Slow Computer XP

As computers age they slow down naturally. Computers are just like anything else; every day normal wear and tear can break them down and wear them out. Of course, with computers there could be any number of reasons for the machine to slow down and unfortunately, doing a slow computer search for your primary operating system (e.g. “slow computer xp”) will probably yield more results than you want to sort through.

There are a number of things you can check yourself if your xp computer is running slowly. The first thing you will want to do is check your temporary files folder. It is this folder that stores your internet browser’s history and cache. You have heard of the cache right? The cache is where each part of a website gets stored as an individual file. Needless to say, your temporary file folder needs to be emptied on a regular basis.

You should also check your recycling bin. You should already know to empty your recycling bin regularly. Simply dragging a file to the recycling bin does not delete it from the system completely. In order for the file to be deleted all the way, it must be deleted from the recycling bin.

You will also want to check your start up menu. Most programs, when you install them into your system will have an option that allows them to be run upon the powering up of your computer. You should take care to make sure that this option is de-selected. To many programs trying to start at the same time will make your computer’s start up process take much longer than it normally would. Also, these programs that start automatically will run covertly while you do your day to day activities. So, while you are surfing the internet or typing that document there are a number of programs running and eating away at the resources of your computer. An easy way to correct this problem is to take a look at the start up menu when you run msconfig. There are a number of easy to follow tutorials on this process that can be found on the internet.

Of course, your slow computer’s xp program itself might need some work done on it. For some reason, computer files like to wander around on a computer’s hard drive and hide themselves in folders that have nothing to do with the program they belong to. The only way to make sure that your computer is in proper working order is to defragment the hard drive. A disk defragmentation will make sure that your files are in the proper locations.

Running a “slow computer xp” search can feel like a fruitless labour and you might be tempted to scrap the entire process and just buy a new machine altogether. The good news is that there are a number of simple steps you can take yourself every day to keep your computer in running condition. Your slow computer xp search does not need to be done in vain.

Slow Computer Problems Tip #1

Check your internet cache. Not only does every single page you look at on the internet get stored into a history folder in the depths of your computer, but every single part of those pages gets saved as a separate file in what is known as the cache folder. Yes, every single tiny graphic gets stored in its own file. That green dot that repeats twelve times as an illustration of bullet points? Twelve separate gif files in your cache. Make sure you clean out the cache often.

Slow Computer Problems Tip #2

Ad ware is the devil. Ad ware can be attached to your computer by any number of sites (though it is most famously used by sites of an "adult" nature). This ad ware keeps track of where you go online like a cookie does, but ad ware is typically a covert program that slows down the computer to make it easier to track where you go. Run a spy ware or ad aware program on a regular basis to keep these programs and files at bay.

Slow Computer Problems Tip #3

Defragment your hard drive regularly. Sometimes parts of your files get corrupted. The more files that are corrupted or "fragmented," the more slowly your computer will run. A defragmentation of your hard drive should be done on a regular basis. It is a long process, so the defragmenting program is best run overnight.