All Windows-based PCs are susceptible to a certain level of system data bloating and corruption, especially if you have had the same system running for several years. This is caused by several factors.
- File System Fragmentation
- Register File Fragmentation
- Bloatware
- Unused Software
- Unused System Features
- Windows System Corruption
- Unsued Windows System Services
- Computer manufacturer and component Software
- Old component drivers
- Windows Updates
The main question you have to ask is: before you spend the next several hours cleaning up your system to improve your performance and experience, will it be easier to spend about the same amount of time reinstalling your OS and software? The answer to that is more complicated than you might expect, as it depends on several factors.
- Do you have a majority of your files and critical user data backed up somewhere? How many files on your PC are not backed up to the cloud or an external drive and would need to be moved or replaced after the new OS is installed? (If you have had to upload and download a terabyte of data from the cloud, you know what I’m talking about)
- How comfortable are you with your current setup, and are you willing to endure the transition time to set up a new OS, given the hundreds of small preferences and changes you have invested in your current OS?
- Do you have all the installation software and licenses required to reinstall all your critical software? For example, I don’t think my old version of Adobe Acrobat Pro can even be licensed verified, since Adobe retired those servers years ago.
Consider a new, different operating system than what you have? This is an entirely different subject, and I will refrain from getting off topic since switching your current OS to another one of the available alternatives would require a lot more to consider than what we are discussing here, which is just a clean up and restore for the current system to make your current situation as optimized an experience as possible.
For the reason I have already listed, I often find that doing a clean up espeicailly if you use software and some tools to make it easier, is better than starting over from scratch but if your in a situation were you have nothing important on your pc or software that you need to worry about then reinstalling your current OS witch would probably take less time and get you into a better place faster but you would be starting from scratch as if you justed turned on your PC for the 1st time.
Suggested Steps for Windows PC cleanup:
Step 1 – Windows Updates –
Make sure you pc has all the