The computer is working slowly what to do. What is the reason for the slow computer performance? There are two ways to find out the temperature

09.10.2021 Electrician

If your computer starts to work slowly, programs work much longer than usual, and all our actions have to wait, this is a sign that something is wrong with it. In some cases, this can lead to not only annoyance of the user, but also damage to equipment, loss of files or the security of your personal data. Therefore, it is best to take care of this as soon as possible.

Attention! This article assumes that you are at least an intermediate user and know what you are doing. Remember that any changes you make to your computer are at your own risk. If you are not sure that you can aggravate the situation or there is no time for this, it is better to contact the specialists or to the service center.

So, why the PC slows down and what to do in this case.

Usually, a very slow computer is not the result of one reason, it is most likely a lot of overlapping small problems. An unoptimized system, some viruses, dusty components and ineffective cooling, not fragmented disk, loading a dozen programs at startup and other factors - in fact, this is the standard state of an average static computer 2-3 years after purchase.

In this article, we will focus on the situation of a sudden slowdown in the Windows operating system, when the computer becomes very dull, and not on a slow gradual loss of efficiency. First, a little theory.
Let's try to classify and name the most common reasons:

Hardware issues

Cooling system malfunctions.
Damage to the hard drive.
Problems with other components.

Windows system problems

Viruses, spyware and more.
Updates with errors (both Windows and programs).
Lack of resources (many programs run in the background).
Changes in the configuration of the Windows operating system or in the BIOS.
A bit, isn't it? But we think that this will be enough to find out what happened to the computer and Windows, and not lose a whole week searching.

Diagnosing the causes of computer slowdown

Start your search with quick tests for the most common faults. Slowly narrowing down the "circle of suspects" to the most probable, and in the end, use careful methods that will precisely identify the culprit of the very slow operation of a stationary computer.

When looking for start quick tests of the most common faults. Slowly narrowing down the "suspect circle" is likely to end up using more careful methods and pinpoint the culprit.

If your PC starts to run very slowly, either something is using its resources or those resources are severely limited. Move on.

CPU and memory usage

The first thing to do is to go to the Task Manager on the "Performance" tab. The computer must be in a "dormant" state, that is, all programs are "inactive", except for those that are constantly running (anti-virus software and other software that constantly runs in the background).

If we observe that the processor load is approaching the upper limit, you can be sure that these are system problems. The same thing happens with memory. On a properly configured and clean Windows system, idle processor utilization should be less than 5% and memory utilization less than 1 GB.

We notice that the computer is heavily used during times when we are not working on it. What to do in such a situation? First, go to the “Processes” tab and click on sort in the CPU or Memory column to identify “anomalies”. If you find that some process is loading 100%, this is most likely the culprit behind the sudden slowdown of your PC.

Then look for the name of the process on the Internet, and you should also run a computer scan for viruses. You may remember about the sensational bitcoin virus, which got into the computer and loaded the processor by 100%. Other viruses can act in the same way. In general, getting a virus into the system is the most common reason for a sudden slowdown of a PC.

The next situation is more difficult if all or most of the processes consume a lot of resources, especially the CPU. You must first check that the processor speed has not dropped. Why might the processor speed drop? Some hardware configurations may automatically reduce the frequency of the processor in case of overheating to avoid burning it out.

If we don't find something like that, then we switch our search for causes to the cooling system.

Cooling system malfunctions

Inspecting the cooling system may seem a little more complicated and depends on the type and design of your computer. What the user needs to do is to listen to the operation of the fans (he should not make extraneous sounds, only air noise) and assess the degree of dustiness of the visible components. You should also check the condition of the thermal paste; to do this, carefully remove the fan from the processor.

Remember! Cooling system problems can quickly lead to extensive equipment damage, so check them out.

Hard drive damage

If after previous checks we did not find any problems and the PC is stupid, it still remains one of the most common - hard drive malfunctions.

The surface of the hard disk wears out over time and bad sectors or, in other words, damaged memory blocks appear on it. Very often, after the first broken sector appears, their number begins to grow rapidly. The most important (from the point of view of this article) is the fact that a large number of bad sectors causes an increase in the access time to data on the disk, as a result, we observe a slow PC.

To quickly check the status of the hard disk, you need to use a program to read the so-called S.M.A.R.T. data. disk. Almost all hard drives have supported these self-diagnostic parameters for many years.

However, you should know which parameters are most important to us, what they mean and how to read their values. To do this, see the instructions on what to do and how to diagnose a hard drive using MHDD.

If the HDD is not in the best condition, you should take care of your data immediately. To do this, copy them to a USB flash drive or transfer them to another computer over the network. Otherwise, you risk losing them free of charge, or at best, you can contact a service center for an expensive restoration.

Other reasons

If the computer is still slow, then you will have to look deeper and, possibly, spend more time searching for it. In the following paragraphs, we will provide those steps that, as a result, should lead to our goal.

Hard disk usage. The system disk must have at least 20% free space, for the operation of the Windows 7 operating system at least 200 MB (this is a prerequisite for the efficient operation of the system). It would also not hurt to defragment the hard drive.

Programs that run in the background. Disconnect your computer from the Internet and disable all background programs, including virus scanners. If you still don't see any improvements, launch your antivirus scanner and move on.

Viruses. We conduct a thorough scan of the computer with a good antivirus updated database. It will probably take from one to several hours, but there is a very good chance that removing all the viruses will solve the problem.

System update and configuration. Finally, we must disable the latest updates and changes to the system. To this end, you can use the Windows System Restore points and return to the state when the computer was working properly. Instructions on how to recover Windows from points can be found in the help system as well as on the Microsoft pages.

Other more complex reasons

At the moment, the usual diagnostic methods are ending. To further find out why the computer's speed has dropped very sharply, you need to thoroughly test the hardware and exclude the Windows operating system as a whole, for example, by reinstalling it.

It should be added that reinstalling Windows does not always solve the problem. There is also a possibility that the reason for the slow PC performance is related to the hardware.

This step requires significant experience and in-depth knowledge of the hardware and operating system of Windows 7, which is why the smartest and fastest way is to use professional computer maintenance.

Many computer users are faced with the problem of gradual slowdown and deceleration of their operating system. The peculiarities of Windows are such that after a certain time, it needs to be optimized.

The most common and main reasons why Windows OS slows down over time:

1. Permanent installation / removal of programs.

As a result of these actions, the space on the hard disk becomes overgrown with unnecessary temporary files, many unnecessary keys remain in the registry, which are not used in fact. Files are unevenly distributed across the hard drive, which negatively affects the speed of its work. It is difficult for a Winchester to quickly read data that is scattered throughout the disk. The hard drive is able to read ordered information much faster. This is one of the reasons why over time the computer starts to work slower.

To solve this problem, you need to defragment the hard drive and clean the registry.

Cleaning the registry will help you to complete such programs: Advanced SystemCare, Auslogics BoostSpeed,. The latter is the most aggressive "cleaner" - suitable for more experienced users. Therefore, it is better to use the first two in work - they have a simple interface where you can clean up in a few clicks.

Defragmentation the hard disk can be executed both by the built-in standard Windows tool and by specialized software. To defragment using standard tools:

On any of the disks, right-click and select "Properties".
Next, go to the "Service" tab and click the "Run defragmentation" button.
In the window that opens, select the disk that you need to analyze first.
If the system shows that it is recommended to perform defragmentation, press the button of the same name.

2. Installed a large number of programs in startup

When installing the software, various utilities are written to startup. These can be programs, both necessary and those that are rarely used. To speed up the boot and system and save your computer's RAM for faster operation, you should. A large number of icons near the system clock indicates that it is time to optimize the above parameter.

Launch a window with the Win + R command to perform tasks.
In this window, enter the msconfig command. After a new window opens, go to the startup tab. Here is a list of programs that run when you turn on your PC.
Uncheck all unnecessary programs - click OK.

Now the computer will boot and run faster - RAM will have more freedom, which will directly affect the speed of the entire computer.

You can also "facilitate" startup using third-party optimization programs, such as Your Uninstaller !, Ashampoo WinOptimizer, as well as those mentioned above. Optimizers, at the request of the user, can also disable some system programs with detailed explanations of why this is needed and what it will lead to. Auslogics BoostSpeed with its friendly interface will help you deal with this issue.

3. Overloaded hard drive

Other problems that prevent Windows from working quickly include an overloaded hard drive when it is almost completely filled with information. As a result, there is not enough space for virtual memory, which actually uses part of the free space on the hard disk. Solution:

go through the sections and delete unnecessary files (movies, programs).
upload media files (videos, photos) to the cloud storage. After uploading your files to the cloud, you can delete them from your computer. Most reliable cloud services: Dropbox, Onedrive, GoogleDrive.

4. The presence of viruses

Virus software can slow down your computer even more significantly than previous problems. Today, there are malicious programs that can use the computing power of your video card or processor for the needs of hackers, or turn your PC into a mail station for sending spam. Viruses are capable of starting at startup and are often disguised as normal system processes. All this reduces the speed of the PC. To prevent this:

Choosing reliable anti-virus protection: Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Panda Antivirus, AVG, AVZ, Norton, ESET Antivirus, etc.
From time to time, once a month, you need to perform a full scan of your PC for the presence of malicious code. If it happens that a virus does get into your system, change your antivirus program to a product from another developer.
Depending on the virus caught, you can try to remove it manually. On the Internet, there are many detailed instructions on how to remove Trojans that ordinary antiviruses cannot cope with.

5. Outdated hardware

If the previous methods did not help speed up the system, pay attention to your hardware. It may be out of date. You can solve this problem:

adding RAM to the computer (for comfortable work you need at least 2 GB);
change the processor (any dual-core processor must be installed for smooth operation);
hard disk (bad sectors may appear on an old or defective hard drive, which interfere with fast work). The solution is to replace the hard drive. You can determine the number of broken sectors using the Victoria program.

6. Outdated drivers

You need to make sure that the latest drivers are installed on your computer. Incorrectly installed or corrupted drivers slow down the system. The most current versions need to be downloaded only from the official websites of the manufacturer. The Aida64 program will help you to understand the list of your own equipment. She will also offer to download new versions. To simplify the process of installing and updating drivers for the user, DriverPack collectors were created, when launched, the installer itself determines the need for an update and offers updates for each piece of equipment. The DriverPack assembly can be downloaded from the official website.

As a rule, every PC user is faced with a slow computer. At the same time, even the most mundane and simple tasks were no longer performed as quickly as before. But it is worth installing a fresh OS, and the speed of work returns to the previous channel. And after a while everything repeats itself again - the computer works slowly. What to do in such a situation?

Ordinary users try to solve such problems by simply reinstalling the operating system. Usually such a measure helps for a while. But this process is long, you can restore performance much faster if the problems are related to the software. If the hardware spoils, even installing a clean system will not help, other measures are needed. In either case, the computer is slow. Read the article to find out what to do to solve the problem.

So, in order to put your electronic friend in order, you need to perform a number of actions. Remember that all measures must be applied in a comprehensive manner, only in this way the effect will be maximum.

Temporary files

If your computer is running slowly, it is advisable to first clean Windows 7 of completely unnecessary files. The operating system creates them on its own during operation, but does not always delete them. To display them, you need to configure the display of hidden files and directories.

Open My Computer and press the ALT button on your keyboard to display the top menu bar. In it, select "Tools" - "Folder Options". In the properties window, find the checkbox that is responsible for showing hidden and system files and directories. After that, it remains to click on "OK".

Go to the "Users" directory (there may also be options "Users" or "Documents and Settings"), which is located in the cortex of the system drive. Here you will see several folders, which are named after the usernames in the OS.

Each directory hides in itself each user, his settings, the "Documents" section, shortcuts located in the "Start" menu, many system directories.

Over time, a great many of these directories can be formed, especially if the computer is on a network and each user uses his own unique “login / password” pair to connect to the computer.

Over time, this trend will lead to two problems.

Reducing the amount of free space on the system partition.
Slow operation of the OS.

And all this happens, even if users do not save any files. But Windows all the same, while they are running, adds new items to the temporary storage for their needs. As conceived by the developers, directories for storing temporary files should be cleared immediately after the computer is turned off, but this does not always happen, and "garbage" accumulates there.

Go to any user's directory and follow the path "Appdata / Local / Temp". Typically, you will see a huge number of small files here. But since they exist, records about them are stored in the MFT (a table that helps the OS find this or that file). And with the increase in the number of files, the table grows, and this slows down the system. In addition, also look in the folders "Appdata / Local / Temporary Internet Files" and "C: / windows / temp"

If your computer starts to slow down, first of all, feel free to clean these three directories.

Garbage removal is complete. Now uninstall any apps you don't use at all. Consider this the main rule of a fast computer - the C: drive contains only the system and essential programs. Remember that Documents and Desktop are also located on the system partition. Don't clutter up these directories with bulky files.

Startup

When optimizing the operation of the system, it will not be superfluous to clean the startup of unnecessary applications, because each running process reduces the speed of the computer. Click on "Start" and select "Run". Here in the input line type the command "msconfig".

In the configuration window go to the "Startup" tab. All items marked with checkboxes show which applications and programs are launched in the background immediately after Windows starts. Like any, they take up space in RAM and use all other computer resources. The startup list is displayed in several columns:

Startup item (shows the name of the file or product).
Command (path to the directory where the executable file is stored).
Location (registry key responsible for starting the item).
Manufacturer.
Disconnection date.

Uncheck everything that you think is superfluous. Look in the tray on the taskbar. Perhaps there are too many icons on which you do not click at all and it is because of the work of unnecessary programs that the computer began to slow down. The main thing is to leave the anti-virus program and elements of the manufacturer "Microsoft" at startup. The fewer resources are used in real time, the better the launching and running applications will feel.

XP-AntiSpy

If the computer slows down strongly, you can use not only manual methods of solving the problem, but also automated ones. The xp-AntiSpy utility is distributed free of charge and works on all modern operating systems (except for Windows 8). The application automatically turns off unnecessary ones. It has full Russian localization. If you do not understand a menu item in the program, just hover over it and a tooltip with a comprehensive description will appear.

To use any parameter, just tick it off. After the final setup, just click on "Accept". When finished, restart your PC.

Defragmentation

Often, users cannot understand why the computer began to work slowly, but they do not remember about regular maintenance either. If your computer slows down, do not forget about an effective means of optimizing access to local data - defragmentation. When the disk is used for a long time, files are no longer in order. Adding up from fragments, one file can be distributed across the entire plane of the hard disk, rather than being stored on it in a sequential structure. Defragmentation cancels this process by moving parts of the files to neighboring clusters.

To start maintenance, right-click on any local drive and click on "Properties". Then go to the "Service" tab. Here you can see several items, click on "Defragment".

Everything is simple here. In the window, you can select the disk that you want to defragment and, in fact, instruct the application to get down to business. Nothing extra. You can also configure scheduled defragmentation. Before starting work, the program will test the disk, and if optimization is not required, it will say so, it will also warn the user if there is too little free capacity on the partition. Sometimes it is impossible to perform defragmentation with a small amount of free space, you will have to delete something. Do not defragment if you are using a solid state drive, as this process can ruin it.

Defragmenting the paging file

There is a wonderful file in the operating systems of the Windows family called "pagefile.sys". It can be considered that this is a section of RAM that is located on the hard disk. There Windows adds the data that it needs to work but not critical in terms of access speed. This file is constantly occupied by the system, so its defragmentation by standard means sometimes cannot be performed. If the swap file is fragmented, the computer is slow. "What to do in this case?" - you ask.

To defragment the paging file, you need to use third-party utilities such as System File Defragmenter. After starting, a window will open in which it will be written into how many separate fragments "pagefile.sys" is divided into. To optimize the access time to it, in the application, check the "Defragment" checkbox and, like in any other program, click on "OK". After reboot, the swap file is optimized automatically.

At the end of the work, the application will notify the user with the message "pagefile is already 1 fragment". Also, during operation, some registry hives will be optimized, which will also help to increase the download speed. No more action is required from the user, the OS will boot on its own.

Viruses

If your computer slows down a lot, perhaps a few (or many) friends have just settled in it. This happens especially often if the computer is often used on the Internet, if external flash drives or portable hard drives are often connected to it.

Most often, the virus is masked, so it is not so easy to determine whether it is running. Do not try to do this by opening the Task Manager. Almost always, malware spends most of its time in the active phase, looking for ways to spread itself or opening security holes, and this slows down the PC. If the computer is already infected, scanning for viruses with the tools installed in the OS will not help. One tip - download yourself a distribution kit that can create a bootable USB flash drive or CD, for example, Cureit.

Only use products with the latest virus definitions. Malicious programs are constantly being improved by their creators to ensure the maximum level of concealment.

Antivirus

We got rid of viruses, do you really have to get rid of antivirus now, completely left without protection? Such drastic measures, of course, will not be required, but I must say that antiviruses often consume a lot of system resources for their work, as a result, the PC is very slow. The computer would be happy to devote more time to applications, but it cannot, the priority is given to anti-spyware programs. Moreover, it is not at all necessary, the software fights against malicious programs, often the antivirus simply conducts full surveillance, checking everything and everyone. rarely suffer from these kinds of problems, but if your workstation is considered a solid middling, there is a reason to do the analysis.

First, go to the software manufacturer's website and check to see if there are any new versions that fix the performance issue. Also, if you are using the latest development of programmers, it will not be superfluous to study the information about the release of the program, it is quite possible that the latest developments have the status of a beta or test version.

If updates are not required, and there are no complaints about performance from other users, disable real-time protection in the antivirus. Work for a while without her. If the computer starts to slow down much less, the cause can be considered identified. Discard the familiar application in favor of another manufacturer.

Be careful not to disable or uninstall your antivirus software while browsing the Internet. Before deactivating the anti-virus for operation outside the global network, a full scan for viruses must be performed on all system partitions.

Remember - usually Windows starts to work slowly when several of the described software factors come into play at the same time, the hardware part is much less likely to sin.

Overheat

If your computer is running very slowly, it will not be superfluous to check the temperature of its main components (HDD, CPU, RAM, video card). Due to high temperatures, computer components not only begin to work slowly, but also wear out faster, sometimes a week or even one day of such work can "burn" the device, which will require replacing it.

Stress tests are used to check the temperature and overall stability of the system. One of these is offered by the AIDA64 program. You just need to click on the diagram icon in the top menu of the application, select the temperature of which devices to display on the graph, then click on the "Start" button. Be careful, during this test all the components of the computer are loaded with work "to the fullest", and the program will not stop, even if the temperature readings go beyond the normal range.

You can test your computer in a more gentle mode without running the test, but simply leaving the window with the graph for the duration of your work. Just switch to it regularly to study the metrics, pay special attention to charts during operations that require a large percentage of hardware resources. To find out what temperatures can be optimal for a particular component, look at the device data sheets or go to the manufacturers' websites. Typically, these sources provide the most complete information.

If your computer starts up slowly and runs due to overheating, try blowing out all the heatsinks located in the system unit, replacing all dust filters, and changing the thermal grease on the CPU and video processors. It should be noted that cooling fans after some time may not begin to perform their duties as efficiently as immediately after purchase, due to wear of the mechanical parts.

Hardware problems

If the computer starts up and runs slowly, the problem may be related to the breakdown of the main and secondary components of the PC. More often than not, the culprit is RAM or HDD. You can check these two components without much difficulty, but if checking them did not reveal problems, you will have to contact the service center.

To test the RAM, go to the "Control Panel" through the "Start" menu and select "Administrative Tools". In the list that opens, double-click on the icon labeled "Memory Tester". Choose between immediate and delayed reboots. Once enabled, the testing process will begin even before the operating system boots. If errors occur while reading and writing to RAM, this information will immediately appear at the bottom of the screen.

To check the HDD for "bad" sectors, open the "Start" menu and type "command line" in the search column. Enter the command "chkdsk c: / f / r / x" into it. A reboot is required to perform testing. The letter of any other section can be used instead of C:, and it is advisable to check all of them. Broken sectors can be marked as unused, and the data from them is rewritten to the working part of the disk, but if the HDD starts to crumble, it is better to replace it as soon as possible. Recovering data from a drive that has failed is much more difficult than from one that is just showing the first signs of wear.

For advanced users who assembled their computer on their own, it is advisable to try changing each device separately and check if the software component continues to malfunction. This method is quite effective, but it requires a second computer, so it may not always be applicable.

Narrow places

It happens that we work on equipment that is already an order of magnitude outdated. I don't want to throw away such equipment, and it is mainly used for everyday tasks that are not too demanding on resources, but if the computer is still slow (whether you have Windows XP, which is not demanding on resources, or any other OS), remember its configuration.

If a decent processor has taken place in the system unit, but only 512 megabytes of RAM help it to carry out all the user's orders, most likely you need to add several RAM strips. The opposite situation also happens: there are 2 gigabytes of RAM installed, but the old Celeron Northwood is working hard in the socket.

Equipment is outdated

Of course, this reason is often obvious, but it also needs to be said about it. If the computer began to work very slowly, and it was bought a long time ago (3-5 years ago), then it could easily become outdated. Of course, if you do not update the software at all, do not run modern games on your machine, or still work in an operating system that is outdated along with the computer, this problem will not affect you. But if you have installed something new on old hardware, check if the hardware meets the system requirements that apply to the software part.

Checking computer speed

If your computer is already fast, but you want to further optimize the system, you will not be able to determine whether it is faster or slower after changing the settings. Special programs will come to the rescue, which are used by overclockers to see even the slightest changes in the speed of the computer. And these programs are called benchmarks.

You can use the AIDA64 application to check the speed of your computer. There are several benchmarks in it, mainly they are aimed at testing the speed of RAM and the central processor, in addition to your results, you can look at the results of other users and those that are considered by the software manufacturer to be reference.

If your machine slows down, you have performed all imaginable and unthinkable software optimizations and are absolutely sure that the slow work is associated with a hardware bottleneck, there are also special applications for this case. They are called stress tests. During such an event, a lot of graphs and diagrams are displayed on the screen, for example, the temperature of each module, data exchange rate, processor load, voltage. By comparing the results of a similar test performed on your machine, and comparing them with the reference, you can calculate what equipment needs repair, replacement or maintenance. Always keep an eye on the indicators during such events, it is better to stop the test if the processor temperature rises sharply or the voltage drops during the load increase.

You can also use the tools built into the OS to test the speed of your computer and understand which component has started to work ineffectively. Press the Windows + Beak \ Pause key combination on the keyboard. Here you will see a number indicating the overall PC performance index, the speed test was performed earlier. Usually, you can't use the Aero theme without it.

Memory (RAM).
CPU.
HDD.
Graphics (Video adapter).

Remember or write down all the values, as it is impossible to know the speed of the computer at the present time without rewriting the estimates. Look on the right side of the window for a link labeled "Re-evaluate." The benchmark will start working. During this time, it is recommended not to touch anything or use any other programs. If any of the updated numbers are much less than the value from the earlier test, then the device has become ineffective in performing its duties. As a result, the computer runs slowly. What to do in this case? The answer is simple - change the element to a new one.

Why is my computer slow? What is the reason for the short-term machine torpor or the long-term braking effect? If you are hungry for sound advice on computer maintenance and OS optimization, and at the same time, do not mind participating in an unbiased process of identifying the true culprit of computer slowness, this article is for you!

Meet Her Majesty OS!

So why is the computer slow? Maybe it's not a fast person running it? This is partly true, because the Windows operating system really does not tolerate too slow users. A screensaver awaits completely uncertain PC owners, and after that, an irreversible fall into an electronic sleep. But overly active users are destined to wait for a response from the OS, which comes into a state of severe shock from several dozen simultaneously activated programs and mouse clicks on everything that falls within the radius of the marker. The system loves deliberate transitions - the hustle and bustle in the digital world is irrelevant! Here is a real clue to the answer to the most pressing question of our time: "Why is the computer slow?"

Pay attention to how much RAM is on board the PC.
It will not be superfluous to ask what kind of processor is installed on the motherboard.
It is still worth listening: is the hard disk noisy with broken clusters?
An incomprehensible hum and a grinding grinding that strains the ear emanating from the system unit should alert!
Read and study in more detail the technical data sheet of your electronic friend. There is a lot to learn ...

Respect will be taken for granted by the OS as a mutually beneficial cooperation, and the computer will not keep you waiting any longer - it will reward you with stability and incredible performance!

Hardware threats: find and neutralize!

When the computer is slow, what should I do? Yes, certainly not to arrange shamanic dances with a tambourine around the system unit. By the way, holy water is not only useless, but in terms of ritual use it is an extremely dangerous remedy. It would be much wiser to carry out a complete diagnosis of the "ossified" system.

If it is a problem for you to enter BIOS, then use any software tool whose specialization is to conduct a complete PC diagnostics process. As a rule, such software provides the "Autocorrection" option - be sure to use the ingenious solution of prudent developers.
Perhaps the processor is overheated, and the RAM is unreasonably strained. This must be done away with immediately.

These are just a few things to do if your computer is slow. What to do? We'll have to strain a little to reanimate the OS.

Where are the system resource eaters hiding?

Imagine a room that is littered with various things: sports equipment, toiletries, clothing, and the like. Can you find a USB flash drive in the described chaos that dropped out of your pocket a week ago? Perhaps yes, but, you see, definitely not fast! Now let's translate the situation into machine language.

The hard drive fills up with various digital trash over time. Remove unused software and perform a complete cleaning of the hard drive. CCleaner - help you! Remember, if you do not defragment the screw at all, your HDD will have "brakes". And this will be the reason why the computer began to work slowly.

The programs and various applications installed on the PC strive to be registered in the autorun priority list. Many of them are rarely used, and some of them even burden the already straining RAM with their senseless presence. Go to the startup menu, and if the window that opens does not contain the entire list of running programs, and your finger is tired of rotating the mouse scroll, deactivate rarely used software.

A few more miraculous recommendations await you. Do you want the operating system to fly? Well, keep cleaning it!

Devil viruses

Further there will be information for those who read the above recommendations, with fanatical dedication followed all the instructions and instructions for use from the manufacturer, but never got to the bottom of the truth and did not find out why the computer is slow.

In such a situation, only specialized software can help, which is abundant on the network, and even in a free form (for example, Emsisoft Anti-Malware).

Fly - don't crawl!

If you meet a person on your life path who admits that his computer works very slowly, then now you know what to answer him! However, do not make a mistake yourself. Stable flight of your OS!

Even users of Windows 7, reliable and stable for many years, over time, notice that the computer's work has slowed down significantly and even ordinary actions have begun to take much longer than before. However, after reinstalling the system, the computer immediately began to function again faster, but still not at the same speed as when it was completely new.

But the main thing is that after a while, the system's performance decreases again. The following are specific measures, including preventive ones, that are recommended to be applied if a user has a slow personal computer running the Windows 7 operating system and what to do to prevent this from happening in the future.

To optimize a computer on Windows 7 and increase its performance to the performance level of the time when it was still completely new, it is necessary to take several mandatory measures. In this case, a very important condition is that all actions of the measures indicated in the given manual should be used in a comprehensive manner.

Only in this case the increase in the operating system performance and the increase in its speed will be maximal. To effectively resolve the issue of how to improve the performance of the "Seven" in the long term, you first need to analyze the main causes of the problem.

The main reasons for the slow functioning of a computer on Windows 7

Rarely, this is caused by only one specific reason, since most often PC braking is caused by a number of minor problems, among which it is necessary to pay attention to the following factors:

The absence of any targeted actions on the part of the user to optimize the operation of the operating system;
Infection with malicious applications;
Poor operation of the computer cooling system;
Periodic defragmentation of hard disk partitions is not performed;
Malfunction of some PC components.

As you can see, the list of the main factors is not very long, but all of them usually take place in the average PC after only a few years after purchase.

All problems are conventionally divided into 2 groups:

1. Hardware

Disturbance of cooling;
Winchester defects;
Damage to the rest of the PC components.

2. Systemic

Errors in the OS configuration or in the BIOS;
Infection with viral applications;
Lack of system memory, overload.

Analysis and identification of bottlenecks

You must first perform rapid tests to identify the most common problems. Then, narrowing the list of causes to the most probable, after which it is necessary to apply more accurate methods for determining the malfunction. The very symptom of a PC slowing down indicates that resources are seriously limited or they are mainly spent not only for executing the commands of the computer owner.

First, you need to open the "Task Manager". Then go to the "Performance" tab. At the same time, make sure that all utilities and applications are closed and not used by the user. Only utilities that always run in the background (anti-virus software, firewall, etc.) should be left in operation.

In the case when the processor load is close to the maximum value, then we can conclude that the problem belongs to the second group, that is, systemic.

For reference: Optimized Windows 7 loads the processor only up to 5%.

What to do if CPU and RAM are overloaded?

In the "Task Manager" open the "Processes" tab. Next, sort the processes by clicking on "CPU" in the table header, and then on "Memory". This way, you can quickly identify the problem that is causing the overload. If a "gluttonous" process is found, it is recommended to search for information about it in the global network by name. In parallel, activating the anti-virus software installed on the computer with updated databases to search for malicious content.

In the case when several "gluttonous" processes are detected at once, for example, a CPU, then you need to see if the processor's speed has been reduced. Since the system independently has the ability to limit this parameter in order to avoid overheating of the equipment.

In the absence of the above symptoms, you should immediately proceed to the analysis of the operation of the cooling elements.

Cooling Element Problems

First, you just need to listen carefully to how computer coolers work. Are there any other noises besides the fan blades? Visually determine the amount of dust accumulated on the internal components of the PC. Make sure the integrity of the thermal paste of the cooler cooling the processor.

Winchester defects

In the absence of identified problems at the previous stages, it is necessary to proceed to the analysis of the hard drive for its malfunction. The design feature of a hard disk is such that over time, after long-term use, damaged sectors appear on its working surface. And this is a direct consequence of the slowdown of the system as a whole.

You should use an application that analyzes the status of the disk and run diagnostics. In case of unsatisfactory test results, it is recommended, without delay, to save personal information on an external medium or in another PC.

Clogging up the memory with unnecessary files

In case of any symptoms of system slowdown, it is recommended to first clean the above 3 folders.

After getting rid of temporary files, you should proceed to uninstall unused programs.

Using third-party applications

In addition to manual methods, there are many programs that help to automatically optimize the system. For example, the free "xp-AntiSpy" application works fine in Windows 7.

The intuitive interface of the program allows you to turn off unnecessary system functions.