A slow or under performing computer is more than just a mere annoyance…it’s bad for business. We all know that any lag in computer performance can make all the difference in the productivity of you and your team.
When you face an issue with your computer, it’s not yet time to panic and call the IT Department or, worse yet, start shopping for a replacement. There are many things you can to do on your own to assess what you’re dealing with or even fix it on your own.
Here are the steps we recommend trying before taking any drastic actions:
- REBOOT: As simple as it may sound, restarting your computer could be the fix for all your problems, especially if one hasn’t occurred in some time. This gives your computer a chance to flush out RAM space that programs are using up. There may be temp files stored up, background process running, etc. or any number of additional factors that a simple reboot will address.
- CHECK FOR WINDOWS UPDATES: Although this will typically happen during reboot, we still advise users to routinely check for Windows updates, as your machine will not run properly without them. To do this, click Start button in the lower left corner.
In the search box, type Update, and then, in the list of results, click either Windows Update or Check for updates. - SCAN FOR MALWARE: Malware, the collective name any number of malicious software variants, including viruses and spyware, can dramatically affect your computer’s performance. When it comes to malware, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For example, we insist that every one our clients have Sophos installed on each of their machines, significantly reducing the risk of malware.
- CHECK TASK MANAGER: (access by typing “Task Manager” in the Start Menu or clicking the windows key and typing “taskmgr”). From here you can close open programs that have high CPU usage, which may result in a performance boost. Since your computer can only process so many programs at a time due to its RAM supply you may need to close some programs or install new RAM (if your computer permits).
- CHECK HARDWARE for any failures. You may notice signs such as a clicking sound from a hard disk going bad, the fan may be louder than usual (due to temperature or dust buildup), a bad power supply, motherboard failure, or any damage. If this is the case, it is probably time to talk to IT.
It’s also important to remember the age of your computer…most have a lifespan of 5 years. If it’s at that point, it’s time to start thinking about replacement. The money invested will undoubtedly pay off in increased efficiency (and reduced anxiety).
Questions? Need an assessment of the health of your organization’s technology? Drop us a line at Sales@TheTEK.com
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