Beside buying computer's components, some of our customers come to us with various computer problems. Most of them want to get their laptops run as fast as the first time when they bought their desktops or laptops. In this article, I would like to share some information about the reasons why pc or laptop runs slow. The root causes of computer slowdowns can be categorised into two groups. The first group is hardware problems related, and the second group is software problems related.
A. Hardware Issues
Some people assume that slow computer is caused by a natural “aging process” of computers. This assumption is not entirely correct because computer doesn’t get slower due to aging of its components; rather, the root causes of performance degradation are almost always tied to a key set of common problems that can easily be remedied with the right tools [1]. However, some components (e.g. graphics card, processor, HDD, etc.) might be too old for new programs or new operating system, so they don't fully support the required features. Here are some reasons why your computer runs slow related to hardware.
A.1 Dusty Components
The Symptoms: Computer becomes very hot easily and creates loud fan noise, screen crashes, system freezes, malfunctioning hardware devices.
Picture: Fan place without fan (dirty Acer TravelMate 5520)
An overheating can be caused by a lot of dust inside your computer. It means you need to clean the components of your computer. If you think that your computer is slowing down because of this issue, but you are not adept with computer, simply pop in our shop, we will do the "cleaning" job for you.
Warning: If you want to clean it yourself, please make sure that you turn off your PC and unplug it from the mains. Static electricity kills chips, so you should wear an ESD (electrostatic discharge) strap. If not, make sure you ground yourself to make sure you are not carrying a static charge. Either way, keep your fingers well away from the motherboard.
When we fix or repair a slow laptop or pc, the first thing we do is checking the physical conditions of the computer. Most of the time, we have to clean all the components to make sure that the computer is in the good and clean conditions before undertaking further diagnosis or repairs.
A.2 Obsolete Hardware Drivers
The Symptoms: Similar to dusty components problem, blue screen crashes, system freezes, malfunctioning hardware devices.
As time goes by, the drivers of your hardware components need to be updated. Device drivers are small programs that act as translators between the Windows operating system and your hardware components such as printers, cameras, or scanners. When your hardware drivers fall out of date, they pose system-wide stability and performance risks [1]. Hence, they slow down the performance of your computer.
You can update the obsolete hardware drivers by visiting the company's website. We have several links for finding the drivers for your computer here. If you can't find any of the drivers that you after, simply come to our shop, we will install the drivers for you.
A.3 Insufficient RAM (Random Access Memory )
The Symptoms: Processing or loading time is longer than usually.
Picture: Adding RAM to Your Desktop
If your current RAM is less than 1GB, adding more RAM will definitely increase computer speed. However, if you want to upgrade it to more than 2GB, it is not guaranteed and often depends on other factors. If a lack of RAM is the only reason for the slowness in an otherwise fast system, then adding more memory will typically improve the operating speed. When there are other problems aside from a shortage of RAM, adding more memory might help, but those secondary factors need to be addressed for the best possible performance. In some cases, a computer might simply be too old to run newer applications efficiently [2].
Here are some informations related to RAM issues from wisegeek.com
A.3.1 Checking RAM
RAM usage on a computer can be checked in different ways, depending on the operating system (OS). On a machine running some version of Windows™, the easiest way to see how much memory the computer has is to view the System screen in the Control Panel. The Task Manager shows how this memory is being used; pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys brings up this program or the option to open it. In this tool, the Performance tab shows a graph of memory resources, and how the RAM is being used may be listed as "physical memory." The Activity Monitor on systems running the Mac™ OS displays similar information on the System Memory tab.
Third-party software can also be used to monitor memory and even free up RAM when necessary, though this is not always the best way to boost computer speed. Freeing up RAM means closing programs that aren't being used, but which are using memory. If a system is low on memory or often requires freeing up RAM, installing more of it can usually improve computer speed.
A.3.2 Adding RAM
Before purchasing additional RAM, it is important to check the motherboard. The motherboard is the circuit board where most of the computer's crucial components are found, and it has a limited amount of space for new memory. The board might be maxed out for the amount of RAM it will support, either in terms of physical sticks of RAM or the combined values of them. For example, a motherboard might only have three slots for RAM and a maximum allowance of 12 GB. If all three slots are filled with 4 GB sticks, then no more can be added; if the motherboard has three 2 GB sticks, then one or more could be replaced by 4 GB sticks to increase the RAM within the space available.
There are several different types of RAM, so it's important for the person who wants to add more to check the computer's user manual or online to find out what kind is needed. The wrong type of memory typically won't fit into the slots in the motherboard, and if it does, the computer usually will not boot up.
Adding RAM to a desktop computer is typically easier than a laptop. Desktops with towers or similar cases can usually be opened and RAM can be installed directly onto the motherboard. Laptop computers have much less room and use smaller sticks of memory that can be more difficult to properly install. Prebuilt computers may also have warranties that are voided by the addition of new components, so this should be considered prior to any hardware changes.
A.3.3 The Purpose of RAM
Within a computer system, the RAM effectively acts as part of the "brain." There are two types of storage used in a computer — long-term and short-term memory — just like a human brain. A hard drive acts as long-term memory, storing data for later use. RAM behaves like short-term memory and is used to actually process information while running a program.
The numerical value of RAM is typically represented in terms of storage quantity, such as one gigabyte. The size of the RAM indicates how much memory is available to run programs and processes at any given time. With more memory to run programs, multiple pieces of software can be used at the same time without slowing the computer too much.
A.4 Other Hardware Causes of Slow Computers
For gamers and people who work with video applications, a slow graphics card might be a contributor to poor performance. A good graphics card should have its own on-board RAM and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), otherwise it will use system RAM and Central Processing Unit (CPU) resources. The motherboard manual typically indicates what types of hardware can be used to improve performance by upgrading to a better card. If the graphics card in a computer is top notch and the RAM seems fine, then the CPU may need to be upgraded, which can drastically improve computer speed.
Picture: Upgrading your CPU, RAM, and Motherboard
Maintenance issues also affect computer speed. A lack of sufficient hard disk space will slow performance, as will a fragmented drive. Upgrading to a larger disk drive can relieve that part of the issue, and hard drives should be defragmented regularly. Spyware, keyloggers, and other malicious software, also known as malware, can also slow a computer by taking up system resources. Malware can also be used to steal or damage data and personal information, so an antivirus program and/or firewall should be used to help protect the system.
In some cases, a computer functions fine except for one specific application. Most software has minimum system requirements that must be met for it to work correctly, but more memory and processing speed is often needed for exceptional performance. If a system can only meet the minimal requirements, then it is likely to have problems running the program. Twice the recommended RAM and processing power are typically needed to ensure fast and reliable performance with a program.
If you are sure that you need to upgrade your RAM or GPU or CPU, why don't you just come to our shop for upgrading your computer? We are the biggest independent computer retailer in Scotland for computer components and peripherals. We offer free upgrade service if you buy component from us.
B. Software Issues
There are various motives for your slowdown computer and any one of them could result in a crash and an up close and personal viewing of the BSOD, (Blue Screen of Death). A reduced speed occurs over a period of time due to software related issues.
Silicon Edinburgh's Hint: Although some software related issues can be solved without reinstalling Windows, we offer Windows re-installation service for you to save your time. You will have a fresh windows without any cluttered files.
B.1 Start up overload
The Symptoms: Slow Windows start up
As you add additional programs, they claim start-up status quickly and quietly. The more programs you have that are loading at start-up, the slower the start-up.
Tips: Go to start, all programs, scroll to Startup and see how many programs are lurking there. The decision is yours. Remove the programs you do not want, or are not necessary, to be starting at boot-up [3].
B. 2 Redundant or Unnecessary Installed Programs
The Symptoms: PC speed and responsiveness have slowed over time, particularly when running more than one program.
The more programs you have installed in your computer, the more work your PC has to do—and installing multiple programs that run the same functions needlessly adds to this burden. But with certain redundant programs, the problem goes beyond just wasted storage space and a larger processing load; for these applications, having multiple ones installed is actively harmful because it overloads background functioning and leads to system conflicts that slow everything down.
Silicon Edinburgh's Hint: Having more than two Anti Virus programs will slow down your computer!
Tips from wiki How: When applications and games are installed to a Windows PC, some files are written in the Windows directory structure and dozens (or more) changes are made to the Windows Registry file. Most of these changes are not readily apparent to the user, so proper removal requires uninstalling the application through the Control Panel's "Add or Remove Program" or "Programs and Features" icon. There are 3rd party applications that can assist removing applications that do not have uninstall routines - or do not fully remove themselves. Revo Uninstaller Pro and CCleaner are two such popular uninstall applications.
Picture: How to uninstall unneeded program
- If the program is not listed in the Control Panel use the "uninstall" command provided by the application.
- Simply deleting the entire application directory is not the same as uninstalling, as all the files written to the Windows directory and changes to the Windows Registry file will remain and may be reloaded when the system is rebooted.
- Make sure that you do not uninstall any programs that are required by others. e.g. iTunes® will not work if Quicktime® is uninstalled, and many programs rely on other Microsoft programs [4].
B.3 Unneeded Desktop Features that try to make things look better.
The Symptoms: Slow Windows start up, PC speed and responsiveness have slowed over time, particularly when running more than one program.
The fancy rounded window corners, the way the menus fade in and out, and the 3-D button styles on modern Desktops all require some computing power and can overwhelm older machines.
Picture: How to adjust for best performance
B.4 Fragmented Files on Hard Drive
The Symptoms: Overall PC speed and responsiveness have slowed over time. Files and programs take longer to open.
When you create and delete files, your computer can’t store a single file as one unit and instead will split it up and store portions of it across different locations on the hard drive. Over time, this fragmented data builds up and your PC’s resources become overburdened: gathering the scattered pieces takes more time and the physical wear on the mechanical parts of the drive increases.
Picture: How to defrag your hard disk drive
B.5 Accumulated Junk File Clutter
The Symptoms: You experience slower responsiveness, particularly during intensive operations like media streaming and game play. Your available disk space has noticeably decreased.
With regular usage, junk files quickly accumulate on your PC: unneeded debris can come from internet browsing, programs that don’t clean up after themselves, unexpected computer restarts, and more. And while the source of the clutter varies, the result is the same: gigabytes of drive space wasted and your PC’s processing load needlessly overtaxed.
Tips from wiki How: Temporary Files are used for supporting some applications for a limited period of time and left unused for later. Go to "C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp" (Windows XP), "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp" (Windows Vista), or "%TEMP%" (any version of Windows) and delete all the files from this folder. If there is a problem deleting one or more files, skip those files and remove the rest. This will free a lot of space on the drive. The Temporary Internet Files directory can also be emptied.
Warnings: Be aware that some of these steps are specific to a specific version of Windows; not all are cross-compatible.
Finally, here are several tips from wiki How, when your computer runs very slow.
- Consider re-installing Windows. It may be easier to format the hard drive and re-install Windows on the computer. Be sure to back up important data first and have all program installation disks ready for re-installation. Be aware that the format process will delete all files on the disk. This means that you will need to reinstall all software and restore all documents from a backup.
- Keep malware in check. If running utilities mentioned in this article gives you an "Access Denied", "You don't have rights to run this", or the program will not run, you probably have a malware infection. Symptoms other than these are frequent phony, but realistic-appearing, anti-virus warnings that your system is infected, or your web browser sending you to pornographic websites or search sites you have not configured it to send you to.
- Keeping Windows Up-to-date, especially with Security Updates, is very important and can prevent BADWARE infections which slow computer.
- Keep your PC cool. When a computer gets too hot, the CPU fan will speed up. If the CPU is still too hot, the CPU will enter something called "thermal throttling" which slows down processing speed in order to prevent the CPU from breaking down. Turning off or hibernating your PC when not using it, increasing airflow, and keeping the room which your PC is located in cool will help keep your computer cool -- and fast.
- Add memory. While not free, adding memory is a very effective way of boosting performance, especially if your system has 1 GB of memory or less. Increasing the amount of memory installed reduces the need for the computer to write to and read from the hard drive. Check the motherboard or system documentation to determine size, type, speed and permissible configurations of memory before purchasing and installing additional memory. If unavailable or you're unable to obtain it, you may wish to download and run the Crucial System Scanner to detect this info and provided suggestions for upgrades. Systems with lower amounts of memory (256 MB to 1 GB) installed receive the greatest boost when increased to 2 GB or more (as this represents a 100-400% or more increase in system memory). Systems that have 2 GB or more memory installed also receive a boost - but it is less noticeable.
- Consider using a different operating system. If you have a slow or old computer consider switching to Linux. This has its own set of issues such as needing to learn a new Operating System, and much more. This is a significant step, and as such; is not covered in this Wiki. Please refer to the WikiHow article: Learning How To Use Linux for more information.
References:
[1] http://www.iolo.com/resources/articles/the-12-root-causes-of-pc-slowdowns/
[2] http://www.wisegeek.com/does-adding-ram-improve-computer-speed.htm
[3] http://www.bestsecuritytips.com/xfsection+article.articleid+43+page+0.htm
[4] http://www.wikihow.com/Speed-Up-a-Slow-Windows-Computer-for-Free
No comments:
Post a Comment