Why Your Computer is Running Slow and How You Can Fix It?


Computers slow down for a variety of reasons. Maybe you’ve unavoidably accumulated virtual trash when you download applications, install extensions, visit the web, create files, and fill your hard drive with multimedia, which will have an influence on your PC's performance. So, if you've been wondering, "Why is my computer so slow?" then go through this article to find out the causes and the easy steps you can take to speed things up.

Why Do Computers Slow Down?

Let's identify the most prominent causes that can slow down a computer −

Excessive Number of Starting Programs

Newly downloaded apps frequently try to sneak their way into your Windows Startup menu or Login Items (Mac). If you don’t uncheck the box for that permission, you may end up with hundreds of useless apps ready to begin as soon as your computer starts up.

Too many starting applications are the most common reasons for a sluggish computer. Ninety percent of apps want that authorization to start when your computer begins so that you can use them, which can result in a five- to ten-minute boot delay. When it eventually starts, a slew of apps is already operating in the background, which might slow things down if you're not using a modern computer.

While certain applications, like an antivirus and firewall software, should be started automatically, others, such as iTunes or Microsoft Office, may be left closed until you need to retrieve a file from their digital depths.

Virus and Malware

If the problem of "computer operating sluggish" remains after freeing system resources, your computer is likely to have been infected with viruses or malware.

A sluggish computer is one indicator of a virus or malware infestation.

Your Hard Drive is About to Fail

A hard disc that is reaching the end of its useful life is a regular problem. Hard drives are made up of moving bits that spin thousands of times each day and are subject to wear and tear. A hard disc is most likely to fail after two to three years of constant usage.

Solid-state drives, on the other hand, are not affected by physical hardware degradation and have a lifespan of 8-10 years. Solid state drives are also ten times quicker than traditional hard drives, reducing boot time from 3-5 minutes to as little as 15-20 seconds.

Obsolete Windows Version

Your computer may be running an older version of Windows; any application should be updated on a regular basis to include new features and correct issues. When an operating system is obsolete, it can cause a slew of concerns, including poor computer performance.

Limited Space

The boot partition is where the operating system is saved, and it always has the letter C. When Windows is running on a low disc space (i.e., the C drive is full), it will take significantly longer time to seek essential files or applications, and there will be insufficient space for swap files and temporary files. As a result, the problem of "slow computer" arises.

Old CPU and Poor Performance

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the electrical circuitry within a computer that executes a computer program's instructions by executing the fundamental arithmetic, logical, control, and input/output (I/O) operations required by the instructions. As a result, a CPU is critical to computer performance.

A CPU should, in principle, run at the same speed for the rest of its life. However, a CPU will slow down over time as dust builds up on the heatsink and lower-quality thermal paste causes the CPU to overheat, causing the CPU to slow down in order to avoid damage.

How to Make Your Computer Work Faster?

You can take the following actions to fix the issues that are slowing down your computer −

Uninstall Apps That Are No Longer in Use

There are two sorts of apps that might cause your computer to slow down. The first and the least troublesome are those apps that you and even your computer are not using. They are, in essence, squandering space for no reason.

To uninstall a program −

  • Go to Control Panel > Uninstall a Program.

  • Choose a software that you know you no longer use.

  • Select Uninstall from the drop-down menu.

Temporary Files Should Be Deleted

Every day, whether you realize it or not, your computer creates a slew of temporary files. Cache files, browser history files, and other types of files are produced to aid the smooth operation of your programs and system.

Temporary files were created with noble intentions, but it would be much better if Windows could always delete them when they are not needed, as the name "temporary" implies. Instead, many of these data are left on your computer's hard disc indefinitely. As your hard drive fills, your computer will begin to slow down.

Defragmentation of Hard Drive

Defragmentation should not be used on SSD drives.

Freeing up space on your hard drive: this alone should help your computer run quicker. However, a quicker PC frequently necessitates not just having free disc space, but also efficiently employing that space.

The way files are stored on your hard disc does not allow them to be neatly stacked next to one another as you might think. Because files are spread out among blocks on the drive's platter, when something is erased, vacant blocks appear between the remaining data. As your hard drive tries to locate a file, this dispersion of data implies extra work for it.

Upgrade Computer's Operating Systems

It's possible that your system is obsolete, and upgrading your hardware is the greatest method to give your PC a boost. However, before you invest any money, use CleanMyPC to optimize your old hardware. Set up the different PC cleaning options to operate on your computer automatically, and then see whether that helps your machine run quicker.

If it is still slow, it is probably time to get out the pocketbook. RAM and an SSD are the two expenditures that will have the most impact on your PC.

Updated on: 11-Apr-2022

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