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While Windows 10 has delivered some performance improvements over its predecessors, there are still areas where the latest version of Microsoft\u2019s operating system (OS) can\u2014and should\u2014do better.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In this first installment of a two-part guide, we\u2019ll be offering some tips and tweaks aimed at boosting the performance of your Windows 10 installation.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Start-up time is one notable area where Windows 10 lags behind previous versions of the OS. There are two options for speeding up your boot process.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In the first method, you can enable Fast Startup, a Windows 10 feature which combines a normal shutdown with the Windows hibernate function. This will force the system to write to disk storage all the information it needs to recreate your current session, when you next power on the machine. When you shut down your PC, Fast Startup closes your running applications, logs off all users, then loads the Windows kernel and drivers to a hibernation file on your hard disk. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At the next startup, Windows 10 will reference this data from a single file, rather than loading each device driver from a separate location on your hard drive. This significantly reduces your starting up time. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n (Image source: <\/span>Computerworld<\/span> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To access the Fast Startup feature and enable it if it isn\u2019t already running:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 1. Right-click the Start button and select Power Options from the menu that appears.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 2. Select \u201cAdditional power settings.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 3. Click the option to \u201cChoose what the Power buttons do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 4. If \u201cTurn on fast startup (recommended)\u201d has a check mark next to it on the \u201cShutdown settings\u201d section of the screen, the feature is already enabled, and you have nothing further to do.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 5. If the Fast Startup option isn\u2019t already selected, click on \u201cChange Settings that are currently unavailable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 6. Put a check in the box next to \u201cTurn on fast startup (recommended)\u201d, and click on \u201cSave changes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The second method for accelerating the boot process employs the Windows 10 Task Manager, which also includes options for disabling applications that run on startup.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n (Image source: <\/span>Computerworld<\/span> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 1. Right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 2. If Task Manager isn\u2019t already running in a maximized window, click the \u201cMore details\u201d link at the bottom of the screen. This opens up an expanded view with multiple tabs.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 3. Click the Startup tab, which lists all the applications that run at boot time.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 4. For each application that you don\u2019t want to run on startup, right-click and select Disable. If you like to have any of these programs running during your sessions, you can start them individually once the boot process completes.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Windows 10 Task Manager also includes a \u201cStartup impact\u201d column, which shows the degree of influence (low, medium, or high) that each program has on your startup time. You can use this to prioritize which applications to disable or allow. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For programs on the list that you don\u2019t recognize, right-clicking on the name and selecting \u201cSearch online\u201d will pull up relevant information on that application from the internet to help you decide. Alternatively, if you right-click on the program name and choose \u201cOpen file location,\u201d Windows Explorer will take you to its application folder, where you\u2019ll be able to see the executable file and its associated libraries.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Users of Windows 8 and 8.1 (Remember that one? Neither does anyone else\u2026) bemoaned the lack of a Windows 7 style Start Menu, so Microsoft reinstated that tool for Windows 10. Unfortunately, its performance in execution can be patchy at best. Many users complain that it freezes, doesn\u2019t open when they click the Start button, or displays and hides random entries. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If rebooting your machine doesn\u2019t fix your Start Menu, there are a number of alternatives you can try. Though they can be the source of a whole set of other issues, Windows 10 updates may deliver a solution. If you\u2019re willing to take the risk, go to Settings, Updates & Security, Windows Update, and select \u201cCheck for updates.\u201d Install the latest one, reboot your system, and hope for the best.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The command-line tool known as PowerShell is a Windows 10 feature with the ability to repair corrupted files, which may be the cause of Start Menu glitches. In the Windows search box, type \u201cpowershell\u201d (without the quotes), right-click Windows PowerShell in the search results, then select \u201cRun as administrator.\u201d If you then type \u201csfc \/scannow\u201d and press Enter, PowerShell will scan your system for corrupt files. If PowerShell found corrupt files but couldn\u2019t fix them, type the command \u201cdism \/online \/cleanup-image \/restorehealth\u201d and press Enter. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Should your Start Menu continue to misbehave despite all of the above, you can create a new local administrator account. If the Start menu functions in that one, move all of your files and settings over to it. As a last resort, try resetting your PC with Windows 10 recovery options.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Each time you upgrade your system or install a major update, Windows 10 retains the earlier version of your operating system, just in case you want to switch back to it. This can result in the redundant storage of several gigabytes worth of files and applications on your hard drive. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nSpeeding Up the Windows 10 Boot Process<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.poweradmin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/windows-10-boot-process.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\nOptimizing the Start Menu<\/span><\/h2>\n
Recovering Lost Storage for Better Performance<\/span><\/h2>\n