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My computer is running slow, what steps can I do to fix it?
DIR By: admin
Date: January 27, 2017, 3:05 pm
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[html]<b>Tip:</b> This topic only covers an overall slow
computer and not a computer that has a slow boot up or slow
Internet. <p>Below are steps for Microsoft Windows users that
can help speed up the computer or determine why the computer is
running slow. <p> <b>Reboot</b> <p>If your computer has not
been rebooted recently, make sure to reboot it before
following any of the steps below. <p><b>Background
programs</b> <p>One of the most common reasons for a slow
computer are programs running in the background. Remove or
disable any TSRs and startup programs that automatically start
each time the computer boots. <p> <b>Tip:</b> To see what
programs are running in the background and how much
memory and CPU they are using, open Task Manager. If you are
running Windows 7 or higher, run Resmon to get a better
understanding of how your computer is being used. <p>If you
have an antivirus scanner on the computer, spyware
protection program, or another security utility, make sure
it is not scanning your computer in the background. If a
scan is in progress, it can decrease the overall performance
of your computer. If this is the case, allow the scan to
complete, and the computer's performance should improve.
<p> <b>Delete temp files</b> <p>As a computer runs programs,
temporary files are stored on the hard drive. Deleting these
temp files can help improve computer performance. <p>First,
we suggest using the Windows Disk Cleanup utility to delete
temporary files and other files no longer needed on
the computer. <p> <img
src='
HTML http://cdn.computerhope.com/temp-folder.jpg'/><br
/><p>Unfortunately, the Disk Cleanup may not
delete every file in the temp directory. Therefore,
we also suggest deleting temporary
files manually. To do this, open the Start menu and type
%temp% in the Search field. In Windows XP and prior,
click the Run option in the Start menu and enter %temp% in
the Run field. Press Enter and a Temp folder should open. You
can delete all files found in this folder and, if any files
are in use and cannot be deleted, they can be skipped.
<p><b>Free hard drive space</b> <p> Verify that there is at
least 200-500MB of free hard drive space. This available
space allows the computer to have room for the swap file to
increase in size, as well as room for temporary files. <p>
<b>Bad, corrupted or fragmented hard drive</b> <p>
<ul><li>Run ScanDisk, chkdsk, or something equivalent to verify
there is nothing physically wrong with the computer's hard
drive .</li></ul> <p> <ul><li>Run Defrag to help ensure that
data is arranged in the best possible order.</li></ul> <p>
<ul><li>Use other software tools to test the hard drive for any
errors by looking at the SMART of the drive.</li></ul> <p>
<b>Scan for malware</b> <p>Today, spyware and other malware is a
big cause of many computer problems, including a slow
computer. Even if an antivirus scanner is installed on
the computer, we recommend running a malware scan on the
computer. Use the free version of Malwarebytes to scan your
computer for malware. <p> <b>Scan for viruses</b> <p>If your
computer is infected with one or more viruses, this can
cause your computer to run slow. If your computer does
not have an antivirus program installed, you can run
Trend Micro's free Housecall online utility to scan for viruses
on your computer, as well as remove them. It is also
recommended that you install an antivirus program for active
protection against viruses. <p> <b>Hardware conflicts</b>
<p>Verify that the Device Manager has no conflicts. If any
exist, resolve these issues as they could be the cause of
your problem. <p> <b>Update Windows</b> <p>Make sure you
have all the latest Windows updates installed on the computer.
<p>If you are on the Internet when your computer is slow,
make sure all browser plugins are up-to-date. You can also try
disabling browser plug-ins to see if one of them is causing the
slowness. <p> <b>Update your drivers</b> <p>Make sure you have
the latest drivers for your computer hardware , especially the
latest video drivers . Having out-of-date drivers can cause an
assortment of issues, including slow performance. <p>
<b>Reboot computer again</b> <p>If you have done any of the
above steps but your computer is still acting slow
try rebooting the computer again at this point. <p><b>Memory
upgrade</b> <p>If you have had
your computer for more than two years, you may
need more memory. Today,
we suggest computers have a minimum of 1GB of memory
(RAM) for 32-bit system and 2GB for a 64-bit system. By having
enough memory for programs to run within memory,
your computer will not need to swap information stored
in memory to the swap file. If the hard drive light is
constantly active, it can be an indication the computer is
frequently swapping information between your memory and
hard drive. <p><b>Hard drive upgrade</b> <p><img
src='
HTML http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/s/ssd.jpg'/><p>One
of
the biggest bottlenecks of a computer is the hard disk drive
. For anyone with a slow computer or just looking for
the best component to upgrade, upgrading from a hard
drive to a Solid State Drive (SSD) can significantly improve
the performance of a computer. <p> <b>Run Registry cleaner</b>
<p>We normally do not recommend Registry cleaners. However,
if you have followed all of the above steps and your
computer is still slow, try running a Registry cleaner on
the computer.[/html]
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