Your computer is not as fast as it used to be. What could be the problem?

There are many factors that can cause your computer to run slower than it used to. Age, dirt, memory, viruses, spyware and even the software you unknowingly install just to name a few.

Most household computers are shared by multiple users. Each user can have their own customized desktop and settings. This can result in multiple pieces of email, chat, instant messaging and multimedia software being installed on the computer without the direct knowledge of the other users. Each of these pieces of software place demands on the resources of the computer. The more users, the more software, the more likely you are to have a problem of this type.

Additionally, Many pieces of hardware (like printers & external drives) will install "utilities", or software, that monitors the status of the hardware device. As these pieces of hardware are added to your computer they begin to place more and more of a demand on the processor and memory. The result is a computer that is bogged down by all of the software that is automatically running when the computer starts up.

Viruses and spyware are the most common cause of a slow computer. These things run in the "background" and may give no other indication that they are there. Your computer just seems slow. The recent increases in the number spyware applications on the internet have resulted in a wide spread epidemic of infections.

It is also possible that your computer did not come with enough RAM memory. Many WindowsÒ XP computers did not ship with enough RAM do allow the operating system to function well after the end user has begun to install software and additional hardware. In general, a WindowsÒ XP computer should have a minimum of 512 MB of run to perform satisfactorily.

If you would like more information about why your computer is not performing like it used to please give us a call.

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