We know that we can optimize PC performance by cleaning up system junk files, which helps to release more available hard disk space /memory. However, when taking this action, some will miss some necessary tips. Here, we will discuss how to thoroughly clean up Windows system so as to speed up PC and optimize PC performance to some extent.

Normally, we can easily clean up Windows system with the built-in utility: Disk Cleanup. But if noticing, you will find that the junk files come again even though you have just deleted them, which greatly slows down the computer and then affect PC performance. So is there any way to avoid such kind of problem? Of course! Below is what you can do.

1) Go to Start-> Control Panel-> System-> Advanced-> Environmental Variables
2) Highlight TEMP within “User variables for Administrator”->click Edit-> change the variable value for the long list of content to D:\TEMP or some other drives as you like, but not the system C drive.
3) Change the TMP to D:\TMP with the methods above.
4) Change the TEMP and TMP within the “System Variables” according to the method above for these has been the main cause for rapid expansion of system drive which becomes a main obstacle to speed up PC.
5) Right click “My Documents” on the desktop to select “Properties”, and then “Target folder location” to change its location to somewhere as you like such as D:\MyDocuments, click “Move”.
6) Right click Internet Explorer->Properties->General->Click “Setting” in “Temporary Internet files”->”Move folders” to move the Internet temporary files to other drive without the C drive like D:\TemporaryInternetFiles.
7) Go to Start->Control Panel->System->Advanced->Performance->settings->Advanced->Change within “Virtual Memory”->select the drives (not the system drive)->custom size->enter the initial and maximal size.

With the above modification, lots of files will be moved to other drives, which will release more hard disk space on C drive to optimize PC performance. But we still want to mention that please do not forget to run a disk defragmentation after the Windows system cleanup for it can help to effectively rearrange the files on the hard disk, making them always stay close together and then speed up PC.

From a questionnaire, we found that only a small amount of PC users realize the importance of hard disk defragmentation and insist on regularly defragmenting the computer. Terribly, more than half users have never run a disk defrag during the lifetime of the computer. How terrible it is! You can image that how fragmented / slow their computers are for it will consume a very longer time for the hard disk to reassemble parts of a same file together, just like looking for same socks in a messy wardrobe.

In conclusion, to optimize PC performance, you can smartly do the above changes to thoroughly and quickly clean up Windows system. But please bear in mind that, it will be wise for you to periodically defragment your computer in order to speed up PC.