Boost the performance of your PC

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Step 1: Start from scratch with Windows

Step 2: Keep your drivers and patches up-to-date

Step 3: Uninstall manufacturer crapware

Step 4: Super-charge your startup

Step 5: Make use of built-in Windows tools

Step 6: Use spyware detection tools

Step 7: Assign processor cores

Step 8: Overclocking

Step 9: Use a Linux distribution

There's no doubt that having a slow PC is frustrating as files and applications can take an age to load. Over time a sluggish machine can erode productivity significantly.

The best option for a performance boost is to upgrade your processor, add some RAM or fit an SSD, but this gets expensive quickly. And usually it is not possible to tinker with the hardware on corporate systems.

There are many options available for improving your PC's performance without shelling out a penny, from using third-party software to keep your system nimble to loading up some of the built-in speed-enhancing tools found in Windows.

Elsewhere, we've covered some of the less obvious ways to keep your computer in top condition, from tweaking processor affinities to making sure your drivers are up-to-date.

If your system's old, sluggish or could just do with being a bit faster, then, read on and fine tune your PC.