It does not matter which version of Windows is used: the computer, after a few months of regular use, slows down to make normal operations impossible. To keep the PC in shape we will have to apply regular and automatic maintenance, which makes the PC as fast as it has just been formatted regardless of the number of programs already installed.
All this applies whatever the version of Windows we are using: both if we have remained faithful to Windows 7 we can optimize performance and have a fast PC with some targeted interventions such as those described below.
FOR WINDOWS 10: Guide to optimize Windows 10
How to optimize Windows 7 to improve performance
READ ALSO: After installing Windows 7, complete it, make it safe and fast
These operations are simple, do not involve any modification to the system, do not require you to install any external program and can be done safely, without risking damaging the system in any way.
1) Remove unused Windows programs and features
When you buy a new PC or notebook, they are most likely present (especially if pre-assembled) with a lot of demo and trial programs to try and buy later.
Each program installed on your computer consumes system resources and slows it down.
Since most of these programs will never be purchased (and I recommend not buying anything and using programs for free, unless it is needed for work), it is better to remove them.
To uninstall all unnecessary software go to Control Panel -> Programs -> Uninstall a program and from here scroll through the list by removing unused applications.
To uninstall a program completely, removing all the files should use an external program that does a better job.
Furthermore, from the same window, we can use the Activate or not Windows functionality button so that we can uninstall unnecessary Windows components.
In other articles it is written which free programs to install on a new pc and which ones never to install.
2) Check the programs that start automatically when you turn on the computer
The most common cause of slowing down programs that run automatically when Windows 7 starts and remain active in the background, consuming system memory and slowing down the PC.
We can proceed by deactivating all unnecessary programs by opening the Start menu, typing msconfig in the search bar and going to the Start tab.
From here we can disable programs and tools in auto-start with a greater impact on PC startup performance; we can deepen the discussion by reading the MSConfig guide , the system configuration utility .
As an alternative, in Windows 7 there are some programs to manage the startup of the computer.
Experienced users can instead use programs like Autoruns which allows faster boot of the computer with full control of all processes.
3) Adjust the visual effects
On modern Windows operating systems the graphic effects are the masters, with many gestures and features that consume a lot of CPU and GPU.
If the PC is only for work and we do not need any particular visual effect we can adjust the visual effects and have better performance from your system we will have to do is right click on the My Computer icon on the desktop, open the Properties item and finally Advanced system settings .
In the Performance tab we click Settings and select the Adjust option in order to obtain the best performance and, if necessary, enable the various effects by choosing them individually from the list.
Another article says how to disable Aero effects on Windows 7.
4) Adjust the indexing options
The indexing system continuously indexes the files on the hard disk, often slowing down the PC during these scans.
You should change the settings so that Windows indexes are active only for frequently used folders and not all of them.
From the Control Panel or from the Start menu we can search for the Indexing Options item so as to open the window where we can select the folders to be indexed, deactivating the search in folders that are almost never opened.
We can also completely disable the Windows Search indexing service from the services ( Start -> Run -> services.msc ) and use a better, faster program to search for files on the computer
5) Adjust the energy settings
Energy management by default in Windows is Balanced, so there is some energy savings by slightly sacrificing performance.
If we are not interested in the use of the battery on the laptop and if you prefer to speed up Windows 7 rather than save energy we can change the setting from the Control Panel by clicking on the option Energy saving options -> Change the energy saving settings .
Among the savings items that we can select, we click on High performance .
6) Turn off system sounds
If we want to eliminate one or all the sounds of Windows 7 (like the annoying startup one) it is possible from the Control Panel -> Audio -> Sounds and in the Combination drop-down menu you can choose No sound ; we can also disable startup sounds by unchecking the Play Windows startup sound .
This is clearly not that that improves Windows performance much but the speed freaks could be happy.
Turning off system sounds does not turn off computer sound while browsing the internet, music and movies.
7) Disable Windows services
Disabling nonessential services is perhaps the most important point to optimize Windows even if it is normally reserved only for expert users.
Windows 7 Services run in the background and provide necessary functions to the computer.
However, many users don't need all the services, and since each one consumes memory and CPU resources, they can be disabled.
From the Start menu, type the word Services directly into the search bar and open the onomima entry; we will get a screen with all the active services, as visible below.
Each service can be set to Automatic (automatic start at boot), Manual (start when necessary), or disabled .
For Windows 7 and later, it is certainly worth looking at the table on this website which offers the ideal configuration for all versions of Windows.
Pay attention to what you are doing and use the extreme settings only if you are convinced and know what it entails (I do not recommend it).
If you notice from the task manager that svchost.exe consumes a lot of CPU, check which service is responsible for it and, if possible, disable it.
READ ALSO: Which Windows Services can be disabled to speed up the PC
8) Other tips to speed up Windows
Other tips to improve the performance of your Windows operating system are:
- Speed up the loading of folders with videos and images without reloading the cache each time;
- Use ReadyBoost with a USB stick;
- Use a Registry Cleaner like CCleaner, frequently;
- Use a good light antivirus;
- Restart or shut down Windows 7 without hibernation at least once a week (if we turn off the PC with hibernation);
- Defragment the mechanical hard disk at least once a month, using one of the best free defragment programs
- Deactivate the unused items from the contextual menus that come out with the right button;
- Consult the list of the best programs for a fast PC
- Learn the tricks to use the Windows 7 task manager
Other valuable information is available in the article on how to optimize Windows in general with automatic programs such as TuneUp (commercial) or Glary utilities (free).
Finally, also look at the summary of things to do to speed up your computer.
READ ALSO: Optimize your Windows PC: best free automatic programs
