Speeding Up a Slow Computer

Does your computer take longer and longer to boot-up? Do you go away and do something for several minutes before you can start using your computer? What about your programs, do they open up slowly as well. Then there’s the internet, have you seen a webpage lately? There are many reasons why a computer gets slow over time, and most of them are software related.

When you bring  your computer to Gakidoo’s, we can perform a Free PC Checkup to get an overview of your computer’s specs and health. If your computer boots to Windows, albeit slow, we can find out what is causing it to be slow.

Common Causes for a Slow Computer

• Too Many Programs Running in the Background
• Virus and Spyware Infections (Malware)
• System File and Registry Corruption
• Resource Hogs
• Running Programs your System doesn’t Meet Minimum System Requirement for
• Redundant Security Programs (2 Antivirus Programs, etc)
• Low Disk Space
• Hard Drive Errors
• Insufficient Memory

From there, we can advise you on what needs to be done to correct the problem and improve the performance of your computer. It could be as simple as a tune-up or memory upgrade, to labor intensive work such as malware removal or reloading the operating system. Sadly, most slow computers are due to malware infections which are preventable, and if not taken care of soon enough, may indirectly lead to a bad hard drive due to bad shutdowns performed by the user when your computer freezes.

Common Methods for Speeding Up a Slow Computer

• Check System Specs to Determine Expected Performance
• Use Task Manager to Identify Memory Intensive Applications and Processes (Resource Hogs)
• Delete Unnecessary Startup Programs from Startup folder
• Perform Selective Startup by Disabling Unnecessary Startup Programs in “msconfig”
• Disable Unnecessary Windows Services
• Remove Redundant Security Programs
• Remove Unnecessary Programs
• Virus and Spyware Removal (Malware)
• Disk Cleanup (Free Up Disk Space)
• Registry Cleanup
• Correct Errors on Hard Drive (Chkdsk)
• Disk Defragmentation
• Upgrade Memory
• Reload Operating System

Myth About Old Computers

Maybe your computer is getting old and you’re thinking it’s time for a new computer. Some computers are not as old as you think and unlike humans that slow down with age, electronics works or it doesn’t. Its true that some electronic circuits may perform intermittently or malfunction permanently due to component aging, but for the most part, an old computer can perform just as well in its old age as it did when it was new. Any slowness is usually due to issues with the software. Fix the software and you fix the speed issue. An exception to this is if you are trying to run software your system doesn’t meet the requirements for in which you may only be able to correct with an upgrade to your hardware such as more memory.

Aside from Malware problems, your computer should last a good 3 – 5 years or more. To get an idea how old your computer is, check which operating system you have below:

• 1998: Windows 98
• 2000: Windows ME/2000
• 2002: Windows XP
• 2006: Windows Vista
• 2009: Windows 7

Whatever you do, please don’t fall for the sensational claims touted by some of those TV and Radio ads that offer a free online diagnosis of your computer. It is anything but free if you want to go beyond a diagnosis, and you just might find out that their software is not very effective. There are plenty of truly free, reputable alternatives or trials you can use to do a better job.

If you need professional help in speeding up your computer, Call 676-1900