Inquire about boosting low-end PC performance and grasping fundamental software/hardware concepts.
Inquire about boosting low-end PC performance and grasping fundamental software/hardware concepts.
I should have realized my PC would sometimes struggle with basic operations after buying it for a low price a few years ago. When it first arrived, it wouldn't run the games I wanted to play and would restart often. Although the games I use are fairly heavy, I didn’t worry much because they could still work and I could watch movies or TV without too many problems. But over time it slowed down significantly—loading Microsoft Edge now takes a minute or more, and it even restarts if I try to click elsewhere. Right now I’m checking if there are any internal software problems I can fix with CMD commands, update drivers, or delete files before deciding to replace everything. Still, I’m a bit puzzled since everything seems fine at first glance.
Welcome to the forums, newcomer! Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-4790 CPU @ 3.60GHz 3.59 GHz RAM: 16.0 GB DDR3 GPU: AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP When posting a thread of troubleshooting nature, it's customary to include your full system's specs. Please list the specs to your build like so: CPU: CPU cooler: Motherboard: Ram: SSD/HDD: GPU: PSU: Chassis: OS: Monitor: include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time. I don't understand much about PCs You can use CPU-Z to tell you practically everything about your system except for the PSU. For the latter, you're going to have to take the side panels of your case off and then pass on what you're seeing on the stickered side of the PSU. As for the case, you should be able to see a sticker with a barcode on it that will tell what the make and model is or you can pass on a picture of the case. As you're asking for advice on upgrading, you're advised to stylize your thread with info asked of in this thread; *How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice* How to Ask for New Build or Upgrade Advice First off, respect where respect is due - this is an adaptation of the Animal's *How To Ask For New Build Advice* Sticky. I created this because there's a lot of posts nowadays asking for upgrade advice both on here and on the CPU forums, and I feel... forums. and the community will chime in with worthwhile suggestions.
The hardware should still perform adequately. If possible, consider a fresh Windows installation.
For more details, refer to the guide: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-do-cl...windows-10
After installing, choose carefully which applications and downloads you add to avoid slowing down your PC.
Although hardware problems aren't entirely ruled out, a clean install might still help before purchasing a new device.
I have three i7-4770K systems (two overclocked, one at stock settings) and they're all perfectly stable. I've just clicked on the Microsoft Edge desktop icon and the program launched in 1 second.
Are you running Windows from an old fashioned (spinning) hard disk or a modern SSD (Solid State Drive)? If you're still booting Windows from a hard disk, buy a SATA SSD and install Windows from scratch. SATA SSDs (especially those with DRAM cache) can bring a new lease of life to old hardware.
The most I'd expect is forthe computer to slow down even more, not restart unceremoniously.
One thing that slows down my really old systems is the monthly Windows Update, released on the second Tuesday of each month. It can take up to an hour before the update completes on a dual core Celeron or Athlon X2 with minimal RAM. During this time, the computer is horribly sluggish to any new input (from keyboard or mouse) and the best option is to let it finish in its own good time. Run Windows Update and see if your computer is fully patched, or just busy trying to load the latest updates.
You could run SFC and DISM on your existing Windows drive, to correct any operating system errors. You need to run these from the Command Prompt with Administrator privileges.
https://www.howtogeek.com/222532/ho...-s...-commands/
Also, run CHKDSK on drive C:.
https://www.howtogeek.com/1033/how-to-us...n-windows/
You could test your RAM for errors, by booting up from a USB memory stick containing a program called MemTest86. With 16GB RAM, this could take several hours but it should detect bad RAM. Sudden restarts can be caused by bad RAM.
https://www.memtest86.com/
If you're overclocking the RAM with XMP (eXtreme Memory Profile) in the BIOS, try switching off XMP to lower the RAM speed and maybe improve stability. If you find bad RAM, replace it.
Assuming no hardware problems, as other people have said, installing a fesh copy of Windows (preferably on a fast SSD) might restore your PC to full health.
If you need a fast SATA SSD with DRAM, consider a Samsung 860 or 870 EVO drive:-
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Factor-In...B08PC43D78
If that's too expensive, there are many cheaper SATA SSDs without DRAM cache:-
https://www.amazon.com/Lexar-NS100-512GB...B07TQSYBPH
If you just want to experiment with a new Windows installation (but minimal space for games) splash out $14.99 on a 120GB Patriot. Not fast or big, but enough to see if your existing Windows OS is faulty.
https://www.amazon.com/Patriot-Burst-Eli...B08LKMQ9T4
SATA SDDs range from 120GB to at least 4TB, so there's a wide range to choose from. Windows 10 will fit easily on a 120GB SSD, but a 500GB or 1TB SSD will be faster.