The longer you use your computer without performing basic maintenance, the slower it will perform. If you feel that your computer has been slowing down lately, or if you want to improve the performance of your old computer, try the following tips. If you have a problem with your computer, the problem may be resolved after you restart your computer. To deal with adware infections, there are programs that are designed to scan and remove them from your computer.
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Method 1 of 6: Troubleshooting Basic Problems
Step 1. Restart the computer if the computer has a problem
As simple as it sounds, restarting your computer can actually solve many problems. Save any open documents before you restart the computer.
Step 2. Reset the network if your computer can't connect to the internet
If suddenly you can't surf, restart your network device. Generally, after restarting, the problem with the modem/router (router) will be resolved.
- Unplug the modem and router power cables (if applicable).
- Wait 30 seconds before reconnecting the modem cable.
- Once the modem light is on, reconnect the router. The network will be active again in a few moments.
Step 3. Check the clock on the computer and set it accordingly
If the clock setting is incorrect, the security certificates on some sites will be invalidated and you will not be able to load those sites.
Step 4. Restart the printer if you have trouble connecting the computer to the printer
If the printer does not appear in the list, you can restart the printer to fix it. Turn off the printer by pressing the Power button, or pulling the printer's power cord. Wait about 30 seconds, then turn on the printer again..
Method 2 of 6: Removing Adware and Cleaning Your Browser (Windows)
Step 1. Open the Control Panel
If your browser is feeling slow, or you are facing an onslaught of pop-up ads or toolbars, your computer may be infected with adware. Adware is unwanted software, specifically designed to "hijack" browsers. Once infected with adware, your computer will redirect internet search results to other sites, and display lots of ads. Get rid of adware by removing unknown software via Control Panel. The process of removing this software varies depending on the version of Windows.
- Windows 10 and 8 - Right-click the Windows button, then click "Control Panel".
- Windows 7, Vista, and XP - Click Start, then select "Control Panel" from the menu.
Step 2. Select the Uninstall a program or Programs and Features option. A list of programs installed on your computer will appear.
Step 3. Find a new program that you don't recognize
You can display a list of programs by date of installation to make it easier for you to find unknown programs. Look at each program on the list, then make a note of the ones you don't recognize. Search the internet for the name of the program to see if it is adware.
Step 4. Select one of the unwanted programs, then click Uninstall and follow the on-screen instructions to remove it
Repeat these steps for each program you want to remove.
Use this opportunity to remove programs you no longer use. Games, applications, browsers, and old programs that you don't use can slow down your computer's performance. Remove programs to free up storage space and speed up computer startup time
Step 5. Download ADWCleaner from toolslib.net/downloads/viewdownload/1-adwcleaner/
This free software can be used to scan and remove common adware and malware.
Step 6. Run AdwCleaner, then click the Scan button to start scanning the computer
The scanning process generally takes about 20 minutes. After the scan is complete, click Clean to remove unwanted programs found by AdwCleaner.
Step 7. Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware by visiting malwarebytes.org, selecting Download, then clicking the Download Free Version button
Once downloaded, install the program. The free version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can be used to find and remove most adware.
Step 8. Scan the computer with Anti-Malware
Open Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and download the update if prompted. After that, start the scanning process, which will take 20-30 minutes. Once the scan is complete, remove any infections found by clicking the Quarantine All button.
Step 9. Download and install shortcut cleaner
Generally, adware will add a shortcut to the browser, which will redirect you to the wrong site even after the adware is removed. A free shortcut cleaner made by the anti-malware community, which you can download for free at the following link, can scan all shortcuts in your browser and remove unwanted links. Run the downloaded program to quickly scan and repair shortcuts.
Step 10. Reset the browser
Your browser may still have residual malware that was removed by the anti-malware program. Resetting the browser will remove any software other than the default browser, and return the browser to its original settings.
- Internet Explorer: Click Tools > Internet Options, then click the Reset button in the Advanced tab. Check the Delete Personal Settings box, then click Reset.
- Chrome: Click the Chrome menu button, then select Settings. Click Show Advanced Settings, then scroll to the bottom of the page and click Reset Settings. Finally, click Reset.
- Firefox: Click the Firefox menu button, then click "?". Select Troubleshooting Information, then click Refresh Firefox. Click Refresh Firefox again to confirm deletion.
Step 11. Once the scan is complete, restart the computer, and then run Anti-Malware and AdwCleaner again to make sure no malware remains or reappears after restarting the computer
Method 3 of 6: Removing Adware and Cleaning Safari (Mac)
Step 1. Remove the unknown program from the Applications directory
This directory contains all the programs you have installed on your Mac. If you find a suspicious program, drag it to the Trash to remove it.
Search the internet for unknown program names to find out their usefulness and safety
Step 2. Download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac at malwarebytes.org/antimalware/mac/
Previously, this program was called Adwaremedic, and is still the most powerful program for finding and removing malware on Macs.
- Once the download is complete, double-click on the file and drag "Anti-Malware for Mac" into the Applications directory.
- If the installation of the program is rejected because the program is not from the App Store, right-click (or press Ctrl and click) the downloaded file, click Open, then click Open again.
Step 3. Open Anti-Malware for Mac, then scan the computer
You will be prompted for an administrator password when starting Anti-Malware for the first time. This password is required to remove certain files from the protected directory, which requires special permissions. Click the Scan button to start scanning your Mac. The scanning process will take about 15-20 minutes.
Step 4. Once the scan is complete, click on Remove Selected Items
Malware found by Anti-Malware will be removed. To complete the deletion process, you will be prompted to restart the computer.
Method 4 of 6: Optimizing Computer (Windows)
Step 1. Update the Windows installation
Installing the latest updates can help resolve computer errors, and help secure and maintain the stability of the computer. Use Windows Update to check for and install updates. Open the Start menu or screen, then enter Windows Update to open Windows Update.
In Windows 10, find Windows Update in the Update & Security section of the Settings app
Step 2. Check the remaining available storage space on the computer
Remaining storage space doesn't usually have much effect on computer performance, but if you have less than 20% free space on your Windows installation drive, your computer may slow down. Windows uses free space on a drive to store and move temporary files, and if the drive is too full, your computer will slow down. Clean the drive regularly to keep the system healthy.
Open the Computer/This PC window by pressing Win+E, then find your Windows drive (usually C:). Make sure your Windows installation drive has above 20% free space to ensure optimal computer performance
Step 3. Open Disk Cleanup to scan and delete old temporary files
Open the Start menu or screen and enter "disk cleanup" to find the program. Select your Windows drive, then wait for the analysis process. After that, check the checkbox on the file type to delete it. Next to each entry, it will show how much storage space will be freed after the file is deleted.
Check your downloads and documents directory to remove old files that are no longer needed
Step 4. Remove old programs that are no longer in use
When using a computer, you may install programs that you only use once and then forget about them. These old programs can take up a lot of space on your drive, or even run in the background, consuming system resources. Periodically remove programs that are no longer in use to improve computer performance.
- Open the Control Panel, then select the Uninstall a program or Programs and Features option. Check the list of installed programs, then remove the programs you no longer use. Select the program name, then click Uninstall to remove it. If you don't know what a program is for, look up the name of the program online.
- A free program called "PC Decrapifier" you can use to remove unnecessary/bloatware programs, which are generally included when you buy a computer. Download PC Decrapifier for free from pcdecrapifier.com. You don't need to install PC Decrapifier; just run the program to scan the computer. The program can remove any bloatware it finds automatically.
Step 5. Clear the Windows startup sequence
Many programs will start automatically when the computer is turned on. While this feature will speed up your use of programs when needed, too many programs that start when the computer starts up will slow down the computer.
- Windows 10 and 8 - Press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. Click More Details to open the details view, then select the Startup tab. Select the program you want to remove from the startup list, then click Disable. If you're not sure what a program is for, look up the name of the program online.
- Windows 7 and Vista - Press Win+R and enter "msconfig." Click the Startup tab, then uncheck the programs you want to remove from the startup list. If you're not sure what a program is for, look up the name of the program online.
Step 6. Try alternative programs to your favorite programs
Many of your favorite programs, such as Norton Antivirus, iTunes, and Adobe Reader, work less than optimally and can slow down your computer's performance. Usually, there are free and lightweight alternatives to these programs, which can significantly speed up your computer.
- Instead of using Norton Antivirus, try using Windows Defender, Windows' built-in security application. You can also use Avast and BitDefender, which are free to download. Read the guides for using Windows Defender on the internet.
- If you use iTunes as a media player, consider using a program like foobar2000 or MediaMonkey. Both can also be used to sync iOS devices.
Method 5 of 6: Optimizing Your Computer (Mac)
Step 1. Update the OS X installation
Installing the latest updates can help resolve computer errors, and help secure and maintain the stability of the computer. In most cases, updates will install automatically, but it is recommended that you check for updates periodically to ensure that there are no pending critical updates.
Open the Mac App Store, then select the Updates tab at the top of the screen. Check and install available updates for installed systems and applications
Step 2. Free up storage space
If the drive is too full, your Mac may slow down. Cleaning the drive will help improve the performance of your Mac.
- Remove unused programs by dragging them from the Application directory to the Trash.
- Check your downloads and documents directory for files you can delete.
- You can use programs like CleanMyMac3, Disk Inventory X, and DaisyDisk to find and remove junk files from your computer.
- Use Monolingual, which can be downloaded for free from monolingual.sourceforge.net/, to remove unnecessary language files. Do not delete the language files you are using or English to avoid operating system problems.
Step 3. Remove unnecessary icons to help improve computer performance
Icons that fill the desktop will slow down the operating system.
Step 4. Clear the OS X startup sequence
Many programs will start automatically when the computer is turned on. While this feature will speed up your use of programs when needed, too many programs that start when the computer starts up will slow down the computer.
- Click the Apple menu, then choose System Preferences.
- Select Users & Groups > Login Items option.
- Select the application you want to remove from the startup list, then click the "-" button. You may need to click the lock icon and enter the administrator password.
Step 5. Check the drive with Disk Utility
Sometimes, file or permission corruption can occur, and cause problems on the Mac. The Mac's built-in Disk Utility can scan for and resolve issues related to drives and permissions.
- Open Disk Utility from the Applications > Utilities directory.
- Select your drive in the first frame.
- Click the First Aid tab, then select Verify Disk. The scanning process will start. Wait a few moments until the process is complete.
- Click the Repair Disk button if an error occurs.
Method 6 of 6: Keeping Computer Stable
Step 1. Be careful when downloading programs from the internet
The main source of adware attacks is uninvited software that comes when you install certain software. When you install a program from the internet, make sure you read each step carefully, especially if the program is free. Reject all offers that appear on the screen, and double-check each checkbox.
- Find alternative open-source programs, which generally won't include adware.
- Avoid download sites like Cnet or Tucows. These sites will usually ask you to use their download manager which includes ads.
Step 2. Run a light antivirus
If you are using Windows, don't forget to run an antivirus. Windows Defender is usually able to protect your computer activity, but you can also use Avast, Bitdefender, Kaspersky, or other reputable antivirus. Make sure you only use one antivirus at a time because running more than one will cause conflicts.
Read the antivirus installation guide on the internet
Step 3. Clean the dust from the computer regularly, especially if you smoke or have pets
The accumulated dust can cause the computer to overheat, and ultimately slow down the computer's performance as the computer tries to cool down. Keeping your computer clean and at a temperature will ensure that your computer is running in top condition.
- Purchase compressed air or use an air compressor to remove dust from the computer.
- Read online guides for cleaning dust from your computer.
Step 4. Remove programs that you no longer use
If you are diligent in cleaning the list of programs, you can maintain computer performance. Remove programs once you no longer need them to free up storage space. You can save a copy of the program's installation files in case you need the program at a later date.
