Computers are remarkable machines. With loud threats of speed from their gigahertz and gigabytes, you might expect them to whizz along with us barely able to keep up. So why is it that often they limp along while you twiddle your thumbs waiting for something… anything… to happen? If this is exercising your temper, here is an overview of the common causes and their solutions.

It is only a half joke that computer development sizzles at a pace that makes your new machine almost obsolete by the time you get it home and out of the box. With computers’ processing power roughly doubling every couple of years, you have on your desk a machine more powerful than the supercomputers of a few years ago.

However, here is the rub: with all that power waiting to be used, software writers have proved more than willing to use it. Their creations and our burgeoning new communication and entertainment applications go a long way towards consuming your computer’s impressive capabilities. Demanding software aside, your computer may run slowly for other common reasons that are more in your control. These include the software loading when you start your computer, lack of memory, or hardware issues.

While you machine may be sluggardly, a slow internet connection can masquerade as a slow computer with sites and email waiting an age to load. Take a few moments to confirm this by searching online for a speed checker. Download speeds below 2Mb/s will make surfing a real chore with even the best computer and may indicate a faulty internet connection.

A range of software is loaded when you start you computer. Much of the start-up software I encounter is unnecessary and drags on your computer like thick mud on your boots. This includes over-enthusiastic start-up ‘helpers’ and automatic updaters, duplicate antivirus scanners, unwanted applications, or malware that not only slows your computer but may be nefariously active. The good news is that cutting back on this hungry swarm can release a new sprightliness. Soluto is a useful application for PCs that gives you insight into what programs start with your computer and which you can do without. I also suggest you complement this with a monthly anti-malware scan with Malwarebytes. Mac users may try the inexpensive ‘Lingon X’ to tame their start-up zoo but a little technical knowledge is required.

The other side of start up software is whether your computer has the resources to feed the ravenous central processor with a continuous supply of data. For this to happen, you need sufficient quantities of the very fast active memory. What’s this? Your computer has two main sorts of memory. One is your hard drive which is similar to your bookcase in being large capacity but slow to access. The other sort is active or RAM memory which is like your study desk. When your desk is fully cluttered you need to clear some space before embarking on a new activity. Your computer needs to do the same thing which is a slow process. Fortunately, you can often install more active memory for your computer to see an immediate improvement.

Another common source of modern slowness lies in hardware issues such as defective memory or a fading hard drive. This will be accompanied by increasingly frequent computer crashes and indicate a need for professional help.

If your computer is 8+ years old this is antique vintage. You will need some especially light-weight software to treat your old friend tenderly, with a replacement peeping over the horizon.

Wishing you a whizzy time!