30-Minute Windows Slowdown Triage Guide to Try Before Reinstalling

A structured triage process can identify the true cause of Windows slowdowns before resorting to a full OS reinstall, which often masks underlying issues. Common culprits include failing disks, low free space, aggressive startup apps, incomplete updates, thermal throttling, or hardware that no longer meets workload demands. The recommended approach uses built-in read-only tools — such as PowerShell commands, Task Manager, and Windows Event Viewer — to gather evidence without altering system state. Diagnostic steps cover storage health checks, startup entry audits, system file verification scans, and filtered event log reviews focused on recent high-severity errors. The guide emphasizes that a machine with limited RAM running multiple demanding applications may simply be operating at its hardware ceiling, a distinction that software cleanup alone cannot fix.