My computer is Running Very Slow: Fast and Easy Solutions

“My computer is running very slow” is the cry of most computer owners anywhere from several months to a year or more after they purchase a new system.

Even the most advanced computers with the newest and fastest processors will slow down over time. Fortunately, it’s preventable, and fixable if it’s already happened to you.

A little regular maintenance can keep your computer running at top speed, and some simple steps can whip it back into shape.

If you’re one of the many now saying, “My computer is running very slow,” you may also be wondering why this is.

Why would your fairly new system with the best processor available at the time be slowing down so much? Just using a computer causes things to happen that will eventually slow it down, and they’re all reversible.

The programs listed here are software that can speed your computer back up by cleaning the registry. The more you use your computer, the more populated your registry becomes.

• It’s the brains of your system, and just like a real brain it gets filled with tidbits and info that it uses once and never again. Errors aren’t uncommon, either.

But the programs I reviewed can scan your registry, fix errors and get rid of any extraneous entries. This alone can make a huge difference in the speed of your computer.

• You don’t need software to fix some problems, though. Try dumping your recycle bin. Just because you’ve deleted gigabytes of pictures or files, doesn’t mean they’re no longer taking space on your hard drive.
• They’re there until you dump your trash can! This can free up precious hard disk space, and on a computer that’s slowing because the hard disk is filling up, just dumping your recycle bin can make a speed difference.

If you’ve tried these things and still say, “My computer is running very slow!” you can try deleting the temporary files on your computer. When you’re on the Internet, your system caches everything you see, meaning it stores a copy of it on your computer.

Temporary files can take up quite a chunk of space. The easiest way to delete these files is go to “My Computer” or “Computer,” depending on whether you’re using XP or Vista. Right click on your hard drive and select “Properties.” Click “Disk Cleanup” and it’ll tell you how much space can be freed up.

The temporary files will most likely make up the biggest chunk of the files that can go–these alone can eat up dozens of gigabytes. Click the ones you’re ready to clean up and let the software do the work.

In addition to using a program you find on my personal review page to clean up the registry, which is a huge eater of disk space, you’ll want to use special software to check for viruses and spyware, two very common problems.

“My computer is running very slow” is often because while surfing or checking your email you’ve picked up a virus or a spy program. The anti-virus software will find these for you and improve the speed of your computer.