ICT-CMR12

MODULE 4: CLEAN YOUR COMPUTER AND

MAKING IT FAST.
INTRODUCTION
Anyone who's ever owned a PC for over a few months knows they can tend to slow
down over time. There are a few reasons why this happens, such as piling up files and
apps, having a lot of apps running simultaneously, and having a lot of temporary files
taking up valuable space. If you're not sure where to start, we're here to help with a few
tips. Let's dive right in.
CONTENT
Restart your computer
A simple, but effective solution
Yes, the classic "have you tried turning it off and on
again?" trick. You've most likely already tried this,
but if not, restarting your PC is a great first step for
better performance if it's been running for a while.
It's pretty common for some people to never turn off
their laptop and just close it when they're not using
it, but this means more and more running apps can
pile up in the background. If you haven't yet, restart
your computer by doing the following:
1. Open the Start menu.
2. Click the Power icon.
3. Choose Restart.
Clean up unnecessary files
Delete files you don't need anymore
Over time, your computer will store more and
more files, some of which were intentionally
created by you, while others might be temporary
files created by the system for one reason or
another. It's a good idea to clean up these files
occasionally to prevent them from impacting your
system performance by filling up your drive.
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Use disk cleanup
Another way to clean up old files is to use the Disk Cleanup tool, which is now built into
the Settings app on Windows 11. Disk Cleanup can delete temporary files created by
the system, including many things you might not even know existed. This is a great way
to free up some space on your PC, and it's a good idea to run it regularly. Here's how:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Choose System from the sidebar.
3. Click Storage. Your computer may
take some time to fully load the
storage information.
4. Once it's loaded, click Temporary
files.
5. Select all the kinds of files you want
to delete.

6. Click Remove files.

Third-party cleaner tools
In addition to the built-in disk cleanup tool in Windows, many companies
offer their own cleanup solutions that can remove even more files from your
system. The effectiveness of these kinds of tools can vary, but a very popular
and well-known option is CCleaner. It's worth looking at if you want to clean
up more temporary files.
Close power-hungry apps
There's only so much a computer can do at once
If your computer is feeling slow, it's worth checking if you have any apps running that
may be using a lot of resources on the computer. If you have a demanding game or an
app like Photoshop open in the background, it might affect the performance of other
apps. To check which apps are using more resources, try this:
1. Right-click the taskbar and choose Task Manager.

2. Click the CPU header to sort apps by CPU

usage.
3. If a single app is using double-digits worth of
CPU resources, it may be a good idea to
close it if you're not actively using it.
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4. Try closing the app from within its own window to avoid losing data. If
you can't close it normally, you can select it in Task Manager and
click End task.
Run a malware scan
Some viruses can slow down your PC
If you often download programs from websites you don't know that well,
there's a good chance you've found yourself with some viruses on your PC,
which can compromise your security and the performance of your PC. It's a
good idea to run a virus scan on your PC.

Windows 11 has a built-in Windows Security app powered by Microsoft

Defender, and it is a good place to start. Here's how to use it:
1. Open the Start menu and
search for Windows
Security. You'll want to
choose the first option.
2. Click Virus & threat
protection.
3. Choose Scan options.
4. Select Full scan.
5. Click Scan now.

Disable visual effects

Windows can use a lot of resources, too
If you have a low-end PC, it's possible that visual effects in Windows can also slow
down your computer. To help with this, you can turn off some visual effects that
Windows uses to try to speed up your PC. A good start is turning off transparency
effects:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Choose Personalization from the
sidebar.
3. Click Colors.
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4. Set the toggle next to Transparency effects to Off.

Change the power mode and power plan on your PC

Squeeze more performance out of your computer
Windows laptops offer some power settings to help you balance performance and
battery life. The power mode and power plan are actually different things, and they're
usually set to Balanced. Still, you can adjust them for better performance if you don't
mind sacrificing battery life. To change the power mode:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Choose System from the sidebar.
3. Click Power & battery.
4. Click the dropdown menu next to Power
mode and choose Best performance.
The power plan is a legacy setting that's not found as easily, but you can get to it this
way:
1. Open the Start menu and search
for Control Panel. Choose the first result.
2. Select Hardware and Sound.
3. Click Power options.
4. Select Best performance.

5. Close the window.

Check for updates
Having the latest software can help
Windows and its programs are constantly updated to improve performance
and add new features, and it's generally a good idea to keep things up to
date to get the best performance. It's also important to update your drivers,
as they can contain important fixes and performance improvements,
especially graphics drivers. To update
Windows, follow these steps:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Choose Windows Update from the
left side menu.
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3. Click Check for updates.

Any existing updates should be installed automatically. Sometimes, you can

also receive driver updates this way. Still, the best solution here is to visit
your PC manufacturer's website to check the latest drivers available for your
specific model. Alternatively, we have a guide specifically for updating
graphics drivers that can help with that part.
Scan your drive for errors
Problems with the drive can affect performance
Sometimes, a hard drive can become corrupted, resulting in a lower
performance or even lost data. You can check the drive for errors by
following the steps below:
1. Open File Explorer.
2. Choose This PC on the sidebar.
3. Right-click your hard drive and
choose Properties.
4. Switch to the Tools tab.
5. Under Error-checking,
click Check.
6. Click Scan drive to begin
checking the drive for
errors.
Defragment an HDD
A slight boost to performance
If your PC still has an HDD (hard disk drive) rather than an SSD
(solid state drive), defragmenting is another way to get slightly
better performance. Defragmenting makes it so that your files
are stored closer together on the disk platter, making it easier
to access them more quickly. Because an SSD uses flash
storage, defragmenting has no benefits, so only do this if you
still have an HDD.
1. Open the Start menu and search for Defragment and
optimize drives. Choose the first result.
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2. Select your HDD and click Optimize.

The process will take some time, but it can improve

performance somewhat. However, there's no need to run this
tool very frequently, and the impact will be minimal if there
isn't much fragmentation in the first place.

Turn off search indexing

Indexing your files can use a lot of resources
If you're running out of options to improve performance and
still not getting great results, you can try to turn off search
indexing. To provide search results, Windows needs to create
an index of your files, which can sometimes use some
resources. You can turn off search indexing to improve overall
performance, but it will come at the expense of slower
searches. If you want to try it, do this:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Choose Privacy &
security from the sidebar.
3. Click Searching
Windows.
4. Under Find my files,
the Classic option should
be selected.
Click Customize search locations.
5. In this new window, click Modify.
6. Deselect all the selected options in the box at the top. You
may need to expand your folder view to reveal selected
folders.

APPLICATION
DIRECTION. Optimizing Your PC Performance
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To help you put the tips above into practice, we've created an activity that guides you
through the process of optimizing your PC's performance. This exercise will ensure you
address various aspects of system maintenance and efficiency.
Objective:
To improve your PC's performance by following a series of maintenance and
optimization steps.
Materials Needed:
 A PC running Windows 11
 Basic familiarity with PC settings and applications
Instructions:
1. Restart Your Computer
o Open the Start menu.
o Click the Power icon.
o Choose Restart.
o Goal: Ensure that any temporary issues caused by running apps are
resolved.
2. Clean Up Unnecessary Files
o Disk Cleanup:
 Open the Settings app.
 Choose System from the sidebar.
 Click Storage.
 Click Temporary files.
 Select files you want to delete and click Remove files.
o Third-Party Tools:
 Download and install CCleaner or a similar tool.
 Run the tool and follow its instructions to clean up additional
temporary files.
o Goal: Free up disk space and remove unnecessary files.
3. Close Power-Hungry Apps
o Right-click the taskbar and choose Task Manager.
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o Click the CPU header to sort apps by CPU usage.
o Close any apps using excessive CPU resources by selecting them and
clicking End task if necessary.
o Goal: Reduce CPU load and improve overall system responsiveness.
4. Run a Malware Scan
o Open the Start menu and search for Windows Security.
o Click Virus & threat protection.
o Choose Scan options and select Full scan.
o Click Scan now.
o Goal: Ensure your PC is free from malware that could be slowing it down.
5. Disable Visual Effects
o Open the Settings app.
o Choose Personalization from the sidebar.
o Click Colors.
o Set Transparency effects to Off.
o Goal: Reduce resource usage by turning off non-essential visual effects.
6. Change Power Mode and Plan
o Power Mode:
 Open the Settings app.
 Choose System from the sidebar.
 Click Power & battery.
 Click the dropdown menu next to Power mode and select Best
performance.
o Power Plan:
 Open the Start menu and search for Control Panel.
 Select Hardware and Sound.
 Click Power options.
 Choose Best performance.
o Goal: Optimize power settings for better performance.
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7. Check for Updates
o Open the Settings app.
o Choose Windows Update from the left side menu.
o Click Check for updates and install any available updates.
o Goal: Ensure your system and drivers are up-to-date for optimal
performance.
8. Scan Your Drive for Errors
o Open File Explorer.
o Choose This PC on the sidebar.
o Right-click your hard drive and choose Properties.
o Switch to the Tools tab.
o Click Check under Error-checking.
o Click Scan drive.
o Goal: Detect and fix any errors on your hard drive that could affect
performance.
9. Defragment an HDD
o Open the Start menu and search for Defragment and optimize drives.
o Select your HDD and click Optimize.
o Goal: Improve file access speed on an HDD (note: skip this step if you
have an SSD).
10. Turn Off Search Indexing
o Open the Settings app.
o Choose Privacy & security from the sidebar.
o Click Searching Windows.
o Under Find my files, click Customize search locations.
o Click Modify and deselect all options in the box at the top.
o Goal: Reduce the resource usage associated with search indexing.

PRACTICE ACTIVITIES
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Reflection:
After completing these steps, take a moment to reflect on the changes:
 How does your PC's performance compare to before?
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 Did you notice any significant improvements in speed or responsiveness?
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 Are there any additional changes or tools you'd like to explore further?
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This activity should help you achieve a noticeable boost in your PC’s performance and
ensure that your system runs more efficiently.
ASSESSMENT
Direction. Choose the best answer.
1. What is the first step to take if your PC is running slowly and has been on for a while?
A) Update your graphics drivers
B) Restart your computer
C) Run a malware scan
D) Defragment the hard drive
2. Which tool in Windows 11 helps you clean up unnecessary files?
A) Disk Cleanup
B) CCleaner
C) Windows Security
D) Task Manager
3. How can you close power-hungry apps on your PC?
A) Use Disk Cleanup
B) End the task from Task Manager
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C) Run a malware scan
D) Turn off visual effects
4. What is the purpose of running a Full scan in Windows Security?
A) To delete temporary files
B) To check for malware
C) To defragment the hard drive
D) To update your drivers
5. To improve performance on a low-end PC, which Windows visual effect can you
disable?
A) Animations
B) Transparency effects
C) Background images
D) Window shadows
6. How do you change your PC’s power mode to prioritize performance?
A) Use the Disk Cleanup tool
B) Set Power mode to Best performance in Settings
C) Update Windows
D) Run a virus scan
7. What should you do to ensure your PC’s software and drivers are up-to-date?
A) Check for updates in the Windows Settings app
B) Run a Disk Cleanup
C) Defragment the hard drive
D) Turn off search indexing
8. What does defragmenting an HDD do?
A) Removes malware from the drive
B) Optimizes file storage for faster access
C) Increases the amount of storage space
D) Cleans temporary files from the drive
9. Why might you want to turn off search indexing on your PC?
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A) To increase search speed
B) To reduce resource usage and improve performance
C) To update Windows
D) To check for drive errors
10. How can you check your drive for errors in Windows?
A) Use the Disk Cleanup tool
B) Run a Full scan with Windows Security
C) Click on Check under the Tools tab in Drive Properties
D) Turn off search indexing