I’ve devoted a lot of time to identifying the myriad causes of a slow computer. There are almost too many causes to name. Just about anything from software to hardware can cause performance problems for computers. Recently, Intel released its new Dandy Bridge chipset. The chipset had been introduced in 2009, and Intel brought it to market in January of this year.

Sometimes Hardware Does Cause Computer Performance Slowdowns

The Sandy Bridge chips were designed to deliver improved video performance, specifically for gaming applications in a video market that’s currently dominated by AMD. The new chipset works with Intel’s i5 and i7 processors. As it turns out, the chips have a problem under heavy load with the serial ATA controller. Under the right conditions, the chips slow down to a walk, affecting communications to and from hard disks and optical disks.

Intel already knows about the problem and has determined that the newly minted chipsets are indeed, defective. Intel is no longer shipping the chip sets and is making plans to recall the affected chipsets that have already been introduced to the public.

The computer slowdown problem isn’t likely to affect a lot of consumers, and it isn’t likely to cause problems right away. That’s good news for consumers and bad news for Intel. The affected chipsets are more likely to be in desktop PCs, which have a larger drive-handling capacity than laptops do. Dell has said that some of its XPS, Alienware and Vostro computers have been built with the affected chipsets, and it will contact consumers about replacements. Intel says that it will resume production of the Sandy Bridge chipsets sometime around the end of the month, after having corrected the problem.

So the short answer here is “yes, hardware problems can cause computer slowdowns.” Failing hardware isn’t usually the cause of chronic slow computer performance, though. It wouldn’t be my first, second or third thought when it comes to diagnosing a slow computer.

If you’re experiencing a slow computer and don’t perform regular maintenance, consider doing the basics like clearing out old files, defragmenting your hard disk and repairing disk errors first.
If you do perform regular maintenance, consider using a registry cleaner like RegistryBooster to ensure that you have reliable computer performance all the time. RegistryBooster keeps your registry cleaner and makes your computer operate more efficiently. Regular registry maintenance with RegistryBooster eliminates many causes of slow computer performance and helps keep your computer fast and stable.

Photo Credit: Son of Groucho, via Flickr

There are few things more frustrating than having a performance problem with your computer and not knowing what to do about it. Sometimes, seemingly major problems crop up and, for the technically non-savvy user, these problems can bring your computer usage to a screeching halt.

If you don’t mind loading up your computer and taking it to the computer repair shop, you can usually get your computer back to working order within a day or two, and at a reasonable cost. With the economy being as tight as it is, however, having a few troubleshooting skills is worth the time it takes to develop them.

Troubleshooting With The Task Manager

In Windows Vista, one good place to look for information about what your computer is doing is the Task Manager. The Task Manager is a one-stop control center that will show you what applications are running at any given moment in time. You do need to be a little careful with the information the Task Manager gives you. You may not recognize some of the executable files that are running on your computer, but that doesn’t mean they’re surreptitiously damaging your machine. If nothing else, the Task Manager can give you a starting place for researching your problem.

To access the Task Manager in Windows Vista, press Ctrl+Alt+Del simultaneously. At one time, this key combination rebooted the computer, but these days, the “three-finger salute” calls up the Task Manager. You can also access the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc, or by right-clicking an empty area in the Windows taskbar. Once the Task Manager is open, choose the Processes tab and Windows will give you a list of all processes that are currently running.

Keep in mind that some processes are being run by the system. You may or may not recognize their names, but the Task Manager can tell you if the process is running or stuck, and how much of the computer’s resources the process is taking up. You can select a process and stop the task using the Task Manager interface. This is handy if you suspect that a process has hung, or that an application is no longer working properly.

Having a list of process names is also a good way to sort out those processes that need to be running from those that don’t. It can also help you spot memory hogs that are configured to run automatically at startup, viruses and spyware that may be slowing your computer down as well.

Photo Credit: TRD JZX100, via Flickr