Understanding why your PC becomes so slow could be a very difficult task, considering all the components at play inside a computer.In this article we will show you how to understand on your own why your PC is slow and what we can do to resolve every single problem you encounter, so you can restore your computer to peak performance without having to call for assistance.
READ ALSO -> Speed up Windows on computers with little RAM and no SD
1) Excessive CPU usage
A PC can slow down due to a process or program that overloads the CPU. In this case it is essential to immediately identify the process that is taking up too many resources by pressing on the keyboard CTRL+MAIUSC+ESC; alternatively we can right click on the taskbar and click on Activity management.
Once the screen is open, make sure to open the tab Processes and press on the column CPUso as to sort the processes in descending order showing the processes that consume the most CPU at the top.
After identifying the problem we can close the process (if it is a program that we had opened ourselves) or discover its nature (if it is an unknown process or a system process) by reading our guides on How to check if processes are safe or malicious on Windows come on how to use resource monitor in windows to analyze processes.
2) Excessive use of RAM
RAM can also become another cause of obvious computer slowdown, particularly in situations where we open many programs at the same time or many tabs within the web browser. Exactly as seen for the processor we can open Activity management (CTRL+SHIFT+ESC) and sort the processes by pressing on the column Memorythus finding out what is slowing down your computer.
To solve RAM problems, an update is always recommended, bringing the computer to at least 8 GB; to learn more we can read our insights on how to know how much RAM memory is available on your PCare how to free up RAM on Windows to avoid memory slowdowns on PC come on how to increase RAM and add new memory to your PC.
3) Excessive use of internal memory (HDD or SSD)
A disk that reads or writes continuously can lead to obvious slowdowns, especially if multiple operations involving the hard disk or SSD overlap. To analyze the situation, simply use Task Manager as already seen for CPU and RAM, this time pressing on the column Disco and displaying at the top the processes that are using the internal memory the most.
In addition to performance problems may also appear physical disk errors, which can be decidedly more subtle to identify; in this regard we can read the guide above check the status of the disk (HDD and SSD) with tests on health, performance and speed.
On internal memory we invite you to read our guide on how to check disk and CPU activity when in use and by what; if instead we still have a disco HDD we suggest you read the articles on how to replace the hard disk to boost your PC in an hour come on how to mount an SSD instead of the hard disk on a laptop.
4) Too many programs at system startup
A computer can take a long time to boot due to the numerous programs and processes present when the operating system starts. In this case we can evaluate which programs to keep started and which to remove by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC on the keyboard, taking us to the tab Startup appby right-clicking on a program that we no longer want to start and selecting the item Disable.
On the same topic we can read the article on how to control whether programs start when you turn on your PC.
5) Temperature elevate
A computer used in the height of summer, on the covers of the bed or near heat sources can suddenly slow down due to the CPU overheating, due to an inefficient cooling system or poor air circulation.
On this topic we invite you to read our guides on how to cool a hot laptop come on how to improve PC cooling and airflow.
6) System updates
A system update being installed can slow down the PC for a few minutes, particularly if the device is a few years old; in most cases it is enough to leave the PC idle without doing anything for half an hour to immediately install all the updates without slowing down the user’s activity.
Your computer may suffer a sudden slowdown even after updateespecially if the latter is damaged, was not downloaded correctly or causes known problems with the hardware on the device.
For further information, we invite you to read the in-depth information on how to fix Windows Update errors if the system does not update come on How to uninstall Windows updates if they cause errors.
7) Slow Internet connection
The slowdown of the Internet connection depends in most cases on the use of multiple PCs and devices together, especially on Internet networks with less than 100 Megabits per second in download. We therefore always try to only use PCs when necessary, also limiting the bandwidth reserved for downloading updates.
If the problem is to be found in a non-system app, you should read our guide on how to check if an app or process downloads in the background on PC.
8) Failure to optimize the system
An unoptimized Windows system can suddenly slow down, particularly if we have downloaded a lot of data to the internal memory. On old mechanical discs it is necessary to carry out regular cleaning defragmentationwhile on SSDs you need to run the TRIM command with a certain regularity.
We can read the guides on these two optimization systems how to defragment disk on PC to have a fast hard disk come on how to defragment and clean your disk, SSD or Hard Disk.
For complete optimization of the entire PC we can read the guide on things to do to have a fast and stable PC.
9) Malware infection
The presence of malware it is almost always accompanied by a slowdown of the PC, which will open programs unusually slowly or not at all. To clean viruses quickly we can use Malwarebytes or an even more powerful program like ESET Online Scanner.
To learn more we can read our guides on how to recognize and remove all types of viruses and malware and on the best combination of programs to protect your computer.
Conclusions
A slow computer is always a big headache for users who work or study from a PC, but keeping the information and suggestions in this guide handy we should be able to solve most problems in a few seconds, using the various recommended articles present to immediately access the procedure to speed up your PC as much as possible.
To learn more we can read our guides on how to speed up the startup of your Windows PC for a faster computer boot come on what to do if Windows takes a long time to shut down.