Most all computer users at some point will find themselves in the position wondering, "why is my PC so slow?" In this article we will look at how anyone can troubleshoot to find where the bottleneck is on your PC's speed and what do do about it.
To begin this troubleshooting process, press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select the Task Manager option:
Once task manager opens, select the 'Performance' tab. If you do not see this, click the 'More details' option at the bottom of that window:
Once seeing the performance page, you are able to see three main sources of operational bottlenecks. This is the CPU, Memory, and Disk. If the CPU is max'd out, you can try reducing the number of applications you are running, or your computer may have a subpar or old CPU that can no longer handle the operating system. Although you can sometimes upgrade your CPU if you have a compatible motherboard, typically the best solution to this is a PC replacement.
If your memory is max'd out, you can try reducing the number of programs you have open or running in the background, but the typical way to solve this issue is to see if you can add memory by getting a larger chip or add an additional chip into an empty RAM slot.
If on the other hand, your disk usage is continuously running at it's maximum then you likely are using an older model drive with spinning plates inside rather than a newer solid state drive. Your best option here is to clone your drive onto a solid state drive to relieve your slowness issues.
Although upgrading components can sometimes solve a bottleneck on a newer PC, sometimes the best solution with an older PC is to go ahead and replace it. Use the weekly updated links on this site to help you find a great deal on a new PC.