Your computer running Windows isn’t running in the same speed that it used to run when you first used it. It’s slower, crappy, takes a while to start and tests your patience like anything. There are many reasons for this. It happened to me, and I’ve found a number of easy ways to make my computer faster.
There are a number of symptoms that can lead to a slow computer, and there are related causes. It’s important to understand what’s causing the symptom before you can make your computer faster. Whether it’s taking ages for your start menu to load, your right-click menu isn’t working or your programs just stop responding, there is almost always a cause.
So, Let’s try fixing up a few things on your slow Windows PC to make it run faster than it ever has before.:
Slow Start Up
There can be a variety of reasons to Windows loading slow during start up. Go to Run, type msconfig and hit enter. Under the ‘Start Up’ tab, uncheck the unwanted programs and press OK. Things should be a bit fine the next time Windows boots.
Another program worth mentioning here is StartUp Delayer which will help in setting after how much time programs should be loaded after Windows boots. For instance, you could set your instant messenger program to load 50 seconds after Windows starts up.
Slow Loading Start Menu
If the Start Menu items are loading slowly, you can open the Registry Editor by typing in the Run menu ‘regedit.exe’ and pressing Enter. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop. Look for MenuShowDelay, and double click to edit the value. The lower the number specified, the faster the Start Menu will load.
Slow Right Click Context Menu
Probably the Windows Right Click menu on your computer is loading slow because too many programs added unwanted entries there. Just use any number of the free right-click tools available to modify your context menu to remove unwanted items and speed it up.
Slow Send To Menu
If the Send To menu loads slowly, you can type ‘sendto’ in the Run Dialog, and remove unwanted items in the Explorer Window that appears. This should add some speed to it.
Slow Defragmentation
The Windows Defragmenter can’t get any slower. You need to have an alternative to the Windows Defragmenter, and Defraggler is just one of the best ones available in the market. It’s free, and works like a charm and can speed up defragmentation manifold. For some alternatives, see Five Free Programs to Defragment your PC.
Slow loading My Computer Window
If the My Computer Window loads slowly, in the Explorer Window, go to Tools >> Folder Options >> View and uncheck ‘Automatically search for network folders and printers”
Slow loading Add or Remove Programs Applet
This is one of the most annoying piece of programs present in Windows, it takes ages to load if you have a considerable number of programs installed on your computer. You can either use the all-in-one CCleaner for this purpose, or get MyUninstaller that comes as a speedy replacement for Add or Remove Programs.
Slow Ending of Unresponsive Programs
If you’ve clicked on ‘End Task’ if any program is running unresponsive, you might have noticed that the program is not terminated immediately. You can alter this by going to Run >> regedit.exe >> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetControl and change this value to 1000.
Disable Animations and Appearance Overhauls to maximize performance
If you’re a serious performance junkie, you probably won’t bother about eyecandy. Go to System Properties in the Control Panel. Click ‘Advanced’, then ‘Performance’ and click ‘Adjust for best performance’. This might boost your PC’s performance up a bit.
Additional Tips:
To make my computer faster and so that it had less problems, I follow the following tips.
- Always keep your computer clean. Remove Junk and Unnecessary registry entries. Use CCleaner for this purpose, one excellent tool that just does what it says.
- Don’t keep installing software. Install a program only if it really serves you a purpose.
- Keep as few programs as possible running on the System Tray. This essentially means reducing the number of programs that start during Windows start up.
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Slow Ending of Unresponsive Programs
If you’ve clicked on ‘End Task’ if any program is running unresponsive, you might have noticed that the program is not terminated immediately. You can alter this by going to Run >> regedit.exe >> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\ and change this value to 1000.
It is not clear exactly what registry entry should be altered. Could you please clarify? Thanks.
I think you can alter it o anything above 10-15 seconds (1000-1500). If you hav a really slow machine you can set the value to something even higher.
in this tip, (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\) there is a bunch more keys, it is not clear what to change. you can’t do anything to control???????
The first item in the box to the right click on it and put in 1000
change value on “(default)”, i got stuck there too
its tha only thing on there with numbers next to it. I believe it says WaitToKillServiceTimeout or somethin like that. double click and change the number to 1000.
If you noticed when you follow all the steps, the only syep that wasn’t specified was in wich line you hace to change the value. go under wait to kill… and there you change it to 1000.
hey Johan thinks for the tip, look at my at mine its all the way to the bottom before tom.
Thanks for a great article, I just edited my sendto locations! I also found a way to edit the “Open With” dialogue, and I wrote an article about it and the sendto tweak (attributed to you)
http://greasypc.blogspot.com/2008/01/edit-send-to-and-open-with-right-click.html
Thanks
Nice tips Shankar! Is there a part 2? :D
Hehe, may be. ;) Thanks for the idea, though. :P
Good list you got here. I’ve never heard of StartUp Delayer before, I may have to check that out. Another helpful tip: if possible, do not keep more than one or two users logged into WinXP or Vista at once. This can create a lot of slowdown, esp. if you’re lacking in the RAM department.
That’s a good tip to remember, thanks for sharing.
Some of these I didn’t even know they were configurable.
One more tip to terminate unresponsive programs is ending process from process tab of windows task manager.
For ex:If you want terminate not responding firefox just click firefox.exe from the process tab and hit end process or you can do it right clicking firefox.exe also…This tip closes the program you choose immediately but you should know or find .exe file carefully
That’s how I terminate Firefox. No it’s super fast but also allows you to restore session (tabs) afterwards.
@John Romero
Run >> regedit.exe >> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\
WaitToKillServiceTimeout key
Thanks, Norm.
Yeah if listen to the regedit.exe whats shall i change the waitokillservisetimeout key to? please reply
Great one Shankar! I’m glad you shared these, please keep them coming! :)
Thanks for the tips – i just applied some of them – they worked great.
@Tina, Matt: Glad to hear your thoughts. Thanks for commenting! :)
Ya. Keep it cumming!!!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Excellent tips, buddy! Stumbled & bookmarked for the day when my computer starts to slow down.
Slow Startup
WinPatrol can also delay your startup apps in addition to being a startup manager & monitor
Slow Loading Start Menu
Great tweak!
I have the Computer, Documents, Recent Items & Control Panel buttons in the start menu as drop-down menus. Is there any registry tweak to make them load quicker? I’m on Vista Home Premium.
Old tricks but can always work for those who want to stick with old machines and never upgrade! A slow system can also be an indication that its time to upgrade your hardware. If you have a not so old system config. then unnecessary programs running in background like adobe reader and many other services can use CPU power and make system slow. In new systems, switching off all the windows eye candy don’t give any significant performance increase.
Nice tips. They work well!
Thank you
please it there a sipler way i do not get it at all plase tell me if there is
thanks, great tips. it works perfect
hi thanks when i start windows it is really faster :D thanks.
i tryed the ”Disable Animations and Appearance Overhauls to maximize performance” and it changed my menus and others to Windows 95 graphics now i dont know what it was before and theres no default setting to change it back.
too bad just click it again
how can we make the graphics card perform at its best.. cause i feel my computer is not doing it… and when i open programs which is games… when i will first enter it always says disconnected its an online games.. how can i make my computer do its work as a gaming PC. when i firs bought i, it performed very awesome, but now it ain’t doing its best. i got a 8500 GT geforce graphics and feels like its not doing its job. please can anyone gave me any response?
PCDriversUpdates.com/geforce8500gt
Thanks for the tips.
totally thank you this is amazing much love
This was a pretty helpful article, but I had a problem with MMM. After I installed it, I decided I didn’t like it and uninstalled. After that, my audio failed, as a result I think, from a problem with my Plug and Play service.
After looking around, I came to the conclusion that the HACE software did something to my machine similar to the malware apropos. Going to this site solved my problem.
tech-archive.net/Archive/WinXP/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/2005-12/msg04001.html
In retrospect it could just be that because MMM is so old it messed up my machine on uninstall. So, use the ‘freeware’ at your own risk.
the tips were very useful thank you!
but my system goes extreme slow after i download and install programs
ie takes a lot of time of just appear, sometimes close to a minute for the home page to appear!
:( any tips??
Try going to a site called http://registryeasy.info I tried it and it cleaned, optimized and made my system 10x faster with one click, and the whole thing took five minutes. They even scanned my PC for free and showed me exactly what the problems were. I was about to pay my computer guy $100 to reinstall windows! Anyway, you might want to save yourself allot of time, money and frustration and at least try the free scan. Hope this helps!
hey have you ever got a new computer and after a couple years
you think its just a piece of junk and you think its too slow for you.
well heres a tip to help your problems.”Go to run” then put in”regedit.exe” then go to “hkey local machine”. then double click system. then look for control and click that.then go to wait to kill sevice and type in 1000.
P.S. if it didn’t work or if it did email me at austin.kershner@yahoo.com
PCDriversUpdates.com/geforce8500gt try this it might work good for you download it then run it
Thanks for the tips bud…keep em coming :D
another way to make your computer faster is if you blow compressed air into your computer. cleaning it really helps. keep the computer cold, dont let it get hot. and last is get some ram, you can get ram almost free depending where you look, i got mine from a gaming computer in goodwill.
well isacc you go to regedit.exe and go to hykey local machine and go to system then go to control look for waittokillservice and put in 1000
Try out pcsurgeon.synthesite.com its was only 9.99 and came with Anti Virus, Spyware and a hard disk defragger. Also came with a tutorial that included tips and tricks to keep your computer fast, healthy and up to date. I was pretty impressed. This is all you really need to clean your computer of any viruses and spyware and keep it protected and running like its brand new.
its actually pcsurgeon.synthasite.com it worked great for me. My computer is running like new again after following the tutorial.
Help! please!
i did this step on this page:
Disable Animations and Appearance Overhauls to maximize performance
and i really don’t like it. i wan’t my old appearance settings back. i really have no idea how to do it or where to go…i know its something with the control pannel, but now that the settings are changed…i cant find that matentience thing to adjust it to get my better quality graphics back. Please send a response to the email i have provided!
A question, maybe a stupid one but I’m no computer geek. I have a new laptop with Windows Vista and can’t find the ‘Run’ function. How do I get into it?
Chanti
Hi Chantal,
In Vista, you have 2 ways of accessing the ‘Run’ command.
The first way, to use it on an “as needed” or just one time basis is by clicking the “Windows†+ “R†keys simultaneously. The command box will pop up & you can do what you need to from there.
The second way, if you want to make the ‘Run’ command available on your START menu, is: Right-click on the taskbar, then select “Properties“. Click on “Start Menu†tab, then click on “Customize“. Check “Run command“ (this is right below Printers & above Search). Click “OK”.
By the way, it is normal that it doesn’t appear on your laptop. Windows Vista does not have RUN in the Start Menu by default.
Hope this helps!
April
Thank you so much April! I got it done thanks to you.
:)
Shankar,
Great tips on speeding up Windows & improving performance! I think I came across this article back when you first posted it, but just found it again & wanted to say “thanks!”. Some of these tips work great even on my new laptop (with Vista Ultimate installed).
this helped me alot my computer speed and performance is much better……..the last thing about performance really did it for me thanks!!!!!!
hey, thanks for the tips and that, i really needed that, my computer was slower than a legless tortoise lol.
Once again thanks for the tips, needed them badly!
if your comp is going really slow reformat it
on the waittokillservicetimeout, my my compter was 20,000 and i currently changed it to 1000, is that bad?
A slow bootup is so frustrating! You can also check out this software put out by regcure…
Great article!
I found Microsoft Bootvis to be the best boot up optimizer. Try it if you are having slow boot ups.
Advanced System care Free does increase computer’s perofrmance and it’s also free.
Thanks for tips
also, make sure you wipe your computer with rubbing alcohol from time to time. I will make it run smoother.
is there any relation between connexion and files restor’d on computers, whether into C or D?
Nice tips … i think i should implement them on my desktop because its getting extra slow these days with a very annoying lengthy boot up time!
THANKS this really helped
Yo home dogie this stuff is sweet foe chisel peace out home fro
Cool thread…
In addition to ccleaner i recommend CleanUp! from cleanup.stevengould.org
Very great tips! It worked for me! Thanks!!!!
Hi there,
I tried the sendto thing, but it gave me an “Access Denied” alert. Is there something I need to do before this or something?
For Windows XP (and a Beta version for Vista)
Microsoft has a complete online scan and repair feature that you can use for FREE. It is a full online scan and repair setup.
After you run the complete tuneup…it will ask you if you’d like to purchase this service, but you can say “No Thanks” and continue to use it over and over without paying for the service.
It will do indepth virus and etc scan, but also do Registry repairs, defrag and so on.
If you use it…be prepared to let it run overnight. It takes hours to do a complete tuneup.
Go to the Microsoft OneCareLive site below….and look about 1/4 way down on the right for the “FULL SCAN” button.
By the way….it will allow you to customize the particular types of scan and repairs that you want done as well.
onecare.live.com/site/en-us/article/SlowPC.htm
It’s really helped my computer. I run XP Pro.
hey
for downloading programs operating systems etc…..
go to dl4all.com
hey it is great budy.
really these tips are great and easy to remember and very easy to do.
I done all with my pc and i find that my computer speed is become very fast.
I appecite it
thanks yaaaaaaar
yogesh
Try to make pc faster
Great! i also found website that helps make your pc fast. theska.org/ways-computer-fast/
Theres also a really good website on Making Your PC Faster here
i am not able to make my computer type what i say please help me
I’ve got AVG,Spybot n Adaware for malware protection, Very few programs on startup and 2 GB RAM. For the drive utilities, i use CCleaner regularly for cleanups and have automated the defrag process by installing a program that defrags in the background as and when needed.
Slow problem is a common event for Windows user.
“No matter how fast or shiny computers might be when they’re new, they all seem to get slower over time.” Microsoft claimed that on their technical forum(Windows 7 forum).
In fact, Windows built-in a lot of services and startup item start with system. So if you want a faster computer, you need to disable some of them first.
I saw an article before in ezine(A famous article site). It descripe how to make you windows faster.——-> Fix Windows Boot Slow
If you still don’t know how to disable services safety, Click here to fix Windows SLow by professional tools.
Any problems? Welcome to discuss with me! Enjoy it !
——————————————————————-
Keron Chew
——- A Computer Technication.