- 1). Defragment your hard drive. Defragmenting the drive reorganizes data, making it easier for the system to find information to open documents, files or programs. This makes your hard drive more efficient.
- 2). Disable all unnecessary background processes and startup processes. View your background processes using the Task Manager, and make changes to startup processes using the "msconfig" tool. Only allow processes vital to your computer and whichever programs you are actually using.
- 3). Remove any external devices from your computer. This includes USB drives, external CD/DVD drives and MP3 players. These devices draw energy from your computer's battery.
- 4). Turn the screen brightness down. Hold the "Fn," or "Function," key and press the "F3" key. A brighter screen depletes the battery faster.
- 5). Turn off the screen saver and command the laptop to switch off the monitor after a short inactivity time. Change these options in the "Power Options" menu in XP or the "Mobile PC" menu in Windows Vista or 7; access both these menus from the Control Panel. You can also command the system to enter standby after a short period, reducing battery consumption.
- 6). Run only one or two applications at a time. Multiple active applications forces the computer to process more information, consuming battery.
- 7). Store the computer, when not in use, in a cool place with at least 40 percent charge left on the battery. Storing the computer in heat damages the battery and substantially reduces its life. Allow the battery to cool before you pack up your laptop in a case or bag.
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