Or at least, slower than normal? Don’t quite know what’s wrong?

OK, let’s see if we can help. Most people immediately think “Malware” at this point. But that’s not always the case. Yes, some malware does indeed slow down your system and use up precious resources. But there are other possible causes as well, so let’s explore some of these, and look at some ideas to help.


Is your PC clean?

And by that I mean – is it free from dust and dirt? to take some sensible precautions. A useful guide to PC cleaning can be found hear Cleaning the Interior of your PC


Clear out your Temp files.

Why? Well temp files can build up over time and eat into your precious disk space. When you install programmes, the installer uses temp (temporary) files as part of the set up process. Some programmes also use temp files when in use. These temp files should be removed when the installer or programme is finished, but this does not always happen. And, of course, your browser will collect temp files as well. A build up of temp files could leave Windows struggling to find room for its swap file (see below) – so everything slows down.



Manually (XP & Vista) – Firstly, exit all programmes, including browsers and AVs. Go to Start > Run and type %Temp% in the Run box and click OK. A folder will appear – it will contain temp files and temp folders. If you want to delete everything, press Ctrl+A (to select all) and then press the delete key. If you want to keep any files then hold down the Ctrl key and left click the file or folder. Then press the delete key. Click OK to confirm deletion. Once done, remember to go to your Recycle Bin and empty the bin.



Don’t forget XP does have it’s own utility for cleaning – it can be found via Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup.


Any old programmes?

Do you still have some old programs installed? Remember that ‘trial’ Has the trial period expired? Could you perhaps uninstall it it's better to uninstall them.


Are you using unnecessary programmes?

using some programs that may eat your RAM. ex:- windows blind etc...


Reduce the number of programmes loading at start up

Many applications insist on starting either the complete programme or a component of the programme whenever Windows starts. Many of these start ups are unnecessary and can be stopped. A good way to review the number of start up programmes is by using a start up manager utility, such as Spybot 1.5, StartUpLite or Autoruns. In Spybot, you’ll need to click Mode > Advanced to ensure you have access to the Tools section, then select System Startup in the left pane. A list of programmes that start when you boot up will be displayed in the right pane. You simply uncheck the ones you don’t need.


Do you have enough RAM?

Lack of memory can be a real issue, especially with today’s high performance machines and Operating Systems (OS). If you’re using Windows (and let’s face it, most of us are) then you need to ensure you have the appropriate amount of RAM for your system. Microsoft list “minimum requirements” with each OS – but they are in the business of selling software. That’s why their “minimum requirements” are always at the lower end of the scale. There are numerous sites around that will advise you need “x” amount for XP and “y” amount for Vista. As a general rule, Vista works well with 2GB and XP with 1GB. You can use more, of course, but as a minimum these figures are accurate.

If you don’t have very much RAM, what happens? Well, Windows loads programmes into memory to allow fast access. When it has no more memory left, it will start using your hard disk. This is much slower than using RAM, so your programmes will appear to run more slowly. The part of the hard disk used by Windows is called a swap file. So, a lack of RAM can also eat into your hard disk space as well.


See here Install RAM memory & give your PC some speed for a guide to installing your RAM.



Defrag your hard disk

Over a period of time, data written to your hard disk becomes fragmented or scattered all over the disk. This makes it harder for the system to find the data it needs. By defragging your disk, or putting the data in a more logical sequence, your system performance will improve. NOTE: Windows will not let you defrag a drive if there is less than 15% free space available. Keep an eye on your free space!

You could use a defragging utility such as Sysinternals PageDefrag – this is free and easy to use.

For a guide to defragging see
here for XP
here for Vista



What about my swap file?

You can change the settings on your swap file to allow Windows to have more disk space to play with. This disk space is also known as Virtual Memory. For a 32 bit Operating System (which most users will have) set any amount up to a maximum of 4Gb. Try and at least match the amount of RAM in your system. Of course, you will need to have enough free disk space for this swap file.

Useful step-by-step guides can be found
here for Win98 and XP
here for Vista

Something else to consider is that the swap file should not be fragmented in order to obtain the best results. This can be done by selecting ‘No swap file’, rebooting (you have to do this, to apply the changes), defragging the drive and then resetting the swap file to a size of your choosing. The swap file will now be an area of the maximum contiguous (uninterrupted) free space – and therefore optimum performance.

Note: When choosing a value it is often suggested to set a static size swap file – set the Initial and Maximum amounts to the same value. This saves Windows from using resources to manage a dynamic swap file.



Does your hard disk contain errors?

A hard disk will not last forever. Even a new hard disk can have problems. However, many problems can be fixed, simply by running a Windows utility called ChkDsk. This will scan your hard disk and repair any file system errors while verifying the integrity of the drive. Guides from Microsoft on using ChkDsk can be found

here for XP
here for Vista



Do your System Files contain errors?

Sometimes critical system files may become damaged or corrupt. This will obviously affect your computer’s performance. However, Windows has the ability to replace any damaged files on its own – this facility is called Windows File Protection. It can be started manually by typing a simple command into the Run box - sfc /scannow. This command immediately starts the Windows File Protection utility and it then checks and scans all system files to ensure their integrity.



Stopping unnecessary services


One service that often causes a system to slow down is the Indexing Service – this can be turned off – see here for a guide.


Driver/Device Conflicts

Are all your hardware drivers up to date? Using an out of date driver could cause hardware conflicts and crash your system. Have a look at Microsoft’s suggestions on troubleshooting driver/device conflicts here.


Internet Explorer

IE 7 includes a phishing filter – very useful indeed. But it can slow down your browsing as the filter checks each web page. Have a look at Microsoft’s suggestions on this here.



Anti Virus Programmes

Never use more than one Anti Virus.