I have used Linux for over ten years now but thought this might help those who are still chained to Windows... From Ghacks:
If your PC suddenly feels sluggish, it's easy to assume your SSD is wearing out. That's exactly what I thought when apps started launching slower and file operations felt laggy. But after a few targeted Windows-level checks, my system performance bounced back-no reinstall, no replacement drive.
The biggest surprise was TRIM being disabled. TRIM allows Windows to tell an SSD which blocks are no longer in use, so the drive can clean them up ahead of time. When it's off, often after cloning a drive, restoring an old image, or changing storage controllers, performance can degrade steadily. Re-enabling it takes seconds and immediately removes a common bottleneck.
Another overlooked factor is SSD firmware.
More:
https://www.ghacks.net/2026/01/01/these-5-windows-tweaks-fixed-my-slow-ssd-without-new-hardware/
