"My computer seems to just get slower and slower! Why?"You're not going nuts... if your computer is even just a few years old, it really is slower than it was when you first bought it. And guess what? If you wipe everything and restore it to its "factory setting", it will still be slower! Here's why: Virtually all the websites you visit are pushing far more content than ever, such as pictures, ad banners, videos, animations, and links to social media sites. They also push programs (also called scripts) that your computer runs automatically, which poke around and collect information on you to display relevant ads or otherwise track what you're doing. Also, the web browser you're using (such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome) is bigger than the one your computer originally came with, and it uses more of your computer's memory and processor time even when you're just doing routine tasks on a website. You have no choice but to use the newest versions of your browser, though. Otherwise, criminals can exploit bugs in the older versions, and install viruses and spyware on your computer just from your clicking on a link to one of their websites. So, as long as your web browser is open, even if it's in the background and it doesn't seem like you're doing anything, it is probably taking up more memory and processor time than your other programs combined, and this will slow down everything you try to do. And, even if your web browser isn't open, many of the other applications you use—such as QuickBooks or Microsoft Office, to name two of the most common—are also slowing down your computer the same way your web browser does. That is, you probably have had to upgrade your applications to the latest versions to be able to share files with others, and these versions are bigger, and therefore slower, than the ones you used when you first got your computer. So, even though your computer's hardware and physical capabilities are exactly the same as when it was new, it's all the garbage you see on a typical webpage, and bigger applications you have to install to keep your computer relevant, that make your computer slower. Sometimes just knowing this makes it easier to tolerate. But, you still want to make it faster, right? You might be tempted to try some of the services that advertise on TV or radio that claim they can speed up your computer by "cleaning" your registry, removing cookies, etc. Please don't use these. While some performance gains can be seen from tuning your computer's settings and system data, it should only be done by a professional. Automated clean-up programs always overstate all the "errors" they claim to find, then bug you for your credit card to "fix" all these errors. In reality, most of these "errors" have no effect on your computer's performance; but the clean-up program itself can easily corrupt your computer's configuration when "fixing" it, making it unusable! So, the bottom line is really simple, and maybe not what you wanted to hear: If you really can't stand how slow your computer has gotten, it is probably time to buy a new computer. With each passing year, the ability of the latest computers to run big programs and process large amounts of information has increased dramatically. If your current computer is more than a few years old, a new computer can easily run 50 times faster! |