If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me how to speed up a laptop computer, I’d… well, I’d have enough to buy a nice dinner, and half of those dollars would have come from my well-intentioned brother. Without entirely realizing what he’s doing, he clicks and downloads his way to a very slow computer.
Whether it’s a desktop or a laptop, my steps are the same.
1. Reboot.
I want to see what I’m working with. If the computer is running properly, just slowly, this will be a simple step. Let’s assume that this is the case.
2. Scan for viruses.
If I have a virus scanner on the machine, I run it fresh. If this scanner has been doing its job, I shouldn’t find anything. On the other hand, if I don’t have a virus scanner readily available, I visit the web and choose one of the several well-reputed online scans.
But be careful! Not all online scans are safe. Follow the advice of a professional, or heed some trustworthy reviews.
Once the computer has been scanned and cleaned, I move on.
3. Scan for malware.
This is a step that many people skip, often because they don’t understand what malware is, or that there are scanners for it. Malware’s job is to make our lives harder, and it’s an enormous drain on system resources. In my experience, nine times out of ten these malware scans yield serious results.
Generally speaking, malware won’t be detected by virus scanners. Viruses and malware function differently from one another, and it’s important to scan for both separately. There are many softwares available that can scan for malware, some free, but just as with virus scanners, it’s important to beware. Some of these scanners are themselves malware. Again, follow credible recommendations when choosing a scanner.
When I know the computer is clean, I reboot it again, and then:
4. Stop unnecessary items from launching at start-up.
If you bought a pre-manufactured computer, and if you’ve spent any time at all downloading program upgrades or handy gadgets to run in the background on your computer, chances are that your computer didn’t stand a chance. Dozens of programs could be launching themselves as your computer boots up, and these seemingly-insignificant programs add up to a very slow machine. So when I’m trying to speed up a computer, this is an important step.
Each operating system handles start-up programs a little differently. If I need to speed up a HP M8100N computer or speed up a Sony RA computer, for instance, I will need to find out which operating system I’m running and act accordingly. When in doubt, consult a guide!
Finally, I conclude with:
5. Defragment.
With processor speeds being what they are today, defragmentation is perhaps as much habit and tradition as processing time-saver. Nevertheless, it’s a reasonable step to take when cleaning up a computer.
Using only these five steps, I have tremendous success, and I think you will, too.
Find more ways to speed up computer.
