Windows xp computer slows down what to do. What to do if your computer slows down Windows XP. System cleaning in Windows operating systems

If you do not monitor your computer, then sooner or later you will have to answer the opposite question?

In answering this question, we will give 6 steps, following which regularly, you will forget what a slow computer or a computer slows down.

To prevent overheating of the components, other contamination is necessary regularly. As a result of overheating in and the protection mechanism is activated - throttling... As a result, performance decreases and the computer begins to think for a long time - to slow down.

This is noticeable under load. Let's say you work in a Word, then turn on a high-definition movie or a game and the brakes begin. However, you may hear a lot of noise from those trying to blow air through the dust-clogged fins of the radiator.

Therefore, the first thing that needs to be done is to look into your own or into the cooling system at least once a year and clean it.

Be sure to unplug the power cord from the computer and remove it from the laptop before cleaning.

It is also necessary to blow off dust. It is best to blow it out with an old vacuum cleaner, and do not suck, but blow it. The effect is many times better. You can watch and read how to clean your computer from dust.

Another great option is to connect the drive to another computer with updated antivirus and check everything. This is especially true if you can't even log into. In this variant, it is also possible that they are not deleted when the operating system is loaded, since at the time of disinfection the infected files are used and occupied by the operating system.

Step number two is to remove viruses, install antivirus and update it daily.

Restore system files

In short:

1. Run the command line as administrator. and select Command Prompt (administrator).
2. We write sfc / scannow and press Enter.
3. We are waiting for completion.

If damaged system files were found and they were not restored - read carefully.

Cleaning up your PC with Glary Utilites

The fourth step is to optimize your computer using Glary Utilities and the like. The program is an analogue, with which you can also do almost all of the following actions.

You can download the latest version of Glary Utilities from the official website http://www.glarysoft.com/

If you want to quickly clean the system, then go to the tab 1-Click... Push .

We are waiting for the program to find problems and click …

We are waiting for Glary Utilities to fix the problems.

In the window that opens, we look through the entire list of programs, find unused ones, highlight we press them .

To make it easier to find unused programs, you can select Rarely used in the left part of the window.

Unnecessary programs have been removed now clean up startup. .

In the upper table (Programs that run with Windows) we look through all the elements and uncheck those that should not be loaded. For instance . You can also turn off those that you don't always use. These programs can be launched from a shortcut on the desktop or from

And the most interesting thing. table Delayed Start Programs... We have already accelerated the loading of the operating system as much as possible by using delayed startup. There we used Task Scheduler. Here it is probably used the same way, but the interface is much more user-friendly.

For, so that the program does not start immediately select it in the upper table. Click Insert (button between tables). Double click on the delay time (the default is 30 seconds) and set the desired one. In the picture above, you can see how my download is spaced in time. Perhaps I will. You need it right away. In order to remove the delayed start of the program, select it in the table and click Cancel.

We have optimized autoloading (you can read more about autoloading).

Now, if you did 1-Click cleaning, then you don't have to clean the disk either. If not, then run and then Disk cleanup... I'll show you on the example of cleaning the registry

In the window that opens, on the left, click Search for errors... We are waiting for the errors to be found. Push Fix the registry

Now it would be nice update the remaining programs to the latest versions. Let's hope that these latest versions will work faster and more stable. Click on the icon .

Below on the same page there is an opportunity to download the beta version of the programs. I don't usually do this. I download and install only normal versions.

For an even more thorough cleaning, you can delete Empty folders and Broken shortcuts. These points are located.

The fourth step turned out to be voluminous. Here we removed programs, optimized startup, updated outdated programs and fought duplicates. The main part is done.

RAM and paging file

The fifth step is to have enough volume random access memory in computer. If there is not enough memory, then the system has to work with. The paging file, or, is a place on your drive where data from RAM is placed that is not used at that moment.

It's no secret that hard drives are the slowest device in our computers. And when using the swap file, the whole computer slows down. Therefore, there is only one recommendation, but leave the paging file. On the system disk, it is desirable that there be a paging file of 200 MB. This will be enough to record minidumps of memory. The latter are necessary for.

Here's how I balance visual effects and performance.

We call the properties of your computer and on the left side, select

In this article, we have provided 7 steps to improve the performance of your computer. The main points, as it seems to me, are both the system file checker. Try to regularly follow at least some of these recommendations and your computer will not cease to delight you.

Best regards, Anton Dyachenko

One of the most common problems encountered on the Windows 7 operating system is that a computer or laptop “dulls” or “slows down”. This is manifested in the fact that the device starts to boot much slower, react to user actions, and ultimately it does not easily slow down, but refuses to work. There are a lot of reasons for this suspension. They can be divided into two main blocks:

In each case, you need to do different things. Let's take a look at the most common problems with slow Windows performance and how to solve them.

Lack of free space

For fast operation of a computer or laptop, the system requires a sufficient amount of memory. Most often, Windows is put on the "C" drive. Out of inexperience, users install all other programs on it (sometimes even in system folders, like "program files" or "system 32"). Make sure that the disk on which you have installed Windows has enough disk space for comfortable work.

Delete all unnecessary files, programs that are on the system drive. As a rule, the following directories belong to it:

• Desktop;
• Downloads;
• My documents (library, images);
• Recycle bin files.

By the way, it is recommended to clean the desktop first. The presence on it of a huge amount various files, shortcuts, folders, reduces the performance of a computer or laptop several times. Having freed up enough free space (so that the disk strip is displayed in blue, not red), the computer will hang noticeably less.

Damage to system files

The next reason that a computer or laptop is very slow may be damage or absence of important files and folders for the system. The reasons can be different:

1. Initially wrong installed windows 7.
2. Critical errors after a long time using the installed Windows.
3. Consequences of system infection with malicious files.
4. Improper operation of a computer or laptop.
5. Accidental deletion of important system files.
6. Incorrect removal of third-party applications.
7. Consequences of incorrect work with the registry.

The easiest way to fix the above problems is to perform a system restore. The advantage of this function is that the procedure does not affect the programs that the user himself installed on the computer (drivers and other software) or other personal files, but only checks the integrity of the system. If necessary, the missing files are loaded and the computer slows down less. Carrying out this procedure cannot adversely affect, and after recovery, the computer will only work faster.

If the damage is too serious, you carried out the recovery, and the computer or laptop is still dull or slow, then you can think about the option of reinstalling Windows. This should be done only as a last resort.

Garbage in the registry and startup

As you use your laptop or computer (installing and removing programs, copying files, connecting USB devices, etc.), many entries () accumulate in the Windows system registry. Some are duplicated, others are entered there by mistake. All this leads to the fact that system errors appear, applications conflict with each other, and the computer slows down and works slowly. To improve the performance of your computer or laptop, it is recommended to clean the registry. Of course, you don't have to do this manually. Your best bet is to use the free CCleaner utility. In it, you can not only fix registry errors, but also configure startup settings.

Many programs that are installed on the computer are loaded at system startup. Sometimes these can be completely unnecessary applications that the user rarely uses, but when launched and working offline, they consume system resources. By removing unnecessary programs from Windows autorun, the computer will not only boot faster at startup, but also work.

Virus infection

As a rule, the virus works in a hidden mode and requires a lot of system resources, for this reason the computer slows down. The following symptoms can indicate that a computer or laptop is infected with viruses:

• freezing of the device when performing certain actions (for example, opening "my computer" the explorer is updated for a long time);
• files and folders are not deleted, on the contrary, they disappeared or cannot be opened;
• critical errors began to appear;
• the browser has changed the home page, the default search engine, added third-party extensions or intrusive ads;
• third-party programs appeared that cannot be removed;
• the processor is loaded at 100% with closed programs;
• System Restore, Task Manager, or terminate one of the processes cannot be performed.

The problem of infection with viruses is complicated by the fact that they have a high priority. This means that if the system has a choice: to perform an action requested by a user or a virus, the priority will be given to the virus. Hence, there is a noticeable delay in the operation of applications, and the computer slows down. To solve the problem, you need to do the following:

• install an antivirus if you don't have it yet;
• scan your computer for infected files;
• send found files to quarantine or delete.

A virus blocks the launch or installation of an antivirus program

Sometimes infected files change system settings. This leads to the inability to start or install the antivirus. In this case, you need to do the following:

1. Use the express check program. Such software does not require installation and is completely free;
2. Perform a system restore. If this is blocked by a virus, then reinstalling Windows will help to save the computer (via a bootable USB flash drive or disk);
3. Before doing a full Windows reset, do not forget to save important information to another flash drive (it must be empty), and then scan it on another device for viruses (if the files become infected).

As a rule, an express check for viruses gives a positive result and takes no more than 30 minutes. After such cleaning, the computer or laptop will work much faster.

Hardware failure

If the computer slows down or starts to freeze completely for a certain time, while making strange sounds (knocking, creaking, noise), then this may indicate a serious internal breakdown and malfunction of the hardware. There are a number of problems that affect the speed of a computer, and some of them are quite within the power of an ordinary user to determine:

• hard drive malfunction;
• overheating of the processor due to a failure of the cooling system;
• cooler breakdown;
• the presence of dust in the system unit or laptop.

Hard disk breakdown

The speed of a computer or laptop is more than 70% dependent on the hard disk. Unfortunately, the hard is not eternal and tends to wear out. When this moment comes, some slowdowns are noticeable in the operation of the system. This is due to the fact that the hard one consists of sectors on which information is stored. From time to time they are erased and marked by the system as "broken".

When a computer reading information gets into a "broken" sector, the system crashes (a characteristic sound may appear), the computer freezes until it moves to another sector. Such a freeze can lead to a fatal error and a system reboot. The more "broken" sectors, the more often the computer slows down and the closer the time when the hard one will have to be completely changed. This problem is inevitable, but it can be removed as much as possible and the consequences reduced. To do this, you need to do the following:

1. Defragment at least once a month. Complete instruction.
2. When cleaning your computer from dust, do not forget about the hard one, heating on it has a negative effect.
3. Avoid physical impact on the hard drive from the outside.

If you suspect that one of the sectors is "broken", use special utilities to find and restore them.

We are looking for broken (marked in red) sectors on the hard using the "Hd Tune Pro" utility

Overheat

Another common cause of slow computer performance is overheating of computer components. It is quite easy to diagnose such a malfunction according to the following criteria:

• The computer boots up quickly and runs for a while, then performance drops dramatically.
• The cooler makes a lot of noise or is not audible at all.
• The computer shuts down unexpectedly.
• If you have a laptop, you can just put your hand on it and check the temperature by touch (there have been cases when the computer overheated so much that you could get burned!).

If the reason for the slow operation is overheating, then you need to do the following:

• Determine which component is overheating (processor, chipset, hard). This can be done using any free utility or even gadgets for the Windows 7 desktop.
• Clean the system unit or laptop from dust, change the thermal paste if necessary.

This procedure will not only increase the speed of your device, but also prolong its life.

Prophylaxis

The computer cannot start to slow down unexpectedly (except for physical impact on it, after which this can really happen). Any problem starts gradually. In order for the device not to disturb you with malfunctions as long as possible, it is necessary to do a number of procedures that will help increase productivity:

• Keep track of the amount of free memory.
• Sort installed programs and uninstall them correctly.
• Check the registry for errors.
• Defragment.
• Clean dust from your computer.
• Remove unnecessary junk from your desktop, empty your trash, and more on time.
• Watch out for startup.
• Scan your system for viruses.

All this does not require much time or special knowledge, but it will save you a lot of nerves for the future.

Old Windows XP is extremely democratic about system requirements computers, especially by modern standards. It will work successfully on hardware that was released a good ten years ago - several generations by computer standards. The computer she needs must have 64 megabytes of RAM and a 233 megahertz processor. However, there is an unpleasant feature behind it - the longer the user works with the operating system, the more it becomes cluttered and the more difficult everyday work with the computer becomes. Simply put, the system slows down, and this is especially pronounced when the computer starts up. Windows XP takes a few minutes or more to boot up.

Some users prefer not to do anything about it, perceiving the brakes at startup as an inevitable evil that arises after a long work with the system. Some people rush to reinstall the system at the slightest hint that it slows down. So what to do in such a situation, and is there a way to quickly and painlessly solve such a problem?

The main reasons for the slowdown of a computer running Windows XP

Overflowed startup

Startup is the place where is windows XP places programs that should be loaded at system startup. During the operation of the system, a huge number of programs accumulate in startup, many of which require very impressive system resources. When they all start running at the same time at system startup, it’s not surprising that the computer slows down.

Dust inside the system unit

Inside the box, which is called the system unit, is the main filling of your computer. All of it emits a huge amount of heat, and, naturally, must somehow cool down. Usually fans are used for this. If they become clogged with dust, they cannot provide adequate cooling, which causes the main components of your computer to overheat and, as a result, the computer starts up more slowly.

Viruses

If your computer does not have an antivirus installed, chances are good that it is already infected. Viruses interfere with the operation of the computer, take up useful resources, which, of course, leads to the fact that Windows XP slows down.

Cluttered system registry

The system registry is the main place in the operating system, where the settings and parameters of all programs and the system itself are stored. With the installation of a large number of programs, the registry starts to become cluttered and slows down, which affects the overall performance of the computer.

Visual effects

If your computer is very slow (roughly the same as the one indicated at the beginning of the article), it may make sense for you to disable numerous beauties and be content with the bare functionality of the system. Otherwise, there is nothing to do and you will have to endure serious brakes.

How to troubleshoot problems

Startup

In the first place, due to the slow loading of the computer at system startup, the overflowing startup is deservedly so. It is she who leads to the fact that the computer slows down each time it starts, forcing you to wait Windows boot XP for 10 minutes. Many of these programs are completely useless (like Sputnik.mail.ru), others you use no more than once a month, and are quite capable of running them yourself if necessary. Be that as it may, it is better to exclude the heaviest programs from startup. Not everyone knows how to do this correctly, so we will tell you in more detail.

As you can see, the list is quite impressive. Perhaps you will even have more. The checkboxes mark those programs that start when start Windows XP and make the computer think about starting. Simply put, because of all these programs, the system slows down.

As a rule, it is not always possible to determine by the name what kind of program it is, and what can be done with it. Therefore, the best thing is to navigate by the folder into which the "Team" leads. Do not remove antiviruses, firewalls and system applications Windows XP itself. This can make your computer more vulnerable. Usually, the need for a particular program can be determined experimentally by simply disabling and enabling it.

Dust inside the system unit

In second place, due to the computer slowdown, is dust inside the case. This attack leads to the fact that the computer cannot cool down properly and its components overheat. In order to protect against this, most system components include the so-called throttling mode - lowering the frequency and, as a result, reducing performance. Therefore, it is recommended, at least once a year, to clean the insides of your computer from dust. If this is not done, the consequences can be something like this:

To clean your computer from dust, it makes sense to use a vacuum cleaner with a blow-out function or a powerful hair dryer. In addition, a toothbrush will come in handy. Open the computer case and gently blow through the insides. We advise you to do this procedure outdoors or on the balcony, as there is a huge amount of dust in the computer. The main thing is not to bring the vacuum cleaner too close to the fan blades - they can break from too strong air flow.

For a more thorough cleaning, it makes sense to unscrew the fastening screws holding the hard drives, video card and processor cooler, remove them and gently clean them with a brush. Do not forget to clean the RAM itself motherboard.

Computer viruses

As already mentioned, the presence of viruses has a very negative effect on the performance of computers. We advise you to use a full-fledged antivirus program to eradicate them, but if this is not possible, then free antivirus utilities like DR.Web Cureit may suit you. Such programs will be able to quickly scan your computer and cure it of known viruses and Trojans. It is also possible to connect the hard drive from your computer to another one and scan the entire hard drive. Such a need, by the way, may arise even when viruses have completely and completely captured your hard drive. In such cases, the computer slows down so much that any work becomes meaningless.

Registry cleaning

Systemic windows registry XP is the place where every program tries to stick its nose and write down its data, settings and parameters. Moreover, often, even after uninstalling the program, they do not bother to delete the data recorded in the registry. However, as a result of their gradual accumulation, the computer slows down more and more. What can you do in such a situation?

Let's say right away that we should clean it ourselves system registry- it is useless. It is much better to use special software for this. For example, a program like Registry Life is an absolutely free and high-quality solution. The program is intuitive to use, but we advise you to select "Custom" during installation - to prevent the installation of the mail.ru toolbar. Within the program itself, after installation, run one by one cleaning the registry, and then its optimization.

Actually, this will complete the entire optimization of the registry, and after the obligatory reboot you will already feel a noticeable increase in the speed of work, of course, if your Windows XP is not just installed.

Visual effects

All kinds of Windows XP decorations look very impressive, but have a dramatically negative impact on the performance of older computers. You can disable them by right-clicking on My Computer and choosing Properties. There, go to the "Advanced system settings" tab, where in the "performance" part you need to select the "Settings" button. There, check the box “Provide the best performance, or manually disable the effects you don't need.

Even though the system dims dramatically, your computer's performance will increase tremendously. And to decorate the computer, you can put a different theme.

One of the most pressing and probably eternal problems of all PC users is why the computer slows down? After all, when you bought your brand new computer, it did not even show signs of a brake. There are many reasons for your computer to freeze, and this is what I will write about today. And also, I will write methods of dealing with the most common problems. First, let's make a rating of the most common causes of freezing and slowing down of your computer:

In fact, the reasons why your computer can slow down even more, if the need arises, I will write the second part of the article. Now let's take a closer look at each of these points.

Computer slows down due to viruses

- Problem This is one of the main reasons why your computer has become noticeably slower. You may not even think about the existence of viruses in your computer until you see the first prerequisites for their existence. such prerequisites may be:

• Computer freeze
• Files or folders are not deleted
• Error messages appeared
• Intrusive ads appear while the browser is running
• Computer startup time has slowed down significantly
• Individual programs do not start and folders do not open
• Task manager does not open (ctrl + alt + del does not work)
• CPU load up to 100% with closed applications

At the first symptoms of a computer infection, you should take a number of steps to protect yourself from viruses:

- Solution If you suspect that your computer is infected with viruses, the following points should be followed:

check it for viruses with a scanner, for example, and do not forget what to use. After checking with a scanner, it will show if there is malware and scanners on your computer, if there is, we will disinfect / remove it, then install the stationary version of the antivirus. I can recommend a pretty good and free antivirus.

Enable the built-in firewall (firewall) in the operating system and configure it to work only with certain programs that use Internet access. A bundle of antivirus and firewall will provide strong enough protection against most threats.

Another very important tip! Most viruses and Trojans can be picked up on porn sites. So, if for any reason you visit such sites, be careful and do not click on all the windows in a row that will appear. For example, a proposal to update the flash player is likely to provoke the installation of a malicious program.

System disk is full

- Problem A very common situation when the system disk of your computer is full (drive C: \), and when you try to access the required entry, the system waits for free memory on the hard disk.

The problem is relevant in those computers in which the system disk and the data disk are separated (to disk C and D, for example). In my experience, I often came across a situation when too little hard disk memory was allocated for the system disk, and as it was full (installing updates, installing programs, temporary files), the space on the C disk tended to zero.

- Solution To solve the problem with the volumes of the system disk, follow these steps:

• Clean up disk from temporary files. The program copes well with this task.
• Remove programs you don't use
• Clear the desktop (many people do not even suspect that the desktop stores information on the C drive)
• Empty Trash (I came across a situation where the size of the trash reached 10 GB with a C drive size of 50 GB.)

Computer slows down due to overheating

- Problem Unfortunately, a very common and very dangerous problem for your computer. The temperature of the components must be monitored! Moreover, if your computer is a storage important information... I think you will not be happy if your computer breaks down due to overheating and as a result of the failure you will lose all information from your PC.

How to determine if the computer is slowing down due to overheating? Very simple! If, when you turn on the computer, everything boots normally and quickly, and when you start programs or games, the computer starts to slow down and reboot, then in 95% of cases, the problem is precisely with overheating

- Solution It is necessary to pay attention to the temperature of the processor, chipset, video card and hard disk. You can monitor the temperature of the components using special programs (for example, Aida or Everest).

Periodically clean the system unit from dust. Yes, yes, it needs to be cleaned! In my memory, there have been such instances in which it was not that the color of the motherboard was not visible, even the heatsink of the processor was not visible due to the dense "crust" of dust. Dust provokes the failure of coolers (fans), in connection with which heat exchange is disturbed and the temperature rises.

Periodically, you need to check the condition of the thermal paste between the active elements and their radiators. I advise you to do this every 2-3 years. But, if the sensors show that the temperature of your elements (processor, chipset, video card) is normal, then everything is in order with heat exchange and therefore, you do not need to change the thermal paste.

Computer slows down due to hard disk problems

- Problem Few people know that hard drives tend to deplete their resources. This is not about the size of the disk (I wrote about this above), but about its life cycle, which, unfortunately, is not as long as we would like.

The speed of the operating system and programs is 70% dependent on the quality of the hard disk. I myself did not understand before how a computer with 4 GB can slow down. RAM, 2-core processor 3.2 GHz., good video card? And during work, significant slowdowns are noticeable. Only when replacing the hard drive was there a significant increase in the operating speed.

The thing is that a hard disk consists of many layers of mirrored disks, all these disks are divided into sectors. If, when accessing a certain sector, the hard disk controller does not receive a response, it marks this sector as “broken”. The more bad sectors there are, the closer to the end of your hard drive.

- Solution Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever! But life can be prolonged! So it is with hard drives. If you follow the rules described below, you can significantly extend the life of the hard drive, and therefore the computer.

• Defragment your disks periodically (at least once a month)
• If there is a suspicion of work hard disk, carry out a set of measures to check and restore the hard disk (there is a good toolkit on)
• Eliminate any physical impact on the hard drive. Do not hit the system unit, do not knock on the table if there is a system unit or laptop on it
• When cleaning the system unit from dust, thoroughly clean the hard drive, as it tends to heat up

Small amount of RAM

- Problem One of the most common reasons why a computer slows down a lot is a small amount of RAM. Progress does not stand still with the new software a new "hardware" is released, which ensures the comfortable operation of these programs.

You can see the load of RAM in the task manager (ctrl + alt + del), in the tabs "Performance" and "Processes"

However, not everyone can afford to update the hardware, and in particular the RAM. Finding memory for your old computer (DDR) is going to take a sweat. And the price for old memory strips is much more expensive than for memory of the same size, but of a new type (for example, DDR2 or DDR3).

And in order to install the memory of a new modification, you need to change the motherboard and, in most cases, the processor.

- The most commonplace decision! Increase the amount of RAM. I also advise you to pay attention to the running processes, perhaps most of the memory is “eaten away” by processes that you did not start (for example, viruses).

- Problem Like RAM, the processor directly affects the speed of the computer. The lack of processor power is most noticeable when working with a browser and when running high-quality HD video.

The processor load can be seen in the task manager (ctrl + alt + del), in the tabs "Performance" and "Processes"

- Solution The solution is to install a new, more powerful processor.

There are a lot of unnecessary things in startup

- Problem While working at the computer, you often have to install various kinds of programs, some of these programs are installed at startup in order to be loaded when the computer is turned on.

I doubt that you often look into startup and remove unnecessary programs from there. And it would be worth it, because by cleaning the startup, you can significantly increase the speed of turning on the computer and starting the operating system.

- Solution You need to open the "System Configuration" and in the "Startup" tab uncheck the boxes you do not need programs.

To open "System Configuration" click "Start" - "Run", for Windows XP, or for windows 7, "Start" - and in the line "Find programs and files" write msconfig and press Enter.
After, go to the "Startup" tab
In my case, you can safely disable the items "Intel", "Adobe Reader", "Java". You can have an office, winamp, all kinds of messengers there.

Cleaning the registry from garbage

- Problem The Registry is the most mysterious and little-studied area of ​​the Windows operating system by ordinary users. The registry contains the parameters of all installed applications. And in case of incorrect removal of applications, entries remain in the registry.

Over time, because of such entries, the registry grows to an obscene size. And when accessing it, the operating system spends more time than it would like.

- Solution Cleaning the registry with a special utility, for example, there are no other options.

The computer slows down when working with a browser

- Problem This is also a very urgent problem. It occurs mainly when you open several dozen tabs at once, or when you start HD video in the browser.

Also, do not forget that each open tab is a separately launched process that "eats" part of the RAM and part of the processor.

- Solution If the computer freezes while working in the browser, pay attention to the task manager, which process takes up the most resources. Perhaps this is either an application running in a web page, or a suspended script. Do not forget that the browser freezing can also occur due to the overflowing cache, which you need.

If your computer slows down when watching a video on the Internet, the problem is an insufficient processor resource, only a replacement will help.

Let's summarize!

As you can see, there are a huge number of problems due to which your computer can freeze and slow down. If you did not find the answer to your question or have tried everything but nothing helps, write your problem in the comments, we will try to help you. By the way, here are some more tips for

And now I propose to watch a video on the topic “What to do if the computer slows down”:

Many Windows users XP faced such a situation when the system starts to slow down some time after installation. This is very unpleasant, because recently the computer was working at normal speed. But this trouble is easy to overcome when the reasons for its appearance are known. We will consider them further.

There are several reasons why the computer starts to slow down. They can be associated with both hardware and the operation of the operating system itself. It also happens when the cause of slow work is the effect of several factors at once. Therefore, in order to ensure the normal performance of your computer, you must have at least a general idea of ​​what can lead to brakes.

Reason 1: Overheating of iron

Hardware problems are one of the common reasons for slowing down your computer. In particular, overheating of the motherboard, processor, or video card leads to this. The most common cause of overheating is dust.

Dust is the main enemy of computer hardware. It disrupts the normal operation of your computer and may damage it.

To avoid this situation, it is necessary to clean the system unit from dust at least once every two to three months.

Laptops are even more likely to suffer from overheating. But in order to properly disassemble and assemble a laptop, certain skills are required. Therefore, if you are not confident in your knowledge, it is better to entrust a specialist with cleaning it from dust. In addition, proper use of the device involves placing it in such a way that adequate ventilation is provided for all of its components.

But dust is not the only cause of overheating. Therefore, you need to periodically check the temperature of the processor and video card. If necessary, you need to change the thermal paste on the processor, check the contacts on the video card, or even replace these components if defects are found.

Reason 2: Overcrowded system partition

The hard disk partition on which the operating system is installed (by default, this is drive C) must have enough free space for it to work properly. For file system NTFS its volume must be at least 19% of the total volume of the partition. Otherwise, the response time of the computer increases and the system start takes much longer.

To check the free space on the system partition, just open the explorer by double-clicking on the icon "My computer"... Depending on the way information is presented in its window, data on free space on partitions may be displayed there in different ways. But they can be seen most clearly by opening the properties of the disk from the context menu, which is invoked using the RMB.

Here the required information is provided in both text and graphical form.

You can free up disk space different ways... The easiest way is to use the tools provided by the system. This requires:

For those who are not satisfied with the system tools, you can use third-party programs to clean up space on the C drive. Their advantage is that along with the ability to clean up free space, they usually have a number of other functions to optimize the system.

Alternatively, you can also view the list of installed programs that are located by default in the C: \ Program Files path and delete those that are not used.

One of the reasons for the overcrowding of the C drive and the slowdown of the system is the addiction of many users to store their files on the desktop. The desktop is a system folder and besides slowing down your work, you can lose your information in the event of a system crash. Therefore, it is recommended that all your documents, images, audio and video recordings be stored on disk D.

Reason 3: Hard disk fragmentation

A feature of the NTFS file system used in Windows XP and later versions of the OS from Microsoft is that over time the files on the hard disk begin to split into many parts, which may be located in different sectors at a considerable distance from each other. Thus, in order to read the contents of a file, the OS must one by one read all of its parts, while making a larger number of revolutions of the hard disk than in the case when the file is represented by one fragment. This phenomenon is called fragmentation and can significantly slow down your computer.

To avoid slowing down the system, it is necessary to periodically defragment the hard disk. As in the case of freeing up space, the easiest way to do this is by system means. To start the defragmentation process, you must:

Defragmentation is a very lengthy process during which it is not recommended to use a computer. Therefore, it is optimal to run it at night.

As in the previous case, many users do not like the system defragmentation tool and use third-party software products. There are a great many of them. The choice depends only on personal preference.

Reason 4: Garbage in the registry

The Windows Registry has the uncomfortable tendency to grow excessively over time. There, erroneous keys accumulate and whole sections left over from long-deleted applications, fragmentation appears. All this does not in the best way affect the performance of the system. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically clean the registry.

It should be noted right away that it is impossible to clean and optimize the registry using the Windows XP system tools. You can only try to edit it manually, but for this you need to know exactly what needs to be deleted. Let's say we need to completely get rid of traces of being in the Microsoft Office system. To do this, do the following:

The scheme described above is very cumbersome and unacceptable for the vast majority of users. Therefore, there are many different utilities for cleaning and optimizing the registry, created by third-party developers.

By regularly using one of these tools, you can ensure that the registry will never slow down your computer.

Reason 5: Large startup list

Often the reason Windows XP starts to run slowly is that there are too many programs and services that must start at system startup. Most of them are registered there during the installation of various applications and monitor the availability of updates, collect information about user preferences, or even completely malicious software that tries to steal your confidential information.