How to increase the speed of the hard drive on a laptop. How to speed up your hard drive: adjusting operating system settings. Enabling Record Caching
Hard disk drives are slowly fading from the forefront, but for now they provide the most capacity at the lowest cost. Traditional hard drives are not as fast as SSDs. But there are many easy ways to improve their performance and lifespan. Well, if your computer has a solid-state drive, then you are unlikely to need to further increase its speed, but there are ways to increase the reliability of data storage. This material contains various tips and tricks, as well as a description of utilities that will help you get the most out of your HDD or SSD!
Optimizing HDD operation: it is better to partition it
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One of the most common tips regarding the convenience of working with a traditional magnetic hard drive is to divide it into several partitions. Separation has many advantages, for example, OS files can be stored independently of all other data (thus installing programs will be cleaner and with less risk for other data on the hard drive), the page file can be located separately (which reduces the likelihood of system errors), you can install two operating systems (for example, Windows 7 on one partition and Linux on the other), etc. You can read more about the benefits of partitioning (and other features).
Windows already has a built-in disk partitioning tool that you can use at the beginning of the installation process. At the end of this article, we will also list several utilities from third-party developers.
Optimizing HDD performance: defragmentation
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Fragmentation is a condition when parts of one file are located in different physical areas of the hard drive, and not in adjacent ones. Fragmented files take longer to access than non-fragmented files. You can prevent file fragmentation using a special tool. The program copies disparate parts of files and then moves them into a single block on a physical surface, making file access faster and more efficient.
The defragmentation tool built into Windows is available at the following path: Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Defragmenter. With its help, you can analyze the degree of disk fragmentation, run defragmentation, or set up automatic defragmentation (which is recommended). This tool is more than enough for most users, but at the end of this article we will list several defragmentation tools from other developers that provide additional functionality.
Optimizing HDD performance: clearing the recycle bin and browser cache
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Windows stores files that the user deletes in the Recycle Bin. In case they are deleted accidentally, there is a recovery function. Regularly checking and emptying the Recycle Bin helps free up space on your hard drive. You can delete files bypassing the recycle bin by using the key combination Shift+Click on the "Delete" item in the menu accessible by right-clicking on the file/folder. Thus, the files are deleted immediately and without the possibility of recovery. Make sure you no longer need the files you delete, as this is an irreversible process.
Another way to free up space on your hard drive is to clear temporary Internet files of the browser and other programs, as well as the system itself, which are stored in the corresponding folders (for example, the browser) and are used to store temporary information. Although temporary files and caches speed up page loading and program execution, their volume can reach hundreds of megabytes and even 1-2 GB if these files are not cleaned regularly. You can set regular cleaning in your browser settings or use a utility like CCleaner to do this. You can also use the built-in Disk Cleanup feature in Windows.
Optimizing HDD operation: leave space for the swap file
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A page file is a type of Windows virtual memory that is used to store data from applications that are not currently active, allowing more RAM to be allocated to active applications. Some recommend keeping the page file enabled all the time, while others, on the contrary, recommend disabling it. However, unless you know exactly what you are doing, we recommend leaving the page file enabled. If possible, we recommend moving it to a separate disk partition. In this case, files and applications will no longer use the same disk space as the page file. The ideal option would be to place the partition with the page file on a different physical hard drive than the boot drive. This will increase the responsiveness of the system.
Optimizing HDD operation: more about the paging file
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In order to move the page file, you will need to dig into the Control Panel (with administrator rights). Open Control Panel -> System -> Advanced system settings -> Advanced -> Performance -> Settings -> Advanced -> Virtual memory -> Change. A window will appear with a list of disk partitions, where the location of the paging files will be indicated. You need to move most of the page file to a partition on another drive, while reserving at least 800 MB on the C:\ drive to prevent memory system failure. To do this, click on the C:\ drive icon and select the volume of 800 MB (in both lines) or check the box “do not place the paging file in this partition”. Click "Set" to save your changes, and then navigate to the drive where you want to place the page file (in this case K:\), where you select either "System Managed Size" or "Custom Size" (and use the system-recommended dimensions). Save the changes and reboot the system for them to take effect.
Optimizing SSD performance: no defragmentation required!
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Now we move on to solid-state drives, which operate differently from traditional magnetic disks and require different optimization methods. One of the most significant changes: defragmentation, which plays an important role in the operation of HDDs, in the case of SSDs does not have any effect on performance, but, on the contrary, can reduce the service life of the drive due to the fact that during this procedure many write operations are performed . In Windows, defragmentation is automatically disabled for devices that are recognized as SSDs, but sometimes the system gets it wrong. In any case, when using an SSD, you should disable the automatic defragmentation function and use this function only for the HDD.
Optimizing SSD Performance: Disable System Restore
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There is some debate about the issue of System Restore installed on SSDs, with many arguing that this feature can significantly slow down the SSD, making it difficult to perform important TRIM operations. You can disable System Restore, but remember: the absence of a restore point can play a bad joke if errors occur. However, you can reduce the risks in another way - sometimes back up using third-party software. For an SSD drive, disabling system recovery means an increase in service life (due to a decrease in the number of write operations); In addition, this will free up disk space.
To disable System Restore, go to Control Panel->System->System Protection->Settings->Turn off System Restore.
Optimizing SSD performance: disable disk indexing
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Disk indexing gives a noticeable performance boost when working with traditional hard drives, but for SSDs this feature is of little use: access speeds will only increase slightly, and the device's lifespan will be shortened due to numerous small writes. You can safely disable drive indexing without even risking data loss, as is the case with System Restore. To do this, right-click on the SSD drive icon in Windows Explorer. Uncheck "Allow files on this drive to be indexed." Perhaps after this a pop-up window will appear with an error message when applying attributes - ignore it and continue with the operation.
Optimizing SSD performance: disable Prefetch and SuperFetch
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SuperFetch and PreFetch technologies load frequently used programs and files into the cache, which again leads to an increase in the number of writes. The increase in performance for an SSD will be slight, but the service life of the device will be reduced. Both of these features can be disabled in the Windows Registry. But we warn you that you should not make any changes to the Registry unless you know exactly what you are doing.
Launch the registry (redegit) and follow the following path: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters". Right-click on "EnablePrefetcher" and "EnableSuperFetch", select "Change", and change the set value (1 or 3) to 0. After that, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Optimizing SSD performance: disable hibernation mode
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Hibernation mode turns off power. All data needed to restore a session is stored in the hyberfil.sys file, the size of which corresponds to the computer's RAM. When using an SSD, the computer boots up so quickly that using hibernation mode provides virtually no additional benefit.
To disable hibernation, type "cmd" in the Start menu search bar, right-click cmd.exe and select Run as administrator. Then type "powercfg -h off" (without quotes) and press enter.
Optimizing SSD operation: once again about the paging file
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Now we'll talk about the page file again. We already advised moving it to an independent partition on the disk, and this advice is doubly relevant if you have an SSD drive: when using a page file, a significant number of writes are performed, which negatively affects the service life of the SSD drive. Thus, moving the page file to the HDD drive will not only improve its efficiency, but will also extend the life of the SSD drive.
We have listed only the easiest to use HDD and SSD optimization methods. You can find a lot of other advice online, both good and bad. In particular, for those who use an SSD drive, we advise you to read the material " SSD tweaking: myths and reality"If you know any good publications on this topic, then share links to them in the comments to this article on our forum! In addition, information about utilities for partitioning disks, defragmentation and other functions will not be superfluous.
Useful disk utilities: CrystalDiskMark
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The minimalistic CrystalDiskMark program, which we have already discussed in our PC testing recommendations, allows you to measure the speed of reading and writing from the disk, as well as other important indicators. This compact utility with an elegant interface and a small set of additional options is an excellent tool for measuring hard drive performance.
Useful disk utilities: CrystalDiskInfo
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CrystalDiskInfo is from the same developer as CrystalDiskMark. It can read the SMART (Self-Monitoring & Analysis Reporting Technology) information of your drive and visualize it in a simple and accessible form. Like CrystalDiskMark, it is a simple program with a user-friendly interface that provides the user with all the information about the “health” of the equipment.
Please note that CrystalDiskInfo comes bundled with OpenCandy, the installation of which will be prompted by the installer. CDI is an independent program and does not require any additional software.
Useful disk utilities: Parted Magic Livedisk
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There are many tools for managing drive partitions, and one of the most popular is GParted. We recommend using Parted Magic Livedisk, which has all the core GParted tools built-in, as well as a range of other diagnostic tools and tests for hard drive management. Parted Magic is based on the Linux kernel and can work with many file systems, including Windows NTFS, and is a great addition to amateur and professional recovery and optimization tools.
Parted Magic relies on voluntary donations, so if you enjoy the program, please feel free to help its creators keep the product alive and growing!
Useful disk utilities: Defraggler
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Defraggler from Piriform is a free drive defragmentation tool that can be used to defragment not only the entire hard drive, but individual files and folders. Using it, you can move large files to the end of the disk, which will speed up access to smaller files. The program also has a quick defragmentation function and the ability to automatically defragment on a schedule. All this is presented in a neat and user-friendly interface that most users will like.
Useful disk utilities: CCleaner
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CCleaner is another convenient and free tool that we briefly mentioned at the very beginning. This disk cleanup utility removes browser cache, history and temporary internet files, cleans out the Recycle Bin and Registry, and more. Easy to use and feature-rich, CCleaner is an excellent disk maintenance tool.
Useful disk utilities: SSD Tweaker
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SSD Tweaker implements many useful features to optimize the performance of an SSD drive in a Windows environment, both those we discussed in this article and others (for example, disabling cache, Prefetching and SuperFetching, data compaction, and much more). Although all these settings can be done manually, using SSD Tweaker it will be much more convenient and faster.
Optimizing your hard drive and SSD: in conclusion
Of course, we only briefly touched on the topic of setting up and maintaining hard drives. If you have HDD and SSD optimization tools in mind that you think should be on this list, or maybe you know some additional tricks for tuning drives and improving their performance, you can tell us about it in the thread our forum dedicated to this article.
Even though Windows 7 is much more responsive than its predecessor, Vista, its default settings are far from optimal. However, when speeding up the work of the “seven”, it is necessary to take into account that some changes made to its settings lead to a deterioration in the functionality and appearance of the system. Your task is to choose a configuration that will provide you with the optimal balance between performance, functionality and appearance. Next, we will look at several ways to speed up the operation of a number of Windows 7 systems, as well as a number of its utilities.
Windows 7: system boot optimization
It is known that the greatest irritation for the user is the long loading of the operating system. Despite the fact that the "seven" is optimized by the developers in such a way that it loads 10-20 seconds faster than Vista, users always strive to make it even faster. Multi-core processors allow you to speed up system loading even more, for which you need to perform a number of settings. Open the msconfig utility by typing its name in the Start menu bar. In the window that opens, we need the Download tab, where we need to click on the Advanced options button.
Check the box next to Number of processors and select the maximum number of your cores from the drop-down menu. After you click OK to save the settings, reboot the system, and you will see how much faster Windows 7 boot has become. To speed up the system boot, you should also take into account that its speed directly depends on the number of processes and applications launched at startup Windows. Therefore, opening the msconfig utility again, let's go to its other Startup tab. 
Many Windows applications are added to the system startup without the user noticing. When there are too many such programs, downloading begins to slow down significantly. Therefore, carefully analyze the list of applications presented in the startup tab and uncheck all programs that you do not need. Ideally, you should leave a checkmark next to the name of your antivirus only. In the same way, you can speed up the loading of Windows by disabling all unnecessary services that slow down not only startup, but also operation. We will look at disabling them below. Optimizing services in Windows 7
Throughout the Windows OS family there are many services designed to interact with internal hardware, drivers and some system options. Many third-party programs also add their own services to the system. Working in the background, many services significantly reduce system performance without improving its functionality at all. Moreover, a number of Windows 7 services are detrimental to the overall security of the system. Such services, first of all, include the default Remote Registry, which allows an attacker to make any changes to the system. There are two ways to open the service management utility: go to Control Panel – Administrative Tools – Services or enter services.msc into the Start menu bar.
After launching this application, a window will open in front of you with a list of all services. 
To disable a particular service, you need to left-click on it, after which a window will open. 
Click the Stop button to stop the service and change the startup type to Disabled to prevent it from being enabled again the next time you start the system. After that, click Apply and OK, the service will no longer interfere with your computer. When working with the list of services, you should be especially careful, since disabling the desired process can lead to a partial loss of system functionality: certain equipment or applications may stop working. If you have made changes to the properties of several dozen services at the same time, it will not be easy to find the right service required for a particular program to run. Below we provide a list of services that can be disabled on almost any computer, be it a single machine or part of a local network. - The remote registry allows remote users to make changes to the system registry. For security reasons, this service should be disabled.
- Offline Files is responsible for implementing the Offline Files API. Not needed by the vast majority of users. Turn it off.
- The Tablet PC Input Service is required for pen and similar input devices to work on tablets. Turn it off.
- The Windows Error Logging Service is responsible for logging system errors. If, when problems arise with your PC, you are in the habit of analyzing log entries to identify the causes of errors, leave the service startup type at Auto. If you are almost never interested in what is recorded in the system log, you can disable the service.
- IPsec key modules for key exchange... - provides IKE key management and authenticated IP functionality. Turn it off.
- Client for tracking changed connections. The service tracks connections between files located within the NTFS system. Once disabled, your computer will run faster.
- Windows Search is necessary to index files on your computer to enable search functionality. If you do not use the system's built-in search, you can disable the service.
- Parental Control. This service was introduced into Windows 7 from the Vista version and is needed only for compatibility with it. Turn it off.
- IPSec Policy Agent. Almost never used on a home PC. Turn it off.
- KtmRm for distributed transaction coordinator. If you read the description of the service, it becomes clear that it is not recommended to start it unless you are sure that you need it. Turn it off.
- IP Ancillary Service. Not used on a home computer. Turn it off.
- Print Manager. If you do not use the printer, disable this service. If you print documents occasionally, try setting the startup to Manual. If printing does not work in this case, change the startup type to Auto. Whether your printer will work or not with the Manual startup type depends only on its drivers.
- A secondary login is required to run processes as a different user. Disabled for security reasons.
- Fax machine. We disable it if you do not send or receive faxes.
- Windows Defender protects against spyware. You can disable it if you plan to install an alternative security system on your system.
- Windows Firewall. Can be disabled if you have installed a third-party firewall on your system.
- Smart Card Removal Policy. If you don't use smart cards, you don't need the service.
- Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service. If you do not use iSCSI devices, you can set the service startup type to Manual.
- SSDP discovery is required for devices that use the SSDP protocol. Can be disabled.
- Adaptive brightness control is only necessary for PC owners with a built-in light sensor to automatically adjust monitor brightness.
- A computer browser is required to discover working machines on the local network. A single computer does not need the service. Turn it off.
- Server. The service is required only for computers used for file or printer sharing. Turn it off.
- Bluetooth support service. Disable if you don't have Bluetooth.
Reducing shutdown time: Windows 7 optimization
The system shutdown time can also be reduced, but this can only be done using a somewhat barbaric method - reducing the time that is given to the process to complete running programs. If the system does not have time to complete their work, they will be stopped forcibly. Open the registry again and find the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> System -> CurrentControlSet -> Control branch there.
Find the WaitToKillServiceTimeout parameter there and change its value from 12000 to 2000. 
ReadyBoost function
Windows 7 has an option to use flash drives in addition to RAM for data caching. This allows you to speed up data read and write operations and also increases system performance. To use the ReadyBoost option, you must have USB drives or flash cards connected to the PC using a card reader. Insert the drive into the USB port of your computer and in the Autorun window, select Speed up the system using Windows ReadyBoost.
Specify the space limit available for use. To save the settings, click the Apply and OK buttons. After this, the ReadyBoost.sfcache file will be created on the USB drive. Under no circumstances remove the flash drive from the computer! Optimizing your hard drive in Windows 7
This function is valid in the Windows family of systems, starting with version XP, it is also available in the “seven”, however, if in XP this option was enabled by default, in Windows you must enable it yourself. Right-click on the My Computer icon and open Device Manager. Find Disk devices in the list, right-click on the HDD name and select Properties. A window will appear where we need the Policy tab. Check the box next to “Disable buffer clearing...”.
Here in the Device Manager we find the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers branch in the list, where in the properties of all ATA channels in the Additional parameters tab, check the box next to the Enable DMA item. 
Speed up copying and moving files
One of the new options in Windows 7 is remote differential compression, which is designed to calculate the differences between two objects, which reduces the amount of data transferred, but requires more calculation time. You can disable this option in the Windows Components utility. Find the Programs and Features icon in Control Panel and open Turn Windows features on or off from the list on the left. Next to the item Remote differential compression, uncheck the box.
Disabling driver signature verification
This setting will significantly reduce the time required to install drivers. Use the Start menu to find the gpedit.msc utility.
Then, in User Configuration, go to Administrative Templates -> System -> Driver Installation. Click Digital signature of device drivers and in the window that opens, select Disable, click Apply and OK. 
Speed up thumbnail viewing
To increase the speed of viewing thumbnails, make the necessary settings in the registry. Open the HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Control Panel -> Mouse branch.
Change the MouseHoverTime setting to 100 or lower. 
Speed up the Start menu
When you open the Start menu, the system spends some time identifying and highlighting recently installed programs. If you do not need this option, you can disable it, reducing the time it takes to open the menu. Right-click on the Start button and select Properties from the menu that appears.
In the Menu tab, click the Configure button. In the window that appears with a list of settings, uncheck the “Highlight recently installed programs” item. 
There is a short pause before the Start menu opens, which can be reduced by changing the corresponding registry setting. To do this, first launch the registry by entering the word regedit in the Start menu bar and pressing Enter. 
In the registry editor that opens, find the HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Control Panel -> Desktop key and change the value of the MenuShowDelay key from 400 to 50. After this, the pause when opening the menu will be noticeably shortened. 
Disable unnecessary visual effects
If your computer has a not very powerful graphics card or uses a graphics solution built into the motherboard for graphics, Aero visual effects may cause a noticeable performance hit. Owners of inexpensive laptops, mainly intended for office work, face this problem especially often. In the Control Panel, click on the System icon and in the window that opens, select Advanced system settings. A window will appear in front of you where you should go to the Advanced tab.
Click the Settings button under Performance. A window will open with a list of special effects, many of which significantly affect system performance. 
You have to configure the system to ensure the optimal balance between appearance and performance. On weaker computers, you can disable all effects by selecting “Ensure the best performance.” By making the “Special Effects” item active, you can independently choose which effects you need. Most users prefer not to disable the “Smooth out irregularities in screen fonts” option. Instructions
Analyze the need to defragment disks. Having a large number of fragmented files significantly increases file access time, since a lot of time is spent constantly positioning the drive over the tracks in the sectors. To do this, right-click on the “My Computer” icon in the “Start” menu and select “Manage” from the context. In the left window of the Computer Management console, go to the Disk Defragmenter snap-in.
At the bottom of the window, click the “Analysis” button. The utility will analyze the disk and display a dialog box with information about the need for defragmentation. Click the "Defragmentation" button.
Set the paging file size to the minimum value. If the page file is large, the system increases the number of accesses to the slow hard drive. To change this setting, select “Properties” by right-clicking on the “My Computer” icon. Go to the "Advanced" tab and click the "Options" button in the "Performance" section. In the window that opens, set the size of the paging file.
To reduce movement, partition your hard drive into logical drives, which will allow you to separate service information as well as shared files on one drive. This will reduce access time.
If possible, increase the number of physical disks to two. This will allow you to differentiate read-write operations, which increases performance several times.
Many hard drive models have an AAM function to regulate the level of noise emitted. The noise level when using this function is significantly reduced, but the head positioning speed also decreases significantly. Some drive models support disabling this function using service utilities, which can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website. Although the interfaces of the utilities are different, the general principle of their use is as follows: boot from the boot CD, run the utility from the floppy disk, select the Automatic Acoustic Management item in the menu, select the AAM disable mode. This will significantly improve performance, although at the expense of the computer's quietness.
When using a laptop for a long time, sometimes the hard drive begins to work much slower than immediately after purchase. Programs begin to start only a few seconds after launch. Movies also do not start immediately. Waiting even a few seconds gets pretty annoying. In such cases, disk defragmentation will help. After this procedure, the hard drive will work much faster.
Instructions
Before starting defragmentation, organize all files into folders. It is important that all files are organized into appropriate types. (folder “Video”, clips and other files; folder “Music” with music tracks, etc.). In each main folder, you can create several more folders as you wish, but they must be the same. For example, the “Music” folder will be the main one for music tracks, and in it you can create more folders, for example, “techno”, “rock”, etc.
Click Start. Select the All Programs tab. In the list of all programs, find the “Utilities” tab. From the list of utilities, select Disk Defragmenter.
A program menu will appear, which will display all the hard drives that are connected. First, select the system drive on which the Windows operating system is installed. Opposite such a system drive you will see a Microsoft icon. Right-click on the system drive. Now, from the bottom of the program, select the “Disk Defragmenter” command. The disk defragmentation process will begin. Please note that the speed of defragmentation depends on the power of the laptop, the type and capacity of the hard drive, and can take a very long time. During disk defragmentation, do not run any programs on the laptop or work on it.
After defragmenting one disk, proceed to another. Defragment absolutely all disks in this way.
Now set up automatic disk defragmentation. Click on the “Set up schedule” tab. The tab is located in the top menu of the program. Four options will appear. For Frequency, select Weekly. In the second tab, select the day when defragmentation will occur. It is important to choose the day of the week when you usually actively use your laptop. Then in the third tab, select the time. The best time to choose is also when the laptop is most likely to be turned on. The fourth parameter is the disks that need to be defragmented. Select all drives.
It is not advisable to use the laptop only during the first defragmentation or when defragmentation has not been carried out for a long time. Subsequently, when automatic defragmentation is performed weekly, you can safely work on the laptop during this process.
Video on the topic
What hasn't been overclocked in the hands of tireless overclockers! How many processors and video cards failed to withstand the ordeal and went into oblivion. But this is not enough for the tireless fighters for high clock frequencies. And they are tirelessly looking for an answer to the question: is it possible to overclock a hard drive - the bottleneck and slowest part of a PC? It is possible to overclock an HDD, but the term “overclocking” itself in relation to the disk subsystem has a slightly different meaning than overclocking other devices.
You will need
- Computer, MHDD utility, MaxBoost utility, additional memory module
Instructions
Manufacturers equip some HDD models with the AAM - Automatic Acoustic Management function, which allows you to regulate the noise level when the disk is operating. The noise level is significantly lower with such disks, but the positioning speed is also significantly slower compared to models without the AAM function. Disabling AAM can significantly improve disk performance. However, not all HDD models support disabling it.
One of the utilities that allows you to do this is MHDD. You can change disk parameters using this program and cancel the changes made at any time. Download the utility, install and run it. Enter the Aam command with the *D key in the window, which will disable AAM and achieve maximum performance.
If you are the owner of a Maxtor hard drive, you can use MaxBoost, a special utility that allows you to increase the speed of the disk subsystem by caching data in RAM before transferring it to the hard drive. According to manufacturers, the performance of hard drives increases to 5 - 30%.
Increase your RAM capacity by adding an additional memory module. This will allow you to reduce the size of the paging file to a minimum value and reduce the number of calls to the hard drive. You can change this setting on the “Advanced” tab by opening the “Properties” item from the “My Computer” context menu. Find the "Performance" section and, by clicking on the "Options" button, change the value to the minimum page file size.
Don't forget to periodically defragment your disks. Access time when files on disk are highly fragmented is significantly slower.
A DVD drive malfunction is a fairly serious problem that can hinder any user of a personal computer. The inability to write and read discs is an inconvenience that needs to be corrected as quickly as possible. You can make the repairs yourself or turn to professionals. It all depends on the cause of the breakdown and its consequences.
Instructions
To carry out repair operations, disconnect all connections from the drive and remove it from the system unit. Take a paper clip or thin wire. Insert it into the service hole, which is located under the output tray of the DVD drive. This will allow it to slide out. After you have pulled out the tray all the way, release its fastenings. Pull out the panel, use a Phillips screwdriver to unscrew the fixing screws and remove the remaining drive components. Then remove the fasteners that hold the tray itself. The most common cause of DVD drive failure is increased friction in the disc loading mechanism. The engine belt wears out, or the laser simply stops working normally.
To remove the DVD drive, remove any dust that has settled on its components. Next, remove any remaining old silicone grease and apply new one. After this, replace the drive belt with a new one. Next, soak a small piece of cloth in alcohol and wipe the surface of the new drive belt with it. Don't forget about the laser. Take a special cloth and use it to wipe the laser lens, removing any remaining dust. We can assume that the DVD drive has been repaired.
Now adjust the laser current in the drive. To do this, without putting the front panel on the drive, start it by first installing a potentiometer on the carriage with the laser, which will determine the current strength. Launch Nero Disc Speed and monitor the quality. Turn the screw to adjust the current. Having selected the optimal value for reading the disc, fix the screw in this position and complete the final assembly of your DVD drive. If the DVD drive cannot be repaired, contact a specialist or purchase a new one.
Sources:
- VAZ-2108-2115, Wheel drive, disassembly and assembly
In some cases, it becomes necessary to reduce the rotation speed of the disk in the optical drive in order to reduce the noise level and protect the disk from possible damage. Since this cannot be done using standard operating system tools, you have to resort to the help of third-party programs.
Instructions
Use the popular utility to reduce drive speed CDSlow. Go to the official website of the program at http://cdslow.webhost.ru and download the current version of the application. After downloading the installation file, complete the installation and run the utility. An icon shaped like a CD will appear in the system tray on the taskbar.
Insert the disc into the optical drive and launch the application from it. Click on the CDSlow utility icon and select the desired disk rotation speed in the drive from the context menu. For example, to ensure uninterrupted operation of an application from disk, it is enough to “reset” the drive speed to 16 or 24 speeds. Depending on the type of device, there may be several digital speed mode values.
If for some reason the CDSlow program does not detect the type of optical drive, try the Opti Drive Control program. It can also be used to control the disk rotation speed of a CD/DVD drive, but, unlike the completely free CDSlow utility, to continue using Opti Drive Control for more than 30 days, you will have to pay about 20 euros.
Download the trial version of the program on the official website of the developers at www.cdspeed2000.com and install it on your computer. After launching the application, click Continue in the dialog box and insert the disc into the optical drive. The program will determine all possible speeds of its rotation. To select the one you need, click the Speed button in the main program window and set the required value.
note
In addition to speed control, both programs have a number of functions that simplify working with CD/DVD drives, which is especially important in cases where several such devices are installed on the computer.
Helpful advice
To access the CDSlow program settings, right-click on the application icon and select the “Settings” command from the context menu. To configure the operation of the Opti Drive Control application, select the Options command from the File menu in the main program window.
The recording speed of discs in a computer drive can be changed using special software. A lot depends on this parameter, including the quality of the recorded files themselves.
You will need
- - a program for burning discs.
Instructions
Download a disc burning program to your computer. You can use Nero - this is quite convenient in cases where you need not only a program for writing files, but also additional functionality for working with multimedia files and disk image files. The disadvantage of this program is its price. Here you can either pay for its purchase or use free alternative utilities, for example, CD Burner XP.
Download it from the developer's official website, install it on your computer, and then proceed to the disc burning process. Further, the sequence for any software with similar functionality will be almost the same.
Create a project to burn files to disk. Also take into account its size - the size of the recorded files should not exceed it. Once the recording project is created, go to the recording settings settings. They open after adding files with a separate menu button.
Specify the desired disk speed level. If you have a fairly old drive model or you need to write files with maximum quality and minimal possibility of data loss, use a low write speed, but be prepared for the fact that the process will take you much longer than you expected.
If necessary, specify that the computer be turned off when recording is complete, but it is best to check the box to automatically check the recorded files to ensure that the copy is done in the correct form.
Start the process of writing files at the specified speed. If necessary, apply the setting for this parameter in the default program menu. If you burn a disc using standard Windows tools, set the speed in the drive parameters.
Helpful advice
Use alternative recording programs.
When setting up the operating parameters of a personal computer, you need to pay attention to the hard drive. Slow operation of the hard drive negatively affects the performance of the PC as a whole.
You will need
- - Access to PC settings.
Instructions
You must begin configuring your hard drive settings before installing the operating system. Select the file system type of each hard drive partition. If you are installing Windows XP, format the system partition to FAT32. Oddly enough, this file system is perfectly suited for constantly rewriting information. This will slightly improve your computer's performance.
After installing the OS, open the “My Computer” menu and go to the properties of any hard drive partition. Open the "General" tab and find the option "Allow the contents of files on this drive to be indexed." Uncheck the box next to this item. Click the "Apply" button and select "For all files and subdirectories." Confirm that the process of changing hard drive parameters will start.
Perform the same setup for the remaining hard drive partitions. If you have a separate volume dedicated to storing the operating system image, then it is better to leave its parameters unchanged.
Defragment all hard drive partitions. If you are working with comparatively, then use standard Windows system tools. Open the properties of any hard drive partition and go to the “Service” tab.
Click the "Defragmentation" button. In the menu that opens, select the desired hard drive partition and click the “Analyze disk” button. After volume analysis is complete, select the required local disks and click the “Defragmentation” button. Wait for this procedure to complete. Do not turn off the computer while the utility is running.
Return to the “Service” tab and click the “Run check” button. Activate the “Scan and repair bad sectors” item and click the “Start” button. Reboot your PC after completing all the described procedures.
Video on the topic
To optimize the operation of OS Windows, it is necessary to correctly configure the settings of all computer devices. Particular attention should be paid to setting up the hard drive or hard drive.
Instructions
You can improve system performance by setting your hard drive to DMA (direct memory access) mode. Call the context menu by right-clicking on the “My Computer” icon and select “Properties”. Go to the “Hardware” tab and click “Device Manager”. Expand the list of “IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers”.
Check the operating mode of each device: call the context menu, activate the “Properties” option and go to the “Advanced settings” tab. Set the "Transfer Mode" parameter to "DMA, if possible."
To optimize the search and recording of files, defragment the disk. Right-click on the “My Computer” icon and select the “Manage” command. In the "Storage Devices" list, select "Disk Defragmentation". Defragment all logical drives. During this process, storage devices cannot be accessed.
In Windows XP, system files are written to the hard disk buffer by default, which makes accessing them faster. In Windows Vista and Windows 7, this option must be set manually. Right-click on the hard drive icon to bring up the drop-down menu and select “Properties”.
Go to the “Policies” tab and check the “Allow disk write caching” checkbox. Please be aware that data may be lost or damaged if there is a power failure. To increase the reliability of your computer, it is better to use a UPS (uninterruptible power supply).
If you have multiple programs running in the background on your computer, your system will slow down significantly. Press Win+R and enter the msconfig command in the “Open” line. Go to the Startup tab and uncheck the boxes next to those programs that you use only from time to time. Confirm by clicking OK. The changes will take effect after a reboot.
By default, the paging file is located on the same logical drive as the system. Constant access to the hard drive for information from virtual memory is how it works. Right-click on the “My Computer” icon and select the “Properties” command. Go to the “Advanced” tab and in the “Performance” section, click “Options”.
Again select the “Advanced” tab and click “Change” in the “Virtual Memory” section. Mark the drive on which the system is installed and move the radio button to the “No paging file” position. To confirm your choice, click "Set".
If the amount of RAM on your computer is at least 1 GB, you can do without a page file altogether. If you need virtual memory, select a different logical drive and set the size of the paging file. Click Set and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Adjusting hard drive settings can significantly increase the performance of your computer or laptop. It is also important to understand that the lack of timely maintenance of the hard drive can lead to damage to this device.
You will need
- - Partition Manager;
- - Smart Defrag.
Instructions
First, perform a standard cleanup of the system partition of your hard drive. Press the “Start” key combination and E. Find the local drive C icon and right-click on it. Go to the properties of this section and open the "General" tab.
To improve the performance of your hard drive, you need to switch it to AHCI mode. Technology Advanced Host Controller Interface(AHCI) is a standard proposed by Intel that allows you to increase the speed of reading/writing operations from hard drives connected via the SATA protocol by using advanced features of SATA technology, such as integrated command queuing (NCQ), in addition, the standard supports the technology hot swap of hard drives (hot swap).
The fact is that in the BIOS of your motherboard it is possible to select the operating modes of your hard drive. This parameter is set in Configure SATA and has 3 operating modes - Standard IDE/AHCI/RAID.
The default is StandardIDE, which means that your SATA hard drive will emulate the operation of IDE, an older and correspondingly slower interface. Let's change this misunderstanding to AHCI.
Remember: this function only works if you have a hard drive with a SATA interface.
In addition, if you set the AHCI mode when Windows is installed, then when loading Windows you will receive a blue screen of death. You can get rid of it in the following way:
1. Open Registry Editor by typing RegEdit in the Start panel.
2. To the UAC request “Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer?”, respond Yes.
3. In the Registry Editor, go to the following branch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\msahci
4. In the right pane, select the key Start and edit it ( Modify).
5. Set the “Start” parameter to 0
, and click OK. Default value (ACHI support disabled): 3
6. Close Registry Editor.
7. Restart your computer.
8. Go to BIOS, enable AHCI support on your motherboard. Save your changes and restart your computer again.
9. After downloading, Windows 7 will automatically install AHCI device drivers. After installation is complete, Windows will reboot one more time.
10. After the system boots, the hard drives will support the AHCI standard.
Do not try to enable this mode on IDE hard drives. This is not only pointless, but also impossible.
For you, dear readers, I want to give some explanations about the benefits of this mode. The fact is that with the advent of multi-core computers, the weakest point of a computer can be considered the HDD.
Therefore, any optimization to speed up the operation of the HDD or Windows will not only benefit them, but also the entire system as a whole.
I think you didn’t buy a SATA hard drive so that it would work in the old IDE mode. So I recommend switching your hard drive to AHCI mode and sharing the results in the comments.
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After some time, the hard drive begins to work slowly and there is a need to speed it up. Very often this occurs due to the fact that the computer user installs many different programs and does not keep the system clean. But this is not always the main reason.
You can speed up your hard drive in both obvious and not so obvious ways. Now I will demonstrate what to do. The instructions are suitable for Windows 7, 8 and 10. All steps are similar in almost all versions.
Acceleration
Cache
You can improve performance by enabling the cache ( temporary memory) and disabling its cleaning. To do this, go to Device Manager >> Disk devices and go to properties.
Go to the “Policies” tab and check the boxes similar to the image below.
This method has 1 big drawback. If the power suddenly turns off, partial data loss may occur. If this doesn’t scare you, then you can use it.
In order to save important data, this method is best used if there is an uninterruptible power supply.
Checking for errors
Make sure the drive's vitality is acceptable. To do this and if necessary, replace the damaged device.
Indexing
Indexing is used to search for information on a computer. By disabling it, the search will take longer, but the disk will also work faster. Go to My Computer and go to device properties. Uncheck the box as in the image below.
Cleaning
Remove all unnecessary programs and files. Go to Control Panel >> Add or Remove Programs.
Remove all unnecessary and unnecessary programs. If you don’t know the purpose of some, then look on the Internet. This will relieve the disk and it will work faster.
Defragmentation
After cleaning the area, carry out this lengthy and beneficial procedure. It is advisable to perform defragmentation with a third-party program called Defraggler, as it is often updated and works more efficiently.
Makes sense only when using HDD. Look to find out which drive you have.
You can find out in detail in a separate article.
Bottom line
After these steps, the hard drive will work noticeably faster. Especially if such acceleration methods have never been carried out.
