How to Diagnose a Slow MICROSOFT Windows System: A Step-by-Step Guide

A sluggish Windows system can be frustrating and impact productivity. If you find yourself dealing with a slow computer, it’s essential to diagnose the underlying causes to restore optimal performance. In this article, we will walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to diagnose a slow Windows system, accompanied by real-life examples.

1. Check Task Manager: The Task Manager is an invaluable tool for identifying processes consuming excessive system resources. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager. Look for processes with high CPU, memory, or disk usage. For example, if you notice that a specific application, such as a web browser or antivirus software, is utilizing a significant portion of your CPU, it might be causing the slowdown. You notice that the “Chrome” process is consistently utilizing a large percentage of your CPU resources, which suggests that a browser extension or website is causing the system to slow down. Disabling or removing the problematic extension can alleviate the performance issue.
2. Monitor Performance: The Performance tab in Task Manager provides real-time data on CPU, memory, disk, and network usage. Monitor these metrics while performing your regular activities. Spikes or sustained high usage can indicate resource bottlenecks or specific applications causing the slowdown.While working, you notice that your CPU usage consistently reaches 100%, resulting in a sluggish system. Investigating further, you identify a resource-intensive application, such as a video editing software, running in the background. Closing or limiting the application’s usage can free up CPU resources and improve performance.
3. Scan for Malware: Malware can significantly impact system performance. Run a thorough scan using reliable antivirus or anti-malware software to detect and remove any malicious programs.You perform a full scan using Windows Defender or a third-party antivirus program and discover the presence of malware. Removing the malware eliminates the strain on system resources and improves performance.

4. Check Disk Space: Insufficient free space on your hard drive or SSD can lead to performance degradation. Open File Explorer and check the available disk space on your drives. Ensure that you have enough free space for Windows to operate optimally. You find that your system drive is nearly full. By deleting unnecessary files, transferring large files to an external storage device, or using disk cleanup tools, you free up disk space and alleviate the strain on your system.
5. Check for Fragmentation: Over time, your hard drive can become fragmented, resulting in slower file access speeds. Use the built-in Disk Defragmenter tool or a third-party disk optimization utility to analyze and defragment your hard drive. After analyzing your hard drive, you discover a high degree of fragmentation. By running the defragmentation process, you reorganize files, improving their accessibility and overall system performance.
6. Update Drivers: Outdated or incompatible drivers can lead to performance issues. Visit the websites of your computer manufacturer and hardware component manufacturers to check for the latest driver updates. Installing updated drivers can address compatibility issues and enhance system performance. You experience slow graphics rendering and input lag while playing games. Upon updating your graphics card drivers, you notice a significant improvement in gaming performance.
7. Disable Startup Programs :Unnecessary programs set to launch at startup can consume system resources and prolong the boot process. Use the System Configuration tool (msconfig) to disable unnecessary startup programs. Your computer takes a long time to boot up, and you notice multiple unnecessary applications launching at startup. By disabling these programs, you reduce the startup time and free up system resources for other tasks.
8. Disable Visual Effects: Windows visual effects, such as animations and transparency, can impact system performance. Adjust the visual effects settings to prioritize performance over aesthetics. You find that window animations and transparency effects are causing a delay when interacting with applications. By disabling these visual effects, you eliminate the performance bottleneck and enhance responsiveness.
9. Check for Windows Updates: Regularly updating your Windows operating system is crucial for security and performance improvements. Open the “Settings” app, navigate to “Update & Security,” and check for available updates. A specific software application on your system is running slowly. After installing a Windows update that includes bug fixes and performance enhancements, you notice a significant speed improvement when using the application.
10. Perform a Clean Boot: Performing a clean boot helps identify if a third-party application or service is causing the slowdown. By disabling all non-essential startup processes and services, you can isolate the problematic software. Your system experiences consistent slowdowns, and you suspect a recently installed software application might be the cause. By performing a clean boot and selectively enabling applications and services, you pinpoint the specific program responsible for the performance issue.

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What is Windows SFC (System File Checker) Tool and How to repair Windows System using SFC

The System File Checker (SFC) is a built-in Windows utility that helps repair corrupted or missing system files. It scans your Windows operating system for any issues and attempts to restore corrupted files with the correct versions from the Windows component store.

Here’s how you can use the SFC tool to repair your Windows system:

1. Open the Command Prompt: Press the Windows key, type “Command Prompt,” and select the “Command Prompt” app. Alternatively, you can right-click on the Start button and choose “Command Prompt” or “Command Prompt (Admin)”.

Note: Its mandatory to open Command prompt as Administrator

2. Run the SFC command: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter: sfc /scannow
3. Wait for the scan to complete: The SFC tool will now scan your system files for any errors or corruption. It may take some time to complete, so be patient and let it finish the process. The tool will automatically attempt to repair any detected issues.
4. Review the scan results: Once the scan is complete, you’ll see one of the following messages:

• Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
• Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
• Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

If the tool reports that it found and fixed corrupt files, your system files should now be repaired. If it couldn’t fix some files or found no integrity violations, further troubleshooting may be required.

5. Restart your computer: After the scan is complete, restart your computer to apply any repairs that were made.

Note: If the SFC tool couldn’t fix all the corrupt files or encountered issues during the scan, you can try running the command multiple times or proceed with additional steps like running the command in Windows Safe Mode or using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool for more advanced repairs.

Using the SFC tool is a useful method to repair corrupted or missing system files, which can help resolve various issues in your Windows system, such as crashes, errors, or performance problems.

Conclusion: A slow Windows system can be diagnosed and resolved by following these steps. By checking Task Manager, monitoring performance metrics, scanning for malware, managing disk space, updating drivers, optimizing startup programs, adjusting visual effects, applying Windows updates, and performing a clean boot, you can identify and address the root causes of system slowdowns. With an optimized and responsive system, you can enhance productivity and enjoy a seamless computing experience.

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