How To Fix A Slow Computer
You know it is time to do something when your computer slows to a crawl or begins doing weird things like shutting itself down. Not only is this frustrating it can be the first indicator of more severe issues. Before you try to address the problem, you should know some possible causes that will slow your computer down.
Potential Culprits
The first place you want to look when your computer slows down is your activity. Your computer retains information about every place you visit on the internet. This information is stored on a little file in your computer called a Cookie and in you temporary internet files folder. You would be amazed at how much these small junk files can clog up your machine over a period of time and really slow it down. Fixing this problem is a matter of knowing where to go in your system. Following is a systematic guide to cleaning up your computer and alleviate slowdowns.
1) First go to your start menu and locate the control panel button.
2) Once in the control panel look for the icon labeled internet options
3) Once you click internet options look for the option to delete browsing history and click on delete
4) This will bring up another options menu, go all the way to the bottom and click delete all
5) This will bring up one more windows that will ask you if you are sure, you want to delete your browsing history. Included in this small box will be a smaller white box that you can check to delete files and settings stored by add-ons, go ahead and check that box and then yes.
You have now cleared your computer of annoying small files and bits that will slow down performance. If you are still having problems, it is time to move to the next issue that can slow your computer.
Defrag
This is a bit more technical in nature but thankfully, Microsoft has built a program into their operating system that will do it for you.
What happens again overtime your computer saves information to your hard drive. When it does, the information can fragment. Now this does not hurt your ability to access the programs or information but the gaps in between the fragments becomes wasted space. It is wasted because your pc will not try to use the empty area to store information. This is another issue that is fairly easy to address, simply follow these steps:
1) Go to your start up menu
2) Click the all programs tab
3) Find the accessories tab
click on the system tools menu
5) In system tools you will find disk defragmenter, click on it
6) The window that opens will show your available hard drives in a window at the top and an analyze button, once you run the analysis a window will open telling you if you need to defrag or not. If the program suggests defrag then by all means do so.
Be aware that you will need to leave your computer unused during this process. Any disturbance to the PC may result in an incomplete defrag. This is best done of an evening when you will be asleep, as it can take many hours to complete.
Virus
A word that sends shivers down the spine of every computer owner, the dreaded virus. Every day someone in the world is sitting in front of their computer trying to devise a virus that will destroy computers. It always amazes me when people do things like this, but its important for you to know this regarding safety.
In the case of computer virus prevention, the best offense is a good defense. A good updateable anti-virus is crucial for all pc owners. Prevention is so much better than cure in this case because once you have a virus there can be permanent damage even once the virus is removed.
When you choose your antivirus be sure to set it up to do regular scans of your computer. This will help you to identify a virus before it can do any harm, follow the directions that come with your chosen software. Also, be sure that your antivirus offers frequent updates to the virus database. The best way to choose your software will be to talk to local professionals or other pc owners you may know.
Spyware
Nearly as detrimental to your pc health are programs called spy ware or ad ware. These are often times add-ons that you will pick up when you download programs from the internet. These are used to track your activities for advertisers or in the case of malicious spyware to steal your personal information. Just some of the information these programs can spy on includes your personal passwords. In this digital age, more and more people are banking and paying bills online. In order to protect yourself from these programs invest in a good firewall. Windows comes with one installed, however many people choose their own.
Installing spyware blockers will aid you in scanning your computer for these types of spy ware that may already be on your pc.
Registry
The last area we will discuss is your registry; this is an area of your pc that enters a string of information for all the programs installed on your computer as well as various other bits of information. When your registry gets full of broken links or useless data, your computer will begin to slow down or have errors.
There are an array of fantastic products on the market, including free products that are downloadable on the internet. I have used many of these programs and some are easier to use than others are. This is another choice you should talk to a pc repair professional or other pc users about. Like antivirus and anti spy ware there are new programs cropping up all the time. A good microsoft registry cleaner will clean up useless entries and speed your computer up dramatically.
Conclusion
There are many different things that cause computer slowdowns and errors to occur. Finding the problem can sometimes be as frustrating as the problem itself. Many times this is because you are dealing with a combination of two or more of the problems listed above. When all else fails seek professional help, when you have gone through all the simple steps listed above without fixing your problem you may have a hardware malfunction.
