A slow computer, one that takes several seconds to load programs, web pages, or even to boot up, is a problem that anyone at some point is forced to deal with.
Far more common than people think, device slowness is certainly a frustrating occurrence, which can arise from a variety of reasons.
Let’s look at them together and also illustrate possible solutions.
Reasons slow computer: how important is maintenance?
hat a computer becomes slow over time is an indisputable fact, about which no one seems to have any uncertainty.
A five-year-old device does not present the requirements for using software that becomes considerably heavy and elaborate as a result of updates.
What is not understood, however, is why many users do not bother to perform even those necessary device care and maintenance tasks.
Routine activities that, while they cannot avert the inevitable aging of the machine, could at least slow down the process.
Hard disk and memory, main reasons for a slow computer
As we know, it is always memory and hard disk that suffer first.
The steps that should betaken over the years to preserve its health are.
- Continuous driver update: important to avoid device slowdown and ensure health and function. On Windows 10 you are allowed to perform this by going to the update and restore item.
- Check for conflicts with connected external devices that are not recognized by the system. On Windows this can be done by clicking on the device manager item. Media are marked with symbols: ! for devices with problems; X indicates not found; and? which identifies failure to detect
- Periodic monitoring of hard disk status. In case the hard disk is fragmented, it is necessary to perform a defragmentation, so that the files return to consistency and continuity. On Windows you can perform this by clicking on the tools item. On the same menu, you are allowed to scan the disk in order to detect its errors.
- Cleaning the Windows registry: You can start it with some programs such as Ccleaner. This operation deletes incorrect entries -relating perhaps to uninstalled programs- left on the Windows registry.. This is an operation, in many ways, not recommended, as it can cause irreparable damage to the operating system.
- Verify -by going to the control panel item, that processor performance is not limited by turning on power-saving mode. A problem that occurs mostly with laptops.
- Last but not least, physical cleaning of the device. By itself, dust does not directly affect the performance of the computer. However, in case it occludes the air vents, this may induce a heating state in the device.
Enhancing the performance of an old device
Should one be faced with a decrease in performance, caused byaging hardware components, solutions may be to expand ram memory or install an SSD drive.
The improvement, in terms of speed and execution, will be immediate.
If even after all these cares the computer should be slow, the most drastic solution is to format, which returns the device to basic settings.
Although this option frightens many PC owners, today–especially with new operating systems–it is possible to perform it conveniently and quickly.
The most common reasons for a slow computer
However, apart from the physiological aging process of device hardware components, the reasons for one’s computer slowing down are often trivial and easily solved.
Temporary files
To facilitate access to information frequently accessed from Windows or in the browser, the system automatically creates temporary file folders that, where they become overabundant, risk slowing down the computer.
The solution is to remove them with special cleaning programs: one of the best ones around is CCleaner.
You can, however, also perform this task with theWindows disk cleanup tool.
Programs at startup and running automatically
If the device is already slow at startup, the problem may be caused bysome programs that start automatically when the device is turned on.
On Windows you can disable them from the control panel.
The same is true when using programs at the same time, burdening RAM and causing, in the most extreme cases, the computer to crash.
Useful to disable programs that work in the background and, where the system crashes, perform a device restart.
Browser extensions
When there is the presence of multiple extensions installed in one’s browser, web browsing is significantly affected.
Then disable the extensions in order to make navigation more streamlined and flexible.
Slow network
Especially when usingvery thinking cloud applications, and online games, an Internet line that does not guarantee certain requirements could result in a slowdown of some operations performed on the device.
Always install an Internet line that responds quickly to your needs.
Spyware and malware
Another very common problem when it comes to pc slowdown is the presence of malware or spyware in one’s operating system.
Always perform appropriate scans to keep your device protected.
Consider whether your system does not already havebasic antivirus, a setting present in Windows 10.
This is important because, otherwise, installing an external antivirus may occupy additional memory.
The services of Oltrematica
If you are a business and need to improve the efficiency of your IT infrastructure or enter a digitization journey, Oltrematica can offer the support you need.
Technical support, IT infrastructure design, software development, online promotion, consulting, support and training delivered to our clients with care and professionalism.
For more information visit the contact page of our website.