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Cheat Sheet to Speed-Up a Slow PC (Windows 7 Operating System)

Steps:

To speed up a “slow” PC, we request that you do the following:

1. Close Unneeded Programs. (This step is recommended whenever you’re using your computer.) The more programs you have open, the slower your computer will be. As a general rule, close all programs that you are not actively using.

2. Reboot or Shut Down Your Computer. (This step is recommended nightly.) On a nightly basis, shut down your computer. Rebooting your PC will free up computer memory and let it run faster.

3. Update & Run your Virus Scan Program. (This step is recommended at least once a week.) BPSD utilizes Norton Virus Scan (i.e. Symantec Endpoint Protection). Your PC should automatically download “updates” to this program and also automatically scan your computer for computer viruses and malware. However, there’s no harm in doing this manually as well……especially if your computer is slow. Follow the below steps to manually (a) update your virus scan program and (b) to scan your computer.

Step 3A:  Click on the 

Start Button 

Step 3B:  Click on the “All 

Programs” button

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Step 3C:  Select the “Symantec 

Endpoint Protection” program 

Step 3D:  Select “Symantec Endpoint 

Protection” on the sub‐menu. 

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Step 3F:  Click on the “Live Update” button.  

Note: A pop up window will automatically 

appear to update Norton. 

Step 3E:  If this circle is green, skip 

to Step 3H.  If the circle is red or 

yellow, continue on to Step 3F. 

Step 3G:  A pop‐up screen 

will appear to update the 

Virus scan software.  Once 

done, the pop‐up screen 

will automatically close. 

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Step 3H:  Select the “Scan 

for threats” button. 

Step 3I:  Select the “Full Scan” option.  

Scanning will take a while…..could be more 

than an hour so you may want to do it before 

you leave for the day and let the computer scan overnight.  You could do it during the day, 

but your computer system will run slower 

since it will be running the virus scan. 

Step 3J:  A pop‐up menu will 

appear.  In the morning, the 

results of the  scan will be 

displayed.   

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Step 3K:  Once the scan is complete, 

your pop‐up window will display the 

following.  Notification that it’s 

completed, the number of files that 

was scanned, the number of risks 

found and the action taken. 

Step 3L:  Click on the “Close” 

button and you are done 

with scanning your 

computer.

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4. Run Disk Cleanup. (This step is recommended at least once a month.) This will clean-up unnecessary files that are stored on your computer that don’t automatically get deleted when you shut down your computer. (Don’t worry. This function will not eliminate any of your Word, Excel, Powerpoint or other software programs.)

Step 4A:  Click on the “Start button.” 

Step 4C:  Scroll through all of the 

programs listed and select the 

“Accessories” program. 

Step 4B:  Select “All Programs.” 

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Step 4D:  From the list of 

various accessory, select 

“System Tools.”  You may need 

to scroll through the various 

programs that are listed here. 

Step 4E:  From the System 

Tools Sub‐menu, select 

“Disk Cleanup.” 

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Step 4F:  Disk 

Cleanup will 

automatically 

start.  Wait for 

this pop‐up 

menu to appear 

and click “OK.” 

Step 4G:  When you click OK, this 

2nd pop‐up screen will appear.  Click 

on the “Delete files” button.  

Computer will run for a minute or 

two to delete these unnecessary 

files and then you are done.

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5. Run Disk Defragment. (This step is recommended once per month.) This will consolidate fragmented computer files so that your PC runs faster. This process takes several hours so run this program before you leave for the day and let it run overnight.

Step 5A:  Repeat Steps 4A through 4C. 

Step 5B:  Select “Disk 

Defragmenter.” 

Step 5C:  Select the 

file called “OS (C)” 

Step 5D:  Select the 

“Defragment disk” button.  

This will take several hours for 

the computer to “defrag.” 

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6. Computer Still Slow? Please have your site administrator or school secretary submit a Work Order to the Technology Department so that they can diagnosis the problem.

Step 5E:  The next morning 

when the job is done, click 

on the “Close” button to 

close the job.  You are done 

with “defragging.”