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How do YOU keep your machine running fast?
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01-31-2012
11:34 AM
- last edited on
03-06-2024
09:07 PM
by
ROGBot
Just wanted to start a thread for people to share tweaks, utilities, and other useful maintenance information that they use to keep their G series in optimal running condition. The way I see it you can have a Ferarri but if you don't keep up with maintenance you'll be slower than a Prius 😛 If this gets big enough I'll do my best to keep this first post updated with links and recommendations you all have posted.
I know everyone's approach will be different , Ill start off with what I do and then change this post as more users recommend/recommend against what I have posted. So everyone feel free to post anything you do or use to keep your laptop running smooth. tweaks, optimization programs, maintenance, anti-virus, etc. Also, dont be afraid to kindly disagree with me or other posters. Hopefully we can all learn a little something.
The most important step (as several users posted below) is to start with a CLEAN INSTALL of Windows. This will remove all the bloatware that comes pre-installed and allow for a better performance/stability.
-There is some Asus software that is still recommended to install, for information to help you decide what you want to install check out
Basic Maintenance
Remember to always have some sort of back-up when making changes to your OS. Check out Dstrakele's post covering this and the importance of only installing programs you have reason too. Link
Defragging Hard Drive
-Windows 7 has its own defragmenting software built into the OS and is actually set out of the box to defrag at a scheduled time weekly. This works best for most but I personally disable this feature and use Auslogics Disk Defrag and run it weekly. It has an option called Optimize and honestly I have noticed a slight speed increase since I started using it.
Auslogics Disk Defrag Link FREE
Startup Programs and Services
*Create a Windows restore point before changing any of these, editing something incorrectly can cause windows not to boot properly*
-Each time you boot windows automatically opens up programs in your start-up folder (duh). By sorting through these programs and eliminating those you find unnecessary you can speed up boot times and overall performance. There is also a set of services that run in the background That our either needed for your OS to function properly or are needed for a program. If you look through these services that are running you can usually find a few you don't find needed (ex. for me I disabled Adobe Acrobat Updater). I don't find the need to have an updater service using my resources for a program I rarely use and can simply check for updates next time I open it.
-Be Careful what you disable or change, general rule of thumb here is if you can't figure out what the start-up program or service does leave it alone. Otherwise you risk windows not booting.To find and edit these you simply open your Start menu and type "msconfig" (without quotes) in the search bar. This will allow you to go to either the Start-up or Services tab and make changes.
-A program I use and strongly recommend for both noobs and advanced users is called SlimCleaner. It's also free and has an Optimize section that allows you to view both Startup programs and services and easily edit them. What makes this program really stand out on this note is its rating option that allows other users to rate and comment on what each startup entry and service does. It makes it easy and much safer to change these entries because you'll know what each one does and whether or not its necessary for your OS. It also has a restore list that allows for you to easily revert any changes you have made.
SlimCleaner Link FREE
Registry Cleaners
-In my opinion a good registry cleaner is needed for any windows PC. Each time you install/uninstall programs, use certain programs, etc. new entries are made in your windows registry. Overtime the registry or OS is constantly accessing can become unorganized and filled with old or unnecessary entries, slowing down your pc overall. Cleaning up the registry a bit can have a great impact on your overall performance.
-Now people who are knowledgeable about windows OS can access these entries through opening Start and typing in "regedit" into the search bar. But for 95% of people I strongly recommend against that because chances are you'll case more harm than good.
-I personally use CCleaner to scan my registry and remove invalid or unnecessary entries. CCleaner has plenty of options and allows you to create a back-up in case you deleted something that was needed. I've been using it for years and am yet to have to restore a back-up though the program does a good job and finding entries to remove without hurting anything.
CCleaner Link Free
*Anti-Virus programs and other sections to come, let me know what you guys want to see included in here!*
I know everyone's approach will be different , Ill start off with what I do and then change this post as more users recommend/recommend against what I have posted. So everyone feel free to post anything you do or use to keep your laptop running smooth. tweaks, optimization programs, maintenance, anti-virus, etc. Also, dont be afraid to kindly disagree with me or other posters. Hopefully we can all learn a little something.
The most important step (as several users posted below) is to start with a CLEAN INSTALL of Windows. This will remove all the bloatware that comes pre-installed and allow for a better performance/stability.
-There is some Asus software that is still recommended to install, for information to help you decide what you want to install check out
Basic Maintenance
Remember to always have some sort of back-up when making changes to your OS. Check out Dstrakele's post covering this and the importance of only installing programs you have reason too. Link
Defragging Hard Drive
-Windows 7 has its own defragmenting software built into the OS and is actually set out of the box to defrag at a scheduled time weekly. This works best for most but I personally disable this feature and use Auslogics Disk Defrag and run it weekly. It has an option called Optimize and honestly I have noticed a slight speed increase since I started using it.
Auslogics Disk Defrag Link FREE
Startup Programs and Services
*Create a Windows restore point before changing any of these, editing something incorrectly can cause windows not to boot properly*
-Each time you boot windows automatically opens up programs in your start-up folder (duh). By sorting through these programs and eliminating those you find unnecessary you can speed up boot times and overall performance. There is also a set of services that run in the background That our either needed for your OS to function properly or are needed for a program. If you look through these services that are running you can usually find a few you don't find needed (ex. for me I disabled Adobe Acrobat Updater). I don't find the need to have an updater service using my resources for a program I rarely use and can simply check for updates next time I open it.
-Be Careful what you disable or change, general rule of thumb here is if you can't figure out what the start-up program or service does leave it alone. Otherwise you risk windows not booting.To find and edit these you simply open your Start menu and type "msconfig" (without quotes) in the search bar. This will allow you to go to either the Start-up or Services tab and make changes.
-A program I use and strongly recommend for both noobs and advanced users is called SlimCleaner. It's also free and has an Optimize section that allows you to view both Startup programs and services and easily edit them. What makes this program really stand out on this note is its rating option that allows other users to rate and comment on what each startup entry and service does. It makes it easy and much safer to change these entries because you'll know what each one does and whether or not its necessary for your OS. It also has a restore list that allows for you to easily revert any changes you have made.
SlimCleaner Link FREE
Registry Cleaners
-In my opinion a good registry cleaner is needed for any windows PC. Each time you install/uninstall programs, use certain programs, etc. new entries are made in your windows registry. Overtime the registry or OS is constantly accessing can become unorganized and filled with old or unnecessary entries, slowing down your pc overall. Cleaning up the registry a bit can have a great impact on your overall performance.
-Now people who are knowledgeable about windows OS can access these entries through opening Start and typing in "regedit" into the search bar. But for 95% of people I strongly recommend against that because chances are you'll case more harm than good.
-I personally use CCleaner to scan my registry and remove invalid or unnecessary entries. CCleaner has plenty of options and allows you to create a back-up in case you deleted something that was needed. I've been using it for years and am yet to have to restore a back-up though the program does a good job and finding entries to remove without hurting anything.
CCleaner Link Free
*Anti-Virus programs and other sections to come, let me know what you guys want to see included in here!*
G75
-i7-3610QM -16GB DDR3
-256GB Patriot SSD -Nvidia GTX 670M 3GB
-1TB HHD Storage
-i7-3610QM -16GB DDR3
-256GB Patriot SSD -Nvidia GTX 670M 3GB
-1TB HHD Storage
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01-31-2012 12:01 PM
I fully shut down my machine when I'm done with it - no Sleeping or Hibernating. I also switch off the surge protector connecting the router, cable modem, power adapter, and printer.
When you sleep or hibernate your laptop, memory that has been leaked during normal application operation is not recovered. More and more memory is lost until you do a reboot to recover it or the laptop locks up or BSOD's, forcing you to recover the lost memory. You see this a lot in smartphones. Users complain their smartphones are rebooting unexpectedly on them. They never turn them off or restart them.
If you look at your laptop's or smartphone's available memory, you'll see it slowly decrease over time until you restart it. I never turn off my smartphone, but I do have an application restart it at 3:00 AM every day. Frequent reboots help you avoid problems and performance degradation.
Turning off the cable modem and router not only saves electricity, it helps prevent problems. Many of the networking problems reported by users can be solved by a simple restart of their modem and router. It is always one of the first things your ISP tech support will have you do.
When you sleep or hibernate your laptop, memory that has been leaked during normal application operation is not recovered. More and more memory is lost until you do a reboot to recover it or the laptop locks up or BSOD's, forcing you to recover the lost memory. You see this a lot in smartphones. Users complain their smartphones are rebooting unexpectedly on them. They never turn them off or restart them.
If you look at your laptop's or smartphone's available memory, you'll see it slowly decrease over time until you restart it. I never turn off my smartphone, but I do have an application restart it at 3:00 AM every day. Frequent reboots help you avoid problems and performance degradation.
Turning off the cable modem and router not only saves electricity, it helps prevent problems. Many of the networking problems reported by users can be solved by a simple restart of their modem and router. It is always one of the first things your ISP tech support will have you do.
G74SX-A1 - stock hardware - BIOS 202 - 2nd Monitor VISIO VF551XVT
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01-31-2012 12:30 PM
I use Avast as opposed to something like McAfee as it is lighter weight. It still provides decent protection but it doesn't hog your system resources the way that some of the business class AV programs do.
Another excellent way to keep your system fast is to use an SSD but keep it less than 70-80% full. When they get really full they slow down.
Other than that I don't allow anything to run resident that uses a lot of CPU or memory passively. I like to have Origin only run on demand. Steam doesn't seem to be an issue but you can have that not run on startup as well.
Another excellent way to keep your system fast is to use an SSD but keep it less than 70-80% full. When they get really full they slow down.
Other than that I don't allow anything to run resident that uses a lot of CPU or memory passively. I like to have Origin only run on demand. Steam doesn't seem to be an issue but you can have that not run on startup as well.
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station…
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03-23-2018 07:54 PM
xeromist wrote:
I use Avast as opposed to something like McAfee as it is lighter weight. It still provides decent protection but it doesn't hog your system resources the way that some of the business class AV programs do.
Another excellent way to keep your system fast is to use an SSD but keep it less than 70-80% full. When they get really full they slow down.
I found the opposite - Avast and AVG both seem fairly bloaty, constantly trying to push more components onto your system, sometimes with user notifications/permissions and sometimes not. I prefer F-Secure, Kaspersky, and Trend - more lightweight and generally more secure. They ain't free but when it comes to this kind of software it turns out that "free" brings other costs. McAfee and Sophos are consistently the worst of the lot, no surprise that you find Avast compares so favorably.
https://www.av-comparatives.org/
"All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others." - Douglas Adams
[/Korth]
[/Korth]
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03-23-2018 08:04 PM
Korth wrote:
I found the opposite - Avast and AVG both seem fairly bloaty, constantly trying to push more components onto your system, sometimes with user notifications/permissions and sometimes not. I prefer F-Secure, Kaspersky, and Trend - more lightweight and generally more secure. They ain't free but when it comes to this kind of software it turns out that "free" brings other costs. McAfee and Sophos are consistently the worst of the lot, no surprise that you find Avast compares so favorably.
https://www.av-comparatives.org/
Look at the date on that post. Avast and AVG have both changed dramatically and I no longer recommend them.
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station…
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01-31-2012 12:40 PM
1. Clean install
2. Clean install
3. Clean install
Oh, and did I mention clean install? In 25 years of building, repairing, and using PCs, I've never found anything as universally effective as running a clean Windows installation free of junkware, crapware, and bloatware. (And IMHO, all Asus utilities fall into at least one of those categories!)
I also think avoiding redundant security software is important. One good program is all you need.
2. Clean install
3. Clean install
Oh, and did I mention clean install? In 25 years of building, repairing, and using PCs, I've never found anything as universally effective as running a clean Windows installation free of junkware, crapware, and bloatware. (And IMHO, all Asus utilities fall into at least one of those categories!)
I also think avoiding redundant security software is important. One good program is all you need.
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01-31-2012 12:57 PM
BrodyBoy wrote:
I also think avoiding redundant security software is important. One good program is all you need.
+1 Mr. Brody! This is definitely a case where more is NOT better...
Antivirus software employs kernel mode filter drivers to catch the beasties that plague computer systems. The kernel mode filter drivers of different Antivirus programs do NOT play well together. Their conflicts can result in system lockups and BSOD's. Some of the better Antivirus applications will detect the drivers of other Antivirus products and warn you to uninstall them first, but most will offer no such warning.
I know the G74 models come with a pre-installed, run-at-startup trial of Trend Micro Antivirus. If you wish to install another Antivirus, make sure you uninstall the Trend Micro trial first.
G74SX-A1 - stock hardware - BIOS 202 - 2nd Monitor VISIO VF551XVT
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01-31-2012 02:52 PM
These are all great tips!
I highly recommend a clean install! They clean out tons of bloatware and any kind of residual fluff that may have come with your laptop that you don't need. The difference is enormous!
Ccleaner! The registry cleaner and temporary file cleaner are great! Plus, the ability to turn off start up programs leads to faster boot times and less programs running!
Chrome! 'Nuff said!
Edit: Also, forgot to mention the antivirus issue. I use Microsoft Security Essentials and haven't had any problems. It's also pretty lightweight.
For malware and other spyware, I keep Malwarebytes on hand and updated.
I highly recommend a clean install! They clean out tons of bloatware and any kind of residual fluff that may have come with your laptop that you don't need. The difference is enormous!
Ccleaner! The registry cleaner and temporary file cleaner are great! Plus, the ability to turn off start up programs leads to faster boot times and less programs running!
Chrome! 'Nuff said!
Edit: Also, forgot to mention the antivirus issue. I use Microsoft Security Essentials and haven't had any problems. It's also pretty lightweight.
For malware and other spyware, I keep Malwarebytes on hand and updated.
G53SW-A1
Core i7 2630M
Gtx 460m
Core i7 2630M
Gtx 460m
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01-31-2012 02:59 PM
smellons wrote:
Ccleaner! The registry cleaner and temporary file cleaner are great! Plus, the ability to turn off start up programs leads to faster boot times and less programs running!
You can also access to turn on/off programs during start up in msconfig (in start menu) 🙂 (but then you should know what you turn on and off)
But I also love to use CCleaner, good program to clean my notebook ^^
Asus G73SW-91058V 3D
- Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300
- BIOS 205
- Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300
- BIOS 205
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01-31-2012 05:09 PM
when ever i play games i do the old crysis trick which is avalable on pg 21 of youre org crysis manual
the only back ground tasks that i have running in taskmanager for gaming under my user name are explorer.exe and taskmgr.exe
by selecting end process on all the the other programs running under my user name it just leaves the above two process's
DO NOT end process under the header SYSTEM / LOCAL SERVICE / NETWORK SERVICE
i do this every time i play a game as all the setting's will reactivate upon boot up
kraygon
the only back ground tasks that i have running in taskmanager for gaming under my user name are explorer.exe and taskmgr.exe
by selecting end process on all the the other programs running under my user name it just leaves the above two process's
DO NOT end process under the header SYSTEM / LOCAL SERVICE / NETWORK SERVICE
i do this every time i play a game as all the setting's will reactivate upon boot up
kraygon
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