Why is My Computer So Slow?

As I mentioned earlier, the number one cause of computer slowness and the reason you are probably asking, why is my computer so slow, is registry errors.  If your computer starts to run slower, freezes up or just plain crashes a lot, you are probably suffering from errors in your registry.  You may also see occasional pop-up errors, such as system 32 or DLL errors, or have other computer error messages, slow programs, experiencing slow start up or crashes when trying to install or uninstall certain pieces of software.  These are all symptoms of a corrupt registry and will definitely cause your computer to function at a much slower rate.  Click here to immediately get your slow computer much, much faster.

What exactly are these errors and how are they caused?

Your Windows’ registry holds a large amount of data and is the repository for your computer’s configuration files. Hardware settings, user profiles, software settings, network configuration and much more are held in the registry.  Every time you install or uninstall a piece of software, and many times when you write to a file or delete a file, even adjusting your audio settings, causes new entries to be made to or removed from the registry.  Normally, these entries are created or removed as needed but sometimes, and more often than any of us would like, these entries are not removed and leave behind missing or corrupted files which lead to computer problems and leads you to wonder – Why is my computer so slow? Over time, this will cause obsolete and invalid entries and slow performance from your PC.

How do we fix them?

Registry errors can be manually fixed or there are several companies that make software to automatically do all the work for you.  If you ever try to get in to manually make changes to repair windows registry, remember, these are real-time changes that cannot be undone.  So, if you delete something you did not mean to delete, you may be in big trouble and have to reinstall your entire operating system and probably will lose all the data you have on your computer – please be careful if you choose this route.  The software packages are much easier and much safer to use, and more importantly, they fix the errors properly, so you can get back to using a computer that actually functions well and does not suffer from slow computer performance.  Click here to run a free registry scan which will identify any issues that need to be corrected on your slow PC.  I use this piece of software at home and professionally at my workplace and I cannot say enough about how well it works and the difference it makes on slow computers.  Particularly at work, some of the computers there are getting rather old and running this software makes a world of difference if a computer is running slow.

How to pick the right registry cleaner?

A registry cleaner must be compatible with your operating system and you should be able to scan and repair all registry problems with just a few mouse clicks.  Make sure the registry cleaning software allows you to make a backup of the registry before you begin, although rarely needed it is always good practice to back up your registry before beginning this process.  The registry cleaner you choose needs to be able to do a deep scan of your system, finding and fixing obsolete, misplaced or corrupt entries, system holes and fragments that have been created and are causing slow computer performance.  Any registry keys that may have been added or modified by a virus or spyware will also need to be cleaned or completely removed.  A good registry cleaner, like Registry Fix, will also defrag your computer during the registry cleaning process which will additionally make your computer respond better and more quickly.  For a review of defragging and why it should be done, please see my previous post.

Remember, a healthy registry is critically important to the health of your computer and will definitely fix a slow computer.  Having only one or two registry errors can greatly affect your computer and cause slow performance.  You will never again be asking yourself, why is my computer so slow?

Why is my computer so slow? I know that can be a very frustrating question, so let’s get started by doing a few quick and easy things that will speed up your computer right away. There are a couple things you can try for free that will fix any issues you may have and certainly are a couple of the main requirements for stable PC performance.  I will recommend one product that I use professionally quite a bit and it works wonders.  If you would like to look at it, you can find it here.  But first, let’s try some free options.  The following are of vital importance to the health of your computer.

1. Use an antivirus product and keep it up to date.  Do a full system scan at least once a week
2. Make sure your Windows Updates are turned on and up to date
3. Depending on computer usage, you should defrag your PC at least once a month or more often if needed

I have recommended several antivirus products in a previous post.  One of my favorites is a program called Macrovirus, I have never had an issue with any viruses or spyware while using it.  They really keep up with all the newest virus strains and their product is exceptional.  You can also try a free antivirus product that will do a decent job, although not quite as good, but hey it’s free!  Be careful, and do your due diligence,  you usually get what you pay for and the annual cost is very low and worth the price to protect your computer.  Have you ever had your computer completely die and you just don’t know what to with yourself?  Yea, me too, I cannot stress a good antivirus product enough.  Remember to set up a scan of your entire system at least once a week and make sure your antivirus software is also receiving daily updates.  This is fairly simple to do and Macrovirus is set up to do both of these things for you with no configuration on your part.

1. To set up your Windows updates, you only need to go into your control panel and turn them on.  After you have done that, you will receive updates from Microsoft as needed.  If you were behind in your updates, your computer will automatically start downloading and installing the updates.  If you need a guide to help with the setup click here.

1. Defragging is very important.  Computer software stored on your hard drive becomes fragmented over time.  This causes your PC’s resources to work harder and will also cause slowness in your PC.  After a defrag, your computer has to look in only one place to retrieve the data it needs, whether it needs to open an application, shut the computer down or whatever process you may need your computer to execute that accesses its hard drive.  On the other hand, when a computer becomes fragmented, the system resources are consumed with “running around” the hard drive to gather all the data it needs to run a process or execute a command.  It’s like going to one store to get everything you need instead of running all over town.  Obviously, going to one store is much faster and so will your computer be after it has been defragged.  I prefer a program called Advanced Defrag to defrag your PC, but you can also try the free tool that comes with Windows, it can be found in “system tools” in your “accessories” folder.  You may want to try the free tool that comes with Windows and if you decide you need a more effective tool that I personally use I would try Advanced Defrag.  They do have a sixty day money back guarantee if you find it is not the right product for you.  Performing these three simple steps should speed up your computer and certainly maintain its health once all the issues slowing down your PC have been fixed.  Next, we will talk about the number one cause of computer slow down.  Registry errors!  Read on to learn the final step in speeding up your computer…

Why is my computer so slow? Well, I have been asked that question countless times. So, let me give you some answers… There are several things that can make your computer very slow. You could have a virus or spyware, your Windows updates could be behind or perhaps have never been installed, your computer needs to be defragged or you may have corrupt system files or registry errors (this is a big problem quite frequently). These are the main culprits that will fix 90 percent of the computer slowness many PC’s suffer from. Another common cause of slowness is the age of the computer. Sure, some computers get so antiquated that you just have to get a new one, but before you go to that expense, I will walk you through several things you can try before spending the cash.

If your computer is getting old, the first thing you want to try is adding more RAM. This is very easy to do, I like referring to computer hardware as “adult logos”. By that, I mean it is very simple to do and many times the peripherals are color coded for you and more importantly they can only fit in one spot – unless you use a hammer. Don’t try that!

There are a multitude of viruses and their variants that will slow your computer down and cause computer problems. Unfortunately, many viruses are written to steal valuable information and consume precious resources by hiding “behind the scenes” while doing their damage. There is no software package that will stop every single virus but some of the better packages are made by Symantec, McAfee, Zone Alarm but my personal favorite is Macrovirus. You can Google these products and find one that you like, I always recommend reading reviews to make sure these companies are still on top of their game and are providing good protection. The aforementioned products have been doing a really good job for over a decade and should work well for you.

Windows errors and many times the slowness many people experience are caused by registry keys being covertly changed are becoming corrupt, either by a malicious attack, by uninstalling software or by shutting your computer down incorrectly. Do not do a hard-boot (pushing the button on the front of your PC) unless you absolutely have no other choice.

So, what exactly is a registry? The Windows registry is a database and it contains registry keys and registry values. The purpose of the registry is to give the computer information about programs and hardware that is installed on your PC, what user profile to use, what operating system you are using and a multitude of other things. Many, many times this is the answer to why a computer is running so slow and by repairing any errors in your registry, you will greatly speed up your computer. Think of the registry as the brains behind your PC, that directs traffic (so to speak) and can make your computer perform exceptionally or drag it to a halt. Many times this is the primary cause of slow computer performance and will fix a slow computer.

Updating your Windows files and defragging your PC is very simple and I will give you a complete walkthrough in my next post. If are still asking you, why is my computer so slow? And want to learn more, read on…