5 Tools that Improve Windows 10 Hard Drive Performance

If you are a Windows user, then you would have noticed that the OS deserves its reputation of affecting PC performance. However, with the most recent Windows 10, slow hard drive performance is not as persistent as in previous Windows versions. But this does not mean the problem does not exist.

In the case of Windows 10 slow hard drive performance, certain software tools can solve the problem.

Also read: How to Format a Hard Drive in Windows 10

1. Windows Device Manager

Now, if you’ve explored your Windows PC, then the name Device Manager shouldn’t be strange to you. Device Manager can be used for increasing the read and write speed of a drive. Enabling write caching on the Device Manager allows your computer to save data in a cache before transfering to your hard drive. Saving data to the cache is much faster for your CPU than saving to a hard drive. As a result, your hard drive performance improves as well.

Here’s how to go about it:

1. Use the shortcut Win + X to open a quick menu.

2. Select “Device Manager.”

3. Look for “Disk Drive,” and click the arrow by the side.

4. Select the drive you want to change and right-click it.

5. Choose “Properties” from the pop-up menu.

6. Select the “Policies” tab at the top of the “Properties” window.

7. Ensure the box for “Enable write caching on the device” is ticked.

Note: storing data in the cache should only be temporary. If the data is not transferred to the hard drive before your computer is powered off, then you can lose the data.

2. Windows Disk Management

Windows Disk Management is another built-in Windows 10 tool you can use to boost hard drive performance. Instead of caching your data like in Device Manager, Disk Management helps you re-partition your drive. Partitioning your hard drive makes it easier for Windows 10 to locate certain data, thereby reducing the load time on your drive.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Use the shortcut Win + X to open a quick menu.

2. Select “Disk Management.”

3., Look for “Disk Drive.”

4. Select the drive you want to change, and right-click on it.

5. Choose “Shrink Volume” from the pop-up menu.

6. Right-click again on the free space and select “New Simple Volume.”

7. Select the size for the new volume.

8. Choose the file system for your new volume and close the window.

9. Go to “File Explorer,” and check “This PC” or the name your PC is saved as on your desktop. You will see the new volume.

Also read: How to Stop Background Apps and Processes From Running in Windows

3. Windows Optimize Drives

The final native Windows 10 tool that can boost your hard drive performance is “Optimize Drives.” What this tool basically does is analyze your system for issues such as defragmentation. If the analysis highlights a problem, then the tool fixes it as well.

More often than not, the tool runs automatically on your PC. The only situation where it won’t work is if you tampered with a Windows setting. Here’s how to check:

1. Launch your “Windows Search” tool.

2. Type “Administrative Tools.”

3. Select “Defragment and Optimize Drives.”

4. When the “Optimize Drives” window launches, select the drive you want to “Analyze” or “Optimize.”

5. Check the bottom of the window to verify if the drive is optimized daily, weekly or never.

6. Go to “Change Settings” to adjust the schedule for optimizing your drive.

4. BleachBit

A third-party tool you can use to boost your PC’s hard drive performance is BleachBit. The tool deletes unnecessary files to free up disk space and remove junk including cache and cookies. It more or less acts as a drive cleaner.

If you’re wondering what the difference is between this and Windows Device Manager, we have them listed below:

• The software offers specific app cleanups as well as general cleanups
• Deep scans for identifying junk files
• Pop-up notifications for cleaning or deleting files and the consequences of doing so

5. Disk SpeedUp

Windows Disk Management may offer you an avenue to defragment your hard drive, but Disk SpeedUp adds bonus features to this action. It analyzes, optimizes and defragments your drive.

The tool is also intuitive, as it automatically shuts down a PC after completion of the defragmentation process. You also get graphs displaying data on the performance of your PC’s hard drive.

Other Ways to Boost Windows 10 Hard Drive Performance

There are several other things that can contribute to a poor performing PC apart from a failing hard drive. To guard against or fix them, you can do the following:

• Disable background apps
• Disable startup apps
• Upgrade drive
• Change power plan
• Restore system to factory condition

Conclusion

You might think your Windows PC is working fine at the moment; however, one thing about tech devices is that continuous use exposes them to several faults. Therefore, having the above options in mid for optimizing your device can come in handy in the near future.