Windows PC Speed-Up Checklist

Use this checklist before replacing an office computer. It covers startup applications, updates, disk space, malware scanning, drive health, and realistic upgrade decisions such as adding RAM or using an SSD.

Back up important work before making system changes.

What’s inside

• One-click runner

   - a menu that runs any check in a couple of keystrokes, including a full health check.

• System health report

  • disk space, memory, Windows version, uptime and the heaviest-running programs, all in one screen.

• Safe disk cleanup

   - clears only temporary files and caches that Windows treats as safe to remove (report first, then clean).

• Startup review

   - lists everything that opens on boot so you can turn off the slow or unwanted items.

• Printer & network diagnostics

   - the quick first step for the usual “printer is not working” and “Internet is slow” requests.

• Safe backup

  • copies Documents and Desktop to a drive or shared folder you choose, without deleting anything on the source.

The checklists

• Monthly office-PC maintenance checklist

   - a repeatable routine for any machine, in both printable PDF and Markdown.

• New-PC setup checklist

   - everything to configure before handing a computer to a new team member, also in PDF and Markdown.

• Daily / weekly quick checks

   - the small things that prevent most tickets.

How to use it safely

• Run the scripts as the normal user; they ask for administrator rights only when a task actually needs it.

• Start with the one-click runner (

  00-run-all.ps1

  ) to see a report first, then add the apply/clean switch once you’ve reviewed it.

• Every action is report-first, so nothing changes until you confirm.

• Each script is commented so you can read exactly what it does before it runs.

Limitations and safety notes

• Report first, change later. The one-click runner and each script show you what they found before anything is applied. Read the output before using any apply or clean option.
• Scripts run as your normal user and request administrator rights only when a task genuinely needs them.
• Back up important work before making system changes. The included backup script copies Documents and Desktop to a location you choose; it never deletes from the source.
• Test on one non-critical computer before using the toolkit across an office.
• Provided for educational and internal maintenance use, without warranty. See the Terms of use for the rules on using these files.
• Nothing in the toolkit connects to the internet or sends data anywhere.

Version history

• 1.0 — 15 August 2026: first release.
• Last reviewed: 4 October 2026. File type description corrected; safety notes added.