/ What are common causes of a slow computer?

What are common causes of a slow computer?

Elizabeth Ann West No one likes to wait for a computer to perform an action. While the wait may only be twenty to thirty seconds, those seconds are an agony when there is nothing else to do. There are many reasons a computer may slow down. Some are easily solved with software solutions, while others are more involved hardware issues that may result in additional purchases.

Spyware/Malware/Viruses

Frequent web-surfing and downloading of unknown files make it very likely a suddenly slow computer is a victim of malware. These programs attach themselves to legitimate downloads, and install covertly without the user realizing he or she is authorizing it. Spyware and viruses range in terms of danger from causing annoying pop-up advertising on the desktop to transmitting personal information or computing power to a remote user.

Solution: Install and regularly use a robust anti-virus or anti-spyware product. These applications are relatively inexpensive, and should be sued for regular scans and to check any incoming downloaded content. Paretologic offers the best solutions for Windows operators, at very affordable prices. Try Paretologic Anti-Spyware and Paretologic Anti-Virus PLUS.

Too many commands at once!

Multiple double-click on applications, or quickly demanding multiple window switches causes even the fastest computers to have a slow moment. Think of it like this: how well do you respond to five or six different commands given to you at once? What many users do not realize is a simple click by the user is really hundreds of mini-steps and commands for a computer. Sure, five clicks on windows may seem small to you, but to the processor it has to prioritize and follow hundreds of commands.

Solution: Only open the number of programs absolutely necessary for the task at hand or use short cut keys to cut down on command clutter. If you are copying and pasting information from one window to another, save time by using CTLR-C for Copy and CTRL-V for Paste. Alt-Tab will switch between windows in a jiffy as well, without the lag in graphics.

Slow network connection, or web-browsing.

Large corporate networks are infamous for slowdowns during peak work times. Network servers can only handle so many requests for information at once. This has nothing to do with your computer’s modem or connection speed. Every site on the web is also hosted on a server. Web sites lag or go down completely when the number of requests overpower the abilities of the server.

Solution: Try altering work habits to avoid peak times, such as staggering lunch times to have fewer users on the system at once. Or, try to work off the system completely by saving a copy of the network document to your computer’s desktop, and replacing the file on the network when you are finished. Web sites can also be worked with in the same manner, by selecting to work off-line. This saves the web site so users can read or reference the material at leisure, without an open connection to the web site’s server.

Other solutions to a slow computer may require a system upgrade to the processor, RAM, or both. With the way the computing industry works now, it usually isn’t cheaper to upgrade individual components of a computer. Instead, users with computer systems greater than 5 years old will save money by purchasing an entire new system. This will include upgrades to other hardware issues such as hard drives, video and sound cards, and ports for peripherals. Computer manufacturers receive deep discounts on components, and this is passed on to the consumer with the package of an entire machine.