A computer that is slow or unresponsive is a source of frustration. It is frustrating in your leisure time and especially when you use it for work. With the rise of teleworking, there is an even greater need for a fast and reliable computer.
Home schooling also demands fast computers. Remember that home schooling is a school learning format that, even when the coronavirus pandemic has been overcome, will still be important. It could be that the computer has become obsolete, i.e. it is already a few years old. In that case, you will have to think about renewing it.
Signs that your computer is slow
How do you know if your computer is slow? There are a number of signs, but we assure you that if your computer is slow, you will notice it right away.
The first sign you notice is when you run software, and it takes forever for your computer to open. Another way to know if the computer is reluctant is to open several softwares (two or three) at the same time. If your laptop or desktop keeps working well, that means it’s still fast, responsive. If it crashes or takes too long to complete the tasks you’re doing, your computer has lost speed.
Windows Task Manager: Your biggest ally
The Task Manager of the Windows operating system is like a dashboard for the health of your personal computer. It is a fundamental tool. With the Task Manager you can know which programs are overloading the processor and how much memory each thing is consuming
How to open the Task Manager
An easy way to open the Task Manager is to place the cursor on the Taskbar, right click and choose Task Manager from the list of options. You can also open this tool by combining the Control + Alt + Delete keys.
Close a program that resists
One of the most common uses of the Task Manager is to force the closing of an application that was running and that has been left hanging. Other times you want to close it, simply because the application or process in question is slowing down your computer. Open the task manager, place yourself on top of the program in question, right-click and select End task.
Monitor the system
The task list is divided, by default, into Applications and Processes in the background. It is a control panel that is constantly refreshed, with the different columns refreshing their data and percentages at all times.
Limit yourself to observing how the different levels of PC resource utilization evolve:
- CPU (Processor)
- Memory
- Record
- Network
- GPU
Which software and processes consume the most resources?
Pay attention to the applications that appear at the top of each column, which are the ones that consume more resources of each concept (CPU, memory, etc). Make sure that the applications are ordered, from top to bottom, from the one that uses the most resources (top of all) to the one that uses the least (bottom of all).
Main causes of your computer going at a snail’s pace
The reasons for your computer being too slow can be many. But there are a number of causes that occur more often:
Viruses and malware
If your computer has a virus or malware, performance will suffer. Therefore, one of the first actions is to pass on the antivirus and specific malware removal programs.
Scanning your antivirus
Antivirus software can slow down your system when it is running on the lookout for viruses and malware. If you can schedule the time when the antivirus software is activated, do so at a time when you will most likely not be using your PC.
Software that opens with the computer
If the computer has trouble starting, there are probably too many software programs that are set to open as soon as you open the computer. You can decide the list of applications and services that start when you start the computer.
Browser Overload
The browser is often the culprit in the computer playing hooky. That happens when you have a lot of windows and tabs open. Each window and tab consumes memory and processor capacity, which ends up making your computer slow.
Measures to give your computer speed
There are a wide range of methods to solve speed problems and to make your computer more agile. We propose some solutions that will speed up the operation of your computer, not even temporarily. Check the available storage space and the health of your hard drive. If your hard drive or SSD runs out of space or is getting old, you may have problems. Of course, your computer will slow down.
Make sure the Internet works properly
If you’re using the browser and it’s going slowly, it could be that the source of the problem is the Internet connection. Run speed tests to confirm that everything is in order. If you put “internet speed test” into Google, you’ll get different websites that measure the speed of your connection.
Close the software when you are no longer using it
Make sure it’s not working in the notification tray, next to the Wi-Fi and volume indicators. Watch out, because there are some applications that are still active in the background, even though you’ve closed them. Remove any programs you no longer use. At the time, you installed several software programs that you no longer use.
Turn off the computer
Don’t just reboot it. Turn it off. Unplug it. And let a few minutes pass. That way the computer can clear the memory and start fresh when you turn it back on.
