Help, My Computer Is Running Slowly
By I S McCain
Everyone who has a PC has experienced some point of system slowdown. We hear it everyday on the support side. "It isn't working right, its taking forever to open files, it takes forever to shutdown."
Performance issues can be caused by a variety of possibilities. The most common causes and their solutions are listed below:
1. Limited Hard Drive Space - Running out of hard drive space can actually have pretty dramatic impacts in system performance. If you have a hard drive that is approaching capacity it is time to start looking at getting rid of unneeded files. You should have AT LEAST 200 to 500 MB of free hard drive space. This allows the computer to have room for the swap file to increase in size and also allows for room for temporary files. You can clear out space by uninstalling old programs or games that are no longer being used. You can run a Disk Cleanup operation for available files that can be purged or cleaned up. And you can empty out your recycle bin (assuming you don't need those files anymore). If you are in the position to migrate files, it is best to put media (pictures, videos and music ) on a separate external drive, or secondary internal drive.
2. Unused and useless programs - Sometimes we find that whether through conscious choice, or as a result of malware, or hidden installers computers simply end up with addons and programs that are never really used and server little or no purpose. We recommend using a program like Malwarebytes to scan for malware and remove software that may be eating up system resources.
3. Data Corruption - Having data corruption or data files arranged in a way that is not ideal can also lead to issues with functionality and performance. Run ScanDisk or its equivalent to ensure that there is nothing physically wrong with your system. Then run Defrag- this will help ensure that data arranged in the best possible order.
4. Background programs eating up system resources - Some programs set themselves to start up automatically when you boot your machine. You can disable and TSRs and Startup programs that are set to automatically start each time the computer boots.
5. Hardware Conflicts - In some cases, especially when new devices have been added to the system, your computer may end up with Device conflicts. You can view your Device Manager to ensure that there are no device conflicts. If any exist they could be responsible for the problem.
6. Windows OS out of date - Windows releases updates on a very consistent basis. If you have seen that annoying pop-up bubble (there are updates available for your system) then you may be well aware that your system is not up to date. Make sure that you have all the latest windows updates installed on your computer, also make sure that all your browser plugins are up to date.
7. Drivers out of date - Make sure that all your devices have the latest drivers, especially video drivers. Having dated video drivers can lead to numerous performance issues.
8. Your computer is overheating - Make sure that you computer and processor is not overheating, excessive heat can cause a significant decrease in computer performance, and lead to eventual damage to the components. So, if you r machine is crammed into a computer case, and has papers and other things blocking its ventilation ports, then it is time to move the computer. Cut the back off the cabinet.
Certainly this is not an all-encompassing list, but it is a very good first step in diagnosing what could be causing the issues with your machine. Run through the list, take the steps to repair the issues, and see If it doesn't help.
AM Data Service is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner providing reliable, cost effective information technology, network implementation and computer support services to businesses of all sizes in Michigan and Central Florida. For more information on how AM Data can help your organization please visit us at: http://www.amdataservice.com/contact-form.html
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