News How to Keep Windows Running Smoothly

[Admin]

A smooth running system will bring months of productivity / entertainment. Keep your rig running smooth with just a little work.

How to Keep Windows Running Smoothly : Read more

 

[Deleted member 431422]

A good reminder to people to take care of their systems. Neglecting it is the root of so many problems.

I'd add an optimizer as well. It's good to do a registry scan once in a while. There are free options out there if one doesn't want to pay.

Second, don't install whatever. There is always something left and sometimes it's hard to find the cause of a problem. Usually it's best to do a reinstall then. Fixing the problem doesn't mean the system will return to normal.

It's always good to have a friend who knows his/her way around the computers. They can do a proper clean of the system. I don't recommend going further than what's in the article for those not in the know. It's very easy to break Windows and sometimes loose all the data.

 

[eichwana]

I’d have added running sfc /scannow

 

[KenEverett]

I question the wisdom of simply 'running all Windows (10\11) updates to make your system run better'.
Microsoft has a terrible history of breaking things with their updates!
All too often they provide a 'fix' for a previously reported problem, which when applied, breaks any number of other Windows, Microsoft or 3rd party programs!
A case in point is KB5012170 which when applied to Windows 11 locks (some) users out of their PCs, demanding the user to input the dreaded Bitlocker key!
I have been trying for many years to make PCs run faster by clearing disk space, defragmenting hard drives, compacting the registry, running virus scans, etc and I'm afraid none of these (or all of them combined) could not match the blistering performance gain of upgrading to a PCiE hard drive.
I have adopted the practice of completely disabling ALL Windows updates until I have identified one which is really needed, has been fully tested by Microsoft AND their test team (i.e. the world) and proven to be stable and safe.
Only then do I run one of the user-driven mini update tools, select the one\s I want to install and ignore the rest.
If one has an (active) antivirus program installed then a system virus-scan seems like a redundant exercise.

 

[emike09]

A good reminder to people to take care of their systems. Neglecting it is the root of so many problems.

I'd add an optimizer as well. It's good to do a registry scan once in a while. There are free options out there if one doesn't want to pay.

Second, don't install whatever. There is always something left and sometimes it's hard to find the cause of a problem. Usually it's best to do a reinstall then. Fixing the problem doesn't mean the system will return to normal.

It's always good to have a friend who knows his/her way around the computers. They can do a proper clean of the system. I don't recommend going further than what's in the article for those not in the know. It's very easy to break Windows and sometimes loose all the data.

Honestly, I've pretty much never run into any problems from Windows Updates on all my systems and servers. Maybe a couple of times, ever, but it's better to keep your system up to date instead of delaying due to fears of update problems. I even run the beta insider build on my home systems with no issues. If you truly fear updates, delay them by 7 days in your update settings so MS has an opportunity to patch something before it's deployed to your system.

 

[pasgener]

I’d have added running sfc /scannow

Agree 100%, and also DISM /online /cleanup-Image /ScanHealth and /RestoreHealth

Then in-place upgrade prior to full nuclear clean reinstall

 

[kquinn9999]

Excellent advice but misses one thing that IMO is critical. Many times updates to hardware/drivers/firmware/BIOS are necessary for proper operation, secure operation, and performance. These are not often available in a timely matter if at all from Windows Update. I advise users to seek out manufacturer recommended updates, at least critical ones, from www.PCOEM.com where "PCOEM" is the manufacturer of your PC. Many PC ship with utilities for the same but the online support is often more up to date. See https://us.targus.com/blogs/discover-targus/troubleshooting-guide-for-targus-docks-and-devices .

 

[Soulrider]

I know this will sound silly but ** never assume ** what Microserf said on release date for minimum memory to apply even 3 months down the road. If your system is running like a pig on stilts and drive usage never stops you are below usable memory. This has been the case since windows 3.*, 95/97/ME and still continues to this day. Windows will force you into eternal swapping rather than reduce memory buffer usage based on 'performance'. Take any minimum memory statement from Windows with the following formula x2 for 6 months x3 for a year and x4 for 2 years. After that you are at the whim of a new generation of poorly written but well supported new OS and drivers.