I’m talking defrag, registry cleaning, browser cache etc. so the pc isn’t cluttered with junk from the last years. Is this just physical, electric wear and tear? Is there something that can be done to prevent or reverse this?
In: Technology
PC’s can slow down only a few ways.
1. Electronic failure. Parts can break, but on a PC most components that break will prevent it from working at all. The exception is a hard drive or a fan, which are the only two parts that can slow down over time.
2. Hard drives. Hard drives can slow down as they fill up, get erased, and rewritten. Your computer knows where files are, but imagine reading a book where each word is on a different page in random order. You have to flip back and forth to read it. This problem with hard drives can be fixed with a format and reinstall. A drive known as a “SSD” can also help prevent this from happening as much.
3. Heat. With the death of fans, your computer can overheat. Your computer tries to prevent this by using less electricity, and running slower. This can be fixed by cleaning, or replacing broken fans. Sometimes other measures like new paste under the cpu cooler can be required.
4. Software. Software can be added and added, slowing down your computer just like the car weight analogy. Sometimes removing the program leaves behind traces which still slow down computers. Most techies call this “bloat” or “bloatware.” A format and reinstall can fix this. This is the most common way PC’s “slow down” over time.
Edit: it’s important to note that generally PC components like processors and ram never slow down. It just seems like it over time because of other factors. A good clean, a new SSD, and your PC will run just as good as new, at least for the vast majority of cases.
Latest Answers