Aslow computer will make you want to pull out your hair, even contemplate ending it all. There are few things as annoying as a slow computer. They are supposed to be fast and efficient and when they are not, they cause problems. But before you carry your laptop or PC to the local repair shop, here are some steps you can take to fix the problem.
Run a Virus Scan
When last have you run a virus scan, or better yet when last did you update the virus definitions for your anti-virus program? A computer that was once fast but is now slow is a good indication that a virus may be present. If you have done a recent virus scan but detected no viruses, update your virus definitions and scan again. If still nothing shows up, do a root scanner.
Defragment Your Hard Drive
If you create and delete large files on a regular basis, this could lead to significantly decreased computer performance. The easiest way to fix this is to run the disk defragmentation utility. What this utility does is arrange files on your hard drive so they are closer to each other and that way the hard drive don’t have to work so hard to find a single file.
Clean Computer Fans
If large amounts of dust build up in your computers fans, you will want to use a can of compressed air, or an antistatic vacuum and remove the dust. Too much dust in a computer can cause heat buildup which in turn causes the processor to heat up and lead to reduced system performance. Compressed air is relatively cheap and you can purchase an antistatic vacuum for a relatively reasonable price.
Upgrade Your RAM
The more RAM you have is generally the faster your computer will work. RAM is what the computer uses to store temporary files it is working on such as open documents, music that is being played or videos that are being watched. If you have too little RAM, your computer will have to use a paging file on the hard disk a lot more than it should and this will in turn lead to decreased system performance. The best way to fix this is to upgrade your computer’s RAM. If your computer is running Vista, 7 or Windows 8, you should have nothing less than 3GB or 4GB of RAM.
Get a New Computer
If your computer is older than 5 years and none of these fixes seem to work, it could mean that your processor just isn’t able to handle things as it should anymore. Generally when this happens, it is a recommended to just buy a new computer. Thankfully computers are a lot cheaper now than they have ever been and you can get yourself a good computer for under $450. Just make sure that the computer at least an i3 processor or equivalent, and at least 4GB of RAM. Also a decent graphics card is a plus.