Help! My Computer Has Slowed Down!
If you use a Windows operating system that has been running slow lately, you can stop worrying about it. Every Windows user encounters this problem at some point or the other. There are tens of causes for your PC running slow, and they all come with a solution.
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When you are trying to find a solution to the problem, your first step should be diagnosing the problem. Once you have diagnosed the problem, you will find solutions to it easily. Below are some common causes for a slow PC.
Problems with Memory
Every computer needs RAM. RAM, an acronym for Random Access Memory, is the temporary memory storage in your PC that is required when you open any application, program, browser or window at the same time. A low RAM capacity can lead to your PC running slowly. If you have a very small RAM capacity, your computer will take more time to store the information required to open a program, making your PC run slowly.
There are two ways of rectifying this problem. Increasing your RAM capacity is one, and the very obvious one. While buying your PC, identify your usage to the vendor so that you can decide the ideal amount of RAM required in your case. In most cases, 512 MBs of RAM work well for Windows XP. If you use Windows Vista, you may need a higher RAM capacity owing to the graphics of the OS. However, if you’ve already bought a PC and do not have enough RAM slots for increasing RAM, then not opening a lot of windows or running a lot of programs at once can help the performance of your computer.
Viruses
Viruses are a major factor in slow PC performances. There are countless viruses being created everyday. Theses can find their way into your PC through an online source or usage of storage devices used by other computers. Many of these viruses are designed to especially slow down a computer.
Solving this problem is perhaps the easiest and cheapest of all. Get a good anti-virus software, keep it updated and schedule a regular scan on your PC to detect any viral infection. If your computer is already infected, and anti-virus software can’t fix it, then you should ask a professional to back up your important files without infecting the storage device and format your disks.
Adware and Spyware
Adware and Spyware can be another reason for a slow PC. These codes spy on you and send information to their source about what you do on the computer, which websites you visit, etc. They are basically non-malicious, and are mostly used to determine the ads that you might be interested in. Although they are just a form of helping advertisement, they can affect the performance of your PC adversely. To fix this, you can get a good anti-spyware software, much like your anti-virus software, to remain shielded from these.
Fragmented Files
Files on your computer get stored in pieces, wherever they can find space. This means that the pieces of one particular file are scattered throughout your disk. While running a fragmented file, your PC needs to retrieve all pieces from all the places they are stored at, making it slow. You can use the defragmenter inbuilt in your Windows OS regularly to fix this.
Damagaed Hardware
It is not necessary that software problems are the cause of a slow running PC. A damaged motherboard, hard disk or any other circuit could lead to a slow PC. Replacing or repairing the hardware is your only solution in such a case.
Windows Registry Errors
Windows registry is a directory of all modifications on your computer. Your preferences, settings, options, installation of programs or applications, etc, are all stored in this registry. An old computer can lead to a cluttered up registry. The clutter can also be caused through unsuccessfully uninstalled programs.
Buying a registry cleaner, editing the registry yourself or hiring an expert to do so should take care of the problem. A good registry cleaner should backup your old registry before repairing it so that you can use it in case something goes wrong.
A slow PC is a very common problem which does not give rise to the need to panic. There are solutions to almost all PC problems.
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