Reasons why you have a slow computer

There are several possibilities for the cause of a slow computer.  A slow computer is not a hard problem to deal with; even someone without a lot of computer experience can solve the issues. 

Just a little bit of knowledge on what can be causing the problem, will help lead you to the appropriate solution.  

Multiple Installs and Uninstalls of Applications

Installing and uninstalling multiple applications on our PC, over time, will bog down your system.  During the install and uninstall processes, shared files are left on the hard drive.  Multiple uninstalls means these files start to pile up.  Using up memory, in turn, causes you to have a slow computer.  Also, when you uninstall multiple programs, it leaves gaps of space in random places on your hard drive and as you install new programs, they try to fill what spaces they can fit in. This leaves fragmented bits of space not big enough for new applications to be saved.  You can use the disk clean up tool and the disk defragment tool, included with your operating system, on a regular basis to prevent problems.

 

Threatening Files

Using the World Wide Web exposes your PC to threatening files.  Unless you have security applications installed on your computer.  Suggested security applications are firewall programs, anti-virus software and a repair utility.  These applications will prevent attacks on your computer. Examples of threatening files are spyware, viruses and adware, to name a few.  These harmful files can cause your system to run slow, can cause the blue screen of death or even take over the functioning of the entire PC.  Keep in mind, that it is not only important to have these security features installed, it is also key to keep them up to date.  

Startup Programs

Startup programs are the applications that automatically start when you turn on the PC.  These applications are either manually set to automatically open or it is a setting already selected when you originally installed it.  These programs often run in the background and run the risk of forgetting about them.  In some cases, too many programs are set to open and run at the same time, which will certainly slow the computer down.  If you think this might be your cause, you can simply open the task manager, see the list of applications that are currently running and close all the ones you do not need.  This will close them for that session, but most likely the next time you startup, they will open automatically again.  You need to look at the settings for each individual program and change the setting that opens it at startup. 

These suggestions, along with simple regular maintenance, should be all you need to keep the computer running good.  Next time you feel frustrated with slow performance, remember you know what to do.  All you need to do to fix a slow computer is remove old files left from installations, check for and remove any threatening files and check the number of background programs you have running.