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Computer Running Slow? What To Do...
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27-Nov-2008
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By far, the biggest problem with computers today is that they're slow. There are many potential causes of this; some of which have to do with software, others have to do with the Internet connection, and others still simply are due to the limits of the hardware you have installed. As is true with any particular problem, the first step is always diagnosis.
Symptoms of a slow computer and what they mean:
Boot-up. The first area to look at with regard to system performance is how fast the machine boots up. Specifically, you are looking at from the time you see the “Microsoft Windows” black screen to the point that Windows is actually usable (for many of you, that will be quite some time after Windows loads). If this is more than 15 seconds, something is wrong. I know there are some of you out there that are even waiting minutes -- plural! This typically means that you 1. have a lot of applications set to load on boot-up; 2. you have very little free space left for your pagefile/dynamic RAM to use; and/or 3. you have very little system RAM (less than a gigabyte).
Security. Another severe cause of system lag can be your security settings. Though I honestly do not advocate having security software (as it just does not work, again, abstinence is the only guarantee...), I'm probably not going to convince most of you right off the bat to stop using it. Depending on the application, and your settings with it, your security software may be eating all of your system resources up -- and it will engage before you can run any other application, each time you run another application. If you think your security software may be eating up significant resources, temporarily turn it off and see if your system operation becomes significantly improved. If this is the case, you either have to adjust your settings to something weaker (which kind of defeats the purpose), or you need more RAM.
Browsing. Ah...the days of frustration we all thought were long gone, back again, stronger than ever. For those of you who remember the days of dial-up, the incessant waiting for a picture to load, the dream of one day being able to watch a 15-second news clip on a Web site, and the inability to talk to someone you don't really want to while responding to an E-mail you didn't really want to respond to...you thought it was all over with broadband, didn't you. The reality is that many broadband connections today are not much faster than dial-up. This may have nothing to do with you at all. Internet connectivity on the user-end has increased exponentially to the exponential power – which is all fine and good, but the backbone still in place to connect all these users/servers/et cetera together really hasn't grown that much. Back in '99, OC-48 was the mainstay of the 'big boys'...and it still is. There are bigger lines some places, but that really doesn't mean anything if you're on the short end, and/or your requested server is as well. But I digress... If you find that your computer boots and runs well, but your Web browsing seems slow and not much faster than dial-up, then you unfortunately have a dud-carrier. The only thing you can do is switch companies.
Multi-tasking. Odds are you aren't just doing one thing at a time while using your computer. Even if you don't know it, you are in fact using several different programs – and holding some others in reserve, so to speak. The whole point behind Windows and other modern operating systems really is the ability to multi-task. And the software really does allow for that to happen; the problem is that typically the computer is lacking on the necessary resources. Depending on the applications you are running, this could be either your processor (if you consistently have to run multiple applications that really use up processing power, you may want to consider switching to a pc with multiple cores), or you need more RAM.
Some things you can do:
Whether you know it or not, there are in fact some easy things you can do to speed up your computer without much issue. Anything you don't feel comfortable with, certainly can and should be performed by a trained technician, and by all means if you have someone that you regularly use for such things, consult with them first before investing any more money into your system.
RAM. I don't care what anybody tells you, you can never have enough RAM. RAM is the physical memory your computer uses to get your things done. This will not fix all of your speed issues, but definitely 90% of them. If you have less than 2 GB of RAM installed on your computer – and your motherboard can take more, get more. As I have stated previously, I run 4 GB – and have considered upping from time to time. You will also get more years (plural) of usage out of your system if you have extra RAM – and RAM is typically cheap, much cheaper than a new pc, especially when that isn't what you need at all. Before buying more RAM, you need to know three things: 1. how much RAM you have; 2. how much RAM your system can take; and 3. what kind of RAM your system takes. There are a few ways you can find out how much RAM you have. Typically boot-up screens will show how much you have. You can also right+click on 'My Computer' or 'Computer' and left+click on properties – and eventually in the bottom right of the pop-up window it will tell you how much RAM is currently installed on your system. The best way to find out how much RAM you can take and what kind is to consult the system manual/specifications. If you, like many, did not keep this information – you typically can consult your manufacturer's Web site and under the support information you can find this out. Some will auto-load your system settings by running their own scan, others will have you enter the service tag, and others yet will have you do a search by the model. One thing to note – some manufacturers (Dell...) are moving toward proprietary memory – meaning you have to buy it from them, typically at cost above what you would pay elsewhere. This is definitely something to consider when buying a new pc as a Dell system that is even $200 or $300 less than a competitor model (which is never the case anymore) might have a lot of hidden fees that you don't realize, and it's best to avoid this. And a final word of caution – whenever you work inside a pc, you have to be aware that it only takes one static discharge to completely fry your motherboard. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, don't. Any good technician would charge no more than $30 to install a couple of RAM chips, and for the added ease of mind, it's certainly worth it.
Hard Drive. This is typically not what your problem is. I have, however, seen some hard drives that literally have no free space left. It will say 0 Bytes Free. At this point, if the system even boots up at all, it won't run well. This is because your computer is looking for dynamic RAM (whether you need it or not). For standard users the best policy here is to use your system's built-in “disk clean-up utility”. Also use the default settings and make a note not to delete your “setup and installation files” - this can cause problems if you update or remove some applications later on (particularly Microsoft ones). It is a good habit to get into, but this will only have an impact if you have less than 1 GB free.
Programs. If you (or someone else) installed a lot of programs at one time that you no longer use, it is probably a good idea to get rid of them. Even if you don't use a program, sometimes it is set to start automatically as Windows starts – which will impact system performance. Some people suggest editing the list of programs that start with Windows anyway; I, however, do not. If you are going to use a program, it is a good thing to have it load with Windows. It means that when you go to use that application (which typically will be from within another application) your usage will be more seamless and less 'clunky' than if it had to load at the time it is called. As well, if your system was running moderately well on boot-up and loading this one extra application caused the delay, it might be harder to pin-point where the problem with system resources really lies – so it's a self-defeating practice to modify your boot-up programs without actually fixing the problem, and if you fix the problem, it's best to leave it set on boot-up. This is accomplished through using either the application's own uninstall program (preferred), or by using the “Add/Remove Programs Tool” from the control panel.
What a trained technician can do for you:
Computing has changed significantly since its' widespread onset in the '80s. Where at one time it took great skill to perform most software and hardware operations, now with guided instructions any Microsoft Word Bandit can seem like a brain surgeon (and probably act like it, too...). There still are some things you should leave to the professionals.
Processor. As previously stated, you may be in a situation where your computer has the memory resources well under control, but it simply can't handle the multi-tasking you're asking of it. Given the fact that we're into the world of quad-core processors, if you are still running off of a single core – upgrading is probably not the option for you. If you happen to have a dual-core processor, upgrading might be right for you. If you have, say, a 1.6 GHz dual-core processor, that means you really have two 800 MHz single-core processors. If you happen to run an application that requires 1 GHz of computing power, you really are coming up empty handed and that program will not run well. At this point, upgrading to a 2.0 GHz dual-core would be a viable option, but this is not something you can do yourself. There also is the associated cost – it may simply be cheaper overall to purchase a newer system. A good technician will be able to explain the options to you and allow you to make the best decision that suites your needs.
Software. Odds are the software you are using is what came with the computer, what a 'friend' recommended, or what happened to look good on the shelf. It may in fact do what you want it to, but it may not be right for your system. Consult with your technician on possible alternatives that are available. Ask specifically about Web-based applications (Google has their own productivity suite out now) as these take up no system resources beyond your browser and its various 'plug-in' applications. After trying these out, if you find that you still want to use your old software, revisit the issue of updating or replacing your system. Again, consulting with your technician is always a good start and a great resource.
With these ideas, and some of your own (after all, most innovations have been random mistakes), hopefully you can reduce the headaches, save on the migraine pills, and increase your productivity/enjoyability in the process. I would like to add that in addition to system performance, there are also time-saving practices and methodologies that can improve your current efficiency by more than 100%; but that is another article for another day... |
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