We all know how frustrating it is to have to work with a slow computer. Sometimes, it seems like you’ve had two cups of coffee before your computer even boots up! Computer home repair experts agree that not only are slow computers frustrating to deal with, but also cost you precious time. For most business and small business IT support specialists who work on computers, ‘time is money’. This means a slow PC can end up costing a business a lot more than just frustrated workers. Slow computers that frequently crash can cause lost revenue, and higher overall labor costs in addition to a decline in productivity.
However, fret not, say computer home repair experts! There are a few tricks you can employ to help your aging system run at its best possible speed. Over time, most computers tend to slow down due to small problems that mount up. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to eliminate a lot of those problems. And you don’t need to be a home computer service expert yourself to do them. You just need a little time, and the right tools. Here are a few ways you can help breathe new life into your aging PC:
Check your Computer Hard Drive for Issues
If you’ve ever experienced a computer crash, you’re not alone. Computers are not infallible, and even the most up-to-date computers and programs can crash once in a while. Unfortunately, when your computer does take a nose-dive, sometimes your hard drive is not done working with whatever files it was handling prior to the crash. This results in file errors on your hard drive. Those errors can add up, and slow your computer down as it works to compensate for them. Over time, they can even cause major issues with your system's stability. Fortunately, Windows makes it easy to correct minor file errors. Depending on which Windows version you use, the methods to check your hard drive for errors can vary. However, the process of cleaning up these errors is all handled internally by Windows. The result will usually be an overall speedier PC, according to computer home repair experts.
Clean Up Hard Drive Clutter
In addition, as you install, update, and uninstall programs on your computer, they tend to leave bits and pieces of themselves behind on your drive. These additional files are not always removed when you click the ‘uninstall’ button. Just like computer crashes, over time, these extra files only serve to clutter and clog up your file storage. In addition, Windows keeps a cache of ‘temporary files’ as it works. These ‘temporary files’ include websites you recently visited, as well as files used by other applications. However, these files don’t always get removed once your PC is done working. Your computer may become so chock full of useless files that windows won’t work properly, and will start to slow down considerably.
The standard windows repair and file checker works well for most file errors. However, it doesn’t help a lot with a cluttered hard drive. To help clean up the useless clutter on your hard drive, home computer repair experts recommend using an external program such as CCleaner. A program like this will help you identify and remove unnecessary files that are simply taking up space.
Remove any Unused Apps You Don’t Want or Need Anymore
That tool you downloaded and installed months ago to convert that file worked great when you needed it to. Unfortunately, you haven’t used it since then. If you’re not planning on using it again, why keep it? Removing applications you no longer need or use is a great way to free up hard drive space and can help speed up your computer. To remove applications, open the Start menu, select Control Panel, then select "Add/Remove Programs" or" Programs and Features" (depending on your version of Windows). Scroll through the list and remove any applications you no longer need or want.
However, for beginners, computer repair experts recommend you play it safe. If you’re not absolutely sure what a specific program is, or what it does, do not uninstall it until you can find out more about the program itself. You can search on Google for the application to find out more about it before you go ahead and remove it.
Use an Adware Removal Tool to Get Rid of Malicious Software
In addition to compromising your privacy, spyware, adware, and viruses will bog down your PC's performance. You can combat malware on your computer by scanning your machine regularly with anti-virus software. Windows 10 actually comes with a free version of effective anti-virus software built in, which Microsoft keeps updated regularly. If you are wary about Microsoft’s own anti-virus program, there are several more anti-virus suites available to choose from. However, computer home repair experts agree that even the best anti-virus solution won’t catch everything on its own. You can help windows keep itself clean of pesky malware by adding a malware or adware removal tool to your arsenal. Anti-malware programs such as Spybot Search & Destroy are great compliments to your anti-virus solution. Together, they will help keep those nasty bugs from even stepping foot in to your computer!
Defragment Your Hard Drive For Peak Performance
Once you’ve gone ahead and removed all the useless clutter, programs, and malware from your computer, it’s time to clean up the space they left behind as well. For every file you remove, there is now a small bit of extra space on your hard drive. However, these extra spaces are scattered throughout the disk. Consolidating those small spaces together will optimize your hard drive so that your computer can more quickly access the files you need. This really helps your computer run faster. To consolidate those spaces, home computer service technicians usually recommend that you defragment your drive after a thorough cleaning. Defragmenting your hard drive is a lot easier than you think, too, both on older and the newest versions of Windows. Leave it on overnight, and you’ll wake up to a more optimized PC. Access though Start -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Defragmenter.
When in Doubt, Let the Experts in Computer Repairs Figure it Out
Not everyone is knowledgeable enough to know how to properly clean and optimize their PC, and that’s OK. That’s where the experts in computer home repair can come to the rescue! An expert in computer home repair can help you with even the most stubborn of slow computers, and help get them back to their former glory. And for the top experts in computer repairs, call the #1 Los Angeles home computer repair service, PC Fixer Computer and Laptop Repair! Not only can they come to your home, office or business to deliver quality computer repairs and maintenance, but they can also show you the best ways you can help keep your computer in top working order. They are happy to discuss upgrades to your computer, such as a Solid State Drive (SSD) to make it run even faster. A computer in peak working order will mean a faster experience, and a happier you!
