In case a web page is taking ages to load, it is perhaps because your computer is slow. This is often caused by too many programs running simultaneously. This takes up processing power and reduces the PC’s performance. Some programs will continue running in the background even after you have closed them or will start automatically when you boot up your computer.
Absolutely every computer will start to slow down eventually. Thankfully, a lot of these problems can be rectified. A lot of it you can do within the comfort of your own home too. Let us see how to fix your computer lag.
- Upgrade your hardware
Even the most powerful of home computers now will be virtually useless in a decade. There are a couple of reasons for this. Obviously, computer programs are going to be a lot more demanding. This means that they need more powerful hardware to run without any lag, if they run at all. If you are experiencing lag in certain computer programs, then you may want to check the system requirements to see if your computer meets them. If it doesn’t, then you may need to upgrade your hardware. You may find that an OS upgrade may have slowed down your hardware. You should be able to roll it back (in most cases).
Secondly, computer lag is often caused by degrading hardware. As electronics get used, they start to degrade. While your computer may still be functional in a few years, the hardware may not perform to the standard that it did when you first purchased it. You can’t reverse this process. You just need to replace the hardware (or your computer).
- Upgrade your OS
In some cases, an OS upgrade is what you need. Upgrading your system may help to iron out any bugs or issues which may be causing lag. Although, if you are jumping from one operating system to another and it is a major upgrade (i.e. Windows 7 to Windows 10), then make sure your computer can handle it.
- Scan for viruses and malware
Often, computer viruses and malware can slow your computer down. Again, this is an issue that you will be able to solve in the comfort of your own home. You can download a malware scanner that will help to root out any malicious software that may be slowing down your computer, or doing other sorts of unauthorized things (i.e. logging the keys that you press on your computer). This should actually help to solve most computer issues, particularly if you have a newer computer.
- Close any unnecessary programs and applications
Press CTRL+ALT+DEL on your computer and open up the task manager. Close any programs or applications which you do not need running at that time. The more applications you have running, the slower your computer will be.
- Clean up your computer
If your computer is running close to maximum hard drive capacity, then you will need to give it a clean-up. Uninstall any programs you do not use any more. Delete your temporary Internet files. Just give your computer a good spring clean. If you have photos and videos, you may even want to take the opportunity to back them up to a cloud service. It will save a lot of space on your computer. You may even want to upgrade your hard drive. Talk to a computer technician to ensure that this is done properly and safely. Don’t forget to run the disk cleanup and disk defragment programs on your computer.
If you can’t solve your computer lag issues on your own, then you may want to get in touch with our team of computer technicians. While we may not be able to bring your computer back to the speed it boasted in its heyday, we can certainly help to bring it back to the point where you will probably be able to delay replacing your hardware for a little while.
For further assistance, you can always call us on 1300 016 017.
