Storage drives must be defragmented. USB sticks should be ejected. Antivirus software program slows down your PC. Who isn’t accustomed to these frequent “wisdoms” about Windows?
But are any of those Windows myths truly true, and the place do they arrive from? Our editorial staff will get to the underside of all of it and separates reality from fiction.
This article was translated from German to English, and initially appeared on pcwelt.de.
Myth 1: USB sticks should be ejected!
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Many folks declare that USB storage media, similar to flash drives and exterior USB drives, should be ejected by way of “Safely remove hardware.” But is that this nonetheless vital at the moment?
Ejecting USB storage media ensures that the transferred and saved information stays intact. Nevertheless, many individuals ignore this step and take away the stick with out pondering. The extra step of correctly ejecting it may be a nuisance, so it’s typically forgotten, which has induced error messages in previous iterations of Windows.
Microsoft acknowledged this downside and launched an answer that has been out there in Windows 10 and 11 since October 2018. The new “Quick Remove” operate permits exterior {hardware} to be eliminated at any time with out having to first click on “Safely remove hardware,” and higher but, the setting is activated by default.
Although this answer could be very handy and tailored to most individuals’s wants, it has one main disadvantage: Quick Remove now not caches your information. Caching ensures a relentless backup of the information, however slows down the switch velocity.
Answer: No, utilizing “Safely remove hardware” earlier than yanking out USB drives isn’t required any extra.
Myth 2: Drives should be defragmented repeatedly!
Another fantasy issues the fragmentation of drives and information beneath Windows. It’s typically stated that these drives should be defragmented repeatedly to keep up their velocity. But is defragmentation even vital right now?
Modern drives, particularly stable state storage (SSDs), now not want defragmentation. Newer drives retailer and retrieve information in a different way than older onerous drives.
On older onerous drives, information was saved on magnetic disks and needed to be processed by shifting read-head and write-head items. When a file was erased from the onerous drive, gaps had been created that might be utilized by different information. Over time, this led to fragmentation of the information as they had been saved in smaller fragments in several areas on the onerous disk. The purpose of defragmenting the onerous disk was to carry these fragments collectively and retailer them in a single steady file, which shortened the entry instances to the information.
In distinction, SSDs retailer information in digital reminiscence cells organized immediately on the drive. There aren’t any shifting elements storing information in several areas, and thus no fragmentation.
Answer: No, on trendy techniques with SSDs, defragmentation is now not vital and should even shorten the life expectancy of SSDs. That’s why defragmentation is definitely deactivated by default beneath Windows 10 and Windows 11 if an SSD is put in within the system.
Read extra about our picks for the best SSDs.
Myth 3: Antivirus software program slows down your PC!
Foundry
It’s repeatedly claimed that putting in antivirus software program on a Windows system slows down your PC, however is that this true in any respect?
Installing antivirus software program on a pc could cause the system to decelerate as a result of the software program requires sources. If your antivirus performs common scans, this could have an effect on the operation of the pc and trigger applications to start out or reply extra slowly.
But trendy antivirus applications have options that reduce system load by solely changing into lively when wanted. In addition, many computer systems right now have highly effective processors and reminiscence which can be able to dealing with the execution of antivirus software program with out noticeable delays.
Nevertheless, it’s necessary to notice that not utilizing antivirus software program will increase the chance of malware infections, which might have an effect on the pc’s efficiency and, within the worst case, even destroy necessary information. Well-configured antivirus is subsequently an necessary element for the safety and stability of any laptop.
Answer: No, trendy antivirus software program now not noticeably slows down your PC. This misunderstanding dates again to the time of Windows 95 and Windows 98. Today, it’s a good suggestion to at all times preserve antivirus operating in your system.
Read about our top picks for the best Windows antivirus software.
Myth 4: Windows Game Mode doesn’t assist in any respect!
You’ll typically discover folks debating whether or not Windows 10 and 11’s Game Mode actually has an influence on gaming efficiency. Again and once more, rumors swirl that Game Mode doesn’t actually carry something in any respect.
They’re fallacious. Windows Game Mode can enhance the efficiency of PC video games by lowering background processes and non-essential system actions to release extra sources for the sport. This may end up in a better body charge, shorter loading instances, and an total higher gaming expertise.
Game Mode may enhance the soundness of video games by stopping potential conflicts with different purposes and processes on the pc. However, some gamers have seen that the distinction when Game Mode is turned on is probably not very vital, particularly if their laptop is already highly effective. It’s additionally necessary to notice that not all video games will profit from having Game Mode enabled, as older or well-optimized video games could present no noticeable distinction.
Answer: Windows 10 and 11’s Game Mode can positively velocity up video games, however its advantages are primarily seen on much less highly effective techniques and with much less well-optimized video games. Read our in-depth testing on how Windows 10’s Game Mode makes unplayable games playable… sometimes for the complete image.
Myth 5: Google Chrome consumes a variety of RAM and slows down Windows!
Shutterstock.com/Evan Lorne
Google Chrome and different Chromium-based browsers (like Microsoft Edge) “consume” a comparatively great amount of RAM in Windows in comparison with different browsers similar to Mozilla Firefox. But is that this an issue? How does it have an effect on the system?
It’s true that Google Chrome is thought to make use of a comparatively great amount of RAM in comparison with different net browsers. The cause for that is that Chrome begins a separate course of for every open tab to make sure that closing one tab doesn’t have an effect on the soundness of different tabs or the browser as an entire.
Whether it is a downside relies on your particular circumstances and system. If a pc has adequate RAM, Chrome’s extra reminiscence consumption could also be negligible and haven’t any influence on the pc’s efficiency. But in case your laptop has restricted RAM and Chrome takes up most of it, it might probably have an effect on the efficiency of different purposes and the system as an entire.
Usually, Chrome’s RAM consumption might be lowered by taking measures similar to closing tabs that aren’t wanted or disabling extensions. If you’re continuously operating low on RAM, nonetheless, utilizing one other net browser that requires much less reminiscence could also be an efficient different.
Answer: The comparatively excessive RAM consumption of Google Chrome will not be actually an issue beneath regular circumstances. In reality, it’s pushed by a function that enhances browser stability. People with older or memory-constrained techniques ought to preserve fewer tabs open, or swap to a much less resource-intensive browser like Mozilla Firefox.
Myth 6: Windows PCs get slower over time!
It’s typically stated that Windows PCs decelerate over time, however is that this true? What can customers do about it?
Over time, it’s doable for a Windows PC to turn into slower, which might be because of varied causes. Here are some contributing elements:
- Hard disk fragmentation: If your onerous disk is fragmented, the read-head of the onerous disk has to maneuver extra to learn the information, which might result in lowered velocity. In trendy techniques with SSDs, nonetheless, this level is eradicated, as we defined above.
- Outdated {hardware}: As your Windows set up ages, so is your laptop’s {hardware}, which might probably result in slower efficiency. New working system options may put extra pressure on previous {hardware} and thus decelerate your system.
- Operating system overload: Overloading the working system could cause it to decelerate because it struggles to deal with all of the processes which can be operating. This is brought on by increasingly more applications and instruments that customers set up on their system over time.
- Malware infections: A pc contaminated by malware might be slowed down by extra processes run by the malware.
Answer: Yes, Windows PCs can decelerate over time, but it surely’s nowhere as pronounced as some folks appear to assume and pushed primarily by operating a number of software program without delay. There are measures you’ll be able to take to revive efficiency to an more and more gradual Windows PC, similar to eradicating unused applications, updating {hardware}, scanning for malware infections, and cleansing up your laptop. Windows has instruments for all of those.
Myth 7: Windows 10 and 11 spy on you!
Since the discharge of Windows 7, Microsoft has been amassing so-called telemetry information in regards to the person’s use of the working system. But is it true that the working system spies on the person?
Windows 10 and 11 gather information to enhance the efficiency and stability of the working system, in addition to to enhance the performance of Windows Update and the Windows Store. Some of this information might be thought-about private data, which is why there have been issues about Microsoft’s privateness practices previously.
Microsoft
But your Windows privateness settings might be adjusted to disable (or at the least restrict) the gathering of sure information as a lot as doable. Additionally, you’ll be able to select whether or not you need crash information and system surveys despatched to Microsoft.
It’s necessary to notice that a few of the information assortment settings are enabled by default, nonetheless, and customers could not at all times concentrate on precisely what information is being collected by Microsoft.
Answer: Yes, Microsoft collects a considerable amount of telemetry information from Windows 10 and 11, a few of which could be thought-about private information. Concerned folks ought to rigorously test their Windows privateness settings and alter them accordingly. But saying that Microsoft is responsible of focused spying goes too far.
Myth 8: Linux is basically sooner than Windows!
Many critics of Windows wish to accuse the working system of being basically slower than free working techniques based mostly on Linux. But is that this true?
Microsoft/Larry Ewing
It’s a really complicated query with no clear reply. Linux is commonly praised for its effectivity and stability, and might subsequently run higher on older or much less highly effective techniques than Windows. It’s additionally very adaptable and might be optimized for particular necessities. On the opposite hand, Windows is thought for its ease of use and compatibility with a variety of purposes and {hardware}. Because of its widespread use, there are additionally a wide range of assist and useful resource choices.
But it’s necessary to notice that the efficiency of Linux and Windows relies on varied elements similar to {hardware}, drivers, configuration, and optimization. In some circumstances, Linux might be sooner than Windows, whereas in different circumstances Windows might be sooner than Linux.
It in the end relies on your wants and what duties must be carried out in your system.
Answer: No, Linux will not be basically sooner than Windows. Both working techniques have their benefits and drawbacks. The reply to this query hinges utterly in your utilization wants.