9 Best Tips to Fix Slow Windows 7 Performance

My Windows 7 is running very slow, please read and help.

“My problem started overnight. I have a Dell Lattitude E6400 with Windows 7. It was working fine until one morning when I powered it on and Windows 7 froze. The computer boots up with no problem, but as soon as it gets to the desktop, the cursor lags and becomes unresponsive when it touches the 'start' button. I don't know what to do. It's so slow that it takes forever to run anything. This only happens after logging into the user account. Outside of the desktop environment, it runs fast and normal. Any ideas?” (From Microsoft Community)

Is your Windows 7 computer running slow all of a sudden? Don't worry, we're here to help. Below are some solutions to fix a slow Windows 7 computer.

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Read also: Windows 10 extremely slow (Windows 10 running very slow) and Dell laptop running slow

Why is Windows 7 running so slowly?

If your computer is running slow after an update or if you have several programs open at once, it can really drag. Here are some of the most common reasons why Windows 7 might be running slow.

• Too many programs and software running at the same time. • The C drive is out of space, which affects the system speed. • Fragmented files lead to slow performance. • Insufficient system memory or RAM.

But there are ways to make it run faster. Here's how.

Method 1: Restart Your Windows 7 Laptop/Desktop

Usually, a lack of disk space or system memory can cause a computer to run slow or freeze. If you have too many programs open at once, your Windows 7 computer may run slowly as well. Restarting your computer can give it a fresh start.

Step 1: Click the “Start” button in the bottom-left corner of the Windows desktop.

Step 2: Find and click the right-facing arrow next to the Shut Down button (as shown below).

Step 3: From the menu that appears, select “Restart.”

Method 2: Run the Windows 7 Performance troubleshooter

If your Windows 7 is running slow, you can run the Performance troubleshooter to improve the overall speed and performance. It will help you identify what's slowing down your Windows 7 computer and fix it.

Step 1: Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then click Troubleshoot performance issues.

Step 2: Type “troubleshooter” in the search box, and then click Troubleshooting.

Step 3. Click "View All," and then click "Performance."

Click “Next,” and follow the on-screen instructions to fix the problem. This can improve the performance of your Windows 7 computer.

Method 3: Close Some Programs

As mentioned, if you have a lot of programs running in the background, your Windows computer might run slow like a turtle. You can open Task Manager to view running programs and close any unnecessary ones.

Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.

Step 2: You'll see all the programs and applications running. Click on any that you don't need, then choose "End Task."

Click “End Task”

Method 4: Extend the C drive or system drive (Recommended)

When the system drive is running out of space, Windows 7 will run very slowly. Therefore, you need to find a way to extend the system partition. The easiest and safest way to increase C drive space without data loss is to use a disk management tool - AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. It can expand C drive from other partitions or unallocated space. In addition, this software also allows you to transfer free space from one disk to another, convert MBR to GPT, convert FAT32 to NTFS, etc. Follow the steps below to expand C drive and speed up your computer.

Option 1: Extend System C drive with unallocated space

1. Right-click on the System C drive and select "Resize/Move Partition." 2. Drag the endpoint of the system partition to the unallocated space, adding it to the C drive. Then click "OK." 3. Click "Execute Task" and "Apply" to perform the operation and extend the C drive.

Option 2: Extend the system C drive without unallocated space

1. Right-click on a large partition with sufficient space in the system disk and select "Allocate Space." 2. In the "Allocate from (*) to" section, select the system drive. Then, drag the end of the System C drive to the unallocated space. Click "OK" to confirm. 3. Click "Perform Tasks" to view the pending operations. Then, click "Apply" to save the changes and extend the C drive.

0:00-0:26 Extend the system drive using unallocated space; 0:27-0:58 Extend the system drive without unallocated space.

Method 5: Defragment your Windows 7 hard drive

You can run a disk defragmentation to speed up Windows 7. You see, fragmentation makes your hard drive do a lot of extra work, which slows your computer down. So you can run a disk defragmentation to optimize the hard drive in Windows 7.

Step 1: Right-click on "This PC" and select "Properties."

Step 2: Click on the “Tools” tab and select “Run Maintenance Now.”

Step 3. Select a disk and click “Defragment disk”.

Once done, restart your computer for the changes to take effect. This should speed up your Windows 7 PC or laptop.

Method 6: Speed Up Windows 7 by Cleaning Up System Files

Cleaning the system files on Windows 7 removes unnecessary files and frees up space, which can make your computer run faster. You will need a tool called CleanGenius to do this, which is a powerful program that can significantly speed up your computer. Follow the steps below to clean your Windows 7 system files.

Step 1. Download and install the Partition Master Suite on your computer. Click on “Download PC Cleaner” from the panel.

Step 2. Install CleanGenius on your computer. First, go to “Clean” and click “Scan.”

Step 3: CleanGenius will immediately scan all junk files. Select system junk and invalid entries, then click “Clean” to optimize your whole computer.

Step 4: When it's done, you'll see how many MBs or GBs were cleared. Tap “Done” to finish the process.

Method 7: Disable Visual Effects

Visual effects can contribute to slow performance in Windows 7, so you may want to turn them off to speed up your computer. To turn off visual effects in Windows 7:

Step 1: Press Win + R to open the “Run” command. Type “system.cpl” and press “Enter” to open “System Properties.”

Step 2: Click on "Advanced" > "Performance" > "Settings."

Step Three: Then, check “Adjust for best performance” to turn off visual effects.

After that, you can restart your computer and see if it's faster.

Method 8: Scan Your Computer for Malware

Some users have reported that their computer's performance might suffer when it has a virus. To deal with viruses, you need to install an antivirus program and run it regularly. You can choose from security software like AVG, Avast, Kaspersky, and others.

Method 9. Add RAM to Your Windows 7 Computer

There are many factors that can affect your computer's performance, and RAM (Random Access Memory) is a big one. You might be asking yourself, “Is 8GB of RAM enough?” or “How do I add more RAM?” Adding more memory to your computer is one of the best ways to speed up its performance.

If you're confident in your computer skills, you can buy RAM for Windows 7 and install it yourself. However, to prevent your computer from becoming unbootable or experiencing crashes, it's best to have a professional do it.

Conclusions

If your Windows 7 computer is running slow and taking forever to start up or shut down, don't panic! You can effectively learn how to fix a slow Windows computer with these 9 methods. Of them, I recommend trying methods #2 and #4 first. These solutions have helped most people resolve their issues with slow Windows 7 performance.