Slow Running Computers

It happens to all of us. One day we turn on the computer and everything is in slow motion.

So, why has my computer gotten so slow?
There are a variety of factors that lead to a slow machine. Memory, our computer's age, and processing speeds are a few of the main culprits. But, over stuffed drives, viruses, and even our internet connection can add to the problem.

Let's think of our computer in terms of a kitchen. Your hard drive is the refrigerator (long-term storage) and memory is the kitchen counter (temporary working space). Since your kitchen counter is limited in space we have to put things away - the same is true for your computer's memory. Just as we put our perishables away, we put our files away so they do not perish. In other words, saving files give us more temporary working space, which equates to more speed.

We also need to clean our hard drive of sludge, similar to the way we clean our refrigerator of old food. There are a number of tools that are built into Windows that you can easily run. Drop me an email if you'd like more information.

How does the Internet affect the speed of my Computer?
When we connect to the Internet, data streams through wires from one location to another. It wasn't all that long ago when we took our telephone and placed it into a special cradle to make a connection. The connection was quite slow at 14,400 kbps (thousands of bits per second) or 12-14 lines of text per second. Gradually, speed increased to 56,000 kps or 48-46 lines per second - which is the fastest speed that data can flow on a traditional phone line.

Still, we grew impatient. This is when Cable and DSL stepped in. Now service is readily available with speeds of 7 Mbps (millions of bits per second) - 25 times the speed of our old 56k connection. Even faster speeds are available for premium packages and businesses.

What about Wireless - why is it so unreliable?
Wireless connections are popular because of the lack of cords, which give us the freedom to move about. Instead of connecting our machine with wires, we use radio frequencies that connect by bouncing signals off access points.

Obstructions such as brick walls, appliances, and metal create weak signals. Distance also adds to a weak signal. When you are too far from access point the signal is degraded. Wireless transmits on several different "channels" just like our televisions. Interference can result from a neighbor's access point or an over populated channel.