Slow PC Performance

[SethuNgwendu]

Hi guys, I have an issue with the desktop PCs at my workplace. The first issue is with logging in. When people login in, it takes about 3 to 15 mins for the PC to login to the windows. The second issue is that applications take long to open, sometimes they are unresponsive, sometimes they load but don’t open and must click it multiple times. So the performance is bad and with most of the PC’s memory usage is on 80%. I was thinking of upgrading every PC to increase the performance because I have tried various steps to try and sort the issue but still no luck. Some PCs are old from 2012 with 4-8GB ram, HDD and i3- i5, and some PCs are from 2018 with a GIGABYTE motherboard with i5 8gb ram and hdd. We use the PC’s for Microsoft 365 like, teams, word, excel, powerpoint, adobe acrobat, chrome, outlook, premier HR, premier ESS and HR integrator. The weird thing about this is that there is one GIGABYTE motherboard PC that works fast. It takes seconds to login and run smoothly and even when I have a lot of applications opened and the memory usage is 80%, it still runs smoothly with no problem at all. So I want to know if I should upgrade the PC’s or would it be best to replace them with new ones?

[Raj_05 · Accepted solution]

Hi @SethuNgwendu,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

Addressing slow PC performance can be approached in multiple ways, from optimizing current systems to considering hardware upgrades or replacements. Here’s a structured approach to diagnose and improve the performance of your HP desktop PCs.

Diagnostics and Optimization

Check Background Processes and Startup Programs:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Go to the "Startup" tab and disable unnecessary programs.
• Check the "Processes" tab to identify resource-heavy applications.

Check for Malware and Viruses:

• Run a full system scan using reliable antivirus software.
• Ensure all systems have up-to-date antivirus definitions.

Update Drivers and Software:

• Ensure that all hardware drivers are up-to-date, particularly graphics and network drivers.
• Update Windows and all installed applications to the latest versions.

Disk Cleanup and Defragmentation:

• Use Disk Cleanup to remove unnecessary files.
• For HDDs, run Defragment and Optimize Drives to improve disk performance (note: this is not necessary for SSDs).

Check for Windows Updates:

• Make sure all PCs are running the latest version of Windows with all updates installed.

RAM and Pagefile Management:

• Ensure that virtual memory (pagefile) is properly configured. Go to System Properties > Performance > Advanced > Virtual Memory.
• Consider setting a fixed size for the pagefile, typically 1.5 times the amount of RAM.

Hardware Upgrades

Upgrade to SSDs:

• Replacing HDDs with SSDs can significantly improve boot times and application load times.
• SSDs are much faster and more reliable than HDDs, especially for older PCs.

Increase RAM:

• For PCs with 4GB of RAM, consider upgrading to at least 8GB.
• 8GB should be sufficient for most office tasks, but if users frequently work with large files or multiple applications, 16GB could be beneficial.

Consider Processor Upgrades:

• For older PCs with i3 processors, upgrading to an i5 or i7 (if the motherboard supports it) can improve performance.
• However, this may not always be cost-effective compared to other upgrades or replacements.

By following these steps, you can systematically address the performance issues and make an informed decision on whether to upgrade or replace your PCs.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4

HP Support