We’ve all been there. Working through a spreadsheet and then realising that, for some time now, every click you’ve been making, every key you’ve pressed and every little mouse input has been ever so slightly delayed. This could be for a few reasons, so read on to find out about some of the most common causes of a slow PC and what you can do to prevent them.
An old or fragmented hard drive
Your hard drive is effectively the “memory” of your PC, but it helps to complete a lot of simple tasks too. The operating system needs some free space to do its job, whether this is to create temporary files, swap files from location to location or stop the drive from fragmenting. When you have no space, this isn’t possible anymore, so your PC will struggle. You can avoid this problem by clearing your hard drive of applications and files you no longer need and keeping around a gigabyte spare just in case. This, combined with the occasional defragmentation, should stop your hard drive from causing issues.
Low amounts of RAM
The amount of RAM you have access to can have a significant impact on your computer’s ability to operate to the best of its ability. RAM, or Random Access Memory, is the short term storage that allows your PC to complete day to day tasks and store files that are currently in use. If your computer has 4GB of RAM or less, it’s likely to struggle with modern systems and IT services, so an upgrade may be required to make sure it can complete even the most standard tasks.
Programs launching on startup
When you install new programs, they will often launch as soon as possible once the PC is turned on. Some systems are notorious for doing this, including Discord, Spotify and McAfee, and the more programs that launch on startup, the more your device will be slowed down. Going into task manager and stopping them from starting whenever you turn your PC on will allow you to experience a much better level of performance from your computer.
If you’ve completed these steps and you’re still struggling with your PC’s performance, Computerman IT provides the best desktop repairs Cairns has to offer. Give us a call today and we’ll get your PC up and running in no time.
