Why Is My Computer Slow? The Top 7 Causes of Slowness

Slow computers are one of the top reason we get called. Nobody likes to waste time waiting for a computer to boot up, load programs, or perform tasks. There are several reasons why a computer might be running slow. Here are the top seven.

Signs to look for:

• Not enough RAM. RAM memory is what your computer uses for working and thinking. If you run a lot of programs at once, your computer may not have enough RAM to do what you’re asking it to. We fix this problem by upgrading your RAM, giving you more to work with.

• Applications that claim to speed up your computer. Some programs are helpful, such as good anti-virus programs. But many “anti-malware” and “speed optimization” programs actually do more harm than good, slowing down your computer. We can clear off any unnecessary programs or applications you no longer use, freeing up space.

• Viruses or malware. Slowness can indicate a virus or malware. We find that this is the top cause of slow computers. We can clean off viruses and malware, and then install a good protection software that will prevent new attacks.

• Not enough hard drive space. When mechanical hard drives fill up, the computer slows down. Particularly if you do a lot of video editing or design work, you’ll find that your computer’s capability is eventually reduced. We can upgrade your hard drive, or even install an SSD drive, which lasts much longer.

• Sharing an internet connection. If your local applications run just fine but your internet is slow, the problem is likely your internet connection. Others on your network (even people in your neighborhood) may be hogging bandwidth. We can help figure out if this is your problem, and we can recommend the ideal internet speed package to get from your internet provider.

• A program is running in the background. Sometimes an anti-virus program or automatic backup program will run in the background, taking up all your RAM. If you’re still having a problem the next day, after leaving your computer to finish running the program, you have some other problem.

• Your computer needs to be defragmented. Disk fragmentation happens when a mechanical hard drive doesn’t take enough time to store a complete file as a unit — instead, it puts parts of the file in gaps between existing files. We can help you with this problem by defragmenting your computer.

A slow computer can be annoying, and it can indicate a serious problem, such as a virus or malware. If you have a slowness problem and can’t figure out what’s causing it, we can help.

Ready to Get Started?

Need help or have any questions? We can diagnose your computer now! Just give us a call at 864-881-1675.