What makes a usually fast computer all of a sudden slow?
By ctrymuziklvr
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
United States
January 10, 2008 7:08pm CST
My pc is usually fairly fast when I'm going from site to site or loading a program from my desktop. Lately it's been very slow and I can't figure out why! I've deleted everything I don't use,run two virus programs and spyware programs and they both came up clean. I clean out my cache and don't really have a lot of programs on it. I'm using Comcast internet and have Windows XP with quite a bit of ram. It has me stumped!
Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be slowing it down all of a sudden since it's always been fairly fast? Are there some secrets that I'm not aware of?
4 people like this
11 responses
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
11 Jan 08
I also use Comcast and have Windows XP - I've noticed in the last month mine is also running slower and I think it has to do with the latest Windows update. I'm hoping someone has some tips because this is driving me crazy - I almost feel like I'm back on the old dial-up connection. I've done all the maintanence work - and after working for the tech department at a local school district for 3 years I think I know pretty much about computers but this one has me.
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
11 Jan 08
Go to auto update and make sure it is not checked to do automatic updates. Most those updates are not anything we as public users need worry about at home. I go to windows website once a week checking for home PC updates. Mine doesnt run as slow anymore since doing this.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
1 person likes this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
11 Jan 08
Knowing I'm not the only one experiencing this makes me feel better. Between the windows update, bandwith and traffic I guess it's not my pc itself.
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
11 Jan 08
Grandpa Bob, I think you are right! It seems there is always a new automatic update happening and I never really understand what the updates are about. I'm going to follow your advice....thanks!
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
11 Jan 08
Funny you should ask, ctry, as I have been experiencing the same type of problems over the past couple of days. I have done the same things you did, trying to troubleshoot the source of the problem. I can no longer play games on a site that I subscribe to, and if I don't get the problem resolved I will have to cancel my subscription. I keep thinking "virus," but nothing shows up when I did scans of my system. I could also use some help with this problem.
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
11 Jan 08
From everything I have learned, coffeebreak, you should never run more than one AV program and one anti-spyware program at the same time. All the techs say this can cause problems because of conflicting software.
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
11 Jan 08
Are you sure we're not related in some way? lol....I hope we both get some answers here.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
11 Jan 08
If you are, you are both related to me! I am having the same problem. I run 4-5 antivrius/antispam/cleaners things all the time, even daily and still...slow slow slow - I mean Grandma was slow but she was old, all this stuff is new!
@sojournseeker (1244)
• United States
11 Jan 08
With everything you have done to perform at optimum level, I am beginning to think it is just a bandwidth recognition program default. Which means, they are getting more traffic than they can take in causing your entrance slower . . . makes sense ?
2 people like this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
11 Jan 08
More traffic does make sense to me. Thanks for the thought since I'm not really thinking lately...lol
1 person likes this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
11 Jan 08
Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.
1 person likes this
@sabbathandruth (567)
• Canada
11 Jan 08
it can be caused by numerous things
have you cleaned your files recently, temp files etc...
have you defraged recently?
try those first
2 people like this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
11 Jan 08
I"ve done it all but defragging. I don't like doing that because it seems something always gets messed up when I do.
1 person likes this
@wilmpie (147)
• Belgium
11 Jan 08
maby u have some weathercast programm secretly beeing installed on your computer or have a higher version off office or so installed lately. think back if u have installed somthing or what u where doing when your computer begon to slow down and then work from that moment to a solution
2 people like this
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
• United States
11 Jan 08
I got rid of a lot of programs including weathercast and I have an older version of office that was installed months ago. I never install anything and can't figure this whole thing out.
@smartbrain69 (2790)
• Canada
11 Jan 08
Check for virus and update your antivirus, there may be tooo much cookies so clean all temporary files.
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
11 Jan 08
It can be caused by programs running in the background also.
Have you tried defragging the puter?
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
@dfinster (3528)
• United States
11 Jan 08
I saw this and thought to myself, I'm having the same problem. I just deleted a bunch of stuff that I don't use anymore and did my scans but mine won't speed up eith and mine is pretty slow to begin with because I'm on dial up. I 'll have to watch and take peoples advice that they give you if you don't mind.
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
17 Jan 08
I am sorry I have no ideas why. The reason I am responding to this discussion is, I have the same problem. I have Norton on my computer and I have run it and no problems come up, either. I don't understand why this happens. Some days it is great and nice and fast and other days it is slow I give up trying to read my emails for money, because it just takes too long and I get frustrated. I have tried shutting the system down and restarting, too, and that doesn't help either. I sometimes think maybe it is the internet itself or my internet provider, but I'm not sure either.
@makatas (1098)
• Greece
11 Jan 08
Well you need some useful utilities that will get rid of your system junk, temporary files that accumulate space, and delete unnecessary things in the registry, also compact it. Those things can be done with one single application and there are many of them, if you wanna try one have System Mechanic or Tune Up Utilities.
