Windows PCs have had a long tradition of not running well for very long and with continuous use with different applications, and a host of processes and services running at all times inside your PC RAM memory but which maybe actually completely not needed by your computer.
Too many applications when installed and removed from a PC over time brings things almost to a crawl.

Your computer is filled with unseen functions and services whose existence you may scarcely know of.

Having such a large number of unnecessary background programs is likely to slow down your computer to a crawl without any real reason or need to do so.

You may have heard of people telling you that you can speed up your computer by stopping unnecessary services. But when you look at the list of services running, you are unsure of what to shut down and what not to.

Here are some unneeded Windows services that you can turn off. These will be different depending on your version of windows. This list was made I think back when Windows Xp was popular and I have used it on Vista as well although names have changed or no longer used.

To Access Services On Vista – under all programs – see the search box? – type in services – and at the top of the page you will see a services link – click on this and follow to services – now click on the standard tab.

(NOTE: I don’t remember where I copied this list from it’s been some years-to the owner of this services list thank you!)

Alerter: Disable this one if you are not on a network because you will not receive alerts.

Application Management: Set this to manual.

ClipBook: Disable this if you are not on a network, since you don’t need to share anything.

Computer Browser: Disable this too if you are not on a network, as you don’t need to browse and monitor connected computers.

Cryptographic Services: Set this to manual if you are not sure you need it.

Distributed Transaction Service: Set this to manual.

Error Reporting Service: Disable this useless service for reporting errors to Microsoft, because they will hardly even reply to you for any error you get. Also saves lots of bandwidth.

FTP Publishing: Disable this if you do not use FTP.

Help and Support: Set it to manual or turn it off if you do not use the help feature often. You can turn it on again when you want help.

Human Interface Device Access: Turn it off if you do not use hot-keys or remote systems on your computer; if you use them sometimes, it is better turn it to manual.

Indexing Service: Turn it off, it uses lots of CPU. If you are an avid searcher, like a maniac, on your computer, leave it on since it will help you. If you know where your files are and do not use search that often, then disable it for your good.

Windows Messenger: Disable this if you are not on a network, it uses too much memory and it is a hog. Also, it does no good and sometimes it is likely to become a security threat.

Net Logon: Disable if you are not on a network.

NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing: Disable this if you do not use Remote Desktop feature; in my opinion, it is a pretty useless feature.

Protected Storage: Disable it if you don’t allow strangers to sit on your encrypted storage computer.

Remote Desktop Help Session Manager: Disable it if you don’t use Remote Desktop feature for help and support from Microsoft which most probably is a “Yes”.

Remote Procedure Call Locator: Set it to manual.

Remote Registry: Serious security threat if turned on, disable it no matter what.

Security Center: Damn useless and irritating feature. Disable it.

Server: Set it to manual or disable it if you are not on network.

Smart Card: Disable it if you don’t use smart cards on your computer.

SSDP Discovery Service: Disable it of not on network or don’t have UPnP devices on home networks.

Task Scheduler: Disable it if you don’t schedule tasks like defragmentation, error scans etc… and plan to do it your self instead.

TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper: Set it to manual if on network, otherwise disable it.

Telnet: Set it to manual if you use this feature, otherwise disable it, especially if you are home users.

Terminal Services: Since you aren’t using Remote Desktop etc… disable it for good.

Uninterrupted Power Supply: Disable it if you don’t have an UPS attached to the serial port of your computer.

Universal Plug and Play Device Host: Set it to manual.

Windows Time: Disable if not on a synchronized network.

Wireless Zero Configuration: Disable if not on a wireless network.

WMI Performance Adapters: Disable it, useless service for basic usage.

Workstation: Disable if you aren’t on a network. Or simply, if you are a gamer, just shut this one.

User Privilege Service: Set it to manual.

Almost anything and everything you do can cause slow pc performance over time.

If you use your computer to download music or pictures from the internet, beware, you can get bad stuff embedded in them that can possibly slow down your computer. If you download a lot of music and photos and then remove others in order to install more, this can have an negative affect on the pc performance. When you visit different sites little programs or tracking cookies are put in your pc. Also, if you open attachments in emails, little programs may also be installed on your computer. This also goes for software that you download or buy, install and then when bored of it, remove it. None of these normal uses are bad, but they can negatively impact your pc’s performance.

What To Do?

The first things first. I like to start by emptying the Recycle Bin Recycle Bin is on the Desktop, right click on it and choose Empty Recycle Bin.

Remove Unwanted Software

Next. Go to the Control Panel-Programs and click it and see if you notice any Software installed that is no longer needed or that has been installed without you knowing it. If there is Remove them.  If you’re not sure what they are, you can do a quick search on Google and find out. If you recognize it but forgot what they do, go to the start menu and start it up. When you buy a computer from a store it comes preloaded with a lot of software that has a 30 day free trial period and then it bugs you to buy it. I just remove it right from the start and you can always download free versions.

Remove unnecessary items from the start menu. To do this type “msconfig” in the “run” box and hit enter. Choose selective startup and uncheck all of the programs that you do not need to load every time you start your computer. In windows vista type into the start search box and then startup tab. This will make the computer start more quickly and efficiently. Do not uncheck items that you do not recognize. This could cause you computer to run improperly.

Next we are going to run Defragmenter. On windows vista you will need to be logged in as administrator. Now go to | All Programs | Accessories | System Tools and then follow the directions. Click the Defragment Now button-click the Analyze button. It may say that the drive does not need to be Defragmented, go ahead and click the Defragment button, take a break and let it finish, may take 30 min to a few hours depending on how much stuff you have on your drive. When it is done a little popup box will be displayed, click OK and close the program.

Registry

Use registry fix programs. The computer registry can be described as the database that contains all of the settings and options for 32 bit versions of Microsoft Windows (including Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, XP, and 2000.) It also contains all of the settings for the hardware, software, users, and preferences of the P.C. Whenever changes are made in the Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected in the computers registry. Many times a registry error occurs and this causes files and data to be inaccessible. If there are numerous minor errors (which is usually the case) a registry fix program will get the data back in accessible sequence and a slow computer will be speeded up with this fix.

So what causes your PC to run slow?  There can be many causes.  Too many to name them all, but there are some primary causes.  Chances are you are affected by one or more of these right now.  A few primary causes of a slow PC will be addressed below.

Spyware and Adware

Far too common a problem

Unless you know how to avoid it and/or combat it, you probably have it on your computer.  If you do know about it and scan for it, if you haven’t scanned in a while, you probably have something new on your PC.  Just about every PC has something that fits this category running on the PC, eating up resources, or worse yet, spying on your activity, collecting data from you.

Overloaded with to many programs loading during startup

When a computer is overloaded with too many programs trying to run at startup, the performance of the PC suffers noticeably.  Putting a stop to programs loading into memory at startup is one of the most effective ways to tune up your PC.

How does the PC load programs at startup?

There are several main areas where programs are loaded into memory when you turn on your Pc.  The most obvious place is the Startup Program group in the Start menu, which you can see easily.  Beyond that is the registry.  The Registry is usually the main place where programs load at startup. This is one reason registry cleaners are so popular.

Look at it like this.

Your car has one battery to start it and and it works fine. But what if you had 4 other cars hooked to your battery with cables and they would all start fine when they were started one at a time. What happens when you try to start them all at the same time?

The bottom line is you only have so much memory in the PC.  Unloading as much as possible from memory gives the PC room to work and frees up resources to work more efficiently.

Not Enough Memory or Ram

You only have so much memory in your computer.  When you use it all up, the computer starts using your hard drive as virtual memory, hard drives run much slower the speed of actual memory.  The good news is, you can add more memory.