by Walter Calnek

Created on: June 18, 2010

At one time, your computer was brand new and ran smoothly like a sewing machine, never missing a beat, better yet… like a Ferrari screaming down the autobahn without any restrictions.

What happened? Now the darn thing seems to have no guts! All kinds of pitfalls can steal the power of your bulldozer and turn it into a tricycle with flat tires.

The possibilities seem endless, especially when you hear some experts speak. In actuality, there are several reasons why computers become sluggish, starting with old outdated equipment trying to run the programs of today.

Many systems get bloated because many people don't know how to manage them. It doesn't help when many people don't think they know enough to deal with their computer woes.

Mismanagement of files saved in locations that affect overall performance has become a common problem, especially when some advise us to store our files in these insidious locations. Like, storing all your important files on the desktop so you know exactly where to find them… A few gig of data loading on every startup will seem like watching a pot of water boil. Understanding some of the basics of file structure can cut down on the organizational plights that slow down the computer.

Many other things can affect the overall performance of a system.

The software used to protect us can be one of the most common bottlenecks these days. Some Virus and Spyware software can be as harmful as the destructive software itself when it comes to eating away at the cycles available to do real work. Don’t get me wrong! The destructive software needs to be detected! It will chop away at the performance a computer as a system gets hijacked, becoming a lemming that follows the direction of some other controller on the Internet rather than you.

But, don't become paranoid! Some people will load two or more anti-destructive software programs which spend their time fighting with each other, rather than paying attention to the threats they are supposed to be safe guarding.

Failing hardware can also be to blame for sluggish performance. It might be as simple as blowing some of the cobwebs out of the system. This should always be the first thing completed when dealing with computer systems as too much dust builds up inside a system. Led down a garden path, some people have replaced the majority of their system only to find out the problem was too much dust in the power supply.

The power supply is like the heart and lungs of a system. When it is overworked, it can cause all kinds of strange symptoms that are often misdiagnosed. Hard drives have sometimes been replaced needlessly for just this reason.

Most of the causes of computer slowdown simply come down to maintenance, and hidden dust bunnies are the most likely overlooked maintenance issue. Out of sight, out of mind, though a very real threat as too much dust will cause a system to overheat and beat away, not only at performance, but also at the computers life expectancy.

Bottom lines...

Keep your computer clean! Don't allow the dust bunnies to multiply.

Keep your system simple! Don't put every single application available on a system to ensure flexibility as that alone may cause a system to cease or come close to a grinding halt. Do not fill the desktop like some people fill their closets as that may have the same not so comical results.

The more complex a computer configuration becomes, the more potential problems will come out to play their nasty computer conflict games.

Always follow the KISS principle with only a single S. Only add the second S when you have not Kept It Simple.

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