Overheating

Computers can generate a lot of heat and often a computer can start to have problems if it is overheating. There may be a number of reasons why a computer is overheating: -

• Problems with the fan – check that it is not loose or broken.
• Dust – ensure that the interior of your computer is kept as dust free as possible.

Extra RAM required

When you purchase a new computer, generally everything runs quite quickly. After a period and lots more software additions, you may find you require extra RAM. Purchasing RAM is quite inexpensive and can make a huge improvement to the performance of your computer.

Virus or Trojans

If you find your computer slow, run an updated virus scanner as you could have a virus.
Read this article to see tips on how to prevent a virus attack.

Background Software

A common reason for a slow computer is that there maybe a number of processes running in the background that you are unaware of. Often when you download new software, there is an option to add it to the Start Up process. This means that every time you reboot your system, this software is started. Check what’s in your the Startup folder in the Start menu and remove any that are not required.

Hard Disk Problems

There are many different reasons why a hard disk can fail. It could be the disk itself being faulty or old but it could also be the disk configuration.
The signs of a hard disk failure are usually: -

• An increasing number of bad sectors when running scandisk and chkdsk.
• Blue Screens for no apparent reason.
• Intermittent boot problems when rebooting.

If you see the above occurring, we recommend you do a full backup and get your hard disk checked out.

Fragmented Disk

As files are added, deleted, and updated on a disk, the contents of the file can become spread across different sectors located in different regions of the disk. This is called file or disk fragmentation. Disk fragmentation can slow down your machine because the disk heads have to move back and forth to find all the fragments of a file. Windows comes with it’s own disk defragmentation tool and the microsoft website explains how to run it. Symantec also offers a free disk defragmentation tool.

Reinstall Windows

No matter which version of Windows you run, at times your personal computer will start to become unstable. This is even more likely if you often install new software or change hardware. The more you use your PC, the greater the chance that some of the key Windows files will become corrupt. If this is the case, the best solution can be to reinstall Windows.
Click here to find read more on what’s involved.