What to Do When Your Computer is Running Slow

Picture this scenario - you boot up your computer, move over to the cubicle next door, shoot the breeze for a short while, get back to your desk and what do you see? Your computer still hasn't finished booting and you have to twiddle your thumbs until your computer is ready to use. The problem doesn't end there - Your computer is running slow and executes commands sluggishly because it is still doing the last task you asked it to perform. Many of us face this problem.

When you computer is running slow, it can really restrict your creativity, because the speed of your computer does not match up to the rate at which your ideas are flowing. There could be several reasons why your computer is running slow - you may have insufficient amount of RAM in your system, your disk may be fragmented or you may have a bloated registry. Defragmenting the hard disk and increasing RAM can be done easily, but tackling the registry is not that easy.

When you have a bloated registry, it can be a real problem. When your computer is new, the registry is small and your computer may respond quickly. With installation of programs and uninstalling of programs, it is possible for the registry to have many invalid entries as a result of improper removal. Over time, the size of the registry grows and this can cause your computer to slow down tremendously.

However, if you have identified the registry as the reason why your computer is running slow, it is not advisable to edit registry entries manually, as there can be dependencies among registry entries. Removal of one entry can cause another program to stop working. It is best to use one of the many registry cleaners available to handle a bloated registry.