When you start a task on a computer and you have the time to go for a coffee break or a have a nice chat at the water cooler before you get a response, you know that your computer is too slow. Having a computer with a large response time can be really irritating, not to mention the resulting loss in productivity.
There are a few simple steps that you can take yourself to try and solve the problem before looking for a computer technician.
1. Fragmented Hard Drive – A disk that has not been defragmented for a long time can make data retrieval really slow and is one of the chief causes contributing to a slow computer. Running a disk defragmenting utility should fix this problem.
2. Bloated Registry files – If you are not in the habit of scanning your registry files for inconsistencies caused due to installed/removed programs, the registry size can increase. As registry entries are checked periodically, it may contribute to slowness of your computer. Scanning the registry and removing inconsistencies should take care of this.
3. Too Many Programs – Your computer may have many programs that are automatically invoked at startup even if you are not planning to use them. Click the Start button and choose Run. Type in msconfig in the window that appears. Uncheck any programs that you do not use in the Startup tab. This will prevent unnecessary programs from running the next time you startup.
4. Too many Services – When your computer starts up, services required by the Operating System and installed programs are started. Frequently, services used programs that have been uninstalled are also available along with services that are nonessential to you. These services can contribute to the slowdown and can be removed using the Services tab after invoking the msconfig utility.
5. Viruses – Viruses, Trojans, Spyware and Adware can be another major cause of slowdown. A good anti-virus and spyware checker can solve this problem.
6. Increase the RAM – Sometimes insufficient RAM can be the cause of slow computers, so make sure you have at least 512MB – 1GB of RAM installed. This is especially applicable for gaming.
Ms. Pinky is a Computer Support Specialist for more than 25 years. Has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Engineering, MS Research work in Systems Engineering.
When you start a task on a computer and you have the time to go for a coffee break or a have a nice chat at the water cooler before you get a response, you know that your computer is too slow. Having a computer with a large response time can be really irritating, not to mention the resulting loss in productivity.
There are a few simple steps that you can take yourself to try and solve the problem before looking for a computer technician.
1. Fragmented Hard Drive – A disk that has not been defragmented for a long time can make data retrieval really slow and is one of the chief causes contributing to a slow computer. Running a disk defragmenting utility should fix this problem.
2. Bloated Registry files – If you are not in the habit of scanning your registry files for inconsistencies caused due to installed/removed programs, the registry size can increase. As registry entries are checked periodically, it may contribute to slowness of your computer. Scanning the registry and removing inconsistencies should take care of this.
3. Too Many Programs – Your computer may have many programs that are automatically invoked at startup even if you are not planning to use them. Click the Start button and choose Run. Type in msconfig in the window that appears. Uncheck any programs that you do not use in the Startup tab. This will prevent unnecessary programs from running the next time you startup.
4. Too many Services – When your computer starts up, services required by the Operating System and installed programs are started. Frequently, services used programs that have been uninstalled are also available along with services that are nonessential to you. These services can contribute to the slowdown and can be removed using the Services tab after invoking the msconfig utility.
5. Viruses – Viruses, Trojans, Spyware and Adware can be another major cause of slowdown. A good anti-virus and spyware checker can solve this problem.
6. Increase the RAM – Sometimes insufficient RAM can be the cause of slow computers, so make sure you have at least 512MB – 1GB of RAM installed. This is especially applicable for gaming.
Ms. Pinky is a Computer Support Specialist for more than 25 years. Has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Engineering, MS Research work in Systems Engineering.
