Are you interested in finding out how to fix computer lag? This is really just another way of stating that your computer may be slow as heck and your looking for ways that you can help speed your PC up.
I looked up the definition for lag and found that it refers to two things…those are being last and slowness. If your computer was in a speed race with another machine, would it end up coming in last? I am afraid that most computer users, including myself do not do enough to make sure we keep our computers running in tip top shape and the result is a computer that lags.
Let’s go over a few topics that could help you learn how to fix computer lag. I want to try and keep these tips basic and easy to follow. There is basically no end to how technical or advanced you want to get when it comes to tweaking your computer to get the best performance.
The first thing you should do is consider the age of your computer. In my years of experience, I think a computers lifespan is around 4 years. By this, I mean that at this point it is no longer worth putting any additional money into a computer this old. You would be better off putting the money towards a newer computer.
Everyone Should Know How To Fix Computer Lag
What I am NOT saying is that a computer that is 4 years old is not worth keeping. I have had several computers that are 5 or 6 years old and they have served their purpose very well. If you perform regular maintenance to fight computer lag on these older machines, they will work just fine for basic computer needs.
Another tip I can provide on how to fix computer lag is to learn when your system is due for a fresh start. I try to make it a normal practice to format my hard drive and do a fresh install of the operating system every 2 years. If I were better at not ‘cluttering’ up my system with all kinds of programs I don’t use and saving my files all over the place, I probably wouldn’t need to perform such a drastic function.
In reality it is probably easier for me to perform such an operation, but maybe in your case, you would do better for yourself by performing weekly and monthly maintenance on your computer. This will definitely help keep computer lag to a minimum over the long term.
To me, there is nothing better than having a fresh install of the operating system on a computer. It’s almost like getting a new machine!
I have mentioned ‘regular computer maintenance’ a few times in this post, and by now you are probably wondering what I mean by it.
Let me share some of my most valuable tips for helping computer lag.
1. Do not install any programs unless you absolutely need them. Many people tend to see a cool piece of shareware and they will install it and open it up once only to never use it again.
2. Run a defrag on your computer at least once a month. Now I know that with Vista and Windows 7 there is the ability to schedule automatic defrags. The default schedule for these is set to once a week. You can choose to leave it at this or you can adjust it to whatever you would like. Just make sure you run a defrag at least once a month.
3. Do not clutter your desktop. I don’t have a problem with shortcuts on the desktop. But many people will actually store all of the files they create on their desktop. This is one of the biggest culprits for making a computer lag. Learn to utilize your My Documents folder to store all of your files and keep your desktop limited to just the shortcuts you need.
4. Reboot once a week. I know, I say this over and over, but nothing helps your computers speed more than a reboot. I recommend leaving your computer on twenty-four hours a day, but you should reboot once a week. This will clear out your computers memory and give it a fresh start.
These four simple tips if done regularly will provide solid results when wanting to learn how to fix computer lag. Actually performing these steps is the easy part, but remembering and getting yourself in the habit of doing them is what is hard.
I recommend that you print them out and hang them on the wall for an easy reminder.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions regarding how to fix computer lag.