Problem with PC slowing down after Windows reinstall
Problem with PC slowing down after Windows reinstall
I could suggest a lot of things. First: PSU: - make, model. wattage, age, condition (original to build, new, used, refurbished)? History of heavy gaming use? = = = = Many variables here.... That said my recommendation is another full and clean Windows' reinstall. ( Hopefully you have all important data backed up - correct?) Follow the Tom's recommended procedure: https://forums. I.e., a do over" followed by a few days of very careful updates, configuration changes, driver downloads, and component related installs (one at a time allowing time between installs) to restore the system. Then, once the system is running and stable, begin installing games and non-Windows apps one at time sans any mods (from anywhere), etc.... Be extra careful about the source websites. Overall strategy being to simply restore/establish the build to some lasting stability and then a methodical, controlled process to address speed and performance (if necessary). Small steps: deliberately planned and implemented. And watch the error logs (e.g. Reliability History/Monitor, Event Viewer, Update History) as you go. Look for anything unexpected or unknown (google as needed). Post questions and concerns as necessary.
PSU is 750 W 80 plus gold. I don’t have any details about the components left, so I’m unsure of the brand. I purchased the PC new, meaning it was brand new with the system already installed.
I’m not very interested in another reinstall because it seems to be what caused the slowdown and it’s quite a hassle. All data is backed up now, including modded games which I plan to restore, though they’re all clean. In fact, every file I’ve downloaded since the first reinstall has been scanned by antivirus.
However, if I proceed with the reinstall, the instructions appear to be for Windows 11, which I don’t have. The PC came with Windows 10 already. I just downloaded a free version of Windows 10 from the MS website during the initial setup. I’m unsure how to link that with my MS account or whether the instructions are tailored for Windows 10.
If I do the reinstall, I’d need browsers and Telegram up and running right away, as I use them daily for communication and work. Would that be acceptable as long as I wait before installing games?
EDIT: Also a note I missed. The PC has light to medium gaming usage. Most of my gaming sessions have been idle—like creating things in the WWE menus or playing strategy games. I’ve played a fair amount of Palworld recently and some Ark games about two years ago before getting back into them this year. Probably spent less than 10 hours on Ark this year. For context, my previous PC had a worse PSU, both in wattage, and I used it for heavier gaming from 2016 to 2021. So I don’t think that’s the problem, though it’s always possible I got a faulty one.
You usually need to install or update GPU drivers, as well as sound drivers initially. For upgrading to Windows 11, wait until your Windows 10 is fully activated, which typically takes a few days after the digital license is linked to your MS account.
I'm likely to proceed with this tonight. Everything is saved on my external drive, so I'll just disconnect it before starting the reinstall. All internal drives will be wiped and reformatted. I'm considering a clean Windows 10 install, keeping only the two browsers and Telegram app needed for a short period before moving forward. I'm not sure what timeframe to follow for other apps, games, and Windows 11.
Additionally, are there other benchmarking applications you should consider exploring at the beginning? Since the sole performance indicator available will be boot time, it might be useful to evaluate additional tools beyond Windows' built-in features.
Disconnected all internal drives except the main drive and tried fresh install of Windows 10. It said there were no Bootable drives and it couldn't install so I had to exit from that. I unplugged the USB drive that I made for Windows 10 and every time I restart I just go to Bios. I go to boot options and it says no Bootable drive. Maybe my initial reinstall was on one of the two I removed? Doesn't make sense though because all my Windows files were on my main internal SSD. I don't know what to do now.
Typically the updates handle everything, you only need to ensure an internet connection is available.