Computer Slacking On The Job? 2 Things That Can Slow It Down
If your once fast computer is suddenly running slower, don't throw it out the door. Here are two of the possible problems that could be slowing your computer down. The fix for these problems may be something very simple that you can do yourself before you try taking it in or having remote computer repair services. When you are finished, your computer should run like it once did.
Processes in the Background
A computer program, such as your word processing software, is a set of instructions. A process is what carries out these instructions. For the processes to do their job, they use resources from the CPU (Central Processing Unit). The CPU is the brain of your computer where almost everything takes place.
Some processes are doing something important, such as your antivirus monitoring your computer for viruses. Other processes do not need to be running and they can slow down your computer. Some of these processes may be spyware or malware that was installed on your computer without you knowing it. You should try turning off questionable processes to see if it fixes your problem.
Spyware
Spyware installs on your computer without your knowledge. Once the spyware is installed, it can collect your personal information, steal your passwords, and monitor the sites you visit on the Internet. While it is doing this, you will not know what is going on.
There are clues that you can watch out for that tells you there is spyware. For example, your computer may slow down, cause a slow Internet connection, or it may shut down your connection so you cannot get on the Internet at all.
Spyware can also be a type of adware. This happens when you install software that tracks your behavior. In many cases, you will see pop up messages open on your screen. This usually happens if you install free software from a site that you are not familiar with. Some adware will display a message that your system is infected and ask you to download their software to fix it. If you choose to download the software, more adware is installed on your computer. The next time you want to download any kind of software, do some research on it first to make sure it is not adware. If it is a known adware, you will see many websites with this information.
If you notice any of these problems, you should download a reputable spyware application, and run it to remove the spyware and adware. You should then notice a big difference in the speed of your computer.
If you continue to have problems with a slow computer, or any other types of problems, talk to a computer repair shop about your repair options.