There are many reasons that computers get slow. Luckily, there are also many ways to fix them. Among the reasons are the “wares”, internal problems, and old age.
The “wares” are programs that sometimes are harmful to computers. The “wares” are sometimes known as PUPs, or potentially unwanted programs. Windows computers are the most likely to be targeted by “wares” because they have the highest number of users. However, Linux users can also be susceptible to these. Bloatware is a program that is not necessarily harmful but can slow down a computer. Often, bloatware comes with a computer, but it can also be downloaded from an outside source. Adware is a specific type of bloatware that displays advertisements in random places on a computer.
Removing bloatware and adware is usually easy. For Windows, you can go to the Control Panel and find the uninstall a program option. Find programs that you will never use and delete them. In Linux (Ubuntu) there are two ways: the graphic way and the terminal way. The graphic way is for removing programs while the terminal is for packages. To view your installed programs on Ubuntu, open the Ubuntu Software application and click the Installed tab to remove. In the Terminal, type command apt list. Once you find a package that is unnecessary, you can use apt remove {packgagename} to delete the package.
Malware is a dangerous type of PUP that hijacks your computer for the use of the creator of the malware. Malware only comes from an outside source, such as a website. Often it will come with another program. This is called a Trojan. There are many programs called antiviruses that can find and remove malware. There are antiviruses for Windows and Linux, but they are usually not necessary for Linux. Spyware is the worst PUP. It hacks your computer to spy on you and steal your personal information. Spyware can sometimes record what you type on your keyboard. This is extremely dangerous in the world of online shopping and selling.
A slow computer may not always have a PUP in it. It may have internal problems. Memory is a vital part of computers. The more memory, the more processes a computer can run and the faster it can go. Your computer may not have enough memory to process the programs you are running. There are two other major errors that are common. For Windows users the blue screen of death (or BSoD) is scary. Before Windows 8 came along, blue screens of death were always dark blue with white monospace error codes all over the screen. Now the screens have a frowny face and a single error code. The type is sans-serif and white, with a light blue background. Nonetheless, it still means a problem in the hard drive. Usually, the best thing to do when encountering a BSoD is to just reboot. If the screen continues to pop up, you should replace your hard drive. The Ubuntu equivalent is an error that looks something like this:
/dev/sda1_CHECK FORCED- run fsck manually
/dev/sda1_CHECK FORCED- run fsck manually
Busybox 2.5.1~ ubuntu_16.04
(infrtams)_
No reason to fear yet. Usually this can be easily resolved by typing in:
(infrtams)fsck /dev/sda1
where 1 is the partition of the operating system you are running. If this doesn’t work, then get the DVD, CD, or USB that you used to install Ubuntu. Pop it in the drive and reboot the computer. Open the boot menu and boot to that device. When the computer boots to the installation drive select Try Ubuntu. Once you are in the demo, open the Terminal and type:
user@pcname:~$ fsck /dev/sda1
You probably don’t want to have to do any of these things (dealing with malware, using command terminals, or fixing a blue screen of death), so how can you prevent them from happening in the first place? You can prevent unwanted Trojans. Don’t install software unless it comes from a reputable source. Always read the already-checked boxes in program installations. When a program asks for permissions, check the publisher information. You can stop installing bloatware. Only install a program if you will really use it. You can check for unauthorized downloads. In most browsers, there is an option to allow downloads without letting you know. Make sure that it is turned off. Only force shut down a computer when it is absolutely necessary. These are all ways to make sure that your life with tech will be as smooth as possible. There are many reasons that computers get slow. Luckily, there are also many ways to fix them. Among the reasons are the “wares”, internal problems, and old age.
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