There are reasons for a slow computer and any one of them could result in a crash and Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). A slowdown usually occurs over a period of time. Unless you are on dial-up that is slow to begin with and have less than 512MB of RAM, that too can be a major issue. Below are the top 10 reasons why computer running slow.
Startup Overload
- The more programs you have that are loading at startup, the slower the startup.
- Remove the programs you do not want or are not necessary to be starting at boot-up.
- Clean up PC with below steps:
Step 1: Update Windows.
Step 2: Detect and repair disk error.
Step 3: Disk Cleanup.
Spyware
- These are malicious programs that stealthily embed themselves into your software.
- They are installed in your software without your knowledge, especially through email.
- These must be removed from your computer before they cause damage to your operating system and applications.
Registry
- If your registry is corrupted or bloated, there could be a BSOD in your future.
- Corruption or overload can cause:
Performance problems
Slow windows startup
Extremely slow shutdowns
A general disruption of system processing
Badly Fragmented Hard Drive
- Over time, your computer files can be scattered over your hard drive; this is called fragmentation and causes file searches to be slower than usual.
- Disk Defragmenter reduces data access time and allows storage to be used more efficiently.
Poor Security Software
- A lot of security programs are bloated with software and demand a great deal of system resource and memory.
- The constant surveillance of your system for malicious programs can cause your system to get sluggish.
Page File
- Windows page file is a temporary source of memory used by the system in processing functions.
- If the page file is too small, your operating system will not have enough room to move.
- The result will be poor performance and error messages.
Too many Windows and Temporary Files
- Your hard drive could be crammed with many useless files left over from re-installs and just general use.
Viruses
- A bi-directional firewall and a good and reliable up-to-date antivirus programs should protect you.
Common Hardware Problems
- If your hard drive is not working properly:
Ensure that all cables are properly attached.
Try for a system restore. - Undoing disk drive failures:
Use System Disk to restore system
Reboot your system with a backup disk.
Overheating
- If heat gets high enough, devices may fail to function or suffer permanent damage.
- Many computers are designed to automatically shutdown at a certain temperature and prevent the CPU from suffering permanent damage.