We’ve all seen the ads on TV. “Slow computer? Try our software! Your computer will be like new! Go to our website for a FREE diagnosis!” Does it work? Will it really make your computer faster?

Probably not.

If you’re suffering from a slow computer, there are some possibilities as to what’s the cause for the slowdown. Your machine could be suffering from a virus, your registry could be bloated, or you just need to upgrade the aging computer. “Well, how can I tell?” Start from square one.

The first thing you should do is download an anti-virus. If you already have one, then use it. Update it, and then scan it every now and then. If it came with your computer, then it’s probably not worth using-manufacturers, especially Dell, like to ship “free” software with their computers, which are worthless and not free for long. If that’s the case, then download a free anti-virus, one of these is preferable: AVG, Avast, Malwarebytes, Microsoft Defender, or Microsoft Security Essentials. All of them are great. If you feel like your security is worth every penny, then try out ESET’s NOD32.

Next up is to clean the registry. The registry stores configuration settings within Windows. The bigger it is, the longer it takes to access it, which means that your applications will run slowly. But there’s a way to fix that. The best way to clean the registry is to do it manually, but you might as well kiss Windows goodbye if you try to clean it without any idea what you’re doing. Auslogics has two great programs for cleaning the registry, both appropriately named Registry Cleaner and Registry Defrag. The programs scan the registry and detect useless information, clearing it and compressing it, making it easier to load.

So, you did all that, and your computer is still struggling to load? Then you might need to buy a new machine. Or at least upgrade it. If you bought your computer this year, then this will not apply to you. But older computers may need to be upgraded a little to compete with the current technology. The easiest, cheapest, and quickest upgrade would be RAM, or random access memory. RAM helps perform tasks alongside the processor. A few years ago, 512 MB of RAM was considered great and was recommended. Now, 2GB is recommended. The Pentium III and IV processors by Intel are now being replaced by the Core2 and i3 lines. That once cutting edge system is now on the bottom of the list.

Bottom line, a fast computer can be a reality if you know how to make it so.