, as they need extra room to manage data efficiently.
- Better Organization: Cleaning out unused files not only speeds up your system but also helps you stay organized, making it easier to find what you need.
Identifying Unused Junk
- Applications and Games: Go through your installed programs and identify those you haven’t used in a while. Uninstalling them not only frees up space but also reduces the number of background processes, which can improve system performance.
-
Common Junk Locations:
- Downloads Folder: Often, this folder becomes a dumping ground for various files. Delete files you no longer need or move important ones to more appropriate locations.
- Desktop: A cluttered desktop can slow down your system, especially at startup. Organize or remove unnecessary files.
- Recycle Bin: Don't forget to empty your Recycle Bin regularly. Files here still occupy space until permanently deleted. I once found 12 GB worth of junk in my Recycle Bin alone!
Tools and Tips for Efficient Cleanup
- Built-in Utilities: Use your operating system’s built-in disk cleanup tools to automate part of the process. Windows has a Disk Cleanup utility, while macOS users can use the built-in Storage Management tool.
- Third-Party Software: Consider using third-party applications like CCleaner for a more thorough cleanup, which can identify and remove system cache, temporary files, and other unnecessary data.
By regularly deleting unused junk, you not only free up space but also keep your system running smoothly, allowing it to perform at its best.
Clear your Temp folder and cache.
Probably an extension of the first step but more important than that. You
can delete those age old unwanted temporary files from a few folders.
For Windows
Go to Start Menu > Type %temp% and click on the temp folder. Close all
your apps and games and select all the files using Control + A and
permanently delete them by Shift + Delete.
For macOS
For macOS, the process is quite different. Go to Finder > Go > Type
~/library/cache and selectively delete what you wanted to.
Be Cautious: macOS cache can contain some important files like App preferences or Game saves for example. I strongly recommend you delete caches from apps like iTunes or apps that you don't use much.
A quick search on internet can give you more ways to delete cache from other cache reserve folders. However, proceed with caution because you may sometimes delete an important file.
For Linux
Cleaning temp files is straightforward and feels like a breeze. Open
terminal using Control + Alt + T and type:
sudo apt-get autoremove.
You'll be prompted to enter your administrator password.
Tada, you have cleaned all temp files from your Linux desktop!
Restart
Giving your system a break can work wonders. I've personally left my computer in sleep mode for months, but a simple restart can refresh it by clearing cached data from memory and resetting background processes.
Why Restarting Helps
When you restart your computer, it shuts down all running applications and processes, allowing the system to clear its RAM and reset any temporary issues. This can help resolve problems caused by:
- Background Processes: Over time, background tasks can accumulate, consuming memory and CPU resources. Restarting stops these processes, freeing up system resources.
- Memory Leaks: Some programs may have memory leaks, where they fail to release memory properly, leading to gradual performance degradation. A restart can reset these issues.
Restarting in Safe Mode
If you're facing persistent issues, restarting in Safe Mode can be beneficial. Safe Mode loads only the essential drivers and services, helping you:
- Diagnose Problems: Identify if a third-party application or driver is causing issues.
- Resolve Malware Issues: Safe Mode can help isolate and remove malware that may be affecting your system's performance.
- Fix Driver Issues: Sometimes, a faulty driver can cause system instability. Safe Mode allows you to troubleshoot and update or remove problematic drivers.
Restarting your computer periodically is a simple yet effective way to maintain its performance and ensure smooth operation.
Reset BIOS Settings
Often neglected, resetting your BIOS System to factory defaults can make
your system faster! At least, it reduced my boot times from 2 minutes to 15
seconds.
But before you do that, check your BIOS Settings once and note the ones you
might need to change after the reset, like changing boot order.
Operating System might be the culprit
Sometimes, your operating system might be the one which slows down your
device. It can be due to incompatibility, or the Operating System might be
too heavy for your system (*Ahem, Windows*).
Or it can be due to a buggy update. Consider reverting back a new update to
its preceding version, which is generally more stable.
Reinstall your Operating system.
As a last resort, reinstall a fresh copy of your Operating System. It
helped in my case, maybe it might help you too.
If you had a dual boot configuration in your system. maybe that could slow
down too. I do not know why this happens, but for some weird reason it
slowed down my system.
Upgrade Time!
If all these doesn't work, maybe a quick upgrade can do the job for you. If
you have a system with very less RAM (According to today's standards) then
maybe a RAM upgrade can do the Job for you.
Solid State Drives
The most common upgrade is from a Hard Disk to a Solid-State Drive. They
are fast, damn fast, and doesn't have moving parts which reduces the risk of
failures unlike Hard drives.
They are expensive (Obviously) but they are worth it. If your system has a
M.2 Slot, then I strongly recommend you use a M.2 Drive.
If you have an SSD yet your system is lazy enough then probably you need to
increase free space. SSDs need to have a goofy amount of free space to work
well.
A simple workaround is to install your Operating System in a SSD and store
your huge games and files in a Hard Disk. Makes things quite
organized.
RAM Upgrade
A Ram upgrade can always almost guarantee you a fast system. More the
RAM, more the Power. Using a fast RAM (3000mHZ or above) is always
recommended.
While the norm for around 3 to 4 years might be 8GB, 16GB upgrade is always
appreciable.
Use a Fresh Thermal Paste
Warning: It might get advanced here.
While installing RAMs and SSDs can be easy, reinstalling Thermal Paste
isn't!
However, if you've got some experience, you can easily do it, and it might
even solve your overheating problem.
Throttling and Bottlenecks
Thermal Throttling is dangerous. If you could invest in some good coolers
for your PC or a Good cooling pad for your laptop, you might be able to fix
that.
However, going to a professional and fixing it might be the way to
go.
Try to fix bottlenecks like a weak Processor coupled with powerful graphics
by investing in good parts. Consult your technician for more details.
Final Verdict
We have discussed simple fixes to even changing the processor in this
article. Try to do the simple ones first because for most part they might be
the only solution.
I hope it helped you and I'll catch you up in the next one.
