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Windows PC slowing down over time

  • 28-08-2012 10:59pm
    #1
    jasonb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,341 ✭✭✭


    I've had my PC 3 years now and while it's still running ok, it's definitely not as fast as it used to be. Searching online suggests this is fairly common.

    It's fully patched with the latest drivers and BIOS. I have very little preloading ( I've checked the Run and Run Once entries in the Registry for example ) and only have about 3 icons in the taskbar on boot up. The PC is defragged fairly regularly too. It doesn't have any viruses or spyware.

    From previous experience, I know if I wipe the PC and reinstall it'll be faster again. But I'm wondering if there's anything I can do that would be a little quicker than that! Searching online brings up lots of different registry cleaners etc., but I'd be worried about how effective ( and trustworthy ) they'd be.

    Any advice appreciated, thanks!

    J.


Comments

  • #2
    Torqay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,835 ✭✭✭Torqay


    Forget about "cleaning" the registry.

    Run CCleaner.

    Use Autoruns to fine tune your startup routine.

    Have a look at blackviper.com re service tweaking.

    Defragment the drive (and the pagefile).

    And if all that doesn't help, I always like me a good reinstallation... nothing wrong with that after three years. ;)


  • #3
    jasonb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,341 ✭✭✭jasonb


    Thanks for your reply.

    Just wondering, what's the best way of defragging the Page File. I can't find consistent instructions online...

    Thanks...

    J.


  • #4
    Torqay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,835 ✭✭✭Torqay


    Well, you can use Mark Russinovich's PageDefrag (not sure if this works on a 64-bit OS, definitely requires admin privileges) which will also compact the registry hives.

    And then there is the old brute force method: disable paging, reboot, defragment the drive, re-enable paging, reboot and Windows will recreate pagefile.sys in one piece (contiguous).


  • #5
    jasonb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,341 ✭✭✭jasonb


    Ah, I was wondering if that 'Brute Force' method still worked!

    I'll give those a go and see how I get on. If I'm not happy with the performance afterwards, I'll look at scheduling a weekend and doing a reinstall.

    Thanks for your help...

    J.


  • #6
    srsly78
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,157 ✭✭✭srsly78


    Op you didn't say what OS you have. Windows 7 automatically defrags so you don't need to worry about it. Vista was supposed to do this as well but..... vista.... yeah. Do you have rubbish like mcafee or norton installed?

    Upgrade to windows 7 and your pc will be like new.


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