10 things that slow down our PC

When you first bought your computer, it was fast and enough for you to do everything with your computer. You used it for some years and you saw it gradually slowed down. Now you can hardly use it? What happened to your computer?

Well, there are a lot of reasons for a computer to slow down. But the most important one is the softwares you use. They improve very fast and so do their requirements. For example Windows XP works with a 256 mb ram but Vista requires minimum 2 gb to work correctly.

But of course there are other reasons, here are ten reasons that causes your computer to slow.

1. Badly Fragmented Hard Drive

The sixth most common reason for a slow PC is hard drive and file system fragmentation. Over time, your computer’s files can be scattered into bits and pieces located all over your hard drive. This is called fragmentation. Windows has a built in tool to help you with hard drive defragmentation:

* Open My Computer,
* Right-click once on your C: Drive and go down to “Properties”
* Select the “Tools” tab and choose the “Defragment Now” option and follow the step by step instructions.

2. Virus

Closely related to Spyware, viruses can wreak havoc on your system’s performance and severely limit your PC’s ability to do what you ask it to.

Typically, viruses get onto your computer via infected email or instant messages, although they can also be installed via applications or files that you download from file-sharing networks and other non-trusted web sites.

3. Corrupted/Bloated Windows Registry



4. Remnants of uninstalled programs


5. Hardware Problems

The fourth most common cause of a slow or freezing computer is gradually dying internal hardware components. These can often show up in the form of slow boot and shut down, as well as poor program launches riddled with errors.

There are very few hardware diagnostic utilities out there, so we recommend careful removal of any newly installed pc components to see if they are causing a problem or incompatibility. Other than that, taking your PC to a certified, trusted hardware repair shop is usually a good idea.

6. Spyware

Malicious programs that stealthily embed themselves into your Windows Registry and core file system are the number two most common cause of a slow PC or poor PC performance.

These applications are usually installed without your knowledge or consent during the installation of a “free” application you’re trying out, or pushed out automatically in the background when you visit websites that engage in this practice without the user’s knowledge.

These spyware programs must be removed as soon as possible to return your PC to top running speed, and before they damage your file system.


7. Pagefile

The Windows page file is a temporary area of memory that your computer uses to move files around while it processes functions. Basically, it’s a buffer that your computer uses for wiggle room. If your Pagefile is too small, your operating system won’t have enough room to move and you could end up with poor performance and error messages.

To increase the size of your Pagefile:

* Right-click on “My Computer” and go down to “Properties”
* Click the “Advanced” tab
* Click “Settings” under the “Performance” section
* Click the “Advanced” button
* Click “Change” under “Virtual Memory”

8. Poor Security Software that is stealing system resources

Unfortunately, a large number of security software programs and suites out there demand a huge portion of your system resources and memory. This can lead to sluggish performance from the rest of your PC while your security software is constantly scanning and monitoring your computer for threats.

While threat detection is essential, some security vendors go overboard with their approach and drag your PC down with them.

To see how much memory and system resources your security software is using, press and hold CTRL+ALT+DELETE and choose the task manager.

Once the task manager is open look at the “processes” section to see how much of your system resources are being used by your security apps.

9. Hard Drive getting full and too many internet temp and windows temp files

If your hard drive has less than 10% free space, you will experience a dramatic slowdown in the performance of your PC. To improve this, free up some space by removing old documents you no longer use or programs that are no longer needed.

10. System Start-up packed with too many applications (Start-up overload)

Over time, as you add more and more programs to your computer, many of these applications automatically add themselves to your Windows Start-up folder. Additionally, these applications can add themselves quietly to a hidden area of your Windows Start-up system (accessed via the MSCONFIG run command). In extreme cases your PC will appear completely frozen.

Limiting the number of applications loading themselves at start-up can speed boot times considerably and increase overall system performance.

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