Attempting to fix a computer running slower than normal is fraught with disastrous possibilities. The oft toted cure-all of a Registry Cleaner especially should be approached with extreme caution. There are a few other “cures” you should try first.
Before you chuck the PC through the window, sit down and consider your options. There really are quite effective options, and moving forward cautiously can save you from shedding a bucket full of tears. Let us go through them one by one:
1. Clean up your computer’s Desktop. I’m serious! A cluttered desktop can be a killer to computer performance. One of the most senseless things I’ve come across, is when you do upgrades to installed programs – some large vendors (Corel for one) will download the upgrade to your desktop, from where you run the installer. This will have a massively large file residing on your desktop. Check for that (and other partially downloaded installers), unused icons, and other junk and DELETE them. (Windows have several wizards to do this, depending on the version.)
2. Windows Task Manager. This handy facility can be accessed by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del. Open the different tabs and look through the running processes, applications and so on to identify old programs that you no longer use. Once you are sure of your list, uninstall them through Control Panel. This is important – an improper uninstall will leave a lot of trash in the PC Registry (deadly for computer performance and speed!)
3. Do a Defragmentation of your hard drive. The surface of your computer’s hard drive is a very busy intersection. There is a lot of writing and deleting going on there, and very soon it gets frightfully cluttered. Before you defrag, it is advisable to do a proper cleanup, but for that you need dedicated, professional software (tip: on my website I’ll suggest one of them). At least cultivate a serious habit of doing a defrag after each new install/uninstall. It will do your computer performance a world of good.
4. Registry Cleanup. If you are not extremely careful, this is where you broaden your vocabulary with interesting words such as “Blue Screen of Death, Registry Backup, System Restore, Data Recovery” etc. The “Registry” resides in a protected area on the hard drive, and if corrupted will cause a crash. It holds all the information for your PC’s Operating System to run. Also information on installed programs and hardware, program preferences, serial Keys, versions and so on. Fiddle with the Registry with “free scans” and if you’re lucky, at worst you will only be stuck with spyware or other phishing- or malware. But even that is no joke . . .
5. Hardware Problems. Sad to say, this is also a likely cause, and this is where you learn to run Hardware Troubleshooters. If you’re lucky, the culprit will be a computer component that can be replaced. Nevertheless, nine out of ten cases, one or more of the options mentioned above will lead to a significant improvement of your computer’s performance.
What would you give to sit in the driving seat of a tool that can unfailingly identify problem areas in your computer, and then go ahead and painlessly fix them? A King’s Ransom? Not necessary! You can get your driver’s license for much less than that.
If you want to come for a visit , Gerry has more detail on ‘7 Easy Fixes For a Computer Running Slower Than Usual’, plus a simple but effective fix to your computer problems.