How long should I deal with my slow computer?

There can be many causes of computer slowness. First, how many programs do you currently have running? Each program requires a certain amount of the computers resources (CPU time, RAM, hard drive space, etc.). Trying to run too many programs at once can cripple performance. Fortunately, this can be fixed by closing unnecessary programs.

Second, sometimes one program can begin using way more than its fair share of the computer’s resources. Terminating the offending program or rebooting will usually resolve that issue.

Third, malware is a major cause of performance issues. Malware is any unwanted program on your computer. That could be a virus, keystroke logger or spyware. They typically run in the background without your knowledge. Rebooting or closing programs will not help in this case.

Slowness problems can also be caused by faulty hardware or a severely fragmented hard drive. You can find instructions for defragging your hard drive on our Solutions page. There is a more detailed explanation of these problems in the blog post entitled “Why is My Computer Running So Slow?”.

Back to the initial question: When should I call about my computer being slow? Once you’ve followed all of the steps above and it’s still slow, call us.