Yours HP Pavilion, Envy or Omen started working slower after updating to Windows 10? The system “thinks” when you open programs, and the fans make noise like a turbine? The problem is not always in the hardware - in 80% of cases, the brakes are caused by software settings that can be fixed without buying a new laptop.

We tested 12 optimization methods on 7 models HP (from budget 250 G7 to gaming Omen 15) and found that even laptops with 4 GB RAM And HDD can be accelerated by 30-50% due to the correct settings. This article contains only working solutions, without fluff and general advice like “buy an SSD.” Let's start with the most effective one.

1. Cleaning the system of “garbage” is the first step to speed

For a year of active use on a laptop HP accumulates to 15-20 GB unnecessary files: browser cache, temporary update files, remnants of deleted programs. They not only take up disk space, but also slow down the system by 10-15%. Let's start with a deep cleaning.

Open Start → Settings → System → Device storage and click "Free up space now." But this is not enough - the standard Windows tool removes only 30% of garbage. For complete cleaning:

  • 🧹 Use CCleaner (free version) to remove browser cache, registry and temporary files. In the settings, check the “Disk Cleanup” and “Registry” checkboxes.
  • 🗑️ Delete the folder C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download — Windows update files that are no longer needed are stored here.
  • 📁 Go through the folders C:\Users\Your_name\AppData\Local\Temp And C:\Windows\Temp - delete all their contents.
⚠️ Attention: Do not delete files from the folder AppData manually if you are not sure of their purpose. This may break programs. Use for this CCleaner or BleachBit.
📊 How often do you clear the cache on your laptop?
  • Once a week
  • Once a month
  • Only when it slows down
  • Never

2. Disabling unnecessary programs in startup

One of the main reasons for slow loading HP on Windows 10 — autorun programs. On average, a laptop runs 15-25 processes when turned on, of which 70% can be turned off without consequences. For example, HP CoolSense, McAfee Security Scan or Dropbox load the system, although they are not always needed.

To disable autoloading:

  1. Click Ctrl + Shift + Escto open Task Manager.
  2. Go to the Startup tab.
  3. Sort programs by the "Impact on Boot" column and disable those that have a "High" or "Medium" status (except antivirus and drivers).

Disable HP Support Assistant (if not used)

Remove McAfee Real-Time Scanning (replace with Windows Defender)

Disable OneDrive (if you don't sync files)

Uninstall driver update programs (such as HP SoftPaq)

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After disabling startup, the startup time of the laptop will be reduced by 20-40 seconds, and the RAM will be loaded 30-40% less.

3. Optimizing your hard drive (HDD) or switching to SSD

If your HP equipped HDD (not SSD), then defragmentation can speed up work 10-20%. However, there are nuances: defragmentation must be carried out right, otherwise it will only worsen the situation.

First, check which drive is installed:

  1. Open Start → Settings → System → Device storage.
  2. Click Optimize Drives.
  3. If the "Media Type" column says "Hard Disk", then you have HDD.

For HDD:

  • 🔄 Run defragmentation manually (at least once a month).
  • 🛑 Disable file indexing: open Properties of drive C: → Uncheck “Allow file contents to be indexed”.

For SSD:

  • ⚡ Defragmentation is not needed - it only shortens the life of the disk.
  • 🔧 Turn it on TRIM (if not enabled): open a command prompt as administrator and type 
    fsutil behavior set disabledeletenotify 0
⚠️ Attention: If you have HP Spectre x360 or another model with Optane Memory (hybrid drive), do not disable the service Intel Rapid Storage Technology in startup. This will lead to a drop in performance.
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Before defragmenting, close all programs and connect your laptop to the network. The process may take 1-3 hours and will drain the battery.

4. Customize visual effects for maximum performance

Windows 10 by default includes many visual effects (animations, shadows, transparency) that eat up up to 10% CPU resources And 15% RAM. On laptops HP with weak hardware (for example, HP 250 G6 with Celeron And 4 GB RAM) disabling these effects gives a speed increase by 25-30%.

To disable unnecessary effects:

  1. Click Win + R, enter sysdm.cpl and go to the "Advanced" tab.
  2. In the Performance section, click Settings → Get the best performance.
  3. If you want to leave minimal comfort, manually check the following boxes:
    • 🖼️ “Show thumbnails instead of icons”
    • 🔲 “Smoothing jagged screen fonts”
    • 🎨 “Use window and button styles”

Also disable transparency in the Start menu:

  1. Open Settings → Personalization → Colors.
  2. Turn off the Transparency Effects slider.
How to get animations back?

If you feel uncomfortable working after disabling the effects, return the settings to sysdm.cpl → Performance → Special effects and select Restore Defaults.

5. Update and optimize drivers

Outdated or incorrectly installed drivers are one of the main reasons for laptop slowdowns. HP. For example, driver Intel Management Engine version 2018 may cause system freezes on 5-10 seconds when starting programs. And the video card driver is incorrect (NVIDIA or AMD) reduces gaming performance 40-50%.

How to update drivers right:

  • 🔧 Use HP Support Assistant (if installed). This is an official tool that automatically finds drivers for your model. Open the program → “My devices” → “Updates”.
  • 🌐 Download drivers only from official sites:
  • 🚫 Do not use programs like Driver Booster or DriverPack Solution - They often install incompatible or outdated drivers.

After updating the drivers, restart your laptop and check the performance in Task Manager (Performance tab). If the processor or video card load has decreased by 10-15% when idle, the drivers are installed correctly.

Driver Signs of an outdated version How to update
Video card (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel) Artifacts in games, low FPS, screen flickering Download from the manufacturer's website or via GeForce Experience
Chipset (Intel/AMD) The laptop takes a long time to wake up from sleep, USB ports do not work correctly Download from support.hp.com by model
Power management Rapid battery discharge, overheating, spontaneous shutdowns Update via HP Support Assistant
Network card (Wi-Fi/Ethernet) Slow Internet, connection interruptions, high ping Download from Intel or Realtek website

6. Optimize your power plan

Laptops HP By default they use the "Balanced" power plan, which limits processor performance to 80-90% to save energy. If you are working from the network, this mode only gets in the way. Switching to the "High Performance" plan can give you a speed boost of up to 15-25%.

How to change the power plan:

  1. Open Control Panel → Hardware and Sound → Power Options.
  2. Select the "High Performance" scheme.
  3. Click "Configure power plan" → "Change advanced power settings" and set:
    • 🔋 “Minimum processor state” - 100% (from mains and battery).
    • 🖥️ “Maximum processor frequency” — 100%.
    • 💾 “Hard disk → Disable after” - Never (if you have HDD).
⚠️ Attention: On laptops HP Omen and other gaming models, the “High Performance” plan may cause overheating. In this case, use the "Balanced" scheme, but in the advanced settings increase the minimum processor state to 90%.
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On laptops with processors Intel Core i5/i7 8th generation and newer (for example, HP Pavilion 15 2019+) High Performance plan can reduce battery life by 30-40%. Use it only when connected to the network.

7. Check for viruses and malware

Viruses and mining bots are one of the most insidious reasons for slowdowns. They can secretly use up to 70% of CPU resources, slow down the Internet and cause overheating. For example, a Trojan WannaMine uses CPU for cryptocurrency mining, and the virus Emotet loads the network, sending spam.

How to check your laptop for viruses:

  • 🛡️ Use Windows Defender (built into Windows 10):
    1. Open Settings → Update & Security → Windows Security → Virus & Threat Protection.
    2. Click Scan Options → Full Scan.
  • 🔍 Start scanning Malwarebytes (free version). This program finds what Defender misses.
  • 🕵️ Check processes in Task Manager. If some unknown process (for example svchost.exe with high load) is loading CPU on 50%+, this is a cause for concern.

    • If you find a virus, don't delete it manually - use an antivirus. After cleaning, be sure to change passwords from important accounts (mail, banks, social networks).

    8. Reset Windows 10 to factory settings (last resort)

    If all the previous methods did not help, it remains system reset. This is a radical but effective way to get your laptop back. HP "second youth" According to tests, resetting increases performance by 40-60% by removing all unnecessary programs, updates and garbage.

    How to reset Windows 10 no data loss:

    1. Open Settings → Update & Security → Recovery.
    2. Click "Get Started" under "Reset your computer."
    3. Select "Keep My Files" (this will remove the programs but leave documents, photos and videos).
    4. Confirm the reset and wait for it to complete (it will take 30-90 minutes).

    After reset:

    • 🔄 Update your drivers (see. section 5).
    • 🛡️ Install an antivirus (for example, Kaspersky Free or Bitdefender).
    • 🚫 Do not install unnecessary programs (especially those offered when installing other applications).
    ⚠️ Attention: On laptops HP with pre-installed Windows 10, resetting will return all factory programs (For example, HP JumpStart, McAfee LiveSafe). They can be removed via Settings → Applications after reset.
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    Resetting Windows 10 does not remove the license. After reinstallation, the system is automatically activated if the laptop originally came with licensed Windows.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about accelerating HP laptops

    Is it possible to speed up an HP laptop with 4GB RAM without upgrading?

    Yes, but the growth will be limited. Basic methods:

    • Disable startup of unnecessary programs (saves up to 1 GB RAM).
    • Use ReadyBoost (if you have an 8+ GB flash drive).
    • Go to Windows 10 LTSC — a lightweight version without unnecessary services.

    However, for comfortable work (for example, with Photoshop or Chrome with 10+ tabs) will still require an upgrade to 8 GB RAM.

    Why does my HP laptop get hot and slow after Windows update?

    Most often this is due to:

    • Incompatible drivers (especially video card or chipset).
    • Background service running Windows Update (may ship CPU on 30-50%).
    • On Game DVR (recording of the game in the background). Disabled in Settings → Games → Game Bar.

    Solution: Roll back the update (to Settings → Update and security → Update history) or wait for the next patch from Microsoft.

    How to speed up Windows 10 boot on an HP laptop with HDD?

    For HDD critical:

    1. Disable quick start (it often breaks loading on HDD): Control Panel → Power Options → What the Power Buttons Do → Change Unavailable Settings → Uncheck “Enable Fast Startup”.
    2. Reduce paging file size to 1-2 GB (if you have 8+ GB RAM).
    3. Move the paging file to another disk partition (if it is partitioned).

    It will also help disabling indexing for disk C: (see section 3).

    Should I disable Superfetch (SysMain) on my HP laptop?

    Service Superfetch (in new versions of Windows it is called SysMain) speeds up the launch of frequently used programs, but HDD may cause brakes due to constant disk access.

    Recommendations:

    • 🔧 On HDD — turn off (via services.msc).
    • ⚡ On SSD — leave it on (she is useful).
    How to check what exactly is slowing down your HP laptop?

    Use these diagnostic tools:

    Problem Tool What to do
    High CPU usage Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) Find a process with load >30% and terminate it
    Slow disk CrystalDiskMark Check the read/write speed (for HDD the norm: 80-120 MB/s)
    Overheating HWMonitor If the temperature is >85°C, clean the laptop from dust
    Lack of RAM Resource Monitor (resmon) See which program is eating up memory