My computer is slow: what can I do?

"My computer is slow: what can I do?"

It's so annoying when your computer lags behind the speed at which you work. Having to wait for a slow computer to catch up can waste valuable time and lead to a lot of frustration for staff. 

More importantly, however, it can affect your ability to do business efficiently. Think about it - do you want your customers to have to wait forever for a slow system to process their request? 

Causes of a slow computer 

There are many reasons why a computer may slow to a crawl, so finding the exact cause can be a difficult task. All computers will gradually slow down over time, as more programs are loaded onto them. 

The speed of your computer will also depend on what's 'under the hood', or the amount of memory and the processor speed. But a dramatic drop-off in speed may indicate that there is a bigger problem.

Computer viruses

Viruses, Trojans and other nasties are a real threat to your computer and can often be the cause of a slow down, particularly if it occurs all of a sudden.

Installing anti-virus software and ensuring that your system is up-to-date are important steps to preventing problems. But having anti-virus software is not enough - you also need to use it. 

Edward Wright of Wrighton Computer Services says his one piece of advice for small businesses would be to run regular system scans. "Anything is better than nothing; and a lot of people out there have nothing," he says. 

Too many programs 

Often the cause of a slow-running computer is that there are too many programs running, effectively dragging the speed down to a crawl. 

But this may not be caused by your staff leaving too many windows or programs open. Some programs run silently in the background and automatically load whenever you start your machine. 

Many of these are not needed and can be prevented from loading and hogging your system's valuable resources. The process is called 'unhooking', but is best left to the professionals.

Insufficient RAM 

A slow computer can often be caused by insufficient RAM (random access memory). This is the amount of memory your computer has at its service to accomplish the required tasks.

The good news is that adding more RAM to your computer is relatively easy and inexpensive and will generally speed up a slow machine. A computer technician will be able to advise you how much additional RAM you may need.

The need for speed 

A computer running slow can be a drain on your resources and an endless source of frustration for your staff.

If you find that you keep asking yourself, "My computer is slow. What can I do?", ensure that your business isn't being dragged down by calling in an expert at the first sign of trouble.