Tag: defragment

Windows is slow – here is why – Pagefile Fragmentation

For the person with the slow computer, check if your system page file is fragmented. This sounds long but it’s only a few window dialog boxes. Start->Control Panel, then Administrative Tools, Defragment Your Hard Drive, click Analyze Then wait, and when done View Report and look for Page File Fragmentation. If fragmented, then I recommend two things.

1. Set the size of you page file to a static number (Start->Computer, Advanced Tab, Click Settings under Performance, now Advanced Tab, In the Virtual Memory Section, click Change, Uncleck Automaically Manage paging file size, Check the Custom Size, and pick a number about twice you memory size. Make sure it’s at least as large as your memory, [ note: Disk space is cheap now so ok to waste a few GB of disk in case you want to add more memory later] DO THIS ONLY FOR DRIVE C:, THE REST DO NOT MATTER. . Click OK, OK, Etc to close all of those Windows. If asked to reboot click the Later option. Now you have to Defragment the pagefile with Perfect Disk http://www.raxco.com/home/prod…. So get that with a license so you have to Boot Time Defragmentation option. Install it. Now reboot. Reboot again. Then set the Perfect Disk (PD is slow to start so wait) boot time option for drive C. Reboot.) Sounds like a lot of steps, but this one setting is the reason are computers running Windows slow down over time as the pagefile is the most accessed file in windows. Perfect Disk will actually prevent other files from fragmentation on the fly as they are written. Make sure it’s scheduled to run at least every few days to keep your disk Perfect.

and 2, before upgrading, might want to do two complete system backups to a slim portable hard disk with Acronis True Image http://www.acronis.com/en-us/p… This is a full system backup and can be restored. Make sure to create the Boot CD (or DVD, or USB drive) so you can restore if need be. Like if Windows 10 doesn’t support your audio card or printer. Also handy to have if a disk drive fails. You can even tell Acronis to encypt the backup – just don’t loose the key [but don’t write it on the drive – tape it under the keyboard – you just don’t want to loose the drive and have someone else find it. If paranoid – put the key in a bank safety deposit box.]

Non-Disclaimer: I have no relationship to these two products or their manufacturers. I’m just a Computer Scientist that uses them.