How to speed up laptop.

[sulfonicwharf]

My Windows 8.1 laptop is very slow.

Is there a way i can speed it up for the lowest price possible.

SPECS:
Intel I5 3230M
4GB Ram

Windows 8.1

My boot time is around 3 minutes

It is a Samsung ATIV Book 2

 

[Martin1982]

An SSD is the simple solution remember to back up yor system

 

[USAFRet]

Even on a regular HDD, 3 minute boot time is slow.

What is starting up as you turn it on? All that junk takes time. Check that first.

 

[velo3100]

First do what USAFRet, startup programs are known to be the cause for many laptops to slow down as time goes on.
Second, see what programs you have in your control panel and uninstall any programs you don't need.
Third, check you c and d drives to see if you see any files that shouldn't be there. For the c drive make sure you check both the program files folder. For example, many times when you uninstall a program, it leaves the file of that program in the c drive and keeps a reference there. The only way you will know it is there is by going there and checking the contents of the folder.
Fourth, backup personal data on an external storage like a hdd. Then delete it off you hdd. This will allow more space for the system to use as page files if it needs it.
Fifth, use software that is not resource intensive such as using firefox instead of chrome as a browser.

Finally if all this doesn't help then start thinking about upgrading the hardware. For example you could upgrade the ram to 8 but make sure it is the same speed as the manufactures and is compatible with your laptop. Also swapping the hdd for an ssd helps but these are only good if you don't need much storage.

 

[sulfonicwharf]

Even on a regular HDD, 3 minute boot time is slow.

What is starting up as you turn it on? All that junk takes time. Check that first.

This is a screenshot of my PC Startup software

https/docs.google.com/document/d/1rId3TRySjbGfFXxl-nyQRkGmQjZteVagLHgeYLV6FOQ/edit

 

[sulfonicwharf]

First do what USAFRet, startup programs are known to be the cause for many laptops to slow down as time goes on.
Second, see what programs you have in your control panel and uninstall any programs you don't need.
Third, check you c and d drives to see if you see any files that shouldn't be there. For the c drive make sure you check both the program files folder. For example, many times when you uninstall a program, it leaves the file of that program in the c drive and keeps a reference there. The only way you will know it is there is by going there and checking the contents of the folder.
Fourth, backup personal data on an external storage like a hdd. Then delete it off you hdd. This will allow more space for the system to use as page files if it needs it.
Fifth, use software that is not resource intensive such as using firefox instead of chrome as a browser.

Finally if all this doesn't help then start thinking about upgrading the hardware. For example you could upgrade the ram to 8 but make sure it is the same speed as the manufactures and is compatible with your laptop. Also swapping the hdd for an ssd helps but these are only good if you don't need much storage.

can you please check this

https/docs.google.com/document/d/1rId3TRySjbGfFXxl-nyQRkGmQjZteVagLHgeYLV6FOQ/edit

 

[velo3100]

So as I can't see the whole list I assume that all startup programs have a low impact on the startup. Try the other things I have said in my list and see if it makes any difference.