Improve the performance of your windows 7 computer for gaming. We clean the hard drive of all unnecessary, perform defragmentation

Perhaps all PC users sooner or later face a situation when the computer starts to "slow down".

Moreover, according to Murphy's laws, it happens at the most inopportune moment.

In this article, we will consider the possible reasons due to which the computer can "slow down", as well as ways to solve them, in order of increasing monetary investment required to resolve the issue.

What actions to take to increase the performance of your computer.

Step 1. Install new drivers

Installing new drivers can help increase PC performance, especially in cases where either standard Windows drivers or frankly old drivers are installed.

The motherboard driver has the greatest influence.

You can find drivers on the websites of the manufacturers of the corresponding hardware, or use one of the automatic driver update programs.

One of the best such automatic update programs is.

If you are a user of any version of the Windows operating system, you must remember that for correct operation it is necessary to ensure the connection between the hardware and software components of the system.

This interaction can be configured by drivers - a separate type of software that is the "connecting link" between the motherboard and the operating system.

Drivers can be installed manually, however, you can often face the problem of conflicting versions of the OS and driver software.

To avoid such problems, you should use special programs that will help you quickly select and install a driver for the connected device.

Carambis Driver Updater is one such program. It allows you to quickly download the necessary drivers, as well as update the versions of previously installed drivers.

Features of the utility:

Ability to search for driver software for all types of connected devices;
Work in the background. Thus, there is a minimum consumption of OS resources;
Availability of up-to-date database of drivers for all versions of Windows OS;
Full user support by developers. Program owners can get personal advice on any issue.

Step 2. Clean up the startup list

Perhaps, the first point from which you need to start increasing the performance of your computer is cleaning the startup from unnecessary programs and services.

Some programs (for example) add themselves to startup during installation.

This is done so that the program starts itself, without user intervention immediately after turning on the computer.

The problem is that, firstly, the computer starts to slow down at the stage of loading the operating system, running all startup programs, and secondly, the programs that were launched when the computer was turned on, as a rule, remain working during the entire working session, consuming RAM.

It should be noted that if you closely follow the installation process or perform manual installation of the application, this problem usually does not arise.

So, you need to go to Start - All Programs - Startup and remove all unnecessary programs. Very often, there are no programs in the startup folder, but, nevertheless, they continue to run.

You can also use the built-in Windows utility, to launch it, press the keys " Win + R", Then in the window that opens, enter the command" msconfig ", in the system configuration window, go to the" Startup "tab and uncheck the boxes from programs that do not need to be automatically launched.

It should be noted that you must understand which programs you are removing from startup.

Step 3. Optimizing computer performance

During the operation of the operating system, programs and applications, a significant number of unnecessary files, entries in the registry, etc. appear on the computer, which affect the performance of the system.

This phenomenon is especially typical for a computer on which programs are often changed - new ones are installed, old ones are removed.

The fact is that most modern programs are not correctly removed from the computer, i.e. after deletion, some files still remain on the system disk, as well as entries in the registry.

To combat computer garbage, special cleaning programs (Auslogics BootSpeed, CCleaner, Glary Utilities, etc.) are used, which optimize the system by removing unnecessary files and registry entries.

In our case, you need to download one of these programs and clean up the system.

Important! Since most cleaners work with the registry, if one of the registry keys is incorrectly deleted, you may encounter a problem in which the operating system will not boot. To avoid such cases, when working with the registry, incl. through special programs, you must create system restore points.

Another mandatory step when working with optimizer programs is checking the files that the program will delete.

It may happen that the program has added your personal data to the list of files to be deleted.

Be careful when working with optimizer programs, because without proper verification, instead of benefit, they can lead to harm.

The appearance of the program is quite pleasant and intuitive. If you want to improve the performance of your computer, you must first scan.

To do this, click on the corresponding key in the main window of the program.

The scanning process is carried out as quickly as possible (no more than 5 minutes).

During this time, the program will find all unnecessary files and folders, as well as processes that require immediate removal.

After scanning, you can clean each of the components with a single click. You can also see which files and error reports will be removed.

Using the "Find Duplicates" button, you can quickly scan the OS for duplicate files and folders and delete them.

Overall, the Carambis Cleaner shows very good results. After scanning and cleaning the system, work becomes much faster and more productive.

Optimize regularly to keep your PC or laptop in the best possible condition.

If you feel that your computer is getting too slow, and the systems are no longer helping, you can find an acceptable solution to your performance problems without too much financial expense. Instead of buying a new computer, it is enough to "cheer up" the existing one with a small upgrade.

First of all, start the Task Manager to find the bottleneck in your system. Pay attention to which of the system components is the most loaded - processor, memory or hard disk. This will help you decide which system to replace first.

Install the SSD

This is the most obvious solution. If your operating system is installed on HDD, transfer it to, and you will get an impressive performance boost. SSD reduces boot time and generally adds "responsiveness" to the system.

Although SSD prices have risen lately, it is still the most profitable investment for a system upgrade.

Samsung 850 EVO 250 GB (~ 5,500 rubles).
Transcend MTS420 120 GB (~ 2 800 rubles).

Since the capacity of conventional solid-state drives is not very large, and especially large SSDs are obscenely high prices, it is better to use the SSD as the system drive on which the operating system and the most frequently used applications will be installed. For user data, it is better to leave slow, but roomy HDDs.

Increase RAM

Windows 10 and modern apps like browsers are memory-hungry. If your system is having a hard time turning when you open many tabs in Chrome, and something beeps about the paging file, then it's time to buy more RAM.

Unfortunately, RAM has risen in price too. But you can still choose something cheaper from the options available.

Kingston HyperX Fury 8 GB Kit (2 × 4 GB) 2 133 MHz DDR4 (~ 6 300 rubles).
Corsair Vengeance Blue 8 GB (2 × 4 GB) DDR3 / 1 600 MHz Memory (~ 5 300 rubles).

Make sure to select the correct memory kit for your system. The easiest way to find out what type of memory is compatible with your motherboard is CPU-Z. Run the application and open the Memory tab.

Replace processor (if possible)

The sluggishness of your computer can also be affected by insufficient processor resources. Of course, replacing a processor in most cases means buying a new motherboard, which can hardly be called a cheap pleasure. But sometimes you can install a better processor on an existing motherboard, especially if you are using an AMD-based system.

AMD has a lot of inexpensive but powerful enough processors.

AMD Athlon X4 860K Kaveri FM2 + (~ 3 180 rubles).
AMD A10-7870K Godavari FM2 + (~ 5 300 rubles).
AMD FX-6300 Vishera AM3 + (~ 4000 rubles).
AMD FX-8320E Vishera AM3 + (~ 5 400 rubles).

Intel is changing their sockets more often than AMD, so replacing the processor with an Intel system is less justifiable, since you will most likely have to update the motherboard as well.

Before buying a new processor, make sure it fits your motherboard socket. To do this, in CPU-Z, see the Package section of the CPU tab.

Clean your computer from dust

Dust can cause your PC to become very hot. When the computer overheats, it slows down. This is due to CPU throttling. An overheated processor will automatically slow down to avoid thermal damage.

Launch SpeedFan and check the temperature of your processor and graphics card.

If the temperature readings are higher than normal, buy a compressed air cylinder and thoroughly blow out your computer.

Dust-Off Compressed Gas Duster (~ 500 rubles).

Improve cooling

Sometimes simple dusting isn't enough, especially if you've never changed the thermal paste. Find out in SpeedFan what exactly is overheating: processor, graphics card, or both. Then .

Thermal paste is inexpensive, and you won't have any problems buying it.

Arctic Silver 5 (~ 500 rubles).

After replacing the thermal paste, the temperature should drop. If it still stays high, you can improve cooling by adding a couple of fans.

PC fans are also quite cheap and install quickly and easily.

Cooler Master SickleFlow 120 - Sleeve Bearing (~ 400 rubles).
NZXT Technologies FN V2 140 mm Performance Case Fan (~ 430 rubles).

Overclock

Significant performance gains can be obtained through overclocking. Overclocking, or overclocking, is the transfer of a CPU or GPU to an abnormal, forced speed.

On the Internet, it is easy to find detailed instructions for overclocking the processor and video adapter. This can be done with both Intel and AMD solutions.

However, overclocking the components leads to an increase in their heat generation. So it is not worth overclocking anything in the system without good cooling.

Often playing video games, you may find that your applications "run" slower, the system runs so fast, and even freezes at critical moments. This is unfortunate and suggests high costs for new components or even a complete PC replacement. However, there are some simple and effective ways to improve the speed and performance of your computer for gaming. This how-to guide will walk you through various methods of cleaning up old files before upgrading your hardware in a few simple steps.

Update your graphics drivers

Removing old programs

Remove old programs. The more programs you have on your computer, the slower it will run. By removing unnecessary programs, you can easily improve the efficiency of your device.
Open the control panel on your PC. Go to the "Programs and Features" section. In Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10, these settings are in different places, but in general they are not very different, so you can always find them easily. Go to the "Organization" tab and switch it to "Last used date". This will allow you to filter your programs and find ones that you weren't using at the time.
Remove unused programs. When you find a program you no longer use, click Uninstall. (Be careful if you don't know what this is, some applications are required to run games.)

GPU overclocking

IMPORTANT make sure your GPU can be overclocked before doing this, as many are factory locked.
Overclocking your GPU causes your graphics card to run faster than factory settings. This is a potentially dangerous method of improving gaming performance, so you make any changes at your own risk. To do this, you must determine the baseline from which your graphics card is currently running.
Download free testing and analytics software. One of the most popular utilities is Heaven 4.0. Download and install this app. Click "Run". The program will play several scenes that are designed to test the capabilities of your device. Click the "Benchmark" located in the upper left corner of the screen to check the performance of your GPU.
Write down your result. Once the test is complete, a window will appear with an assessment of your video card. Write it down so you can compare it to your overclocked score.
Download the GPU Tuning Tool. You can find them online for free. Download and install. After running the application, increase the core clock speeds by 5-10 MHz. Check the stability of the system and, if everything is normal, you can further increase the frequencies. Monitor the temperature of your computer, if you overheat, you risk losing your hardware. Set a new frequency. Once you've found the correct frequency for your video card, restart your computer. Some overclocking software will prompt you to make the changes you made.
To make sure you find the correct frequency, start any game and see how it works.

Many well-known programs such as office tools, graphics and video editors, development environments and even browsers consume more and more energy with each update. As a result, a computer that was previously fast and easily coped with any task begins to show slowdowns in its work.How to improve processor performanceTo get rid of the brakes without buying a new PC, this material will help.

Before you improve computer processor , we need to find out for what reasons it became slow. Depending on the diagnostic result, the solution to the problem will depend.

Obsolescence of iron... Due to the rapid development of software, computer hardware has not been able to cope with the assigned tasks equally well over the years. The release of new, designed for more recent components, versions of familiar programs, leads to the fact that the "old man" is getting harder. This only Windows has not changed the processor requirements for 10 years, but some Chrome, Photoshop, Office, AutoCad, even in 5 years, has noticeably "recovered". Computers on which the ancient version of the program flies may no longer cope with its latest release.
Overheat.A very common reason for computers to slow down is when the temperatures of their components rise above an acceptable level. For example, if the manufacturer has indicated critical heating up to 70 ° C for the processor, then when this mark is exceeded, the CPU will reset the frequency and / or start to skip clock cycles. This is done so that he can "relax" and cool down. For the user, this behavior of the processor looks like a significant slowdown of the computer.
"Garbage" in the system.Actively used Windows (especially without antivirus) tends to accumulate system junk during operation. This includes remnants of deleted programs and games, unnecessary registry entries left by them, registry errors. Clogging the system partition with such small and useless files also slows down the PC, and from the outside it seems that it is the processor that is to blame. And there is nothing to say about viruses: worms "multiply", clogging up memory and loading the CPU, while Trojans and spyware constantly take up the processor's time for their "dirty deeds". For the user, all this also looks like a slowdown in the processor.
Degradation of the processor.Under constant exposure to high temperatures, the silicon crystal of the processor degrades: the integrity of the microscopic transistors is violated, the connections between them are lost. As a result, at best, it just slows down, and at worst - leads to sudden shutdowns, freezes and frequent "blue screens of death".
Failure of the hard drive.Such a component, like HDD (seemingly not directly related to the CPU) upon degradation and failure leads to terrible brakes. At first glance, the thought does not even occur to me that he is the culprit. After all, it seems that the processor has slowed down. As a result, the PC turns on for a long time, opens programs and files, "thinks" when switching tasks and freezes for a while.

Where to start before improving processor performance

The main reasons for the slowdown of the processor have been clarified. Before,how to improve processor performance, it remains to identify which of them worries in a particular case.

Hard disk test

Before, how to improve the processor, you should start diagnosing your computer by checking the hard drive. There is a simple and free program for this. Crystal disk info ... It displays SMART log data, which records all hard drive problems at the hardware level. If the disk is working properly, all log items will be highlighted in the same color, and “Good” will appear at the top of the window. If problems are identified, the problem items of the log will be highlighted in a different color, and the inscription will say "Alarm".

Not all errors are critical for a hard drive: with some, it can last for more than one year. But such items as "reassigned sectors", "unrecoverable errors", "unstable sectors", "reassignment events", "unrecoverable sector errors" with large values in the RAW field directly indicate that the HDD is living out its day. "Read errors" may indicate that there is a problem with the cable.

If everything is fine with tough, but there are brakes, you need to move on to the next section. If the HDD is bad, you need to replace it.

Checking temperatures

Measuring the temperatures of computer components will detect overheating. To do this, you need a program HWMonitor which is simple and free. In it you need to find your processor and look at the values for each core. When idle, the norm should be no more than 45 degrees for a desktop PC and 50-55 for a laptop. If the value is greater, you need to load the computer with some demanding task (for example, a game, but you can also use a special test LinX ), and then look at the maximum temperature value. For a desktop PC, it is undesirable to exceed 65-70 degrees, for a laptop - 70-75. If it is higher, overheating is to blame.

If the processor does not overheat, but there are brakes, go to the next item. If overheating is detected, it must be urgently eliminated.

Checking the stability of the processor

The LinX benchmark mentioned above allows you to test the processor for stability and errors. It loads the kernels with complex mathematical calculations (solving systems of linear equations) to maximize their warm-up. If the processor has defects and is unstable at normal temperatures, an error will creep into the calculations and the program will report this, stopping testing.

If errors are detected in the absence of overheating, the problem must be eliminated. If, according to the results of a long (from half an hour) test, there are no errors, the heating is within the permissible range, you need to move on.

Scan your PC for viruses

To quickly check your PC for malware, a program will do. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware ... Its trial version is free and is suitable for a one-time scan. You can play it safe and use several anti-virus programs. It should be remembered that they can conflict, so it is not worth installing several at the same time. It is better to check one, and if the result is not satisfactory, remove it and install another antivirus.

Improving processor performance

After the tests are done, it becomes clear... Depending on at what stage of the diagnostics problems arose, their culprit should be “punished”.

If the hard drive is broken, you needbuy a new HDD or SSD and install it on your computer.
If overheating is detected, it is necessary to disassemble the system unit or laptop case, remove the coolers, vacuum them, apply new thermal paste to the chips and return the cooling to its place. You have to be especially careful beforehow to improve the processor on a laptop(more precisely, its cooling). It is difficult to disassemble a laptop for an unprepared user, if there is a fear of breaking something, it is better to trust the specialists.
Unfortunately, the degradation of the processor is irreversible. You can try to clean the cooling and change the thermal paste (sometimes a decrease in temperatures brings back to life slightly defective elements of the core). If this does not help, repair is needed.
Viruses are treated using the same program that is detected. After scanning, any antivirus will report on the detected threats and offer to remove them. Naturally, you have to agree with him.

How to improve your processor if all else fails

If the hard drive is working properly, there is no overheating, the processor is intact, and there are no viruses, but the PC still slows down - you need to act further. First of all, you should install a free program CCleaner , with its help scan the system and remove garbage, and then - analyze and fix registry errors. It is also recommended to look at the "Service" tab, the "Startup" item. There is a list of programs that are launched when Windows starts. If there are a lot of them (10 or more), and their autostart is not required, it is advisable to turn off the extra ones.

If there are no problems at any stage, but the processor's performance is not enough - most likely, the CPU is simply outdated. The problem can only be solved by overclocking, upgrading the processor or PC replacement.

Overclocking a computer processor

Overclocking is the procedure for increasing the clock speeds of the processor. It allows you to unleash the hidden potential of your processor by making it run faster. But beforeby overclocking, it should be remembered: no one guarantees success, everything is done at your own peril and risk.

Overclocking precautions

The manufacturer deliberately limited the CPU clock speed to the value that has become standard for it. The likelihood of a large overclocking is small. In addition, a significant acceleration of nuclei leads to an increase in energy consumption. Therefore, a good power supply is needed. And if the processor cooler is "native" - and it may have to be replaced, since the standard cooling system will not be enough. If you operate the processor with overheating, it degrades and may fail, this must be remembered. It is for these reasons that overclocking is not guaranteed by any manufacturer, and often they also withdraw their warranty obligations.

How to overclock a processor

Overclocking the processor is carried out from the system BIOS / UEFI menu of the motherboard. You can get into it in the first seconds of turning on the computer by pressing Del, F1, F2 or another button (you need to look in the instructions). Each model has its own menu, the items are different, so there is no universal instruction. Overclocking is always done by increasing the processor multiplier and / or the system bus frequency, but the items for this are different in name.

What processors can be overclocked

Not all processors can be overclocked. It is supported by modern Intel Core models with the letter K in the name, as well as AMD with the Black designation. From the older ones, you can overclock Intel Core 2 Duo and related models, as well as AMD Athlon and Phenom for sockets AM2 and AM3. In the latter, you can also unlock the cores (two-, three- and quad-core Athlon and Phenom of some series). But not every one is supportedmotherboard pc , and unlocked kernels will not always be operational (it was not for nothing that they were disabled).

On the net you can find a lot of utilities, the authors of which assure users that their computer will simply "take off" after using this software. As a rule, the speed of the PC remains at the same level, with the only difference that as a bonus you will receive a dozen advertising scripts that will be embedded in the OS and the browser without your knowledge.

Despite the widespread dominance in such programs, you can find quite adequate utilities that honestly clean your desktop from garbage and carry out some other useful procedures, which will make your computer work a little faster than before.

But today we are going to talk about computer performance programs that can really speed up your PC. Here we are talking about high-quality cleaning of the operating system, its optimal setting for a particular application, as well as other necessary procedures.

So, we present to your attention the best programs for promotion in the Windows environment. All the software described below has received some awards at exhibitions and competitions dedicated to utilities, and also has a lot of positive reviews on specialized forums.

Advanced SystemCare

The first thing that needs to be mentioned when talking about this program for increasing computer performance is taking care of the user. You do not need to explore menu branches, deal with complex settings or study a thick manual. It is enough to install, run and click on the "Analysis" button. Then you will be asked to get rid of the found garbage, errors in the registry and unnecessary programs in autostart, and then your computer will start to work noticeably faster.

Utility benefits:

availability of a free distribution license (with limited functionality);
increases the performance of the platform as a whole and speeds up access to the Web;
it is possible to carry out fine tuning of the OS for some specific applications;
detects spyware and adware scripts with subsequent removal;
optimizes and streamlines the system registry;
fixes some system vulnerabilities.

Advanced SystemCare is one of the best computer productivity software. This utility is a kind of complex responsible for optimizing and cleaning the platform from garbage. In just a couple of clicks, you can significantly increase the speed of the operating system, and at the same time get rid of a whole heap of related problems.

Despite the mixed reviews on the forums, the software is very popular with a large number of users. The program works to improve the performance of the computer on Windows XP, 7, 8 and 10. There were no problems with adapting the versions, and the utility interface is stable and does not freeze.

Auslogics BoostSpeed

Surely everyone who runs this program for the first time to improve computer performance will be surprised at how much garbage has accumulated in the operating system. After the cleaning wizard finishes, a detailed list is displayed with the name of the problem and options for solving it. If you don't want to bother with each item, then you can shift all the questions onto the shoulders of an intelligent machine. The utility is perfect for those who are dissatisfied with the speed of the Windows platform and often observe its freezes and some other glitches.

Pluses of the program:

deep analysis and cleaning of the hard drive from unnecessary files and folders;
work with incorrect system settings and parameters that directly affect the speed of the PC;
elimination of platform vulnerabilities;
editing and competent recommendations regarding autorun parameters.

As a small fly in the ointment, you can designate an exclusively paid distribution license, that is, without trial and other free periods of use. But judging by the mass of positive reviews on the forums, the utility is worth its money. The program works to improve the performance of the computer on Windows 7, 8 and 10. Problems with adaptation to platforms were also not noticed.

Glary utilities

This utility is a real combine for optimizing and cleaning your PC. The program is aimed not only at getting rid of the hard drive and registry from any garbage, but also is an excellent tool for solving internal problems with RAM.

In addition, the utility's functionality allows you to conduct a full audit of the platform with subsequent optimization: browser system files, some kind of backups, defragmentation of the hard drive, obtaining hidden information about the OS, etc.

Features of the software

It is also pleasing that the work of the program to improve computer performance on Windows 7, 8 and 10 is stable and does not cause any complaints. The interface does not slow down, does not glitch, does not annoy the user with crashes, which is often the difference between other similar utilities.

Many users were pleased with the free distribution license, which is just a gift for the existing capabilities. Add here sensible Russian-language localization, frequent (and necessary) updates - and we will get an excellent complex for solving problems with PC performance.

Game buster

As the name implies, this utility is aimed at optimizing the platform for gaming applications. It should be noted right away that the developer strongly recommends updating the drivers for your video card before using the software. Otherwise, you risk getting the opposite effect.

A program works to improve the performance of a computer on Windows 10, 8, 7 and even XP. Judging by user reviews, this is one of the most successful products for optimizing the platform for games. In addition, the program has earned itself the respect of many gamers who cannot afford to buy top-end graphics cards.

Features of the utility

NVidia has a similar built-in tool - Experience, but, whatever one may say, it is implemented clumsily and only partially helps. While Game Buster radically interferes with your operating system and optimizes everything from one shelf to another to launch a particular game. Moreover, it makes it the most painless for both the user and the Windows platform.

The utility disables all, so to speak, unnecessary processes and launches the game application in a "clean" environment, without unnecessary add-ons and other surroundings familiar to the desktop. This allows you to significantly add agility to the processor and video card, since it is not distracted by the ordinary processes of the system. And this is, first of all, an increase in FPS, which is what gamers need with mediocre video cards.