Whatever version of Windows is installed on the computer, the user will want to configure it in such a way as to get maximum performance. This issue is especially acute for owners of weak hardware, which requires maximum free resources for stable operation.
Therefore, tuning Windows 10 for maximum performance is an excellent priority for them when purchasing new components such as a processor or video card.
Disk Defragmenter
When adding a large number of files to the hard drive, information is not written sequentially, but in fragments on different parts of the disk surface. In this case, fragmentation occurs, and when requesting data, the computer takes longer to process it because it needs to put all the “pieces” together. To minimize such situations, defragment your disk. This is done using standard utilities.
Good to know! In Windows 10, disk defragmentation occurs automatically once a week at a set time. But you can start this process after adding a large amount of information to your computer in order to optimize the disk.
Important! In the "Disk Optimization" window, you can enable/disable and configure automatic defragmentation.
Startup optimization
In many programs, when they are installed on a computer, the function is enabled during system startup. They may not be used by the user, but, working in the background, they take up computer resources, so its work slows down. Applications that you do not use should be disabled or completely removed from your computer if they are not needed.
Alternative options for disabling programs in startup can be seen in the video.
Disabling unnecessary services
Just like programs in startup, some Windows 10 services load computer resources, which leads to slowdowns. Disabling them will increase system performance.
- In the Run window, enter the command services.msc.Alternative option: Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services or open System configuration (in the Run window, enter msconfig) and go to the Services tab.
- RMB > Properties > Startup Type > Disabled.
- When using the Computer Configuration utility, uncheck the required services and save the changes.
- Restart your computer.
Video
In the video you can learn more about which Windows 10 services can be disabled and how to do it.
Setting up visual effects
In Windows 10, a lot of PC resources are used to create interface visuals. Disabling some performance parameters (visual effects) will increase the speed of older computers. But they will have less effect on modern gaming PCs.
Disable windows and taskbar adaptation to the desktop background color, as well as Windows animation.
Indexing speeds up the search for files stored on your computer. But this function constantly scans them, monitors changes, and therefore uses system resources.
Important! You should only disable indexing when you are not using search on your computer.
Driver setup
One of the problems with slow operation of Windows 10, which is encountered by a large number of users, is non-original or outdated drivers. This problem is especially relevant for a video card. Look at the driver provider and their version in Device Manager.
Cleaning the Temp folder
The Temp folder in Windows 10 is used to store temporary and intermediate files created by the system and programs. Therefore, to speed up your computer, clean it:
An alternative way is to use the built-in Disk Cleanup utility.
Power settings
By default, Windows 10 is set to Balanced power mode, which reduces processor speed when the device is idle or does not require maximum hardware. To speed things up, set your computer to High Performance power mode.
Cleaning from viruses and malware
If after following the steps above, your PC still slows down and you don’t understand why this is happening, viruses or malware are probably the cause. Check Windows 10 with antivirus programs such as DrWEB Cureit or Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.
Conclusion
Setting your Windows computer to perform at its best can help it run faster. To do this, you need to disable all visual effects, remove viruses, and also change your PC settings: disable indexing and some services, update drivers.
The Windows 10 operating system is becoming increasingly popular and this means that a considerable number of users are faced with the need to speed up its operation. Microsoft has tried to make its product as effective as possible. It provides a huge number of settings. Setting the correct parameters will significantly speed up performance. In any case, optimizing Windows 10 is a complex process and all its distinctive features should be considered in more detail.
Update
“Ten” came out relatively recently and in its original form was rather “raw”. Since its first version, many improvements and patches have been released. They allow you to eliminate a large number of problems that users encountered during their work. Updates are not always installed automatically, although this is set by default.
You are required to go to the special Windows update page and check their installation. In some cases, they do not even load if the appropriate settings are specified. You need to download all available patches. The next step is to carry out the installation. As practice shows, this significantly speeds up the operation of the system and allows you to get rid of problems.
Update your drivers
This method of optimizing Windows 10 significantly increases system stability. A similar point is mandatory if there has been an update from a “seven” or “eight”, and not installing the system from scratch. Some drivers worked successfully on previous versions, but in the case of the “ten” there is a possibility of problems. As an example, we can imagine a situation where the OS disables some of them. To avoid complications, it is recommended to update your drivers.
There are several signs that certain drivers have failed when upgrading to Windows 10:
- Multimedia buttons on the keyboard stopped working
- Brightness is no longer adjustable
- Some settings are missing
- Additional buttons and other things do not work on a gaming mouse
Programs for updating drivers on Windows 10
· Driver Pack Solution. The main advantage is the ability to update even if there is no access to the Internet. The system will be scanned and a list will be provided. It contains drivers that can be updated. We would like to say right away that the process is performed without a visual display of the state. The screen will not change for a few minutes after startup, after which a completion message will appear. After this, reboot your device.
· Driver Booster. The only drawback is that the application is paid. In all other respects, it allows you to complete the update task as quickly as possible. There is a scanning function, and system backups must be created before installation.
· Slim Drivers. The key feature of the program is that it is able to detect drivers even in situations where the two previous software versions could not do so. Another advantage is a quick system scan (no more than 2 minutes).
Disabling unnecessary services
This is one of the main stages of optimization of Windows 10. During the startup of the operating system, a huge number of services begin to operate. Some of them are critical, but quite a few are not of interest. Developers follow the most reliable path. They don't know exactly what services a particular user will need. It is for this reason that all possible options are launched. This opens up excellent opportunities to improve performance.
To access services, you can right-click on the start menu. In the window that opens, select “Computer Management”. For convenience, this is demonstrated in the screenshot below.
Now we need to familiarize ourselves with the list of services and they are indicated in the menu on the left side of the window.
What services can be disabled in Windows 10
It is at this stage that the question arises of which services can be terminated. In any case, it will not be superfluous to perform a system backup. If the user's actions lead to a critical failure, then it will always be possible to restore. Now we need to list several services, removing them from the list will not cause any problems:
- Printer manager if it is not connected.
- Windows Search. It is required to delete in cases where you do not use search. This service on some devices takes up quite a large amount of resources. Without it, performance will increase somewhat.
- Windows Update. It is recommended to update manually. This will allow you to decide what exactly should be installed.
- Application Services. Some programs leave certain services running after they close. Check this point to optimize the system.
The following services can be disabled relatively painlessly:
- Changed Link Tracking Client
- IP Ancillary Service
- Secondary login
- Windows Time Synchronization Service
- Image download service
- Diagnostic Policy Service
- Windows Error Logging Service
- Remote registry
- Security Center
- Offline files
If any service raises questions, it is recommended to search for information about it on the Internet, and only then delete it.
Removing junk files and cleaning the registry
During system operation, a large number of unnecessary files and data accumulate in the registry. All this leads to difficulties arising while working on the device. Windows 10 is a “young” system and its users have not yet encountered such a problem in its full glory. As the practice of previous versions shows, several years without cleaning lead to a serious drop in productivity.
Such activities can be carried out manually or using specialized software. The first option is not common. It is used in cases where program snippets interfere with the normal functioning of the device and specialized applications cannot fix it. For example, the remaining drivers are not completely removed and new ones are not loaded correctly. In this case, you need to use the registry editor to access the corresponding branch. There is a folder with the drivers or program you are interested in. You can find it yourself or by searching. When the folder is found, a complete deletion is performed.
This was a slight deviation and we should continue to consider optimizing Windows 10. The best option is to use special programs, since the built-in application does not provide the required level of quality for completing the task. Several options are optimal for cleaning the registry and removing unnecessary files:
1. Reg Organizer. A convenient program, but in the free version it only searches for registry errors. In general, the functionality is quite extensive.
2. CCleaner. One of the most popular options, which is completely free. The program is intuitive and provides quite a large number of functions, which is quite important.
3. Windows Cleaner. It has proven itself well when it is necessary to clean the system from debris and registry damage. Distributed free of charge.
All of the listed programs work stably on the “top ten”.
Working with the list of programs in Windows 10 startup
Installing various software negatively affects the performance of the system, especially if you do not monitor its operation. Some applications have a function to start when the system starts. This leads to numerous difficulties, which include unnecessary consumption of resources. It is important to check the startup contents.
In Windows 10, to do this, you need to open the task manager (called by pressing the Ctrl+Shift+Esc key combination) and go to the “Startup” tab. This is shown in the screenshot below.
As a result, you can disable those programs that you do not need to use. If something is unclear, it is best to search for information about the application via the Internet. There is even a separate menu item for this.
IMPORTANT: do not rush to disable incomprehensible programs, as this may lead to a “crash” of the system.
IMPORTANT: Not always all startup applications are displayed in the task manager. To view the full list, you may need to install specialized software.
Programs for viewing and editing the startup list on Windows 10
There are several programs that allow you to conveniently and efficiently work with startup. The most convenient is the AIDA 64 utility. It is intended for optimization and has a very well-implemented section for viewing applications in startup.
In any case, you need to familiarize yourself with the list and identify those options that are not needed. Another program for editing startup was discussed earlier - CCleaner. Autoruns from Microsoft has proven itself quite well.
Windows 10 Task Scheduler
Some applications will be launched when certain events occur. It is for this reason that optimizing Windows 10 requires familiarizing yourself with the contents of the task scheduler. You can access it from the specialized programs discussed earlier. There are also built-in tools - this is the system scheduler. It can be accessed using several methods:
- Go to the “Administration” folder and select the appropriate section.
- Press the Windows + R buttons and enter taskschd.msc. This is represented in the image below.
The scheduler interface allows you to create new tasks and actions, but as part of optimization, we are only interested in removing redundant or unnecessary applications.
Configuring performance settings
The developers took into account the desire of users to speed up their system and it was for this reason that they implemented special tools to complete the task. There are quite a lot of visual elements and disabling them will save device resources. You need to go the following way: “Right click on the Start menu” -> “System” -> “Advanced system settings” -> “Advanced” -> “Performance options”. This is clearly shown in the screenshot.
Now you need to set the “Ensure the best performance” item in the “Visual effects” section.
This action will simplify the Windows design style and eliminate some animation, but will achieve significant benefits in terms of speeding up the functioning of the OS.
Cleaning up disk space
The performance of a device is determined by a large number of factors, and one of them is the volume of unnecessary files. We add most of them ourselves, but some are generated by the system itself. Optimizing Windows 10 should include increasing the free space on your hard drive. The fewer files there are, the more efficiently the OS works. You can use built-in capabilities or special software.
The “ten” has a “Disk Cleanup” utility, which is intended for such situations. To access it, you need to call Explorer from the Quick Launch panel. The next step is to open “My Computer”. Select the disk on which the system was installed. You need to right-click on it and select “Properties” from the menu that appears.
In the window that opens, there are several tabs and among them you need to go to “Disk Cleanup”. It will automatically calculate exactly what space will be freed up during such events. It is important to take into account the fact that the process can be lengthy and take much more than a few minutes. It all depends on the degree of “clutter” of the hard drive.
Only the search occurs automatically. The user must confirm the deletion in a special window. Several categories will be presented there, indicating their volume. Select what you need (usually that’s all) and click confirm.
Don't forget to click on "Clean up system files". This will allow you to delete unnecessary documents that are located in system partitions. Removing them will not affect the functioning of the OS. All other hard drives are cleaned in the same way.
In the case of uninstalling programs, it is quite convenient to have a means of determining how often they are used. It is necessary to perform an analysis of such a moment. It is recommended to remove programs that have not been launched for a long time or are not needed.
Disk Defragmenter
Defragmenting hard drives is an integral part of improving the performance of the Windows 10 system. There are several ways to carry out such activities. First of all, you need to note the built-in capabilities. The following procedure is provided:
1. Select the disk and right-click on “Properties”
2. In the window that appears, you need to select “Tools” -> “Optimize” -> “Disk Optimization”
3. Specify the required disk, then click the “Analyze” button
4. The analysis takes a certain time, and after its completion a window with special information is displayed
Based on the data obtained, you should decide whether to defragment the disk or not. In some cases, the process takes five minutes. When the disk is heavily fragmented and there are a large number of files, this can take several hours. It is recommended to launch the event at a threshold of 10%. This recommendation was issued directly by the developers.
A big advantage of the built-in optimization utility is the ability to schedule the process at any convenient time with a specified frequency. For example, if you do not turn off the device, this can be done at night, twice a month.
Defragment Windows 10 using third-party programs
The built-in utility is not the best option, since it does not cover all parameters. Disk defragmentation programs from third-party developers demonstrate much higher efficiency. We should list several successful options that have worked well on Windows 10:
- Defraggler. Compared to the option built into the OS, it is able to analyze a larger volume of files. Free distribution should be considered an important advantage. The interface is distinguished by its simplicity and is intuitive.
- Auslogics Disk Defrag. Its design is very similar to the previous program. The functionality is not limited to defragmentation and includes a number of additional options. The application can be downloaded for free.
In the case of these programs, there will be two options for disk defragmentation - superficial and deep. The first approach involves high speed. It should be used once a week. Deep defragmentation requires detailed analysis and serious verification. It is best to do it monthly.
Don't use multiple antiviruses at once
Anti-virus protection tools are a mandatory component of the operation of any device. The firmware does not demonstrate a high level of reliability, which must be taken into account. Quite often, users use several antiviruses at the same time, and this can cause certain problems. Such programs often conflict with each other, not to mention that performing the same functions is not a good approach. It is possible to have several applications of this type for more efficient scanning, but only one should be active.
Programs for optimizing Windows 10
Previously, various software was already considered, which made it possible to achieve advantages in certain areas. It is necessary to talk about programs that provide a comprehensive effect and have proven their effectiveness in optimization.
Glary Utilities
One of the most convenient tools used to speed up the Windows 10 operating system. There are a large number of available functions, which include cleaning up garbage, searching for duplicates, removing malware, optimizing disk space, working with the registry and much more. The screenshot below shows the application's start window, where you can learn more about all the available functions.
Particularly noteworthy is the ability to perform cleaning with just one click. To do this, just click on the appropriate button and this will start the analysis process.
What is equally important is the presence of basic functionality in the free version, as well as high speed.
Advanced System Care
The Advanced SystemCare application is designed to be as easy to use as possible. For those who consider themselves an advanced user, it is possible to move away from standard schemes and use your own settings during the work process. The interface is distinguished by its convenience. In the screenshot below you can see the main functionality.
TweakNow PowerPack
This is not really a program, but a whole collection of utilities for optimizing Windows 10 or any other operating system. More suitable for advanced users as it allows you to set some specialized settings.
Each of you, of course, has noticed that over time, the computer begins to load applications longer, freeze more often and work slower. This happens because the Windows operating system accumulates a lot of “garbage” over time, slowing down work. Therefore, experts recommend reinstalling the OS at least once every six months. Those for whom this method is not suitable should learn how to optimize the operation of their computer.
Why optimize your computer?
The operation of an operating system is similar to the operation of a clock mechanism: it is gears that move synchronously. From time to time, you need to blow off dust from them and replace worn-out parts, that is, correct accumulated flaws in the work, otherwise freezes will begin, slowdowns in the operation of games and applications, and other troubles. At the moment, there is a whole range of measures to optimize the operation of the OS:
- cleaning the registry;
- removing unnecessary files;
- disabling unnecessary services;
- hard drive defragmentation and much more.
The use of these measures helps speed up processes and reduces the likelihood of failures in the operating system.
How to optimize your computer's performance
First of all, you need to understand the main thing: too much optimization is bad. For example, you cannot go overboard with disabling services, otherwise the computer will simply stop working. Thus, some of the standard background programs monitor the temperature conditions of individual computer parts and, if necessary, limit the load. It is clear that if such a service is disabled, the computer may overheat and fail. Also, too many cleaning programs can clog the system registry, which will lead to poor performance.
Optimizing your computer is like spring cleaning. It should not be done every day, but about once a month.
Each of the optimization methods is designed to ultimately reduce the load on the processor, hard drive and RAM. Thus, we free up resources that can be used to solve other problems.
Disabling unnecessary services
Disabling unnecessary services is a very delicate process. Each service is to some extent necessary for the operation of a computer or its individual components. Therefore, before turning it off, you need to think carefully about the consequences that may arise from this.
There are two ways to disable services: through the system configuration or through the services interface.
Disabling via system configuration is done as follows:
The service status "Stopped" indicates that the service is not currently running. A cleared checkbox next to it ensures that the service cannot be accessed.
You can also disable the service through the services interface. This method differs from the previous one in that the interface provides a description of each service.
List of services that can be disabled without fear of system operation:
- "Fax machine";
- NVIDIA Stereoscopic 3D Driver Service (for NVidia graphics cards if you are not using 3D stereo imaging);
- “Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service”;
- "Working folders";
- "AllJoyn Router Service";
- "Application Identity";
- "BitLocker Drive Encryption Service";
- "Bluetooth Help" (if you don't use Bluetooth);
- “Client License Service” (ClipSVC, after disabling, Windows 10 Store applications may not work properly);
- "Computer Browser";
- Dmwappushservice;
- Geographic Location Service;
- "Guest Shutdown Service (Hyper-V)";
- "Pulse Service (Hyper-V)";
- "Hyper-V Virtual Machine Session Service";
- "Hyper-V Time Synchronization Service";
- "Data Exchange Service (Hyper-V)";
- “Hyper-V Remote Desktop Virtualization Service”;
- "Sensor Monitoring Service";
- "Sensor Data Service";
- "Sensor Service";
- “Functionality for connected users and telemetry” (this is one of the options to disable Windows 10 “tracking” of the user);
- “Internet Sharing (ICS)” (provided that you do not use Internet sharing functions, for example, to distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop);
- "Xbox Live Network Service";
- Superfetch (assuming you are using an SSD);
- "Print Manager" (if you don't use printing features, including Windows 10's built-in printing to PDF files);
- "Windows Biometric Service";
- "Remote registry";
- "Secondary login" (assuming you are not using it).
Video: how to disable unnecessary services in Windows 10
Driver Update
Device drivers are important software products that enable your computer to interact with its environment. It is very important to keep them up to date. If any driver files are damaged, they should be replaced. And if there is an update that improves performance, you need to install it.
By default, Windows Update should automatically search for new driver versions, but it would be a good idea to run a check from time to time to ensure the current version is up to date. To do this we do the following:
Once all drivers are updated, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Hard drive defragmentation
The system for writing files to a hard disk works in such a way that all files are written in a row. By deleting a file, we make room for recording other information, which may be more or less than the previous one. It turns out that part of the file can be written in one place on the disk, and the rest somewhere else. A fragmented (or "fragmented") file slows down the OS because time is wasted searching for and merging all the file fragments. The process of defragmenting a hard drive rewrites all files in strict order, connecting all their parts into a single whole, as a result of which the speed of the hard drive increases.
- Using Explorer or another file manager, open the “This PC” folder and call up the context menu by right-clicking on one of the hard drive partitions. Select the “Properties” item.
Through the context menu we get to the properties of the disk partition
- Go to the “Service” tab and click the “Optimize” button.
In the “Service” tab, click the “Optimize” button to start the defragmentation process
- In the defragmentation service window that opens, select the desired hard drive partition and click the “Optimize” button.
Select the disk partition and click the “Optimize” button
- We wait until the work with the disk partition is completed, and then repeat the same procedure with all the partitions into which the hard drive is divided. After this, we reboot the computer so that the OS starts working on the defragmented media.
Programs for cleaning and optimizing device operation
Despite the assurances of Microsoft developers, standard Windows utilities are by no means ideal. Most computer optimization products are provided by third parties. Such software usually has a rather narrow focus and is focused on obtaining a specific result, therefore it is worked out in more detail and better takes into account the interests of users.
Among such products, we note the following.
Glary Utilities
The Glary Utilites program includes a whole set of utilities to optimize your PC. The range of its functions is simply huge: from standard operations for removing garbage and defragmenting the hard drive to improving the performance of the Internet Explorer browser.
The Glary Utilites program contains a whole set of utilities to optimize your PC.
Advanced System Care
Advanced SystemCare is a program from Chinese developers to optimize PC performance. Known for its high performance and modern interface. The key feature of this utility is that you can launch the entire set of actions with one button. However, a more detailed interface is provided for advanced users.
Advanced SystemCare - a program from Chinese developers to optimize PC performance
TweakNow PowerPack
TweakNow PowerPack is a small shareware program for optimizing and fine-tuning the operating system. Unfortunately, its interface only supports English, but this disadvantage is compensated by the convenience and speed of operation. The program can clean the system registry, work with Internet browsers, and also remove junk files from the hard drive.
TweakNow PowerPack is a small program for tuning and optimizing the operating system
CCleaner
CCleaner is a small but powerful utility for cleaning your computer from cluttered information. The main areas of its work are the file system and registry cleaning. The program is notable for the fact that it is recommended by Windows developers and is often included in Tens releases. One of the main languages is Russian, so no one will have any problems working with the application.
CCleaner is a small but powerful utility for cleaning your computer from cluttered information.
Auslogics BoostSpeed
Auslogics BoostSpeed is a leading light in the PC optimization market. This program is one of the leaders in the field of Windows optimization. Starting with Auslogics version 9, it has separate settings to improve the operation and appearance of “Ten”. The BoostSpeed program has collected a full range of tools that have a harmless effect on the OS. And the “Advisor” function also provides detailed information on each optimization point.
Auslogics BoostSpeed is a powerful tool for cleaning and optimizing Windows
Other optimization methods
There are many ways to optimize the operating system: defragmentation, cleaning the registry, deleting temporary browser data, and so on. Accordingly, many software tools, both standard and very original, have been developed to perform these actions.
Disk Cleanup
Most utility programs do an excellent job of cleaning up the disk, but they have a significant drawback: they work without administrator rights, which means that some cleaning processes are not available to them. Most of all this concerns clearing the Windows update cache and deleting the old version of the system. For example, if “Ten” was installed on top of another OS from Microsoft, then a Windows.old folder may appear on the local disk, which cannot be deleted.
The built-in disk cleaning utility allows you to remove unnecessary updates and the old OS.
Disabling indexing of disk files
The point of the indexing service is that when a user searches for files on a computer (mostly documents), Windows provides more detailed results for queries. Therefore, if you know where and what you have on your computer, it is better to refuse indexing files: this will reduce the load on the hard drive and speed up its operation.
After completing the optimization procedures, it is advisable to restart the computer immediately to feel the difference in the operation of the operating system.
Video: how to disable file indexing on your computer
Optimizing the operation of the operating system is very simple. By clearing your computer of unnecessary information, you will maintain its speed at a high level, thereby increasing the convenience of working with it.
Although my blog is dedicated to various technical tools for online business, I had not previously thought that the computer operating system is also such a tool and directly affects the results of our work.
I realized this after a recent incident. Our whole family was going on a long trip, where I had to work a lot. We had several flights planned and so I decided to take a light laptop with me instead of my heavy home all-in-one PC.
It just so happens that I hardly use a laptop at home. I only occasionally use it for all sorts of experiments, and it also comes in handy in cases where relatives or friends ask to use it. As a result, the Windows 10 operating system has been there since 2015 and during this time it became seriously cluttered.
When I sat down to test the laptop before the trip, I was horrified at how neglected everything was. It is simply impossible to fully work on such a machine. It was here that I realized that when the system constantly slows down, freezes and produces errors, it is difficult to work productively, which means that the operating system is also an important tool for any person whose work is related to a computer.
Of course, I quickly reinstalled Windows 10 and configured it for optimal performance on my system, which I had developed over 15 years of working with different versions of Windows. I remember my first computer had the unforgettable Windows 98...
So I got the idea to somehow record my experience in setting up and optimizing Windows 10. I thought that it wouldn’t take much time, but it would make good material for the blog, and I’m sure this information will be useful to my subscribers. As a result, I wrote down all my steps to configure and optimize Windows 10, which are waiting for you in this article.
I do not pretend that this is the only true and most correct way to configure and optimize Windows 10. Surely, there are some points that will make my system even better, and I hope that I will see some ideas from you in the comments. But in any case, my system works and allows me to significantly increase system performance, which I have already tested in practice many times.
So, let's go.
Let's start with the fact that progress does not stand still, and no matter how much we would like to stay on Windows 7 or 8.1, sooner or later we will still have to switch to Windows 10. Personally, I did this as soon as the first opportunity arose and did not regret it at all.
In fact, in terms of functionality, performance and reliability, Windows 10 outperforms its previous versions. The problem with ten is that it contains several unpleasant features that must be corrected.
What are these features?
1. Out of the box, Windows 10 is not configured for optimal performance. It includes various visual effects, many services that you will never use, and various “protectors” and “helpers” that are intended for beginners. All this requires processor resources and RAM, although in fact all this can be safely turned off.
2. There is a lot of functionality built into this operating system, thanks to which a lot of different information is sent to Microsoft servers. You can find out more about this by typing “Windows 10 spying” into any search engine.
But the good news is that both of these shortcomings can be corrected and Windows 10 can be configured so that it will work quickly and stably, and all spyware functionality will be tightly blocked.
Attention! Everything described in this article is intended mainly for experienced users. If you just recently bought your computer, be very careful about making the changes that I do to my system.
So, let's begin.
1. Correct installation of Windows 10
Optimization begins at the installation stage. There are two main points here.
Firstly, if you currently have Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 and want to upgrade to Windows 10, then
Instead of upgrading your current system, do a clean install. According to numerous reviews, with a clean installation the system works much faster and more stable.
Secondly, when during installation you reach the step of configuring various parameters, do not rush to immediately click the “Next” button, leaving the values of all settings as default.
Almost everything that is there is in one way or another connected with the very spyware functionality that tarnished the reputation of this operating system.
Personally, I turn off absolutely everything at this step. This is what it looks like:
After installing the operating system, I usually immediately install the latest drivers for all devices that require them. I try to download all drivers from the official websites of manufacturers.
2. Media type - HDD or SSD?
The speed of the media on which the operating system is installed is one of the main factors affecting the performance of Windows 10, so this component should be given special attention.
At the moment, there are two main types of storage media - HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and SSD (Solid State Drive).
HDDs have been produced using the same technology since the 90s. Inside such a hard drive, one or more magnetic plates spin at high speed to store information, and when the operating system or program requests some data, a special read head reads the information from them. The plates typically spin at 5400 or 7200 rpm. There are faster ones, but they are used mainly in servers.
With this approach, all commands for requesting information are processed sequentially, one after another, because the reading head physically cannot be in several places at the same time. Thus, the more commands from the operating system and programs arrive at one point in time, the longer they have to wait for a response to perform an action. Such delays are especially noticeable when working in multitasking mode, when many processes are running simultaneously. Traditional hard drives also have other disadvantages - due to the presence of moving elements, these drives create noise and vibration, and they are also quite fragile.
Pros of HDDs:
1. Cheap;
2. They have a long service life of write/rewrite cycles.
Disadvantages of HDDs:
1. Slow;
2. They make noise;
3. Fragile;
4. Require regular defragmentation.
SSD drives built on non-volatile flash memory chips. This organization of the drive allows you to read information much faster and there are no delays as in the case of an HDD, when the reading head has to wait for the plate to spin.
Most SSD drives produced today are many times faster than hard drives in terms of writing and reading speeds. Yes, for now SSDs are still noticeably more expensive than HDDs, but gradually their price is falling and their service life is growing, and according to various forecasts, in 5-10 years they will completely replace outdated HDDs.
Pros of SSD drives:
1. Very fast (7-8 times faster than HDD);
2. Silent;
3. Consume minimum energy;
4. Durable;
5. Does not require defragmentation.
Minuses SSD drives:
1. More expensive than HDD per 1 GB;
2. They still have less resource than HDD;
3. It is more difficult to recover data from them in case of failure.
As a conclusion, I can only say one thing - if you really want to speed up the entire system, then there is only one option - buy at least an SSD drive for the operating system.
You will be surprised how much faster the operating system will load after turning on the computer and how quickly familiar programs will launch. After such an experience, you definitely won’t want to go back to a regular HDD.
By the way, Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 work with SSD drives differently than with regular HDD drives. For example, Windows does not apply defragmentation to the SSD drive, SuperFetch and ReadyBoost technologies, and other read-ahead techniques that speed up loading applications from regular HDD drives. This helps preserve the resource of the SSD drive.
If you are interested in specific models, then I personally have an SSD drive Samsung 850 EVO.
This is what it looks like:
For the operating system and programs, 120 GB is enough.
By the way, we recently installed exactly the same disk in our main programmer’s computer. He has already appreciated the increased speed of work and the disappearance of annoying delays when working in several applications at once.
As for the rest of your information, it can be stored on a HDD drive. But if you wish, you can also upgrade to an SSD.
3. Adjusting OS performance
Once the OS is installed, I usually start with basic performance settings.
I include several steps that give a small increase in productivity.
3.1 Tab "Performance" in the system properties.
I’m sure many people already know about this tab, but it would be wrong to leave this point without attention.
To open this tab, do the following: Press the key combination Win+X and select the item in the window that appears "System".
A window will open in which you need to click "Advanced system settings".
In the window that appears, go to the tab "Additionally" and press the button "Options" in the block "Performance".
In the window that appears, I disable all items, with the exception of smoothing out irregularities in screen fonts.
Click "OK". The settings window will close.
3.2. Disabling the creation of restore points
I don't use the built-in System Restore feature because I use another external solution that makes the feature completely unnecessary. I plan to talk about this decision in a separate article.
The creation of points in the same window with additional system parameters is disabled, just this time you need to go to the tab "System protection", and then click on the desired disk and press the button "Tune".
In the window that appears, select the item "Disable system protection".
3.3. High Performance scheme in Power Options
Since I work on a desktop computer that is connected to the network, it makes no sense for me to save energy at the expense of lost performance, so in the power settings I always set the option "High performance".
To do this, click Win+X and choose "Power Management".
In the window that appears, select "High performance"
4. Removing and disabling various OS elements
I already wrote above that Windows 10 spies on the user.
And the worst thing here is not even that it spies, but that certain resources of the processor, hard drive and memory are wasted on these spy functions, which does not affect the overall performance of the system for the better.
I was personally convinced of this when I had to set up Windows 10 on a rather weak mini-computer (the entire computer fits in the palm of my hand), which had only 2 GB of RAM and a very weak Intel Atom processor. After turning on the system for the first time, I was horrified at how slow everything was, even when performing the simplest tasks.
After I performed the optimization and cleaning, which will be discussed later, this computer was simply unrecognizable. Everything began to work much faster, the brakes disappeared and now it was possible to comfortably perform the tasks for which this mini-computer was purchased.
Some of this functionality was disabled during the installation of the OS (see video above) and I, of course, do this, but some have to be disabled manually. This is the cleaning I am doing at this stage.
Here is a partial list of what I personally turn off during this cleanse. You will learn further about how exactly I turn all this off.
Disabling Windows Defender
Windows Defender is an antivirus built into Windows, which is not only quite power-hungry in itself, but also, according to some authoritative sources, contains certain unwanted functionality.
For example, here is an excerpt from the article “Windows 10: getting rid of spyware functionality” from the site anti-malware.ru
Personally, I haven’t used antiviruses for a long time, so I feel free to disable this tool.
In addition, I immediately disable sending information to Microsoft about virus infection of the system, disable sending data samples and disable Microsoft SkyNet membership.
Disabling User Account Control (UAC)
Are you also annoyed by the constantly appearing window asking you to confirm an action?
The culprit is the User Account Control (UAC) system, which is designed to protect the Windows 10 user from installing and running software that can harm the OS.
This service is activated automatically, so it always requires a request to perform any operations that may affect the performance of the OS. This service may be useful for novice users. Personally, I immediately disable this system.
It turns off very easily. Click Win+X then select Control Panel - User Accounts - Changing account settings.
Uninstalling the built-in OneDrive cloud service
I don’t know why Microsoft integrated OneDrive so deeply into Windows 10. Personally, I use Yandex.Disk and Google.Drive as cloud services, so I don’t need OneDrive.
Disabling automatic system updates
Logically, system updates should make it more secure, stable and faster. But in my experience, the opposite is often true. Previously, when I left this function enabled, I regularly started having problems with the OS precisely after installing large-scale updates. Either programs will stop launching after the update, or the system will start to slow down. It seems that the more updates are installed on the system, the heavier and less stable it becomes.
Microsoft needs to take a lesson from Apple on this component. There, I know of only one case where, after an update, people’s systems began to work worse, but in most cases, updates are only beneficial.
Perhaps in the future Microsoft will correct this situation, and updates will indeed make the system faster, safer and more reliable, but until this is the case, I disable automatic system updates.
In addition, I disable automatic updates of drivers, built-in applications and other Microsoft products through the Windows Update service.
I delete all “tiled” applications built into the system
I think you have already seen how many different tiled applications are installed on the system by default. In my opinion, the idea with these tiled applications was unsuccessful from the beginning. Give the user a clean system, let him install the applications he likes. Imposition does not lead to anything good. Personally, I don't use any tile apps and don't want them on my system, so I delete them right away.
In addition, at this step I disable the automatic installation of “recommended” applications from the Windows Store into the system.
Disabling the built-in Cortana assistant
I don’t use the Cortana personal assistant (it doesn’t currently support the Russian language), so I immediately disable it. And resources are saved and unnecessary data will not be sent to the side.
Disabling location tracking features
Some websites and apps use your location data. I don't particularly like this, so I simply disable this feature at the system level.
Disabling application telemetry
Thanks to this shutdown, Windows 10 will not be able to transmit telemetry data, program usage statistics, and other data to Microsoft servers.
Through the hosts file b I block all servers to which telemetry data is sent
When accessing a domain name, a browser or any other tool first finds out its IP address by contacting the DNS server. But in fact, even before contacting the DNS server, the hosts file is looked at, which is located in the c:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\ folder
Through this file we can deny access from our computer to any server. And if we take into account that most of the servers to which Windows sends all telemetry are already known, then we can deny access to all these servers through the hosts file. That's what I'm doing at this stage.
Disable Windows Advisor and application notifications
I don’t really like the constantly popping up prompts with different tips from the operating system, so I always turn them off.
How can I turn it all off in one fell swoop?
Some of the above can be disabled through Windows settings, which can be accessed via a keyboard shortcut Win+I. Some can be disabled through the Group Policy Editor and editing the registry.
But disabling all this functionality manually will take a lot of time, so it is not surprising that there are many programs for this purpose that allow you to solve this task in just a couple of clicks.
Here is an incomplete list of such utilities:
- Destroy Windows 10 Spying;
- Disable Win Tracking;
- DoNotSpy 10;
- Win10 SpyStop;
- Windows 10 Privacy and Shit;
- Windows 10 Privacy Fixer;
- Windows Privacy Tweaker;
- W10 Privacy;
- Ashampoo Antispy for Windows 10;
- Spybot Anti-Beacon;
- Win10 Spy Disabler;
- O&O ShutUp10.
I’ll say right away that among all these programs there is no one ideal one that would be able to disable everything at once. That's why I personally use several at once. These two tools mainly help me:
Plus, some things will still need to be done by hand.
5. Disable all unnecessary services
Windows 10 has a lot of services running all the time. Each service takes up some part of the processor and RAM resources. The problem is that in addition to the really necessary services, there are those that are needed only for some specific tasks, but at the same time they also constantly work and take up resources. I usually turn them off.
Examples of such services include the following:
- SMS Router Service;
- XBox Live Online Service;
- Geographic Location Service;
- Telephone communications;
- Remote registry;
- Telephony;
- Saving games on XBox Live;
- Smart Card Removal Policy;
- Store demonstration service;
- Touch keyboard and handwriting service;
- Wallet service;
- etc.
Services are disabled as follows. Press the key combination Win+X, in the menu that appears, select "Computer Management". In the window that opens, open the list in the left menu "Services and Applications" and in it select the item "Services". Next, select the unwanted service, double-click on it and change the startup type to “Disabled”.
6. I install all the programs I need
Next, I usually install all the necessary programs on the system. I have already recorded a video about this “29 programs that I install after installing Windows”. Not much has changed since then, so if you are interested in what software I install on the system, watch this video:
Here I follow two principles:
1. I download only the latest versions of programs from developer sites.
2. If the program is paid, then I buy a license rather than try to look for broken versions.
After installing all the programs, there are only two steps left to complete.
7. I clean the system disk of everything unnecessary
After all of the above is done, all that remains is to clean the system disk using the CCleaner program. This program itself analyzes the system and finds those files that can be safely deleted (temporary files, browser cache, etc.)
8. I remove everything unnecessary from startup
After installing all the drivers and programs, a lot of unnecessary things begin to load along with Windows. All this significantly increases the system boot speed and takes up unnecessary resources. Therefore, when everything is installed and configured, I turn off everything unnecessary. This can be done in two ways.
Way 1. Use CCleaner.
Way 2. Use tools built into the system. To do this, click Win+X and select the item there "Task Manager".
In the window that appears, go to the tab and simply right-click on those programs that should not load with the operating system and disable them.
If we summarize all of the above, we get the following plan:
1.
I install the system on a clean hard drive (ideally it should be an SSD drive).
2.
When installing, I disable all tracking functions that can be disabled there.
3.
After installing the OS, I install the latest drivers for all devices.
4.
Through the “Performance” tab I disable all effects and other functions that slow down the system.
5.
I delete or disable unnecessary elements (Defender, UAC, tiles, OneDrive, Cortana, etc.).
6.
I disable unnecessary services.
7.
I install all the programs (the latest versions from the official website, I buy a license for all paid programs).
8.
I clean the system disk of everything unnecessary.
9.
I remove everything unnecessary from startup.
I think I’ll stop here, otherwise the article is already too long. These were the basics of my approach to setting up and optimizing the Windows 10 operating system, which I came to during my entire time working with Windows 10. I will make separate articles about other points related to working in this operating system.
I hope this information was useful to you.
I'm sure you have some of your own tricks to increase the performance of Windows 10. It would be great if you share them in the comments.
I am also pleased to announce that for those who are interested in the topic of the Windows 10 operating system in a more complete format, I have prepared a new course “Customizing and optimizing Windows 10 using the method of Evgeny Popov.” It was recorded during the actual installation and configuration of Windows 10 on my computer.
In it, in the format of step-by-step video tutorials, you will see everything that I do with my system from A to Z.
The entire course is divided into several blocks:
1.
Performance optimization
2.
Cleaning spy functionality
3.
Installation and configuration of programs
4.
Setting up protection via Shadow Defender
There is also a separate module for creating images of the system partition via Acronis True Image And Macrium Reflect.
The course itself will launch next Wednesday May 31, 2017. According to tradition, the best conditions will apply in the first three days. Firstly, these days the price will be 35% lower, and secondly, there are a few more valuable points awaiting you, which I will talk about next week.
While we are perfecting the course, I invite you to read a short presentation from which you can learn more about the course.
Introductory: the article was originally written about how to speed up your computer directly based on 10 and tags about 7/8 were added later, so some nuances and points within Windows 7/8 may be missing (this is normal) and should be skipped and/or performed through the appropriate tools for Win 7/8 (for example, control panel).
Good day everyone and all that stuff.
With the release of a new operating system, traditionally, I receive tons of messages of a very different nature. Most of them, of course, concern solving various kinds of problems, but they also write relatively many questions about configuration, optimization, etc.
Today I would like to tell you in one article about the basic setup and optimization of what is necessary, which I always do first on a new system after installation (or on a user’s already “dirty” operating system). Of course, not everything will be told, but a lot, and this is what will allow you to understand how to speed up a Windows-based computer.
In general, I was going to write this material back with the release of 7, but somehow I never got around to a big article, and therefore there was a large series of small notes, each of which talked about some small aspect. Now it has been decided to correct this misunderstanding.
By the way, over several systems, in general, from the point of view of configuration and optimization, not much has changed, and therefore you can safely apply the following to Windows 7 and Windows 8, and use some principles on older systems.
Let's get started.
How to speed up your computer on Windows 10 and 7/8 - interface
I will show and tell using the example of the interface and system of Windows 10, but those who wish can easily apply all this to 7 or 8, since everything is identical with rare exceptions and the problem can only be minor differences in the interface and the lack of what needs to be optimized .
Disabling background programs and services
Open Windows settings (mainly for 10) using the Start method and clicking the corresponding icon or settings (they are also parameters, i.e. not the control panel):
There, poke into " Confidentiality -Background applications", where either completely disable all background applications, or most of those that you do not need. Usually their work in the background is not required, but sometimes they eat up a lot of resources:
Internet connection and ping can be optimized.
And look for the rest by tag.
In a nutshell, perhaps something like this.
Let's move on to the afterword.
Afterword
As I said, in fact, these are not all the settings, but they are a certain necessary basis that will make your communication with the system faster, more convenient and even stable in some places, i.e. the question of how to speed up your computer will no longer arise.
As always, if you have any questions, thoughts, additions, etc., please feel free to comment on this post.