My PC takes ages to start up and run
I bet that when you bought your computer it was running fast but it’s just a matter of time before you have a slow PC in your hands. It seems that way, right?
There are mainly four reasons why your computer may be slow:
- Certain programs and services need to start at the same time as Windows
- Malware (viruses, spyware, etc)
- General clutter in your system
- Fragmented hard drive
In this article we’ll provide some typical solutions that you may want to try.
Software Installation which slows my PC
Unused applications still running in my computer
This happens to all of us. We browse the web, we fancy an application, we download it, install it, try it and, in most cases, we forget about it! Some of these applications possibly launch at start up and run in the background without you noticing it, hindering your computer’s performance.
Our recommendation: check your installed applications often and uninstall the ones that you don’t need. To do this go to Control Panel, click on “Programs and Features” (Vista) or “Add/Remove Programs” (XP). Review the list and uninstall the ones that you don’t recognize or simply don’t need.
Programs and features (Windows Vista)
It’s also recommended that you then run msconfig. This tool requires a little more technical understanding but in many cases you’d be able to make the correct decisions on what to leave running or not. This is how you do it:
- Go to the ‘run’ prompt by pressing Windows Key + R
- Type ‘msconfig’ and press enter
- Msconfig will start, click on the StartUp tab.
- Go over the items in the list and uncheck any that you think you don’t need running all the time
- Press ok and restart your PC
msconfig
My computer is slow! Is it because of a virus?
We have clients that come to us explaining that their PC is slow and ask for an optimization service. In some cases their computers have viruses, spyware and other types of malware that slow down their computers.
Our recommendation: the typical prescription for malware (aka virus) problems is:
- Install an Antivirus program, make sure it’s turned on and up to date
- Run the scan procedures of your Antivirus
- Make sure your PC has got the latest security updates from Microsoft
- Enable your Windows firewall
How much clutter is in my PC? Is it making my PC to slow down?
There are two places where clutter accumulates: the Windows registry and the hard drive.
Windows registry clutter
The registry is used by Windows and your programs to store configuration data. As you work with your computer the registry may accumulate unwanted entries causing slow down and even system crashes. There are several tools out there that clean your registry. At TechieNow we don’t endorse any registry cleaner tool in particular but we do recommend that you exercise extreme care when selecting one because a bad registry cleaner can do more damanage than good.
Clutter in my hard drive: temporary files, cache, internet browsing history, etc.
Most programs save temporary data in your hard drive. This data is supposed to be cleaned by Windows or the application itself. However, this doesn’t happen in most cases.
Our recommendation: Run Windows CleanUp utilityand clear the Internet browsing history frequently.
Fragmented Hard Drive
The best scenario for your hard drive is to have all data continously located within the drive. That way the disk reader spends less time jumping from one location to another to find the next bit of information. However, this is not always the case. Most times data is scatter across your slowing down your PC.
To avoid this situation run Windows defrag often. Depending on your disk usage this maybe monthly or weekly.
How Techie Now can help ?
Then why should you come to Techie Now for help?
This is why:
- The above process is relatively simple but if you’re not too comfortable with technology then you may benefit from our expert support
- Sometimes the tools mentioned above are not enough and you need to clean your system manually. Our Techies can perform ‘free form’ repairs without being restricted to specific tools
- Maybe you know how to boost your PC performance but then you also know it takes time. We can do this for you while you do something more productive or enjoyable!