As a rule, after the initial installation of Windows 10, the computer simply “flies”: pages open in the browser very quickly and any, even the most resource-intensive programs are launched. But over time, users load the hard drive with necessary and unnecessary programs, which create additional load on the central processor. This dramatically affects the speed and performance of a laptop or computer. A considerable amount of resources is taken up by all sorts of gadgets and visual effects that some inexperienced users love to decorate their desktop with. Computers that were purchased five or ten years ago and are already obsolete “suffer” more from such ill-considered actions. They cannot maintain at a certain level the system requirements that are necessary for the normal operation of modern programs, and begin to slow down. To understand this problem and get rid of freezes and slowdowns in devices based on information technology, you need to carry out a step-by-step set of diagnostics.
Why does a computer or laptop with Windows 10 start to freeze and slow down: reasons and solutions
To figure out what is causing the computer to slow down, you need to conduct a comprehensive check of the device. All possible methods are already known and tested, all that remains is to get to the bottom of the specific problem. By correctly identifying the cause of device slowdown, it is possible to increase performance by twenty to thirty percent, which is especially important for outdated models of laptops and computers. The check will have to be carried out in stages, gradually eliminating the tested options.
Not enough processor power for new software
Excessive load on the central processor is one of the most common reasons that causes a computer to freeze and lead to a decrease in its performance.
Sometimes users themselves create additional load on the processor. For example, they install the 64-bit version of Windows 10 on a computer with four gigabytes of RAM, which can hardly cope with the amount of resources consumed for this edition of the distribution, despite the 64-bit processor. In addition, there is no guarantee that when all processor cores are used, one of them will not have a defect in the silicon crystals, which will negatively affect the speed properties of the product. In this case, switching to a 32-bit version of the operating system, which consumes much less resources, will help reduce the load. The standard amount of RAM of 4 gigabytes with a processor clock speed of 2.5 gigahertz is quite enough for her.
The cause of a computer freezing or slowing down may be a low-power processor that does not meet the system requirements imposed by modern programs. When several quite resource-intensive products are turned on simultaneously, it does not have time to cope with the flow of commands and begins to crash and freeze, which leads to constant slowdown in work.
You can check the load on the processor and get rid of currently unnecessary applications in a simple way:
- Launch Task Manager by pressing the key combination Ctrl + Alt + Del (you can also press the key combination Ctrl + Shift + Del).
Click on the “Task Manager” menu item
- Go to the "Performance" tab and view the percentage of CPU load.
View CPU percentage
- Click the “Open Resource Monitor” icon at the bottom of the panel.
In the Resource Monitor panel, view CPU percentage and graphics usage
- View CPU load in percentage and graphical form.
- Select the applications that you don't currently need running and right-click on them. Click on the “End process” item.
Select unnecessary processes and terminate them
Often, additional processor load occurs due to the continued activity of a closed application. For example, the user was communicating with someone via Skype. At the end of the conversation, I closed the program, but the application still remained active and continued to load the processor with unnecessary commands, taking away some of the resources. This is where the “Resource Monitor” will help, in which you can complete the process manually.
It is advisable to have a processor load of between sixty and seventy percent. If it exceeds this figure, then the computer slows down, as the processor begins to skip and reset commands.
If the load is too high and the processor is clearly unable to cope with the volume of commands from running programs, there are only two ways to solve the problem:
- purchase a new central processor with a higher clock speed;
- do not run a large number of resource-intensive programs at the same time or reduce them to a minimum.
Before you rush to buy a new processor, you should definitely try to find out the reason why the performance has decreased. This will allow you to make the right decision and not waste money. The reasons for braking may be:
After taking initial steps to identify the causes of slowdowns in work, you can move on to a more thorough check of computer elements and system software.
Video: how to disable unnecessary processes through the Task Manager in Windows 10
Hard drive problems
Braking and freezing of a computer or laptop can occur due to problems with the hard drive, which can be either mechanical or software in nature. The main reasons for a slow computer:
Video: what to do if the hard drive is 100% loaded
Lack of RAM
One of the reasons why your computer slows down is a lack of RAM.
Modern software requires more and more resources, so the amount that was enough to run older programs is no longer enough. The update is proceeding at a rapid pace: the computer, which until recently successfully coped with its tasks, today begins to slow down.
To check the amount of memory used, you can do the following:
If your computer slows down and freezes due to lack of memory, you can try to fix the problem in several ways:
Video: How to optimize RAM using Wise Memory Optimizer
Too many programs in startup
If a laptop or computer is slow to boot, this indicates that too many applications have been added to startup. They become active already at the moment of system startup and additionally take up resources, which leads to slowdown.
During subsequent work, startup programs continue to be active and slow down all work. You need to check “Startup” after each application installation. It is possible that new programs will be added to autorun.
“Startup” can be checked using the “Task Manager” or a third-party program:
- Using Task Manager:
- Using Glary Utilites:
Video: how to remove a program from Startup in Windows 10
Computer virus infection
If a laptop or computer that previously worked at good speed begins to slow down, then a possible reason for this may be the penetration of a malicious virus program into the system. Viruses are constantly modified, and not all of them manage to get into the antivirus program database in a timely manner before the user catches them from the Internet.
Many viruses are embedded in browsers. This becomes noticeable when working on the Internet. There are viruses created to destroy documents. So their range of action is quite wide and requires constant vigilance. To protect your computer from virus attacks, you must always keep your antivirus program turned on and periodically conduct a full scan.
The most typical types of virus infection are:
- many options on the page when downloading files. As a rule, in this case it is possible to pick up a Trojan, i.e. a program that transfers all information about the computer to the owner of the malicious program;
- many enthusiastic comments on the program download page;
- phishing pages, i.e. fake pages that are very difficult to distinguish from genuine ones. Especially those that ask for your phone number;
- search pages with a specific focus.
The best thing you can do to avoid catching a virus is to avoid unverified sites. Otherwise, you can get such a problem with your computer slowing down that nothing will help except a complete reinstallation of the system.
Overheating of components
Another common reason for a slow computer is overheating of the processor. It is most painful for laptops, since its components are almost impossible to replace. The processor is very often simply soldered into the motherboard, and replacing it requires specialized equipment.
Overheating on a laptop is easy to determine: in the area where the processor and hard drive are located, the case will constantly heat up. The temperature regime must be monitored so that any component does not suddenly fail due to overheating.
To check the temperature of the processor and hard drive, you can use various third-party programs:
- AIDA64:
- download and run the AIDA64 program;
- click on the “Computer” icon;
In the AIDA64 program panel, click on the “Computer” icon
- click on the “Sensors” icon;
In the "Computer" panel, click on the "Sensors" icon
- In the “Sensors” panel, view the temperature of the processor and hard drive.
View the temperature of the processor and hard drive in the “Temperature” section
- HWMonitor:
If the temperature limit is exceeded, you can try the following:
- disassemble and clean the laptop or computer system unit from dust;
- install additional fans for cooling;
- remove as many visual effects and firewall communications with the network as possible;
- buy a laptop cooling pad.
Video: how to find out the processor temperature in Windows 10
Insufficient paging file size
The problem with an insufficient paging file stems from a lack of RAM.
The less RAM, the larger the page file is created. This virtual memory is activated when the standard memory is insufficient.
The page file begins to slow down the computer if several resource-intensive programs or some powerful game are open. This usually happens on computers with no more than 1 gigabyte of RAM installed. In this case, the page file can be increased.
To change the page file in Windows 10, do the following:
- Right-click on the “This PC” icon on your desktop.
- Select the "Properties" line.
Select “Properties” from the drop-down menu
- Click on the “Advanced system settings” icon in the “System” panel that opens.
In the panel, click on the “Advanced system settings” icon
- Go to the “Advanced” tab and in the “Performance” section, click on the “Options” button.
In the “Performance” section, click on the “Options” button
- Go to the “Advanced” tab and in the “Virtual Memory” section, click on the “Change” button.
In the panel, click on the “Edit” button
- Specify the new paging file size and click OK.
Specify the size of the new swap file
Video: how to resize, delete or move the page file in Windows 10
Impact of visuals
If the computer or laptop is outdated, then the braking can be greatly influenced by a large number of visual effects. In such cases, it is better to minimize their number to increase the amount of free memory.
There are two options for this:
- Remove desktop background:
- Minimize visual effects:
Video: How to disable unnecessary visual effects
Much dust
Over time, the processor fan or power supply of a personal computer becomes covered with a layer of dust. The elements of the motherboard are also susceptible to this. This causes the device to heat up and slow down the computer, as dust disrupts air circulation.
Periodically you need to clean the computer components and fans from dust. This can be done using an old toothbrush and a vacuum cleaner.
Firewall restrictions
Even when there is no Internet connection, the computer accesses network connections. These requests are lengthy and consume a lot of resources. It is necessary to limit their number as much as possible to speed up performance. To do this, do the following:
- Open Control Panel by double-clicking the corresponding icon on your desktop.
- Click on the "Windows Firewall" icon.
Click on the Windows Firewall icon
- Click on the “Allow interaction...” button.
Click on the “Allow interaction...” button
- Click on the “Change settings” button and uncheck unnecessary applications.
Disable unnecessary applications by unchecking the boxes
- Save your changes.
You need to disable the maximum number of programs that have access to the network to speed up your computer.
Too many junk files
The computer may slow down due to accumulated junk files, which also use RAM and cache resources. The more garbage on the hard drive, the slower the laptop or computer runs. The largest volume of files of this type consists of temporary Internet files, information in the browser cache, and incorrect registry entries.
You can fix this problem using third-party programs, for example, Glary Utilities:
- Download and run Glary Utilities.
- Go to the “1-Click” tab and click on the green “Find problems” button.
Click on the “Find problems” button
- Check the "Auto-remove" box.
Check the box next to “Auto-remove”
- Wait until the computer scan process completes.
Wait until all problems are resolved
- Go to the "Modules" tab.
- Click on the “Security” icon on the left side of the panel.
- Click on the “Erase traces” button.
Click on the “Erase traces” icon
- Click on the “Erase traces” button and confirm the erasure.
Reasons why certain programs slow down and how to fix them
Sometimes the reason for the computer slowing down may be the installation of a game or application.
Games slow down
Games often slow down on laptops. These devices have lower speed and performance than computers. Additionally, laptops are not designed for gaming and are more prone to overheating.
A common reason why games slow down is a video card for which the wrong driver is installed.
To resolve the issue, you can do the following:
Sometimes gaming applications can slow down your computer due to the activity of the uTorrent client, which distributes files and heavily loads the hard drive. To fix the problem, you just need to close the program.
The computer slows down due to the browser
The browser may become sluggish if there is a lack of RAM.
You can fix this problem by doing the following:
- install the latest version of the browser;
- close all unnecessary pages;
- check for viruses.
Driver problems
The reason for the computer slowing down may be a conflict between the device and the driver.
To check, do the following:
- Go to computer properties and in the “System” panel, click on the “Device Manager” icon.
Click on the "Device Manager" icon
- Check for yellow triangles with exclamation marks inside. Their presence indicates that the device is conflicting with the driver and requires an update or reinstallation.
Check for driver conflicts
Vitaly Ovchinnikov
Weak processor
It is possible that the PC began to work slowly on the new OS due to a weak, old processor. It cannot cope with the load, which causes brakes and malfunctions. Users often do the wrong thing when they have 4 GB of RAM, a weak processor, and a 64-bit OS that consumes a lot of resources. You can easily check how busy the processor is:
- Right-click on the bottom panel and select “Task Manager”.
- There, look at the load on the CPU, if many programs are not enabled, in idle mode it is about 50-70%, this is bad. You need to look at which applications are consuming how much and close them.
- Download Dr. WebCureit and check the OS.
- The utility will find viruses and eliminate them.
- Search for Windows device Manager and run it.
- If there is a yellow exclamation mark next to any device, then there are problems with it.
- You need to remove the drivers for such a device, reboot the system and install it again, or they will be installed automatically.
This is one of the reasons why your Windows 10 computer slows down.
When Windows starts, some programs start automatically. You need to look at the startup list and disable unnecessary applications:
Hard drive problems
The computer may slow down if the disk is 100 percent loaded. This can also be seen in the task manager under the tab "Disk". There you can close applications that load the hard drive. In addition, the system may slow down:
Low RAM
My Windows 10 computer is very slow, what should I do? There may be little RAM installed (2-3 GB). You can check it through the Task Manager:
You can configure the swap file:
Virus software
Often the cause of computer slowdowns is a large number of viruses in the system. If you have such suspicions, you need to:
OS update
Now the reason for the terrible brakes may be a Windows update. If after the latest Windows 10 update your computer slows down, then:
Drivers
Problems with drivers can lead to system malfunctions. To check:
Hardware problems
It is possible that the brakes occurred due to problems with the computer hardware. Recommended:
Conclusion
Now you know why your Windows 10 computer is slow and how to deal with it. Use the recommendations we have given you. If the problem cannot be solved, write in the comments or in and I will definitely help you.
Have you decided to try out the latest Windows 10 OS, installed it on your computer and are faced with the problem of system slowdown? We will tell you what could have caused this problem and how to get rid of it.
Possible reasons
Possible reasons leading to system braking include:
Troubleshooting
Let's take a closer look at these problems and look at ways to solve them.
Weak processor
If Windows 10 slows down after installation, then the main reason for this behavior may be a weak processor. This is a critical component that directly affects the speed of your PC. Perhaps it just doesn't pull up the new OS. This is especially noticeable when watching video in high resolution (which can be used to test it).
In order to check the CPU load level you need to:
If the workload figure is high, then we can say that this is what causes the slowdown. What can be done in this case? Unfortunately, not much - just replace the processor with a more powerful one, while taking into account its compatibility with other system components.
Problems with HDD
Similar problems occur when the hard drive fails. A large number of bad sectors leads to a slower PC over time. One of the radical ways to get rid of this problem is to buy a new hard drive, but this is not always necessary. First you need to try defragmenting it to get rid of the crashes.
This can be done using special software, and also using the capabilities of the OS:
Video: Installing Windows 10
Lack of RAM
Often it is RAM that is the decisive factor in whether a computer with a new OS will slow down significantly. Programs are becoming more and more demanding on hardware, which means they require more and more RAM. The solution in this case is quite banal - buy more of it. Also, before installing Windows 10, be sure to pay attention to its requirements and whether the computer can handle it.
Page file is too small
Along with the previous problem, there is another one – an insufficient paging file. This can also lead to brakes even on a newly installed system. The solution in this case is to increase it.
You can do it like this:
- click on “My Computer” with the right mouse button;
- select “Properties”, then “Advanced”;
- Next – “Performance”, “Parameters” and go to the “Virtual Memory” section;
- here we click “Change” and increase the swap file to 2 - 3GB, which should be quite enough;
- Click “OK” and exit.
Autorun load
This problem usually occurs over time when a large number of programs and applications appear on the computer. Many of them are added to autorun (often even without the user’s knowledge) and cause Windows 10 to slow down.
To fix the situation:
You can also clean autorun using the utilityCCleaner:
- download and install the program (distributed free of charge);
- on the left panel, select the “Service” tab and then “Autostart”;
- In the list of programs we disable unnecessary ones.
Viruses and spyware
The new OS does not guarantee that there are no malicious programs left on the hard drive (if it has not been formatted). Many of them may be quite harmless, but they often lead to serious problems with your PC. They can also cause system failures and slowdowns.
A good antivirus with updated virus databases will help. You can also use the utility built into this OS version – Windows Defender. With the emergence of similar problems with Windows 10, we recommend that you conduct a full system scan to get rid of such threats.
Photo: Windows Defender – built-in antivirus
Important! After installing a new OS, the first thing to do is install an antivirus on it, because if you access the Internet without it, you are putting your computer at risk.
Browser problems
Have you encountered freezes and slowdowns when launching your browser?
In this case, pay attention to several points:
- make sure that the search engine version is up to date, update it if necessary;
- launch the task manager and in the “Processes” tab check what exactly is taking up system resources;
- It may be worth clearing your browser cache and history (the easiest way to do this is with CCleaner).
We've looked at some of the most common reasons why a Windows 10 computer may be slow. Solving these problems is usually not difficult even for novice users. If you encounter other difficulties, write in the comments to the article.
After updating / installing Windows 10 anniversary update on your computer, your joy may turn into irritation.
The reason is that the computer with Windows 10 began to slow down. What to do? There are two ways out: fix it or return to seven or eight (to the previous OS).
Windows 10 can start to slow down immediately or over time, even on a powerful computer, for many reasons. How to localize the problem?
You can't always determine exactly what affects your computer's speed, or at least it's not very easy.
The first reason why Windows 10 began to slow down is the presence of malware
The computer can start to slow down very much if malware appears in it.
I assume that you already have a good antivirus program, but just to make sure there are no viruses, scan your computer using SUPERAntiSpyware or Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for adware and spyware.
The second reason why the computer starts to slow down is a heavy process
In Windows 10, many processes are constantly running - some of them can start to slow down your computer.
A process is a program or an independent part of a program.
It can take over system resources and thus slow down the entire PC terribly.
Detect resource-intensive processes and then disable or delete them.
The third recommendation is what to do if Windows 10 is slow - remove programs from startup
Most personal computers have too many programs that start automatically every time the computer boots.
Each of them slows down your system and can cause conflicts and problems.
The fourth reason why after switching to Windows 10 the computer began to slow down - applications and programs
Try to remember what you installed recently and disable it one by one at random.
Also pay attention to the components of your PC. Maybe they're not powerful enough for the job you're doing?
To continue to perform well, try to limit the number of operations performed simultaneously.
Whenever possible, close large applications before opening the next one.
Also remember that newer versions of programs tend to be more demanding on hardware.
Recommendation five: how to fix Windows 10 slowdown - improving computer components
If your computer is too slow and inefficient, you need to think about investing.
I'm not talking about buying a completely new computer here. You can, for example, add RAM to it, which allows for increased performance at a relatively low cost.
Many users in such cases will decide to reinstall the system or simply format the disk. But is it worth it?
You may have installed drivers using special programs - I do not recommend doing this.
They can tell you that you will remove the eyelid, and then make sure that the problem cannot be solved without reinstalling the system.
Individual elements of Windows 10 can also slow down your computer: Explorer, mouse cursor, context menu or start menu, but this will be discussed in other articles. Good luck.
Many people find their computer slows down after upgrading to Windows 10. Mostly laptops. First of all, it is recommended to pay attention to the video card: whether it is displayed correctly in Device Manager, correct installation and the latest driver. Users testify that automatic search is not always suitable; you should download the software from the manufacturer’s official website, for example, NVidia, and select manual installation (via right-click in the manager). This error is common, moreover, it also appears on PCs, where, in general, no problems are observed. It can be caused either by system errors or by hacker software. For example, the authors not long ago launched something similar for testing (a dubious tweaker for dozens), and although the system was rolled back to a restore point, the problem appeared.
From time to time, trouble occurs on PCs with mail.ru game center. But it is difficult to say exactly what exactly is the reason. They say that many games have been hacked by hackers, and perhaps the scammers are somehow trying to track players for a very understandable purpose. The end result is profit from selling illegal software, like cheats. Simply removing the center does not always help; it still needs to be removed manually from the firewall permissions. And in general, the less software that requires network operation costs, the fewer failures there will be. We will not be mistaken if we say that mail.ru games freeze on their own from time to time, and with some degree of probability the system crashes.
Firewall
The fewer permissions you have in your firewall, the smoother the experience. Remember that not only big brother is watching us, but also various crooks pursuing their own goals. For example, many of them dream of software that will collect 1 kopeck from each banking transaction. In order not to be unfounded, we will give an example (screen) from a PC where the mail.ru game center was deleted, but for some reason the permission to access the network remained. Turned it off manually, operation became more stable.
Please note that the software was not stingy with rights; it checked both the home and external networks. In this case, click Change settings and select the left column with the mouse. Do you think that without this, network software, such as browsers, will not work? Nothing happened. Remove Google Chrome permissions and check: all sites are displayed without changes. Why then do we need permissions? We don’t know and don’t want to know, we just removed it and don’t rack our brains (although some functions could certainly have been affected, but, to be honest, we’ve never regretted it).
Let's say more, network threats account for approximately 95% of failures. Systems with virtual machines are especially susceptible to them. For example, for the authors, approximately 70% of cases (two thirds) occur with WMWare Player. We don’t dare say why, we simply present statistics. We are currently trying to limit the program’s interaction over the network, but apparently not entirely successfully. Yes, do not forget, in fact, to turn on the firewall, otherwise its rules will not work at all, while any hacker will easily enter the machine.
HDD
Many users note that the most problems are in those PCs with several hard drives. We will add that probably one of them is old and broken. This is the problem. In particular, we present a case from practice: one of the HDDs, after being restored by third-party software, acquired write protection. Then the PC began to freeze every 20 minutes. Moreover, there were no direct calls to this backup hard drive. Apparently, the system did something on its own.
So, think about better hard drives. Authors prefer Western Digital.
How to enable the firewall
The firewall works with its rules only if it is enabled.
System image
There is a known case on a low-power PC when the braking reached amazing levels, and the hard drive was constantly being accessed, which was not difficult to determine through the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc). Not to mention playing, even moving around the system was difficult. After some comprehension of the situation, the memory came that they had carelessly pressed the button to create a system image. The one shown on the screenshot.
The joke is that archiving, inexplicably, began directly on the hard drive where the system is located. After this, the PC was rebooted (without waiting for the image to be created, which was not needed), but since then it has been freezing and accessing the hard drive a lot. Only rolling back the system to a restore point helped.
Autoruns
Many processes significantly slow down the system. Try using the Autoruns utility, available on the official Microsoft website technet.microsoft.com/ru-ru/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx. The download link is on the right side of the page, under the advertisement. The tool does not require installation, just run it from the folder.
You will need to give permission, and the archiver will ask whether to extract everything? The latter is not required, press start. In the program interface, in order not to cause trouble, make sure that the checkboxes marked on our screen are checked. This removes all system entries from the startup list.
Many occurrences can be disabled. Don't forget to create a system restore point every time so as not to mess things up. The fact that games lag on Windows 10 is not a reason to break down your latest computer.
Why do games lag?
There are several rules that will help you exit without losses:
- Don’t quarrel with anyone, because in games there are not only informers, but also provocateurs. If admins do not want to ban, they can enter “special” account settings. In addition to reducing the accuracy of weapons and incomprehensible deaths, difficulties with entry, there may also be lags.
- If games slow down, the first thought is that the enemy or ally are hackers. Cracked software uses network traffic in special ways and can even intentionally interfere with other players. This is a confirmed fact.
- Downloading an update to a toy (or its package) greatly slows down the Internet. The authors know of a case where sites did not open in the browser at all. Until updates are delivered. The PC itself usually works at a tolerable speed.
- The game world is full of battles that last, if not days, then hours. Try not to get involved with such spectacles. Because a large reward also attracts hackers who may try to throw leading players off the server.
- Sometimes the toy starts, but lags terribly. What to do in this situation. Try checking for updates. They are not always delivered on schedule.
- The server crashes from time to time. Then in the chat the players ask each other if everyone is experiencing slowdowns after the update. It is clear that updates have nothing to do with it. You just need to wait: take a walk, do homework, etc.
- Some game clients are capricious when paired with hardware. This is especially true for video cards. What to do? The technical support of the server should fix this, but in practice, not every game is willing to meet halfway and do something.
External factors
This may seem like an excerpt from a science fiction book, but today the era of the change of the Earth's poles has come. Materials on research into equipment for erasing information have been published online. Here is a screenshot with the conclusions.
The publication is called Experimental studies of the parameters that determine the stability of the magnetic properties of HDD materials. For us, the conclusion is simple: you can make sure that the hard drive is damaged. We’ll skip the question of know-how, but it’s not uncommon for a computer to slow down after an update, and the real reason is damage to the tracks on it. There are special utilities for checking access time. Not every hard drive can be fixed. Wiping sectors is a very effective method of causing harm.
Why is anyone doing this? The reasons may be different, and guessing about them is not the best thing. Although the authors have some assumptions, we will keep them to ourselves. One likely reason, for example, may be the desire to force people to buy SSDs that cannot be damaged in this way. Because previously hard drives worked for decades, but since 2015 they are literally dying. They break one after another.
We believe that in this case it is useless to swear at the update. It is not directly related to the problem. What to do? Spend 2,000 rubles on a new hard drive with a capacity of 250 GB, where to install the OS, and use the old hardware only as storage. Why is there no recovery software? Because no one needs it. There are other options for solving the problem, such as loading the OS from a flash drive. This is not suitable for players, but clerks will appreciate Knoppix.