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Windows Performance
Looking for tips to speed up your PC? Windows is slow? Articles on various issues that can affect performance and in turn can help you improve Windows speed.
Can I delete Microsoft Office updates to free up disk space?
Deleting updates and folders might be okay if you do a backup beforehand, just to be sure. There are better ways to free up disk space that will be less problematic.
Can I delete the contents of my TMP folder?
Windows maintains a folder for temporary files but it doesn't always get cleaned up. With a little care you can delete the temporary folder's contents.
Can I encode video faster with quad core processors?
Quad core processors might process a video faster... but let's look at the software that you're using and see how it uses multiple processors.
Does accessing my computer's hard disk over the network impact the computer's performance?
In most cases, remote file copies to and from a machine impact that machine very minimally. However, there are scenarios that might be noticed.
How do I find out how much RAM is being used?
Process Explorer is a useful way of determining how much RAM in your system is actually being used.
How do I find out what program is using all my CPU?
Occasionally, one program will use up all of your computers processing resources. Using Process Explorer, it's easy to figure out which program that is.
How do I find out who's using all my memory?
When your system starts to slow down a frequent culprit are programs using excessive memory. It's fairly easy to find out which programs they are.
How do I monitor internet activity and see who's using it?
Process Monitor is a powerful tool and it can be used to track down exactly what program on your machine is responsible for internet activity.
How do I monitor network activity on my Windows 7 machine?
Windows 7 has a useful utility for monitoring system activity. You can use it to find out a lot about what your computer is doing online.
How do I stop this constant disk activity?
Constant disk activity is not always a sign of a problem; it depends on the cause. We'll use Process Monitor to identify the source of disk activity.
How do I tell what program is slowing down my machine?
When your machine slows down, it can sometimes be traced to a single misbehaving program. We'll use Process Explorer to try to identify which one.
How much memory do I REALLY need for Windows XP?
There is no one answer on how much memory you really need for Windows XP, but we'll look at a few things to consider when deciding.
I have constant disk activity, and I don't know why. How can I tell what program is doing it?
Unexplained disk activity turns out to be fairly easy to identify with the right tools. We'll use Process Monitor to track down disk activity.
Is a dual core processor really better? Or is it just a gimmick?
A computer with a dual processor can finally do several things at the same time. That gives programs a lot more options for speed.
What is 'defragging', and why should I do it?
Defragging is short for defragmenting which rearranges the layout of files on your hard disk for faster access.
What's hogging my machine for so long on startup?
When you first start up your machine many programs are run automatically. If one hogs resources it can make your machine temporarily unusable.
What's the difference between Closing and Killing a program?
Closing and Killing programs are both ways to shut down programs from current use, but the ramifications are very, very different.
Where did all these other temporary files come from?
Many programs will scatter temporary files throughout your hard disk. It's usually accidental, but cleaning up temporary files becomes a little complex.
It's not uncommon to run out of disk space. A free utility can help tell where your disk space is going so you can determine what steps to take.
Why am I getting "Windows cannot find" messages on startup?
On startup Windows automatically runs certain programs. If those programs aren't found, it tells you. Often the question is "how did they get there?"
Why do registry errors keep coming back?
Registry cleaners will often report multiple errors on every run, even after having recently 'cleaned' the registry. The registry is ... complicated.
Why is my machine slowing down?
A PC running Windows can slow down for many reasons. Viruses, spyware, updated software, disk fragmentation, and more can lead to performance drops.
Why is my system slow if only the system idle process is using nearly 100% of my CPU?
The system idle process's purpose is to get out of the way to let other processes run. So what does it mean if the SIP has 100% CPU on your slow system?
Why would one disk defragmenting program take so much more time than another?
Disk defragmenting can take minutes or hours; I'll look at why that might be and what I recommend for regular defragmenting.
Will adding RAM to my system solve my problems?
Windows loves RAM, but whether or not adding RAM will resolve the issues you're experiencing depends on the issues. We'll look at an example.