Tips Making Your Computer Run Faster

If your computer is slow and not running the way it used to, there are usually two reasons for this. First, it could be that you have viruses and other malware on your computer, second it may just be that the components in your computer are old and worn down. Here's a few components you should check out to make sure things are running smoothly.

Hard Drive - Hard drives are often the main reason your computer is slowing down. It's not unheard of for a hard drive to die even after only a few months of use. Hard drives have a part that spins whenever it is on. As data is written and deleted off, that part becomes worn down.

There are people who say that as the hard drives are shut down and turned on more and more, there is more wear. This is the reason they say to leave your computer on instead of turning it off every night. This is not as much of an issue now, as hard drive technology has advanced to the point where the hard drives can take this kind of use. However, there is some residual wear to the drives.

Changing out a hard drive is a pretty simple process, though the pain can be in transferring your files and software over from the original drive. Try running the Disk Defragmenter first, but if the drive keeps running slow, then swap it out. Also, if it's making funny scratching noises, then definitely switch the drive out.

RAM - One simple solution to speeding your computer up is to add RAM. It may be the case that you are running too many applications or applications that require more RAM than your computer can handle.

As your computer processes different programs, it uses a certain amount of the RAM. If there are too many programs open or if one program is RAM intensive, it will drain the store of available memory, thus slowing the computer down. The solution is simply to add some more RAM, so there's more of a memory reservoir for your computer to access. Note, however, if you are running Windows XP, unless you run the 64-bit version Windows will not recognize more than 3gb's of RAM.

Processor/Cooling - It is possible that your computer is not well cooled enough, creating a situation where your processor runs hot. This slow your computer down, as it take more effort from the CPU to process the information. The solution here would be to change your heat sink, fans, or case to allow for proper airflow. You normally want a good heat sink attached to the CPU with thermal paste, and ventilated with a fan dedicated to the heat sink.

The factory fans for many processors (especially Intel) are notoriously inadequate in cooling the CPU's. If you really want to go extreme, you can add water cooling, though, it's recommended you consult someone who knows what they are doing with that type of cooling.