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Is your computer running slow?Sometimes I get a call from someone who has a computer which is running progressively more slowly. "It is just getting slower and slower" they say. What they want is either for me to make it run fast again, or tell them how to fix it. Actually, there are things you can do which could help. Here are some things to try and consider.OldComputers do get old. Software gets bigger and requires more power as it tends to do more stuff. If your computer is more than 4 or 5 years old, just get a new one. The old one will continue to get less and less able to run current software.Needs a reboot or programs closedA workstation computer that is used each day for various activities, needs to be rebooted every couple of weeks. The programs it runs, need to be shut down and re-opened so any memory leaks get re-allocated. If you never shut off your computer and leave software open all the time, then your computer will get cranky. Try and close all programs every night. Remember to shutdown or reboot your computer every couple of weeks.Too much stuff running
Under powered for the job
Heat issuesSometimes computers overheat and slow down in order to reduce heat. This could be because a fan stops or the conductive gel cracks connecting the heat sink to the cpu, or the system gets dusty and the dust holds in the heat on components. I discuss heat issues in this article. It is normal for a cpu to run hot if it is working hard. When all 4 cores of your processor are pushing their capacity, it will run well over 150 degrees. But, when resting, it should be much cooler. Currently I like the Open Hardware monitor best.Malware issuesYou could have a virus. I assume that you have done a full scan with your anti-virus program. I suggest you also do a scan and clean with Malwarebytes free version, not the paid one, and or TrendMicro's Housecall. If those don't clean it up, and you still suspect a virus, you may need to consult a professional, but the next step is to boot off a special CD or USB drive (write protected) which automatically runs an antivirus scan. By not booting from your hard drive, or operating system, you can often find viruses which protect themselves from discovery otherwise. I've had good luck using the free offline Virus Scanners made for this purpose by:
Maintenance issues
Call in an expertOf course, you could bring it in for me to check out.Date: June 2013
This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. |
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