Windows 7 might be new, but it’s certainly got its downsides… such as running slow. This is a big problem that has affected all previous versions of Windows, and seven isn’t much different. Luckily, there are several things you can do to speed up Windows 7 with online computer support:

1. Defrag The Hard Drive

This rearranges files so the hard drive doesn’t have to look for longer then necessary to find files.

• Select “Start” from Desktop
• Select “Accessories”
• Select “System tools”
• Select “Disk Defragmenter”

This process may take a few minutes to a few hours depending on how long the period since you did it in the past. As an alternative you can use JK defrag which is smaller but more efficient than Microsoft Disk Defragmenter program. It is free software and it can even defrag your computer when it’s idle, saving you precious time.

2. Disable Indexing Services

Indexing is a service running in the background which was intended to speed up searching. It’s basically where Windows notes down ALL of your files in a big database each time you use it, allowing faster and more reliable searches. However if you don’t use searches function regularly disabling this service may speed up your computer significantly, because the indexing program using a lot of resources.

To disable this service;

• Select “Start” from Desktop
• Click on “Control Panel”
• Double Click the “Uninstall A Program” icon
• Click on “Turn Windows functions on and off”
• Find and uncheck “Indexing Services”

3. Check NTFS File System Is Being Used

NTFS system is more secure and faster then FAT32. I suggest changing your disk to NTFS if it is currently FAT32.

Check your computer is using NTFS by;

• Double-click “My Computer”
• Right-click the C: drive
• Select “Properties”
• Examine the “File System Type”

To Change to NTFS

• Backup any important data on a different PC or Disc.
• Select “Start”
• Select “Run”
• Type in “cmd”
• Click “OK”
• In Command Prompt type in “C: /FS:NTFS”
• Press “Enter” and leave until completion.

4. Uninstall Unnecessary Software

Anything taking up memory on your hard drive unnecessarily is slowing your computer down. To remove programs from your machine follow these steps;

• Select “Start”
• Select “Control Panel”
• Select “Uninstall Programs”
• Remove desired programs.

5. Remove The Desktop Picture

Your desktop background uses system resources; if your happy to live without then it may help improve performance of your computer. Remove it by;

• Right-Clicking the Desktop
• Select “Personalize”elect The “Windows Classic” theme (at the bottom)

6. Adjust Page file size

Page file size is used by all currently running programs and by default, Windows constantly adjusting the page file size to ensure enough free space on RAM. Making page file size fixed also saves the windows from having to constantly adjust the size. This can also improve performance.

To change the size of your page file:

• Click On The Start Icon
• Right click “Computer”
• Select “Properties”
• Select “Advanced” on the left-hand-side
• Select “Settings” button under “Performance”
• Select “Advanced” tab
• Select Change under “Virtual Memory”
• Click on the drive containing your page file
• Change the size. (I recommend increasing it- having it fixed at the same default size still helps)

7. Turn Off System Sounds

What this does is disable the Sound Scheme. The sound scheme contains things like the sound you hear when you click on something. By turning sound scheme off you can free up system resources. Follow these steps;

• Go to Start
• Click on Control Panel
• Click on “Hardware And Sound”
• Click on “Change System Sounds”
• Click Sounds and Audio Devices then Click on the Sounds tab
• Save your current scheme, click on the Save As… button, enter a name, and click OK.
• Next, in the upper most box, click on the arrow on the right side and choose No Sounds
• Click Apply at the bottom, right.

8. Optimize Display Settings

Windows 7 can look sexy but displaying all the visual items can waste system resources. To optimise:

• Go to Start
• Right click on “Computer” & select “properties”
• Select “Advanced System Settings”
• In the Performance tab click Settings
• Leave only the following ticked:

• Show shadows under menus
• Show shadows under mouse pointer
• Show translucent selection rectangle
• Use drop shadows for icons labels on the desktop
• Use visual styles on windows and buttons

9. Limit The Number Of Programs You Run At Once

Sometimes changing your computing behavior can have a big impact on your PC’s performance. If you’re the type of computer user who likes to keep eight programs and a dozen browser windows open at once – all while instant messaging your friends – don’t be surprised if your PC bogs down. Keeping a lot of e? mail messages open can also use up memory.

If you find your PC slowing down, ask yourself if you really need to keep all your programs and windows open at once. Find a better way to remind yourself to reply to e?mail messages than to keep all of them open.

10. Disable Services You Don’t Need

This is the most technically advanced of all these tips. If you don’t want to mess with anything too advanced or complicated, you can skip this one.

Windows has more than 100 services running quietly in the background with names such as Network Access Protection Agent and Shell Hardware Detection. These typically launch when your computer is started and they run until your computer is shut down. Some secure Microsoft services cannot be disabled, but most others can be. Many software companies also install their own services, some of which you can disable to conserve memory and processor power.

You should not turn off a service unless you understand what it does and are confident you don’t need it. Explaining what the many services in Windows do is beyond the scope of this article, but there is plenty of information about this on various websites.

Some of the features that can often be unselected include:

• Indexing Service
• Remote Differential Compression
• Tablet PC optional components
• Windows DFS Replication Service
• Windows Fax and Scan
• Windows Meeting Space

11. Tame The Sidebar

The Windows7 Sidebar is fun, but the more gadgets you add, the more system resources they’ll consume and the slower your PC will be. Remove gadgets you don’t need, or right-click on the Sidebar, select Properties and clear Start Sidebar to disable it altogether.

12. Remove System Tray Clutter

Take a look at all those icons in your system tray. For every essential item like your antivirus program, there will be something else, like QuickTime, which probably doesn’t need to be there at all. Right-click or double-click that icon, look for ways you can tell the program not to load, and benefit from a little extra speed.

13. Run A Registry Scan

Many Windows computers suffer from having a corrupt or damaged regsitry database. This is a crucial part of Windows, which stores all sorts of information and files about your computer, from your desktop wallpaper tohow many files you have. You can perform a registry scan to speed it up.

14. Turn Off Aero

People with very low-spec PCs might want to turn off Windows Aero to improve performance. Rendering those lovely transparent taskbars is hard work for older graphics cards, and switching them off would give your PC a much needed boost. To do this, right-click on the desktop, click Personalize > Windows Color and Appearance, and turn off transparency to optimise your computer’s performance.