Over time, systems evolve, computers change and, consequently, the way we work on them and do maintenance also changes. Those who come from past versions of Windows know how difficult it is to keep the system always optimized and fast ; luckily Microsoft has made several changes from the point of view of security, updates, file management and recovery to its system, so as to make some apps once necessary.
For example, a PC today is no longer formatted but can be “reset” with a complete reset that brings Windows back to its original state. Another example is related to device drivers, which today update automatically and which, with the exception of exceptions, hardly need to install manually anymore.
In this article we will show you the main changes in the care and maintenance of Windows 10 , with a summary of the important operations and those that no longer need to be done.
READ ALSO: Optimize your Windows PC: best free automatic programs
How to perform maintenance on Windows 10
In the following chapters we will explain all the main maintenance and security operations that needed to be performed on Windows manually but which, now on Windows 10, can also be ignored because they are managed automatically.
Windows updates
Microsoft has imposed an automatic system of updates in Windows 10: in fact it cannot be turned off completely but only postponed, with the aim of keeping all the computers as up to date as possible.
This certainly improves the security of the system, even if it has created some discontent due to the theoretical impossibility of not being able to ignore an update that can only be deferred.
Windows Update is now fully automatic and brings updates of new features, security, drivers, fixes and definitions for the internal antivirus.
To learn more, please read our guide on how Windows Update works in Windows 10 and how to block updates .
Antivirus
In Windows 10 the antivirus is already present inside and is called Windows Defender . It is an antivirus capable of detecting a large number of threats, so as to always be protected even in case of heavy infections. In another article we delved into the topic Antivirus for Windows 10: is Windows Defender enough?
Clean up unnecessary files and free up disk space
Windows 10 has added a convenient function to know what’s on the disk, to understand which files occupy it so as to delete them if they are not needed.
To use it just go to Settings -> System and then to Storage to see the space used by the Windows folders and to explore the weight of the files and the space occupied; in the same screen we can also activate the memory sensor, which will automatically free the disk when running low by deleting unnecessary files and very large cache files.
This can also be done with a third-party app such as CCleaner ; if you don’t like it we can always install the Treesize program to look for recent files, large files and disk space control in Windows .
Backup and restore
With Windows 10 backup is integrated into the system and there is no need to use an external program.
Unless specific needs we can activate the integrated backup by going to Settings -> Update and security -> Backup, choose an external disk or NAS and activate the full backup of personal files. With this option active, Windows manages everything automatically and, in case of problems, it will allow you to restore the saved data quickly.
In addition, in case you do not have a backup and in the case of a serious problem we will no longer have to format your computer and reinstall Windows 10 because just use the reset option present in Settings -> Update and security -> Recovery -> Reset your PC .
Following this operation Windows will return as new and just installed, with no more programs and files on it.
For all the details of recovery we recommend you read the guide how to repair and restore Windows 10 in any negative event, even if the PC no longer starts. The same article also explains how to create a recovery unit, to be kept ready in case of problems.
An important thing to do is to turn on system protection in Windows 10 to create restore points and undo changes if you make mistakes.
Software updates
In Windows 10 the applications installed by the Microsoft Store update themselves; this however does not apply to the normal programs installed normally (via .exe or via .msi), which will always be re-downloaded if a new version is released.
As already seen, we can overcome the problem by using automatic tools to manage program updates , among which Sumo (which is the last in the article in the article) is one of the most valid.
Check the programs that start automatically
With Windows 10 we can control each program that starts automatically from the task manager, very simple and clear: just right click on the taskbar at the bottom, select Task Manager , unlock the advanced view by clicking on More details and finally going to the Startup tab .
To learn more, we can also read our guide to the Windows 10 task manager .
Check memory and disk usage of processes
Thanks to an enhanced task manager, it is much easier than ever before to control processes and their impact on computer performance.
Also in the guide seen in the previous chapter it is explained how to monitor the use of memory and CPU and also which processes use the disk the most by slowing down the PC .
Uninstall unnecessary programs
The removal of the programs in Windows 10 has not changed and has all the defects of the previous versions: from this point of view Microsoft still has a lot to work on.
Those who want to uninstall programs without leaving a trace can then use an uninstaller program such as IOBit Uninstaller , which when removing a program deletes each file without leaving traces of it.
Optimize the download speed of updates
With older versions of Windows it was not uncommon to see the whole Internet line clogged during system updates: in fact we could no longer surf!
Fortunately , Delivery Optimization has been introduced on Windows 10 , which allows you to download updates with freely set bandwidth limits (for example 80% of the download and 20% of the upload) and to download updates from other PCs with Windows 10 present on the same LAN and already updated.
To adjust this option just go to Settings -> Update and security -> Delivery optimization , activate the present switch and adjust the band limiters from the Advanced options item .
Optimize SSD automatically
With the spread of SSDs, it is no longer necessary to defragment the system, but new disks need to be optimized periodically to keep them always fast by performing an operation called TRIM.
Windows 10 allows you to optimize SSDs automatically by opening the dedicated tool: it can be opened by opening the Start menu and looking for Defragment and optimize drives . In the small window we click on Analyze and Optimize on every single partition or disk present; to plan this operation instead press on Change settings below and choose to plan the operation every week.
Conclusions
Microsoft has tried to make Windows 10 as secure and easy as possible so that even without touching anything (as most non-experts do) the computer should remain stable and without slowdown problems. Of course, however, some things must be known and what has been said above should always be remembered whatever PC you use!
