<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=352585001801011&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Karen Cohen

By: Karen Cohen on September 09, 2022

Print/Save as PDF

Slow Computer? How To Troubleshoot The Root Cause

IT Support

It’s so frustrating. Your computer is slowing you down. It takes FOREVER for things to load. Maybe you are staring at the spinning wheel of death. In the meantime, all you can do is wait. Or, maybe not. 

There are some things you can try to figure out where the issue lies. With this understanding, you can confidently decide whether you need new devices, more bandwidth from your internet service provider, or another solution. 

In this article, we’ll explore the reasons your computer may be running slow and the steps you can take to determine whether the problem is the device or something else. 

At Kelser, we address issues like these regularly. As a managed IT support provider, we know the causes and potential solutions and we help business leaders like you every day. 

Having said that, please don’t misunderstand. This article is not meant to sell our services. We understand that managed IT isn’t right for every organization.

The real reason we publish articles like this is to provide the information that people like you need to understand and resolve IT issues.

We don’t believe in tooting our own horn about how great our services are (even though, to be fair, they are pretty great). Instead, we provide honest, easy-to-understand information that you can actually use. 

Make sense? We think so!

So, let’s get to answering that question about slow computers.

Why Is My Computer Running So Slowly? 

In general, there are two overarching reasons why a computer runs slow.

1. Internet Issue

If your device is slow when you access the internet, there could be several reasons. Maybe: 

      • You don’t have enough bandwidth for the number of people accessing your internet connection. 
      • Your internet service provider (ISP) is slowing traffic on purpose, due to a bottleneck or other issue.
      • Your router is outdated.
      • Your wireless access points need to be moved. 

2. Device Issue

If you have a device or hardware issue, it could be:

      • Your device is outdated or needs to be patched and updated.
      • Malware is affecting performance.
      • You have too many applications open at the same time (that’s like asking your computer to walk and juggle multiple bowling pins simultaneously).
      • You may need more memory on your device.
      • Your computer’s hard drive, RAM and CPU are prone to damage and degradation over time. If none of the above issues are the reason behind your computer running slow, then hardware failure could be imminent, causing a slow down on your machine.

How Can I Figure Out If I Have An Internet Issue Or A Computer Issue?

There are several things you can try to determine whether you have an internet or device issue. 

Internet Issue

To find out if you have an internet issue, try the following: 

    1. Close your internet browser and see if your device speed improves.
    2. Move closer to a wireless access point and see if that helps.
    3. Log onto another network and see if that makes a positive change.
    4. Find out how old your router is

Device Issue

If you think the issue may be with your device, take these steps:

    1. Close some of the applications you have running. Does that speed things up? 
    2. Run an anti-virus and anti-malware check.
    3. Install all updates for your operating system.
    4. Check to see how much memory you have and how much you are using. 

What’s The Bottom Line In Determining The Cause Of My Slow Computer? 

After reading this article, you know some of the causes of slow device speed and how to determine whether the problem is internet or device-related. You also know steps you can take to remedy the situation.

People often contact their ISP to purchase more bandwidth when their computers slow down. Often, the same people are disappointed when this does nothing to improve their device speed. My advice is always to examine and fix issues with your network before reaching out to your ISP or replacing devices.

Most business leaders aren’t IT experts. We get it and that’s why we publish articles like these. It’s hard to know what you don’t know.

At Kelser, we help businesses like yours with issues like these every day. While we know that our solution isn’t right for every business, if you find that IT issues are taking more of your time than you’d like, it may be time to consider managed IT support

Read this article to find out what managed IT support includes and how much it costs: What Is Managed IT? What’s Included? What Does It Cost?

If you decide to pursue managed IT support, we encourage you to check out several providers so that you can compare and decide which provider is the best fit for your business. There’s nothing worse than getting into a multi-year contract and finding out the provider is not the right fit.

Wondering what questions to ask? Check out this article: Best Questions To Ask Before Signing With An IT Services Provider.

Only you know what your needs are. To find out if Kelser's pproach to managed IT support is a good fit for your organization, contact us via the button below and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours (often much sooner).

Talk with a Human

About Karen Cohen

Karen brings unending curiosity to her role as Kelser's Content Manager. If you have a question, she wants to know the answer.

Suggested Posts

Visit Our Learning Center