Top 13 causes of a Slow or Freezing PC

When your PC was new, it ran like a champ. Programs loaded fast, you couldget your work done efficiently, browse the web, and play a few gameswith little concern about your PC's performance. But lately you're wondering why your PC is so slow and how these intrusive popup ads had gotten into your system.

To keep your PC as fast and efficient as new, you need to care these 13 common causes of a slow PC.

1. Browser Hijacks : Who changed my homepage?? Why do these damn popups keep coming?? One of the vulnerabilities of web browsers can be a hijack. Something plugging into, replacing part of, or compromising your window to the Internet, the web browser. These can be stubborn problems.
   Browser hijacks can fall into the same category as Spyware, adware, malware, and other Trojans but always directly affect the web browser of the computer that is hijacked. Many computer users do not realize when these programs have been secretly installed on their computer. They may also not realize that their system or browsers settings have been changed. This might be the top 1 common reason that makes your PC slow.
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2. Spyware :
   Malicious programs that stealthily embed themselves into your Windows Registry and core file system are the number two most common cause of a slow PC or poor PC performance.
   These applications are usually installed without your knowledge or consent during the installation of a "free" application you're trying out, or pushed out automatically in the background when you visit websites that engage in this practice without the user's knowledge.
   These spyware programs must be removed as soon as possible to return your PC to top running speed, and before they damage your file system.
   In some cases they can be removed by manually editing the Windows core file system and registry or by using an automatic spyware remover like XoftspySE, our favorite pick for spyware removal and cleaning.
   Recommended: Download Spyware Doctor to run a free spyware scan
3. Virus
   Closely related to Spyware, viruses can wreak havoc on your system’s performance and severely limit your PC’s ability to do what you ask it to.
   Typically, viruses get onto your computer via infected email or instant messages, although they can also be installed via applications or files that you download from file-sharing networks and other non-trusted web sites.
   Manual removal of viruses is very difficult and rarely successful, and we strongly advise the use of a quality anti-virus program like Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0
4. System Start-up packed with too many applications (Start-up overload)
   Over time, as you add more and more programs to your computer, many of these applications automatically add themselves to your Windows Start-up folder.
   Additionally, these applications can add themselves quietly to a hidden area of your Windows Start-up system (accessed via the MSCONFIG run command). In extreme cases your PC will appear completely frozen.
   Limiting the number of applications loading themselves at start-up can speed boot times considerably and increase overall system performance.
   Manage your hidden Windows Start-up controls automatically with PC Washer (Recommended)
5. Corrupted/Bloated Windows Registry
   The Windows Registry is the master control center for your operating system and applications it runs. Corruption or overload registry issues can cause all sorts of pc performance problems, including poor application startup times, slow Windows start-up, extremely slow shut down, inability to resume from computer sleep and more.
   Cleaning, compacting, and optimizing your Windows registry can go a long way to dramatically speeding up your computer's performance, start-up and shutdown speed.
   Recommended: Download Registry Mechanic to run a free Registry scan now
6. Badly Fragmented Hard Drive
   The sixth most common reason for a slow PC is hard drive and file system fragmentation. Over time, your computer's files can be scattered into bits and pieces located all over your hard drive. This is called fragmentation. Windows has a built in tool to help you with hard drive defragmentation:
   1. Open My Computer
   2. Right-click once on your C: Drive and go down to "Properties"
   3. Select the "Tools" tab and choose the "Defragment Now" option and follow the step by step instructions.
7. Poor Security Software that is stealing system resources
   Unfortunately, a large number of security software programs and suites out there demand a huge portion of your system resources and memory. This can lead to sluggish performance from the rest of your PC while your security software is constantly scanning and monitoring your computer for threats.
   While threat detection is essential, some security vendors go overboard with their approach and drag your PC down with them.
   To see how much memory and system resources your security software is using, press and hold CTRL+ALT+DELETE and choose the task manager.
   Once the task manager is open look at the "processes" section to see how much of your system resources are being used by your security apps.
8. Remnants of uninstalled programs
   Uninstalling an application either via the control panel or the application's start menu folder has been known to leave behind remnants of the uninstalled program. These remnants can slow down your computer while Windows tries to figure out what to do with them. Additionally, residue of old program stays behind in your system registry, clogging up your PC's core.
   
   Recommended: Click here to remove uninstalling remnants
9. Pagefile
   The Windows page file is a temporary area of memory that your computer uses to move files around while it processes functions. Basically, it’s a buffer that your computer uses for wiggle room. If your Pagefile is too small, your operating system won’t have enough room to move and you could end up with poor performance and error messages.
   1. To increase the size of your Pagefile:
   2. Right-click on "My Computer" and go down to "Properties"
   3. Click the "Advanced" tab
   4. Click "Settings" under the "Performance" section
   5. Click the "Advanced" button
   6. Click "Change" under "Virtual Memory"
10. Hard Drive getting full and too many internet temp and windows temp files
    If your hard drive has less than 10% free space, you will experience a dramatic slowdown in the performance of your PC. To improve this, free up some space by removing old documents you no longer use or programs that are no longer needed.
    Additionally, your Internet Explorer temp files folder can become jam-packed and lead to extraordinary launch times for Internet Explorer. To clean this folder out with PC Washer (Recommended)
11. Damaged Operating System
    With enough abuse, any operating system can malfunction. In most cases, it can be repaired using the original installation operating system CD-ROM or sometimes the recovery disk provided by the manufacturer of your computer. This method is basically a re-installation of the operating system files.
12. Not Enough Memory
    It's important to have enough memory on your computer to keep programs running smoothly, especially if you have large programs like Microsoft Office, or play a lot of PC games. If you are using Windows XP it is recommended that you have at least 512Mb RAM, although at this point, 1Gb seems to be the sweet spot, more again if you are using Vista. The amount of RAM your PC has can be checked by right-clicking 'My Computer' and choosing 'Properties'. If you need to upgrade your RAM be sure it's the right type for your PC. Fitting the wrong type of RAM can cause the PC to slow down even more, crash inexplicably or stop working altogether.
13. Hardware Problems
    The last common cause of a slow or freezing computer is gradually dying internal hardware components. These can often show up in the form of slow boot and shut down, as well as poor program launches riddled with errors.
    There are very few hardware diagnostic utilities out there, so we recommend careful removal of any newly installed pc components to see if they are causing a problem or incompatibility. Other than that, taking your PC to a certified, trusted hardware repair shop is usually a good idea.
    Before taking it in to a shop with suspected hardware problems however, be sure to try to boot into safe mode to see if you can isolate issues you suspect are hardware failure related.