There aren’t many things more frustrating than a slow computer. Watching the web page take those extra moments to load, watching the egg timer circle, or waiting for your own typed words to catch up with your fingers. It’s probably the main reason why many discard their computer to the bin.

But there are things that can be done to improve things, and even give your computer an extra year, or more, of life. Here are just a few tips to try to prolong the life of your trusted computer.

1. Check for viruses and other malware

Some viruses run in the background, without the user even being aware of their existence, so running a regular virus check, and keeping your anti-virus software up-to-date will assist. In addition, check on the memory that your anti-virus software is actually using. Many domestic anti-virus software options use a great deal of internal memory (system resources) whereas more commercial products tend to use a smaller footprint.

2. Limit start-up programs

It’s not unusual to see numerous programs launch the moment you boot up your computer, despite that fact that you don’t use such programs on a regular basis. Changing the system configuration will change which programs launch on start-up, thus saving valuable resources.

3. Check your hard drive capacity

If you are getting near to 90% capacity of your hard drive, this will significantly reduce the performance of your computer. If so, try removing unwanted files such as duplicated photos or songs and videos that you no longer want.

4. Identifying Bloatware

Many computers leave the factory with all manner of software pre-loaded that the user neither wants, nor needs. Added to this, it’s not unexpected to collect further bloatware when installing other software. Check for programs that you have never used, and uninstall them, further freeing up your storage space, and memory utilisation.

5. Check you have enough RAM

The amount of RAM (Random Access Memory) required by users has increased over the years, but it is not uncommon for system manufacturers to save a few pounds by keeping installed RAM to the minimum. For a small investment it might be worth upgrading your RAM to improve system performance.

6. Consider a Solid State Disk

Traditional hard drives have moving parts, this making them less efficient, and slower. Solid State Drives (SSD) are entirely electronic, making them exceptionally faster.