Did You Know that Computers Slow Down Over Time?
- From: Ablang <ron916@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 17:49:25 -0700
Did You Know that Computers Slow Down Over Time?
Adam Sanderson
C ompared with cars and other mechanical devices, personal computers
(PCs) don't require a lot of care -- but they're not maintenance-free.
Even a brand-new PC will have programs that need to be updated for
peak performance.
Users who notice that their PCs are working more slowly than usual
often try to fix the problem by buying more memory or adjusting the
computer's settings. Or they assume that the computer is just getting
old, bite the bullet and buy a new one.
These time-consuming (and sometimes expensive) "fixes" aren't
necessary for most users. A PC that's bogging down probably just needs
routine maintenance. (Macintosh computers require similar tune-ups,
but the approaches may be somewhat different.) What every user should
do...
Update Virus Definitions
Viruses are malicious programs that are spread via the Internet. Some
are relatively benign -- they make their presence known with text that
unexpectedly pops up on the screen, or with video or audio messages
that seem to come out of nowhere. This type of virus uses up computer
memory and can result in slow performance or crashes. Other viruses
actually damage programs or delete information. Some wipe out the
entire hard drive.
It's estimated that there are more than 70,000 viruses floating around
on the Web. Among computers that are brought into shops for repairs,
about 85% have at least one virus.
Self-protection: Run an antivirus program. Users can buy and subscribe
to antivirus software, such as from leading software makers Norton and
McAfee. Or they can download equally effective (and free) programs,
such as AVG (made by Grisoft, www.grisoft.com), on the Internet.
Most programs have settings for both manual and automatic updates.
Choose the automatic feature -- so the program will automatically
download protection against the newest viruses. The user doesn't have
to do anything after the initial installation.
Caution: Computers that are already infected with a virus won't always
allow these programs to be installed. Users who get error messages
when attempting to install new antivirus software will probably need
professional help.
Block Adware/Spyware
Adware is the term for annoying programs that cause advertisements to
repeatedly "pop up" when users are on the Internet. Example: Someone
who is searching for information on a new car might get 50 pop-ups
advertising car loans. Adware essentially hijacks the computer and
turns it into an ongoing advertisement.
Spyware is worse. These programs are designed to keep track of every
Web site a user has visited and provide this information to outside
parties. Some spyware programs, called key-loggers, record every
keystroke that a user makes. This could allow an outside party to gain
access to personal passwords, banking information, etc.
Self-protection: Download programs that block adware/spyware, and run
them at least once a week. Some of these programs will update and run
automatically. Others, particularly the free versions available on-
line, may require the user to run them manually.
Recommended: Two good, equally effective anti-adware/spyware programs,
Ad-Aware (www.adawareresource.com) and Spybot (www.spybot.net), can be
downloaded for free. Pick either one. They're the first line of
defense. They'll remove adware/spyware that is already in your
computer and prevent new programs from getting in.
Run Defrag
A computer hard drive (the memory device on which the vast majority of
your programs, data and settings are stored) is a bit like a jigsaw
puzzle that's not completely assembled. Files that are too large to
fit in one place on the drive are cut into pieces that are scattered
in different locations on the hard drive. Users don't see this
fragmentation, and the computer keeps track of where the different
pieces are. But over time, there may be so many fragments in different
places that it takes the computer longer to access the information.
Self-protection: Run your computer's defragmentation ("defrag")
program. Defragmenting the computer rearranges the pieces so that all,
or nearly all, scattered fragments of each file are stored
contiguously on the drive.
Bonus: Besides making file access faster, defragging can create more
available empty space on the hard drive. This can potentially improve
computer performance by up to 80%.
All PCs that run Windows software have a disk defragmenter program.
Click on "Start"... then "Programs"... "Accessories"... "System
Tools"... and then click on "Disk Defragmenter."
Note: If your hard drive is nearly filled to capacity, you may not be
able to run your defrag program. (It needs a certain amount of free
space to do its work.) If this is the case, store some of your data
files on removable disks instead, add another hard drive (if possible)
to your computer or upgrade to a newer model.
Check the Hard Drive
Every time a computer crashes and has to be restarted, errors (such as
data that's been written to the hard drive, but is missing a "pointer"
to that data location) occur on the hard drive. As these errors
accumulate, the computer runs much more slowly.
Self-protection: At least once a month, run a ScanDisk program. Both
Microsoft and Norton have programs that repair hard drive errors.
On older PCs running Windows 95, 98 or ME: Click on "Start"...
"Programs"... "Accessories"... "System Tools"... "Scandisk." If your
computer doesn't have this program, you can buy and run Norton Disk
Doctor (part of a software package called Norton Utilities).
Newer PCs using the Windows XP operating system don't run exactly the
same program. To repair disk errors with XP: Click on "Start"...
"Run"... then type in "Chkdsk" and click on "Ok."
Important: Every hard drive will eventually break down, so every
computer user should have some kind of backup plan for when disaster
strikes.
Options: An external hard drive (such as those made by Maxtor) or an
on-line backup service, in which the information on the PC is
automatically transferred over the Internet to computers in a
different location.
Advantages: An external hard drive involves a one-time cost (between
$100 and $200), without monthly fees. These backup drives can hold
enormous amounts of data -- but, like the "original" hard drive, can
also break down eventually. On-line services can store virtually
unlimited amounts of data (depending on the subscription plan), but
many computer users feel uncomfortable sending their personal data to
an off-site location.
Clean the Innards
All desktop computers and some laptops have fans that draw air through
the unit to prevent the central processing unit (CPU) from getting too
hot. Excess heat can cause the CPU to break down prematurely. But the
very flow of air through the computer attracts dust, which can prevent
the air from circulating and keeping the electronics cool.
Self-protection: Vacuum fans and vent openings at least once a year
(unplug the unit before cleaning/disassembling). Laptops usually have
one or more vents on the bottom or sides. Remove the dust with the
bristle-brush attachment on a vacuum. For desktop computers, remove
the outer case, which is generally held in place with a handful of
visible screws (consult your owner's manual). Then gently blow out
dust with a can or two of compressed air.
E-mail this Article
Bottom Line/Retirement interviewed Adam Sanderson, a New York City-
based information technology expert specializing in on-line computer
repair, maintenance and other related services, adamsandersonIT at
yahoo.com.
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