One Simple Adjustment Transformed My Slow Windows PC into a Speed Machine

Initially, my PC was a beacon of speed, booting up in seconds and performing tasks smoothly. However, as time passed, I noticed a decline in its performance. To my surprise, the issue wasn’t the hardware; it stemmed from Windows operating numerous background services that I didn’t require.

Understanding What Causes System Slowdown

Your Windows PC may have once felt like a high-performing machine, but over the years, it can start to lag significantly. Applications may take longer to launch, files may load sluggishly, and even simple searches can seem endlessly delayed. Behind the scenes, your computer could be overwhelmed with running tasks that you might be completely unaware of.

A prime example is the search indexing feature. This process runs continually, scanning files, emails, and other data to ensure that search results appear promptly when you input keywords. However, while this service is active, it consumes CPU power and engages disk activity. In high-performance systems, this impact may go unnoticed; for older or slower machines, it can lead to marked sluggishness.

Windows Services app on the Start menu — Yadullah Abidi / MakeUseOf

Additionally, we have the Windows Update Medic Service (WaaSMedic), which serves to maintain the stability of Windows Update. Even when you opt to pause or disable updates, this service has a tendency to reactivate them. As it performs checks, downloads updates, and preps installations, it can typically sap system performance without your notice.

With both search indexing and the Windows Update Medic Service competing for your system’s limited resources, you may start to experience longer load times and increased fan activity.

Configuring or Disabling Search Indexing

By default, Windows is set to index a vast array of data on your system—documents, images, emails, and system files, to name a few. This indexing is meant to facilitate speedy search results. Yet, the constant scanning of files that you may never actually search for can place an undue burden on your system’s resources.

The more files Windows indexes, the higher the consumption of CPU cycles and disk resources. If you’re not keen on turning off search indexing completely, consider refining what gets indexed for a balance between performance and convenience. For example, indexing the entire C: drive or every temporary system file is often unnecessary.

Press Win + S to access the search menu.
Type in indexing options and hit Enter.
In the Indexing Options window, click Modify.
Uncheck folders or drives you don’t need to have indexed, then click OK.

Modify Search Indexing Options in Windows 11 — Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required

Adjusting your search indexing settings can significantly reduce system load while maintaining convenient access to the files you frequently search for.

If you find yourself rarely using Windows Search and your primary goal is peak performance, completely disabling search indexing may be the way to go. This approach can be particularly advantageous for gamers or users who require every ounce of processing power.

Press Win + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
Look for Windows Search in the list. Right-click it and select Properties.
Set the Startup type to Disabled, then click Apply.
Click the Stop button and confirm by selecting Yes.

Windows Search Properties on Desktop — Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required

Disabling indexing may result in slower search times, but it can noticeably enhance your PC’s responsiveness. If you’re tired of your hard drive making noise when idle, this small adjustment can yield a substantial improvement.

Turning Off the Windows Update Medic Service

The Windows Update Medic Service is a significant hurdle for those wishing to completely disable automatic updates within Windows. Operating quietly in the background, it consistently checks for updates to ensure that all relevant components remain functional. Often, even if you pause updates through the Settings app, this service will reactivate them.

You can locate the service under the name WaaSMedic in Windows Services. However, attempting to disable it can result in an “Access is denied”message, indicating that Windows is adamant about keeping it active.

While disabling this service requires a few more steps than mere clicks, it is achievable through the Registry Editor. As always, it’s advised to back up your registry files and create a restore point prior to making any changes, allowing you to return to a fallback state in case issues arise.

Open Registry Editor via the search menu.
In the left pane, navigate to HKLM > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Services > WaaSMedicSvc.
Double-click the Start DWORD and change the value to 4.
Click OK and restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

Editing start DWORD in Registry Editor — Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required

Disabling the Windows Update Medic Service can help reclaim resources and prevent update interruptions, but it does require you to manage updates manually. While it may seem like an inconvenience, it offers the flexibility to install updates at your convenience.

Revitalizing a slow Windows PC doesn’t always necessitate costly upgrades or a complete system reinstall. Implementing the strategies outlined above significantly improved my PC’s performance. Since I don’t depend heavily on Windows Search, I find the trade-off exceptionally worthwhile.

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