Explaining how to find out why your computer is slow or heavy and how to deal with it

The reasons why your computer is slow or slow are listed below.

• Insufficient memory capacity
• There is a problem with the hard disk
• Application and PC specs do not match
• There is a problem with the internet environment
• infected with a virus
• The power plan setting is set to "Power saving" etc.

In this article, we will explain how to resolve the issue when your computer is running slowly due to these reasons.

How to find out why your computer is slow or slow

If your computer is running slow or slow, you may be able to find the cause by using Task Manager.

Task Manager allows you to check the status of programs and applications running on your computer.

This task manager can be started by pressing the "Ctrl" key + "Shift" key + "Esc" key.

If you are in the simple view, click "Details" at the bottom left to display tabs, etc.

Check memory status in Task Manager

If you want to check the memory status in Task Manager, select the "Performance" tab in Task Manager.

On the "Performance" tab, you can check not only memory but also CPU and disk usage.

If the memory usage is close to 100%, please refer to the explanation below.

How to resolve memory shortage and check usage on Windows 10 (ictbs.co.jp)

Disable startup apps from task manager

Task Manager allows you to enable or disable startup apps.

If unnecessary startup apps are enabled, they will put a load on your computer when it starts up, which may result in slower operation.

Therefore, we recommend disabling unnecessary startup apps from the task manager.

[How to disable startup apps from Task Manager]

1. Start the task manager by pressing "Ctrl" + "Shift" + "esc" keys.
2. Select the Startup tab.
3. Select the appropriate app.
4. Select "Disable".

Causes and solutions when your Windows 10 computer becomes slow or freezes

If your Windows 10 computer becomes slow or freezes, you may be able to resolve the issue using the following methods.

• Check the app and specs
• Restart your computer
• Change power plan
• Disable background apps
• Disable OneDrive sync
• Perform a virus scan
• Add more memory or replace HDD with SSD
• Check the internet environment

We also recommend investigating the cause using Task Manager as described above.
→ How to find out the cause if your computer is slow or slow

Check the app and specs

Unless you have upgraded from Windows 7, 8.1, etc., if your Windows 10 computer is slow or freezes, it is most likely that the specs and apps are not appropriate.

For example, if the CPU is lower than the recommended specs for an app or game, stuttering or slow operation may occur.

Start the app, open the task manager (Ctrl key + Shift key + Esc key), and check the Performance tab to see if the CPU usage is high.

You may also want to check the official website to see if the app you are using meets the required specifications.

Restart your computer

If your Windows 10 computer is slow or freezes, it may be running slowly due to the computer being turned on for a long time.

In this case, restarting your computer may solve the problem.

We also recommend turning off the power and disconnecting the power outlet and battery to discharge the battery.

Change power plan

If your Windows 10 computer is slow or freezes, you may not have selected the appropriate power plan.

In particular, if you select a power plan such as "Power Saving", please be careful as it prioritizes reducing power consumption and may affect the operation of your computer.

In this case, the problem may be resolved by changing the power plan to "Balanced" or "High Performance" by following the steps below.

[How to change the power plan]

1. Right-click on "Start (Windows mark)".
2. Select "Power Options".
3. Select "Additional power settings".
4. Select "High Performance" or "Balanced".

If your power plan doesn't have "High Performance"

On the left side of the "Additional power settings" screen, there is a menu called "Create a power plan", and "High performance" may be displayed in it.

If "High Performance" is not displayed in this menu, you can display it using the method below.

[How to display "High Performance" power option in command prompt]

1. Type "cmd" in the search box next to "Start (Windows mark)".
2. Select "Command Prompt".
3. Enter the code below into the screen that appears.
   "powercfg -setactive 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c"
4. Open the power options again and make sure "High Performance" is added.

Disable background apps

If your Windows 10 computer is slow or freezes, disabling unnecessary background apps may solve the problem.

Background apps are apps that update information or communicate even when no windows are open.

If a lot of unnecessary background apps are enabled, it may affect the operation of your computer and slow it down.

[Disable background apps]

1. Select "Start (Windows mark)".
2. Select "Settings (gear mark)".
3. Select "Privacy".
4. Select "Background apps".
5. Turn off the app in question.
   →It is recommended to leave "Windows Security" turned on for security reasons.
   You can turn off other tools such as 3D Viewer and Cortana if they are not needed.

Disable OneDrive sync

OneDrive is a Microsoft service for storing data files online.

Saving data online is a convenient service because you can check it on your smartphone or other computer, but it can also slow down your computer in some cases.

Disabling OneDrive sync may improve performance, so please try that.

[How to temporarily disable OneDrive sync]

1. "OneDrive" (cloud mark (not weather icon) on the taskbar)
2. )"Choose.
   If you can't find it, select the mark like "^" and check if OneDrive is there.
3. Select "Other".
4. Select "Pause Sync."
5. Select "2 hours".

[How to unsync OneDrive]

1. Launch “OneDrive”.
2. Select "Other".
3. Select "Settings".
4. Uncheck "Automatically start OneDrive when I sign in to Windows" in the "Settings" tab.
5. Select OK.

Perform a virus scan

If your computer is running slowly, or if you are experiencing abnormalities such as apps starting up by themselves, we recommend that you run a virus scan.

Try running it using the virus software you have installed.

In addition, for Windows Security, you can perform a virus scan using the following steps.

[How to run a virus scan with Windows Security]

1. Select "Start (Windows mark)".
2. Select "Settings (gear mark)".
3. Select Update & Security.
4. Select "Windows Security".
5. Select Virus & threat protection.
6. Select "Quick Scan" or "Full Scan".
7. Wait until it completes.

Add more memory or replace HDD with SSD

Your computer may be running slowly due to insufficient memory or aging of the HDD.

In this case, the problem may be resolved by taking physical measures such as adding more memory or replacing the HDD.

Also, since SSDs have faster read and write speeds than HDDs, one option is to replace them with SSDs.
Please refer to the article below and try replacing your HDD with an SSD.
How to resolve when cloning a hard disk or SSD fails

Check the internet environment

If you feel that your computer is running slowly, your internet environment may be the cause.

It is possible that the application or browser is running slowly due to slow communication speed, so let's check the environment.

You can measure your internet connection speed using the following sites:

Internet line speed test/communication speed measurement

I think the above site is easy to understand because it displays the communication speed as well as whether it can be used comfortably depending on the purpose.

Causes and solutions for slow computer performance in Windows 7

Support for Windows 7 has ended as of 2022, but I think some people are still using it.
If you are using Windows 7 and feel that your computer is running slowly, the following solutions may resolve the issue.

• Check for hard disk failure
• Change visual effect settings
• Run disk cleanup
• Clean your computer
• Perform defragmentation

In this article, we will explain the reasons why your Windows 7 computer is running slowly and how to resolve them.

We also recommend that you check the information explained in the Windows 10 section.
→Causes and solutions if your Windows 10 computer becomes slow or freezes

Check for hard disk failure

If your Windows 7 computer is running slowly, the most likely cause is a hard disk failure.

If the hard disk has failed, there is a possibility that data may be corrupted if you continue to use it.

In this case, the disk usage rate is often 100% in the task manager (start with "Ctrl" key + "Shift" key + "esc" key).

Let's open the "Performance" tab and check the situation.

If you find that your hard disk is failing, we recommend that you immediately back up your data and replace it with a new one.

What is disk in task manager? Causes and solutions for 100% usage

Change visual effect settings

Windows 7 may run faster by changing visual effect settings.

[How to change visual effect settings]

1. Select "Start".
2. Select "Control Panel".
3. Select "System and Security".
4. Select "System".
5. Select "Advanced system settings".
6. Select "Advanced Settings".
7. Select "Settings".
8. Select "Custom".
9. You can set the presence or absence of visual effects using the checkbox.
10. Select OK.

Run disk cleanup

You may be able to improve your computer's performance by deleting unnecessary temporary files.

Disk Cleanup, a Windows feature, allows you to scan and delete unnecessary files.

[How to perform disk cleanup]

1. Type "Disk Cleanup" in the search box.
2. Select "Disk Cleanup".
3. Select the appropriate disk.
4. Select OK.
5. After scanning, a screen will appear where you can select unnecessary files.
6. Select OK.

Clean your computer

If dust accumulates on your computer, the fan may not be able to function properly and heat may build up.

The build-up of heat can lead to thermal runaway, which may affect the operation of your computer, so it's a good idea to clean it regularly.

Perform defragmentation

If your Windows 7 computer is running slowly, defragmenting it may solve the problem.

If a computer has been used for many years, data may become fragmented, and the read/write speed may become slow due to fragmentation of the data.

[How to defragment (optimize) Windows 7]

1. Select "Start (Windows mark)".
2. Select "Control Panel".
3. Select "System and Security".
4. Select "Defragment Hard Drive".
5. Select the appropriate disk.
6. Select "Defragment Disk".

Causes and solutions if your computer starts up abnormally slowly

If your computer is unusually slow to start up, the following information may help resolve the issue.

• If startup apps are a burden
• If you don't have enough free space
• If an update is being made
• If you are infected with a virus
• In case of hard disk malfunction/failure

If startup apps are a burden

If your computer is unusually slow to start up, startup apps may be taking a toll on your computer.

In such cases, please refer to the following items.

→ Disable startup apps from Task Manager

If you don't have enough free space

If your computer starts up abnormally slowly, you may not have enough free disk space.

In addition to deleting unnecessary files, it is also a good idea to use something like Storage Sense.

[How to delete unnecessary files with Storage Sense]

1. Select "Start (Windows mark)".
2. Select "Settings (gear mark)".
3. Select "System".
4. Select "Storage" or "Storage".
5. Select Configure or run Storage Sense now.
6. Select Clean Now.

If an update is being made

If your computer is unusually slow to start up, it may be due to a Windows update.

The update process is slowing down the process, so you will need to wait until the update is complete.

If the update does not finish no matter how long it takes, please refer to the following information.

[2022] Solutions and causes when Windows update programs do not finish (ictbs.co.jp)

If you are infected with a virus

If your computer starts up abnormally slowly, it may be infected with a virus.

In such cases, please refer to the following items.

→Perform a virus scan

In case of hard disk malfunction/failure

If your computer starts up abnormally slowly, there may be a problem with your HDD.

In such cases, please refer to the following items.

→Check if there is a problem with the HDD or replace it with an SSD

If your laptop is running slow

If your laptop is running slowly, the following methods may resolve the issue.

You may also refer to the information explained in the sections above.

• restart
• Close open tabs and windows
• Check if there is a problem with the HDD or replace it with an SSD

restart

If your laptop is running slowly, we recommend restarting it.

As you continue to run your computer, temporary files and other files accumulate and accumulate in memory.
These files can slow down your computer's performance or cause errors.

If this happens, turn off your computer once.
Turning off your computer will free up memory and may resolve the issue.

Close open tabs and windows

When working on your computer, you may find yourself opening too many tabs or windows.

If you have too many tabs open, we recommend reducing the number of tabs or closing them all.

Please be careful, especially if you are using a computer with low memory, as you may run out of memory.

Check if there is a problem with the HDD or replace it with an SSD

If your computer is running slow or heavy, check to see if there is a problem with your HDD.

[Error checking and automatic repair method]

1. Select the folder icon on the desktop taskbar.
2. Right-click your hard disk drive.
3. Select Properties.
4. Select the Tools tab.
5. Select "Check" in "Error Check".
6. Check "Automatically repair file system errors" and "Scan and recover bad sectors".
7. When asked "Do you want to check your hard disk for errors the next time you start your computer?" select "Schedule disk check".
8. Wait until the scan is finished.

Also, since SSDs have better data read/write speeds than HDDs, we recommend replacing them.

Summary of explanations on how to find out why your computer is slow or heavy, and how to make it lighter

This time, we explained how to find out why your computer is running slow or slow, and how to solve the problem and make it run faster.

First, try restarting your computer and see if it works better.

In some cases, computer settings may affect operation.
Check whether the power plan is set to power saving or whether unnecessary startup apps are turned on.

Other possible causes include physical causes such as HDD deterioration or failure, or heat buildup due to dust buildup on the computer.

There are many cases of insufficient memory or insufficient specifications, so please use the task manager to check the operating status of your computer.

There are many reasons why your computer may be running slowly, but if you can't figure it out, try some simple solutions.