Windows 10: How to fix SLOW startup speeds after your free upgrade

Windows 10 is causing some users some significant slowdown issues

IF YOUR computer has slowed to a crawl since the free upgrade to Windows 10 – this is the fix.

 

Microsoft released its final major operation system, Windows 10, last week.

The operating system – which was installed on a staggering 14 million devices in the first 24 hours – combines elements from both Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Microsoft is currently offering a free upgrade to those running the previous two versions of Windows.

However a number of users have taken to Microsoft's forums to complain that the upgraded operating system has slowed the boot-up time of their PC to an agonising crawl.

 

Users have reported being left stranded on a black screen with just a cursor during the sluggish boot process.

Luckily since Windows 10 is a relatively lightweight operating system in comparison to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, the issue can usually be fixed within the PC's settings.

Here are a few things to try speeding up your freshly installed copy of Windows 10.

Step 1 – First of all, double-check that your version of Windows is not infected with any viruses.

Like previous Microsoft operating systems, Windows 10 is susceptible to malware.

Fortunately, Windows 10 comes bundled with anti-virus software, dubbed Windows Defender. Running a full scan of the operating system with either Microsoft's offering or your favourite third-party anti-virus should do the trick.

Step 2 – If you are given the all-clear by your anti-virus software of choice, its worth having a look through the Windows Task Manager.

Launch the app by hitting Ctrl, Shift and Esc then select the Startup tab – these are processes which are run by the operating system during the boot-up process.

 

Sort the list of items according to their Startup impact rating. Disable anything in the High category unless they are absolutely crucial programs, including your anti-virus solution.

It's worth remembering that AMD and Nvidia driver services are usually safe to remove from startup without any negative impact on your graphics hardware performance.

Step 3 – Microsoft has built a new Hybrid Startup and Shutdown into its latest operating system which puts the PC in a hibernation state – speeding up startup and shutdown times.

To activate the faster startup option, launch your Control Panel by either asking Cortana or using the newly reinstated Start Menu and click on Power Options.

Click on Choose What The Power Button Does in the pane on the left-hand side, then click Change Settings That Are Currently Unavailable.

This should reveal a slew of previously hidden options, including a checkbox which says Turn On Fast Startup. Tick the box, then save your changes.

 

Step 4 – Lastly, reboot your Windows 10 PC and hit the Windows key and R as soon as your desktop appears.

Type in services.msc in the Run box and hit the Enter key.

Look at the list of services which populate the list and make a note of any which appear to be taking an unusually long time to launch.

If one of the processes is dragging its feet, simply Right-Click the item, Open them and then change their Settings from Default – to Delayed Start. Then save and reboot the system.

And that's all folks.

If you are still having any issues with an inordinately slow Windows 10 – head on over to the Microsoft forums and let the developers in Redmond know about it.