A: look at the right side of the task bar (where the clock is) and see how many little icons are there. Each icon is a running program. Typically you will have your virus scanner, spyware scanner, a volume icon, etc. Too many of these can slow down your computer.

B: A more accurate way, however, is to press CTRL+SHIFT+ESCAPE and select the ‘Processes’ tab. What you will see is a list of software and windows processes currently running. You will also see how much RAM and processor each is using.

Reno Computer Remedy: Go to Start -> Run and type msconfig (Vista/7 users type msconfig into the search box). On the startup tab you can select or deselect items, choosing what starts with Windows. Also, go to Start -> All Programs -> Startup. Deleting things in this folder will prevent them from starting with Windows.

2. Hard drive fragmentation. Your computer does a lot behind the scenes. Fragmentation occurs when Windows save bits of information in different places of the hard disk. The result is your system seeking for those bits of information. With the disk fragmentation, it takes longer for the system to find the pieces needed. This slows down your system.

Reno Computer Remedy: Run the disk defragmenter by going to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Defragmenter. Try not to interrupt the scanner while it’s scanning. I recommend running it before you go to sleep, that way it can run while you aren’t using it. Screen savers and standby setting should be disabled. Run Disk Defragmenter once a week to once a month, depending on how much you use your computer.

3. Spyware Infection. Spyware slows down your system and can sacrifice your privacy. Spyware ranges from cookies that monitor your web surfing habits to key loggers that record every keystroke you make.

Reno Computer Remedy: I highly recommend the free program Spybot Search & Destroy. Download it at http://www.safer-networking.org. Spybot will find and remove spyware and monitor any new threats. It can also be run on a schedule. Here at Reno Computer, I run this every day, but once a week is ok.

4. Viruses. We all know what viruses are. We hear about them every day. You don’t want these nasty bugs on your computer. They come in many forms, and you don’t want any of them on your machine.

Reno Computer Remedy: I recommend AVG Virus Software. Besides being one of the best Virus removers I’ve found, it’s also FREE. You can find it at http://free.avg.com. Like Search & Destroy, I run this every day while I’m asleep, but once a week will do fine.

5. Registry Errors. Your Windows Registry is the backbone of your system. It stores file locations for needed Windows processes, paths to documents and other files, shortcut paths, etc. Occasionally, when something gets changed within Windows, the registry doesn’t get modified correctly. When this happens it causes error messages and slow performance. This may be the culprit behind your slow computer.

Reno Computer Remedy: I like CCleaner for cleaning up my registry. Download it at http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner.

6. Not enough RAM. RAM is used by the operating system to load programs. It’s called Random Access Memory (RAM) because it is temporary storage unlike your hard drive. Programs get loaded to your RAM until you are done with them, then they are removed from your RAM. New software tends to need more RAM, so older computers start lacking the amount of RAM needed as time goes on.

Reno Computer Remedy: First off, check number one in this list. It may help remedy how much RAM is constantly being used. RAM is a very quick, inexpensive and easy way to speed up a slow computer. Although it’s easy, I wouldn’t recommend installing it yourself unless you know what you’re doing.

7. Full Hard Drive. If your Hard Drive is starting to fill up you may also start noticing your computer slowing down. As well as utilizing RAM when programs start, they also create temporary files on your hard drive. If you are lacking hard drive space, this can cause your system to crawl at snail pace.

Reno Computer Remedy: Adding a second hard drive to your computer may be the answer. This can be done this very easily and inexpensively. Alternatively, you can go through your downloads folder, music files, pictures and videos to see if anything can be deleted to free up space.

Reno Computer is a license business in Reno providing fast and friendly on-site computer in Reno. You can find this, and many more informative articles, in my Reno Computer Articles section.