Why is My Computer Running So Slow

You are working along, and you think to yourself,  “Why is this taking so stinking long?”  Well, I wish there was a short answer to that question.  There are many reasons why your computer could be acting slow.
The first thing to take into account is the age of the computer.  As a computer gets older, its physical components wear out and have to work harder to get the job done, and therefore it takes longer to do so.  It is recommended that you replace your computer about every 3 years.
The second thing to consider is how many programs you have open.  The more programs you have open, the more your computer has to “think” and the longer it may take to run an operation.   In other words, if you don’t need to have it open, then close it to optimize your computers performance.
How long has it been since you have rebooted?  Sometimes it’s as simple as that.  In the beginning of software technology, the software developers had to be efficient to design a program to let go of the space it held on the computer when you were done using it.  Since computers have become able to hold more space, it has not been as necessary for the software to be as efficient, and so the software holds onto that space even after you are done with it.  Over time, the only way to release the used space from the programs you have used is to reboot.  When in doubt, reboot.
Under similar lines as the reason for rebooting, there is defragmentation, or defrag.  If your computer is severely fragmented, it will slow down.  You can run a defrag by going to Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and Disk Defragmenter.  You can also find detailed instructions on how to defrag your computer by going to our video tutorial section on our Solutions page.
It could also be that your computer has been infected with malware, causing it to slow down.  You should have a malware or antivirus scanner on your computer that you trust.  If you do not have one, your IT professional can recommend one.   You can also find a video tutorial on how to run a malware scan on our Solutions page to help you with this process.   
While a slow computer could be a simple problem, it could also be something serious and should not be ignored, so please don’t hesitate to contact us at Heart of Texas Network Consultants should you have any questions or concerns with the slowness of your computer.

 Actions You Can Take:
- Reboot your computer
- Scan for malware and viruses
- Defrag your computer

If that doesn’t solve the problem:
Heart of Texas Network Consultants can monitor the health and performance of your computer to help reduce downtime caused by these errors. We can determine if hardware is failing or about to fail. Call us for a no-obligation consultation