Top 3 Reasons Why Your PC Is Slow as a Snail (and Software to Help Fix It)
Something’s definitely wrong. The computer that used to boot up really fast and load everything in a blink, now takes forever to get things done. It’s no longer a speedy cheetah, it’s turned into a sluggish snail and it’s driving you up the walls. Questions like “how could something like this happen?” and “what can I do to fix it?” are probably going through your head.
The bad news is that all computers will lose their performance over time. The good news is that there is something you can do about it. Below, I take a look at the top 3 factors that negatively impact a computer’s performance and I tell you what software applications you can use to make things better.
1. There’s too much junk and it’s clogging up your system
Compare your computer to a backpacker travelling through Europe, because he needs find out who he really is before starting college. At start, the backpack is nice and light. But as you put more and more stuff in it, it gets heavier and heavier, making it increasingly difficult for the backpacker to walk.
It’s a crude oversimplification, I know. But the simple truth of the matter is that over time, your computer will gather more and more junk. Unless you remove all this junk, it will end up clogging your system and slowing down your PC.
Several types of junk will clutter and slow down your PC: temporary internet files, cache and log files, Windows Registry errors, software applications you no longer use, and more. By removing all this junk you will not only give your PC a speed boost, you will also reclaim some storage space.
The tool I frequently use to clean my PC is Piriform’s CCleaner. It’s free, it efficiently removes all sorts of junk, and it comes with a few handy extra features. Other software applications that can clean your computer are:
To efficiently remove applications you no longer need, I recommend you try one of these 5 free uninstallers. They’ll make sure that when you uninstall an application, it doesn’t leave any junk behind. I should also mention an application called Should I Remove It? It provides an answer to the question “should I uninstall this application?”
And last but not least, if you want to remove junk because you need to reclaim some storage space, here are my 5 top tips on how to clean your disk.
2. Malware might have snuck onto your computer
Malware will always have a negative impact on a PC’s performance. If you removed all the junk and your PC is still running slow, chances are it’s been infected. The solution in this situation is quite simple: you need to use security software to scan your PC, find the infection, and remove it.
There are tons of security companies out there (here's a list) that offer lots of security solutions for Windows-powered PCs. Leaving the paid products aside, here are a handful of security companies that have free security software to offer:
Security shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you want to keep everything nice and safe, I recommend you follow these 5 security measures.
3. Your hardware is too old
When did you say you got your PC? 3, 4, 5 year ago? It’s time to face the music: your PC is too old. Perhaps you should consider purchasing a new one. And, if you’re going to get a new one, you might as well get a powerful PC that can handle the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset.
Don’t want to get a new PC? In that case, I have another suggestion: upgrade your existing hardware. To understand what hardware components you can replace/upgrade, you must first understand what hardware you already have. That’s something you can do with Speccy, Piriform’s system information tool. It provides loads of useful information about your system’s hardware components.
Bonus Infographic
Here’s an infographic from security company BullGuard. It presents some handy tips on how to boost your PC’s performance.
Honorable mention – WhySoSlow
This free tool can monitor your system’s performance and uncover what is negatively impacting its performance. The downside is that it's a Beta.
The bad news is that all computers will lose their performance over time. The good news is that there is something you can do about it. Below, I take a look at the top 3 factors that negatively impact a computer’s performance and I tell you what software applications you can use to make things better.
1. There’s too much junk and it’s clogging up your system
Compare your computer to a backpacker travelling through Europe, because he needs find out who he really is before starting college. At start, the backpack is nice and light. But as you put more and more stuff in it, it gets heavier and heavier, making it increasingly difficult for the backpacker to walk.
It’s a crude oversimplification, I know. But the simple truth of the matter is that over time, your computer will gather more and more junk. Unless you remove all this junk, it will end up clogging your system and slowing down your PC.
Several types of junk will clutter and slow down your PC: temporary internet files, cache and log files, Windows Registry errors, software applications you no longer use, and more. By removing all this junk you will not only give your PC a speed boost, you will also reclaim some storage space.
The tool I frequently use to clean my PC is Piriform’s CCleaner. It’s free, it efficiently removes all sorts of junk, and it comes with a few handy extra features. Other software applications that can clean your computer are:
- YAC (Yet Another Cleaner);
- UPCleaner (Ultimate PC Cleaner);
- F-Secure Booster;
- Avast Cleanup;
- Avira System Speedup;
- PCKeeper Live;
- Baidu Cleaner.
To efficiently remove applications you no longer need, I recommend you try one of these 5 free uninstallers. They’ll make sure that when you uninstall an application, it doesn’t leave any junk behind. I should also mention an application called Should I Remove It? It provides an answer to the question “should I uninstall this application?”
And last but not least, if you want to remove junk because you need to reclaim some storage space, here are my 5 top tips on how to clean your disk.
2. Malware might have snuck onto your computer
Malware will always have a negative impact on a PC’s performance. If you removed all the junk and your PC is still running slow, chances are it’s been infected. The solution in this situation is quite simple: you need to use security software to scan your PC, find the infection, and remove it.
There are tons of security companies out there (here's a list) that offer lots of security solutions for Windows-powered PCs. Leaving the paid products aside, here are a handful of security companies that have free security software to offer:
Security shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you want to keep everything nice and safe, I recommend you follow these 5 security measures.
3. Your hardware is too old
When did you say you got your PC? 3, 4, 5 year ago? It’s time to face the music: your PC is too old. Perhaps you should consider purchasing a new one. And, if you’re going to get a new one, you might as well get a powerful PC that can handle the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset.
Don’t want to get a new PC? In that case, I have another suggestion: upgrade your existing hardware. To understand what hardware components you can replace/upgrade, you must first understand what hardware you already have. That’s something you can do with Speccy, Piriform’s system information tool. It provides loads of useful information about your system’s hardware components.
Bonus Infographic
Here’s an infographic from security company BullGuard. It presents some handy tips on how to boost your PC’s performance.
Honorable mention – WhySoSlow
This free tool can monitor your system’s performance and uncover what is negatively impacting its performance. The downside is that it's a Beta.
