Windows 8 runs slower than windows 7 its very very slow,

How do I speed it up. Windows 8 was supposed to be faster than 7, My computer (Laptop HP) has 1 gb memory and is well inside the specs windows 8 requires. Any help would be appreciated. It took me 10 hrs to install this program. How do I re-install it or get rid of it. I don't have a disk, bought from microsoft off internet.

Did you do an upgrade install? If yes, then a clean install may be your only chance for success. Do you have the ISO from your Win8 installation? Then, make an install DVD or Flash drive so you can do a clean install. Do you need to re-download the ISO, then go here. For additional instructions on doing any of these things, then post back and let us know what your want to do. And, also, you could downgrade to Win7: Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7.

Rollyd, it helps to give your system model and specifications.

The first thing is that you are running the right version of Windows 8 - with only 1 GB of RAM, you need to be running the x86 (32-bit) version. With the x64 (64-bit) version you will not see benefits until you have 4 GB RAM.

If Windows 8 is running really slowly, on a machine that runs Windows 7 without problems, then there are probably devices that are not using optimal device drivers - it may be that there are not going to be updated drivers. In particular, networking is important, and if there is a slow internet connection, Windows 8 will be trying to update itself, at the expense of performance.

Secondly, the software that is running will slow down the system. Windows 8 does not need 3rd party antivirus, or firewall, software, since these are inbuilt, but they need to be running to protect your system. Malware is the first question to eliminate in a slow running system.

Another reason for slow running is device failure. A failing storage device, either hard drive, or optical can take up resources that cause slow-downs. Check Device Manager from Control Panel to see if any devices have warnings or alarms.

Finally a 10-hour installation rings alarm bells - Windows 8 can be installed in less than an hour on many compatible systems. Was this a clean install or otherwise?

So, what is your model and what do you have loaded on it?

Every time that there's an issue with a Windows 8 install, the first question and subsequent response is to do a clean install. When you have a significant number of programs installed on your PC, the last thing that you want to do is a clean install and go through the process of installing every program and update.

I had to do that once when a hard drive failed and I didn't have a backup. It was four days before I had everything back on line. To date, I've always done an upgrade and not have any issues, even with Windows 8, despite an initial stumble. People who keep advising a clean install must have almost nothing of consequence on their PC .

I fall into Ray's category of having systems that are in use and have systems already running, which I could not do without. I therefore boot into more than one OS (in my case Windows 7, Linux Mint installed under Windows using WUBI, and Windows 8.) If Windows fails, I can still use the Linux system to access the data I have. The clean install of Windows 8 was on a partition and I used the Enterprise evaluation. But I am confident to manage partitions, and install in ways other than using the Windows setup program.

I don't consider that you need an empty machine to perform a clean install - but you cannot cleanly install Windows on a Windows machine that is already ailing due to crapware, malware or failing devices. Those problems need to be dealt with before a new OS installation.

I Seem to remember that early Previews ran very slowly when the Video driver was wrong - might be worth looking there?