As already done for Windows XP and Windows 7 (see how to make Windows 7 super fast), we see a general guide to fix Windows 8 and make it as fast as possible in loading and loading the various programs and applications. There are several settings, some modifiable in the Control Panel, others more hidden, which actually allow you to speed up Windows 8 to the maximum on any computer, without giving up anything and without negative effects.
So, if you are already using Windows 8 and would like the computer to run faster, you have to work on it for a few minutes to change some options and apply some special trick.
To have super fast Windows 8, we have 7 types of options and configurations to fix:
1) Modify the registry with some tricks .
Download this tweak archive, extract it to a folder and note two files with the .reg extension.
These are changes to the Windows registry keys that can be applied in one fell swoop with a double click on the Registry Tweaks to Make Windows Faster file (accept the changes).
The other file, Restore Default Settings, is used to cancel the changes and bring everything back as it was before.
The script has been successfully tested, does not cause any incidental damage, is safe and, for those who want to know, contains the following changes.
- Addition of the "Copy", "Move to" and "take ownership" keys in the right-click context menu;
- Auto terminates programs that stop after a certain time;
- Faster menus to appear;
- Disable the check of disk space, useless almost always.
- Disabled the search for missing programs that no longer exist when you click on an old link of the program to be used to open an unknown file.
- Faster upload folders
2) Disable Windows 8 shadows and animations
By default, Windows displays many nice-looking special effects and animations to make the interface more beautiful.
However, since animations can decrease system performance by taking up memory, it is necessary to deactivate this type of effect.
Press the Windows + R keys together to open the Run dialog, type the sysdm.cpl command and press Enter .
From the System Properties window, go to Advanced, click on the Settings button under the Performance section and deselect the following options :
- Animates windows when they are enlarged or reduced
- Animations on the taskbar
- Open combo boxes with scroll effect
- Controls and animated elements in windows
- Dissolve menu items after click
- Show shading of the mouse pointer
- Show shading of windows
- Move list boxes evenly
- Save previews of the taskbar
- Display menus with fading effect
- View transparent selection rectangle
- Display hints with fading or scrolling effect
Apply the changes and close the window.
3) Change the Folder Options to disable unnecessary features
It is possible to disable some useless Windows features when browsing folders.
Open My Computer, click on " View " in the ribbon at the top and then click on Options on the right.
The folder options menu can also be opened from the Control Panel .
From the Display tab, deselect the following options:
- Show quick description of the folder and desktop objects
- Hide empty drives in the Computer folder
- Hide extensions for known file types
- View compressed or encrypted NTFS files in a different color
- View file size information in folder suggestions
Here too, click on Apply and close the window.
4) Disable unnecessary services to Windows in automatic startup.
There are many services in Windows that start automatically when you turn on your computer and always run in the background, even if you don't need their functions.
Disabling unnecessary services can certainly improve system performance but it is not easy to understand which ones you need and which you don't.
What could be defined in this article is the list of services that can be disabled without doing any harm to the computer and without making Windows 8 unusable.
To configure the start of services in Windows 8, press the Windows-X keys together or right click on the bottom left corner, and open " Computer Management ".
Expand Services and Applications on the right side and then click on Services to see the complete list.
For each service you can double click to open its properties and the window, always the same, allows you to choose whether the start should be automatic, manual or disabled.
If you make a change, you must always press Apply before closing the window.
You can then change from automatic to manual the start of the following services in Windows 8:
- Check application compatibility
- Computer browser (only if your computer is not connected to a network and you are not planning to do so in the future)
- Diagnostic Criteria Service
- Maintenance of client distributed connections
- IP helper
- Offline files
- Program Compatibility Troubleshooting Service
- Portable device enumerator service
- Print Spooler (if you don't have a printer)
- Remote registry (always disable it for security reasons)
- Secondary access
- PC security center
- Server (If the computer is not connected to a network)
- TCP / IP NetBios Helper (If you are not in a network workgroup)
- Windows error reporting service
- Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) (if you don't use a scanner)
- Windows Search (If you don't use the search function frequently or if you use an alternative program like Everything)
- Windows time (If you do not want to keep the system time updated via the internet).
Furthermore, you can disable all non-Microsoft services, those that are installed by external programs.
Then press the Windows-R key, type the MSConfig command and press Enter .
In the services tab, press " Hide all Microsoft services " and then press the Disable all button.
5) Disable unnecessary programs from Windows startup
Many software add themselves to the entries in the Windows 8 auto-start list so that they can run as soon as the computer is turned on.
Many of these programs don't need to start at the beginning so you have to disable them.
In Windows 8 this operation is very simple and can be done from the Task Manager.
Then right click on the desktop taskbar and open " Task Manager ".
From the Startup tab, select the programs that you do not use and that you do not want to be always active and press the Disable button.
6) Disable sound effects from system events
By default, Windows 8 makes sounds when certain system events occur, when there are errors, when a device is connected, when a command is executed, and so on.
On a slow or old PC, sounds can have negative consequences on computer performance.
To disable them, open the Control Panel and click the Audio icon.
In the Sounds tab, disable audio notifications for some actions by setting the " None " item from the drop-down menu.
Again, apply the changes and then close.
7) In addition to these steps, remember the general computer maintenance rules that can be summarized with:
- Download and install the latest updates;
- Use the latest and updated drivers;
- Install only the necessary programs and uninstall the ones you never use;
- Use a good antivirus and keep it updated and, if you are using Windows 8, keep in mind that you don't need an additional antivirus because there is one included inside called Windows Defender.
In other articles are then reported:
- 10 hidden tricks to speed up Windows 8
- The guide to optimize Windows 8 and decrease the consumption of system resources
- How Windows 8 Quick Start works
