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How can I make my computer run faster?

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Summary: The most effective way to speed up a system is to clean it up, have it run fewer programs, and give it more resources like RAM.

Please tell me how I can make my PC run faster. I'm using Windows XP Service Pack 2 on Pentium 4 2.40ghz, 40 GB hard Disk, 120 MB of RAM and I have also installed McAfee Virus Scan but still it is getting slower and slower.

There are a number of steps that you can take to attempt to speed up your system. Most require simply tweaking the software you already have, not adding more.

However, if the information you've provided is accurate, the problem with your system is much more fundamental.

I just checked a Window XP with SP2 box, and Microsoft calls out a minimum RAM requirement of 128Meg. Not only are you below that, but I consider Microsoft's requirement totally impractical if you actually want to do anything with your machine. I would recommend a minimum of 256Meg of RAM, and ideally more. In machines that I've recently purchased, I've configured them with 1 or 2 Gigabytes of RAM.

Windows XP loves RAM. If you have 256Meg of RAM or less, that would be the first place I'd turn to in order to increase your system's effective speed.

"Windows XP loves RAM."

The next place I'd look is at all the software that loads and runs automatically when you start your machine. If you've never adjusted it, and you've simply accepted default installations for software you've installed, it's likely there's a lot of software actually running that doesn't need to be. Unfortunately identifying what is, and is not, required can be a difficult process, since it depends on how you specifically use your computer.

My previous article What's all this stuff running after I boot Windows? will help you at least identify what gets launched automatically when you log in. The article What's this program running on my machine? includes some of the steps I go through when I try to understand exactly what a program is, or what it's trying to do. (In short ... Google is your friend.)

Windows Services is another area to examine, but unfortunately things get even more obscure. There are lists of services that you can review and determine for yourself if they are appropriate for your machine.

Other things you could also try to increase your system's performance include:

  • Defragment your hard disk(s).
  • Clear your Internet Explorer cache.
  • Consider using a lower resolution, or a lower color depth for your monitor.
  • Consider using a plain color instead of a picture for your desktop - the picture takes up memory that could be used for other things. (This is also extra important if you connect to your machine via Remote Desktop.)

There are, naturally, many, many other tweaks of various and dubious value out on the internet, but these are the ones that I focus on as getting the most bang for the effort. I expect readers will add some of their favorite tweaks to the comments on this article, so be sure and read any of those that are present.

Related:

Article C2502 - December 26, 2005

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Recent Comments
40 Comments

These are some great tips, I guarantee that if you follow these your computer will be running faster. I saw a site the other day that will show you videos and answers of these things, you should check it out!

http://computerht.com/archives/97

Posted by: Brooks at June 3, 2008 6:00 AM

My Slow PC would frustrate me, both performance and security wise. With regards to all of the processes that start once XP or Vista boots I also found a really useful Microsoft tool - AutoRuns - details here: http://www.MySlowPC.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=41

Thanks for the other advice!

Posted by: J at January 7, 2009 3:19 PM

Try out pcsurgeon synthesite.com [broken link removed] its was only 9.99 and came with Anti Virus, Spyware and a hard disk defragger. Also came with a tutorial that included tips and tricks to keep your computer fast, healthy and up to date. I was pretty impressed. This is all you really need to clean your computer of any viruses and spyware and keep it protected and running like its brand new.

Posted by: matt at January 9, 2009 12:06 AM

It is true that the best way to speed up your computer is too adjust what you already have and not compound the problem by adding software that is only going to slow you down even more by taking up more system resources. There is also another trick to increasing the performance of your pc, you can see the tutorial at Make-my-computer-faster.blogspot.com
Great article thanks for sharing,
vinny28

Posted by: vinny28 at February 19, 2009 4:37 PM

By adding RAM it can make your computer SEEM faster, but overall, all your pc does is take up more resources from the added ram to run unnecessary programs. To purely make your computer run faster, without adding RAM is by just follow the basic steps which you can find at:

How To Speed Up Computer

Adding RAM should only be done if you have so few, like in this article which is 128mb which is prehistoric compared to todays computer...

Posted by: Jonathan at April 2, 2009 8:05 PM

this information is very effective. any way how can i up grade my computer processor. i want know about it. thank you guys

Posted by: farish at April 27, 2009 4:05 AM

why my laptop become slow when i add RAM? now, my RAM is 3Gig but its really slow... why i cant surf internet smoothly,, then what can i do?

Posted by: rain at April 30, 2009 9:56 PM

you can download /buortonutilities it will completely remove ur unwanted and stupid dat auotmatically

Posted by: vrushabh at May 15, 2009 3:13 AM

oh sorry its norton utilities its ery goog but THE BEST THING TO DO IS BUY MMAC MY FRIEND HAS IT HR IS USING IT FROM 2 YEARS AS SOON AS U OPEN UR COUMP JUST CLICK ON THE INTERNET IN ONE SEC IT WILL NOPEN I SURE

Posted by: vrushabh at May 15, 2009 3:17 AM

I have a 1 GB vist Desktop computer, it runs very slow, and crashes on me quite a lot. My computer also makes 2 beeping sounds on start up, I have run a norton check, and it says my ram is low, if i get extra ram will this improve my computer, it is only 10 months old. Regards John....

BIOS beeps mean that your BIOS has detected some kind of hardware fault on start up before Windows has even loaded. I'd absolutely have a technician or someone knowledgeable take a look at the machine.
- Leo
27-Jun-2009

Posted by: John Bishop at June 27, 2009 4:50 AM

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