Today I will teach you how to stop your laptop or Computer from being slow and getting it to work faster. I know how it feels to use a system that lags or runs slow most especially when you want to get things done, this can be real frustrating but not to worry Richentblog got you covered.
Without further ado let's jump right into it and fix your computer lagging problems. There are tons of reasons why your computer or laptop can be slow but in this article, i will be talking about the most common reasons why your computer might be getting slow.
How to stop a Laptop from lagging
Below are recommendations users can follow to help speed up a computer and make it run faster, or determine why a computer is running slow. It should be noted that this page only covers an overall slow computer and not a computer that starts slow or has a slow Internet connection. To diagnose those issues, visit the following pages:
What to do if my Windows computer starts slow.
Why is my Internet connection so slow?
1) RAM:
This is one of the most common reasons why you can be having a slow or a lagging system. If you don't know what a computer ram looks like, you can look it up on the internet.
The higher your ram the faster your laptop tends to work fast. Depending on your laptop architecture, you can fix an amount of ram to make it work faster.
For the 32-bit operating systems computer you can have 4gig of ram installed on it. Some 32-bit can only take 2gig of ram at most. If you have this amount of rams installed in this architecture, it should do.
Another type of operating system is the 64-bit operating system. Well this can take more than 4gig ram and even more 8gig and so on. Most computers have two ram slots so you can purchase 2gig of ram for each slot for the 32-bit operating systems and 4gig of ram on each of the ram slot. After you have done this already start your system to see if there are any changes, if not move to the the second step.
2) HARD DISK:
This can be another reason why your system is working real slow. A lot of people do not pay attention to this side of the computer but then it has a lot of effect on your computer.
Just imagine you are carrying lots of load on you and moving from one place to another, you tend to get tired and eventually carry out other task sluggishly well that's how it is in the case of your computer or laptops. So all you need is to purchase a higher holding capacity of hard disk or you delete heavy files that you are not using anymore. After you have done this already start your system to see if there are any changes, if not move to the the third step.
3) TOO MANY START UP PROGRAMS:
This is another reason why your system might be working slow. You have many programs starting up when you first turn on your computer which will cause your computer to slow down when starting up. This is because it uses all it resources to start and load many unnecessary background programs and this is one of the biggest reasons why your computer struggles to startup. Now you can fix that by going to task manager to fix this problem by pressing "Ctrl+Shft+Esc" which will take you to the startup. I strongly advice you to be careful with what you disable so as not to cause further issues especially things that has "windows" to its name. You are only advised to delete things that you are sure of. You can also go to the program and disable it directly from the source.
4) VIRUS:
The last here on my list is virus on the computer system. I can say that this can be a very big reason why your system is lagging and giving you headache.When virus gets into your computer they tend to alter a lot of things and invite lots of bad programs that can damage your computer system. You can get a good antivirus of your choice to scan your computer and keep it protected from all form of virus that may or want to attack your computer system or you can just format your system to be very sure your computer is free from all kinds of computer virus. With this steps, your computer should be working fast.
ENJOY!!
Steps to take to prevent or stop lagging laptop issue
Delete temp files
As a computer runs programs, temporary files are stored on the hard drive. Deleting these temp files help improve computer performance.
Windows computers
First, we suggest using the Windows Disk Cleanup utility to delete temporary files and other files no longer needed on the computer.
- Unfortunately, the Disk Cleanup may not delete every file in the temp directory. Therefore, we also suggest deleting temporary files manually.
- Open the Start menu or and press the Windows key, then type %temp% in the Search field.
Note: In Windows XP and prior, click the Run option in the Start menu and enter %temp% in the Run field.
- Press Enter and a Temp folder should open.
- You can delete all files found in this folder and, if any files are in use and cannot be deleted, they can be skipped.
Free hard drive space
Verify that there is at least 200-500MB of free hard drive space. This available space allows the computer to have room for the swap file to increase in size and give room for temporary files.
Bad, corrupted or fragmented hard drive
Check the hard drive for errors
On a Windows computer, run ScanDisk, chkdsk, or something equivalent to verify there is nothing physically wrong with the computer's hard drive.
On a macOS computer, access the Disk Utility program, and use the First Aid option to check the hard drive for errors. To open Disk Utility:
- Click the Launchpad icon on the dock.
- Open the Other folder.
- Click Disk Utility to open the program.
Make sure hard drive is not fragmented
Run Defrag to help ensure that data is arranged in the best possible order.
Test hard drive
Use other software tools to test the hard drive for any errors by looking at the SMART of the drive.
Scan for viruses
If your computer is infected with one or more viruses, it may run more slowly. If your computer doesn't have an antivirus program installed, run Trend Micro's free Housecall online utility to scan and remove viruses on your computer. We also recommend you install an antivirus program for active protection against viruses.
Scan for malware
Today, spyware and other malware is a big cause of many computer problems, including slower performance. Even if an antivirus scanner is installed on the computer, we recommend running a malware scan as well. Use the free version of Malwarebytes to scan your computer for malware.
Hardware conflicts
Verify that the Device Manager has no conflicts. If any exist, resolve these issues as they could be causing your problem.
Update the operating system
To update a computer running Microsoft Windows, run Windows Update.
How to update a Microsoft Windows computer.
To update a macOS computer, run Software Update. To upgrade the operating system, use the App Store.
How to upgrade your Mac operating system.
Disable browser plug-ins
If your computer runs especially slow when you're using your web browser, considering disabling any browser plug-ins, add-ons, or extensions.
How to disable or remove browser extensions.
Update your drivers
Make sure you have the latest drivers for your computer hardware, especially the latest video drivers. Having out-of-date drivers can cause an assortment of issues, including slow performance.
Reboot the computer again
After making any of the changes above, reboot your machine.
Run a registry cleaner
Note: If you have a Mac computer, skip this section, as there is no registry in macOS.
We usually do not recommend registry cleaners. However, if you followed all the steps above and your computer is still slow, try running a registry cleaner on the computer.
Memory upgrade
If you have had your computer for more than two years, you may need more memory. Today, we suggest computers have a minimum of 2 GB of memory (RAM) for a 32-bit system and 4 GB for a 64-bit system. By having enough memory for programs to run within memory, your computer doesn't need to swap information stored in memory to the swap file. If the hard drive light is continuously active, it's an indication the computer is frequently swapping information between your memory and hard drive.
Hard drive upgrade
One of the biggest bottlenecks of a computer is the hard disk drive. Upgrading from a standard hard drive (e.g., a 5400 RPM) to a solid-state drive (SSD) can drastically improves the computer's performance.
Computer or processor is overheating
Make sure your computer and processor is not overheating. Excessive heat can cause a decrease in the computer's performance because most operating systems automatically reduce the speed of the processor to help compensate for heat-related issues.
Dust, dirt, and hair can also constrict proper airflow inside your computer, which causes a computer to overheat. Make sure your computer case is clean, and that the fans are not obstructed.
Increase or upgrade the processor speed
Increasing the speed of the processor (CPU) can improve your computer's performance. There are two options for increasing processor speed: overclocking or upgrading.
Overclocking a processor means increasing its speed beyond what it's designed to run stably. While overclocking can increase the processor speed, the increase is often not very significant, resulting in maybe a 10% or 20% speed increase at most. Furthermore, the processor itself must be capable of being overclocked. You would need to find the specifications for the processor in your computer to determine if it can be overclocked. An overclocked processor generates more heat, thus requiring a more powerful heat sink and fan to pull the excess heat away from the processor.
A safer alternative to overclocking is upgrading the processor in your computer. You would need to get the specifications for your motherboard to determine what type of newer processor may be used in it. You can then install the new processor in place of the existing processor.
Erase computer and start over
If none of the solutions above resolve your issues, another option is to reinstall the operating system, or you can erase everything and start over.
How to erase my hard drive and start over.
Erasing everything on your computer and reinstalling the operating system can increase performance by getting rid of old software or drivers. Installing a fresh copy of macOS or Windows, software programs, and the latest drivers help verify there are no software related issues causing your computer to be slow.
Hardware issues
Finally, if your computer is still slow after trying the above recommendations, there's likely a more serious hardware related issue (e.g., failing component). Examples of failing hardware could include the hard drive, CPU, RAM, motherboard, or other components.
You can run hardware diagnostic tests using the Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD) utility. This utility provides information on whether or not your computer has a bad piece of hardware.
Old computer
If your computer is more than five years old, it performs slower than a new one. As more advanced software programs are released, they are optimized to run more efficiently on newer computers. Older computers are not able to run these new programs as well, which causes them to perform more slowly. Furthermore, new software tends to be more demanding in general, which is another problem for old hardware. We recommend you consider purchasing a new computer or upgrading your current one.
Hope this article was helpful and if you are still encountering some issue with your system, you can leave a comment in the section below thanks.
Source: https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000179.htm
