| Computer Memory and Virus May be the Reasons Why Your Computer is Running Slow |
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| Computers - Computers |
| Written by Dorthy Weatherbush |
| Sunday, 06 December 2009 08:24 |
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Many computer owners around the world have come upon the scenario of their computer running slow with no apparent reason. The two main culprits for this could either be a computer virus or a memory problem. Experienced users can quickly determine which of the two are causing the problem. Whether it's malicious software or an overstuffed hardware, it is extremely important that you are able to recognize the between the two.
Many computer owners around the world have come upon the scenario of their computer running slow with no apparent reason. The two main culprits for this could either be a computer virus or a memory problem. Experienced users can quickly determine which of the two are causing the problem. Whether it's malicious software or an overstuffed hardware, it is extremely important that you are able to recognize the between the two. While viruses can certainly make your computer run slow, there are usually other signs that accompany them. New icons on your desktop, odd behaviors, and programs telling you your machine is infected that you didn't install. These are all symptoms of a virus and can slow your machine down. However there is one other explanation for these slowdowns that you need to consider. The other reason is the RAM. RAM is an acronym that stands for Random Access Memory and is very important to your computer as it acts as the system memory. This essential hardware is installed in every machine, regardless of its operating system. The documents and files you saved on your computer is processed by the RAM. When a program is loaded in your computer, it is processed using the RAM. Unlike the Hard Drive that runs as a static memory, the RAM has a volatile memory. When the power is turned off to your computer, the information saved on the hard disk stays put, whereas those that are loaded into the RAM will be lost. RAM is basically used as a temporary storage facility for your computer to load and execute programs and commands. Insufficient RAM can make your computer to work really slowly; the reason being is the system's requirements. For example, an older operating system may only require a minimum of 256 megabytes of RAM in order to function. Working on a bare minimum will suffice, it will not be much though, but your computer will work. A newer operating system may require a bigger size of RAM, talk about 1 gigabyte or 1024 megabytes! Trying to install and run this operating system on a computer with 256 megabytes of RAM is not going to work well. The reason for this is that as operating systems advance there are a greater volume of programs that need to be loaded into the RAM. When you play a movie in a media player the movie is loaded into RAM for easy playback. Insufficient RAM leads to stuttering in movie playback, and requires you to pause until the system catches up. When your RAM is insufficient, the system uses what is known as virtual memory. Virtual memory is a section in your hard drive that your operating system designates as temporary RAM. Nothing is kept permanently on this area, but it will still render your computer to run slow, maybe slower. It's generally a good idea to double the size of RAM that your operating system requires to ensure optimum performance. Slowdowns from insufficient RAM or system memory can also affect web browsing, gaming, be the cause of errors, and other computer headaches. While it does resemble a virus in some aspects, it can be solved much easier. You simply buy a RAM stick, and plug it into an open slot. Or you buy a higher capacity RAM chip and replace your existing one. About the Author: Dorthy Weatherbush realizes just how pertinent her computer is for not just her family but for her business, which is why she uses Crucial Memory. To ensure that her computer has sufficient memory, Dorthy usually upgrades her memory with Crucial Memory every year. |