Laptops are a very important electronic device for many people. Laptops are used for various purposes, from work, and study, to entertainment. However, a slow laptop certainly really interferes with productivity.

Many factors can cause a slow computer, such as a small RAM capacity, a full hard drive, or the presence of viruses. If your computer is experiencing a slow problem, here are some reasons why you should solve it immediately:

• Disrupts productivity

A slow computer can disrupt your productivity. You will have difficulty running applications, opening files, or performing other tasks. This will certainly make you feel frustrated and lose time.

• Inhibits work

If you use your computer for work, a slow computer can hinder your work. You will find it difficult to complete tasks on time and provide maximum results.

• Corrupting data

If your computer is infected with a virus, your computer may become slow. Viruses can damage your data, so you can lose important data.

• Reducing sales value

A slow computer will have a lower resale value. This is because a slow computer is considered no longer suitable for use.

How to Overcome a Slow Computer

Here are 10 easy ways to deal with a slow laptop:

1. Clean the Disk and Delete Unnecessary Files

One of the causes of a slow laptop is the large number of unimportant files stored on the hard drive. These files can be junk files, cache files, or files that are no longer used.

To clean the disk and delete unimportant files, you can use the built-in Windows disk cleaner application or a third-party application.

Here’s how to clean unimportant files using the Windows operating system’s built-in disk cleanup:

1. Open Disk Cleanup

• Windows 10 and 11:
  • Type “Disk Cleanup” in the taskbar search box and select “Disk Cleanup” from the results.
  • Or, open File Explorer, right-click on the drive you want to clean, select “Properties,” then click the “Disk Cleanup” button.
• Windows 8 and 8.1:
  • Type “cleanmgr” in the Start Screen search box and select “Cleanmgr.exe”.
• Windows 7:
  • Click the Start button, type “cleanmgr” in the search box, then press Enter.

2. Select the drive you want to clean

Disk Cleanup will display a list of available drives on your computer. Select the drive you want to clean and click “OK”.

3. Wait until Disk Cleanup scans the files

Disk Cleanup will scan your drive and list the files you can delete. This may take a few minutes, depending on the size of the drive and the number of files on it.

Select the files you want to delete

Under “Files to delete,” check the box next to the file types you want to delete. Some of the file types you can delete with Disk Cleanup include:

• Temporary files
• File cache
• File log
• File dump
• File system error

5. Click “OK” to delete the file

Once you have selected the files you want to delete, click the “OK” button. Disk Cleanup will delete these files and free up storage space on your hard drive.

Tips:

• Before running Disk Cleanup, it is recommended to back up your important data.
• You can run Disk Cleanup regularly (for example, once a week) to keep your hard drive clean and free of unnecessary files.
• Disk Cleanup also offers a “Clean up system files” option. This option allows you to delete additional files, such as old system recovery files. However, it is recommended to be careful when using this option, as deleting the wrong files may cause problems for your computer.

Hopefully the steps above help you clean up files with Disk Cleanup and free up storage space on your hard drive.

2. Uninstall Unnecessary Programs

Unnecessary programs can also cause a slow laptop. These programs will run in the background when your laptop is on, so they will eat up memory and CPU.

To remove unnecessary programs, you can open the menuControl Panel > Programs and Features. Then, select the program you want to remove and click Uninstall.

3. Turn off the Startup Program

Programs that run at startup can also cause a slow laptop. These programs will run automatically when your laptop is turned on, so they will take up memory and CPU.

To turn off startup programs, you can open the menuTask Manager by pressing the button Ctrl+Shift+Esc on the keyboard. Then, click the tab Startup and turn off (disable) programs you don’t need.

4. Update Operating System and Drivers

Microsoft and hardware manufacturers frequently release operating system and driver updates to fix bugs and improve performance. Therefore, it is important to keep your laptop’s operating system and drivers up to date.

To update the operating system, you can open the menu Settings > Windows Update. Then, click Check for updates.

To update drivers, you can go to your hardware manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers for your device.

5. Upgrade RAM

RAM (Random Access Memory) is memory used by the operating system and applications to store data that is being used. If your laptop’s RAM capacity is small, then your laptop will use the hard drive more often to store temporary data. This can cause the laptop to be slow.

To overcome this, you can increase your laptop’s RAM capacity. You can buy and install new RAM yourself, or take your laptop to a service center.

6. Use SSD

SSDs read and write data faster than ordinary hard drives. If your laptop still uses a regular hard drive, you can replace it with an SSD to make your laptop even faster.

One of the most effective ways to deal with a slow laptop is to replace a conventional hard drive with an SSD. SSDs have faster read and write speeds than conventional hard drives, so they can significantly improve laptop performance.

Here are several reasons why using an SSD is recommended to overcome slow laptops:

• Faster read and write speeds

SSDs use flash memory technology, so they have faster read and write speeds than conventional hard drives that use disk technology. This can make your laptop feel faster when opening applications, running programs, or accessing files.

• Overall performance improvements

Apart from read and write speeds, SSDs can also improve overall laptop performance. This is because SSDs have no moving parts, so they are more durable and do not produce excessive heat.

• Longer life

SSDs have a longer lifespan than conventional hard drives. This is because SSDs have no moving parts, so they are not susceptible to mechanical damage.

• Smaller size

SSDs are smaller in size than conventional hard drives. This can make your laptop lighter and thinner.

If your laptop still uses a conventional hard drive, you may consider replacing it with an SSD. Replacing the hard drive with an SSD can be an effective solution for dealing with slow laptops.

7. Defragment the hard drive

Hard drive defragmentation is the process of rearranging data on the hard drive to tidy up storage. Over time, data on a hard drive tends to become scattered in chunks, which can cause laptop performance to slow down when accessing information. By defragmenting, data is rearranged so that it is more centralized, allowing the laptop to operate more efficiently and responsively when accessing data.

Here are some reasons why hard drive defragmentation is recommended for dealing with slow laptops:

• Increase data access speed

Hard drive defragmentation can help increase data access speed. This is because data stored centrally will be more easily accessed by the hard drive.

• Improve overall performance

Apart from data access speed, hard drive defragmentation can also improve overall laptop performance. This is because the hard drive does not need to work as hard to access data.

• Improve application performance

Applications running on laptops will also benefit from hard drive defragmentation. Applications that run will be faster and more responsive.

• Improve operating system performance

The operating system will also benefit from hard drive defragmentation. The operating system will run more smoothly and stably.

If your laptop still uses a conventional hard drive, you can defragment the hard drive periodically to improve laptop performance. Hard drive defragmentation can be done using Windows’ built-in defragmentation application or a third-party application.

Here are the steps to defragment a hard drive using the built-in Windows defragmentation application:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Right-click on the hard drive you want to defragment.
3. Select Properties.
4. Klik tab Tools.
5. Click the Optimize button.
6. Select the hard drive you want to defragment.
7. Click the Analyze button.
8. If the analysis results show that the hard drive needs to be defragmented, click the Optimize button.

Hard drive defragmentation usually takes several hours, depending on the size and degree of fragmentation of the hard drive.

8. Scan viruses and malware

Viruses and malware can make your laptop slow. Viruses and malware can use system resources to run themselves, which can slow down laptop performance.

Here are several reasons why virus and malware scans are recommended to overcome slow laptops:

• Removes viruses and malware

Viruses and malware can cause a slow laptop. By removing viruses and malware, you can significantly improve your laptop’s performance.

• Improve security

Viruses and malware can damage your operating system, files, or data. By removing viruses and malware, you can increase the security of your laptop.

• Prevent the spread of viruses and malware

Viruses and malware can spread to other devices via the network or storage media. By removing viruses and malware, you can prevent the spread of viruses and malware to other devices.

If your laptop feels slow, you can perform a virus and malware scan to find and remove viruses and malware. Virus and malware scans can be performed regularly to keep your laptop safe and running smoothly.

Steps to perform a virus and malware scan using an antivirus application:

1. Open the antivirus application.
2. Click the Scan button.
3. Select the type of scan you want to perform.
4. Wait until the scanning process is complete.

The virus and malware scan results will be displayed on the screen. If viruses and malware are found, the antivirus application will offer to remove them.

Read Also: “Threats of the Digital Era” Why Do Hackers Choose to Target Your Smartphone?

9. Repair the operating system

If your laptop is experiencing serious problems, you can try repairing the operating system. You can use the System Restore feature to return the operating system to a previous state.

The System Restore feature will restore your operating system to a certain point in the past. This can help fix problems with the operating system that make your laptop slow.

10. Clean the fan

The laptop fan functions to cool the internal components of the laptop. If the laptop fan is dirty, your laptop can become slow because the laptop’s internal components become hot.

You can clean the laptop fan regularly using a brush or vacuum cleaner. Cleaning the laptop fan can help improve laptop performance and prevent damage to the laptop’s internal components.

Conclusion:

These are some of the ways you can overcome a slow laptop so that it returns quickly and smoothly. By following the tips above, you can increase productivity and comfort when using a laptop.