This post is an attempt to help all those customers who now and again come to us with this very question. Below is the list of things you could try in order to resolve the computer freezing issues before running out and buying a new, faster computer.

I assume you have already tried running Auslogics BoostSpeed and fixing registry errors, removing junk files and defragmenting your hard disk drives. This will most likely be your first and only required fix to bring your computer back to life. However if this doesn’t help, read on.

Upgrade RAM

If your computer is slow (but not freezing for long periods of times), this can be caused by low system memory (RAM). The amount of RAM you need depends on the operating system. Click on Start (or Windows Orb), then right click on the “Computer” item in the Windows Start menu and select “Properties” (Windows Vista/Windows 7). You can get system information from Auslogics System Information, as well.

Obtaining System Information

If you’re running Windows XP or Windows 2000 you must have at least 512 MB of memory on your computer (note that 1 GB equals 1,024 MB of memory). Windows Vista and Windows 7 users will need at least 1 GB of RAM for comfortable work, better yet upgrade it to 2 GB. Having 3 to 4 GB installed may be useful if you work with image processing, 3D animation or CAD software. Upgrading RAM is best left to a professional unless you’re comfortable opening up your computer.

Scan for Viruses and Spyware

Nothing (not even increasing computer memory) will speed up your computer if it is infected with certain viruses or spyware. Be sure to scan your computer with the latest antivirus / antispyware solutions.

You can try antivirus programs such as AVAST! or AVG (they both have free versions). There isn’t a single solution that can detect all viruses and spyware.  I used to run AVAST! on my PC, however have uninstalled it after it failed to detect a virus. Don’t trust one single program and run a few. Also download and run PC Tools ThreatFire. This program can detect “trojans”, which is a special kind of spyware that hides itself from normal antivirus scanners.

Note that some  antivirus/antispyware programs are resource hogs themselves, especially those that are “all-in-one” solutions. They monitor everything that’s happening on your computer and can therefore slow it down considerably. Try uninstalling your all-in-one solution to see if your PC gets much faster.

Disable “Resource-Hungry” Programs

As you keep on using your computer and installing new software, programs get added to your computer startup list. This means that at any given time Windows may be running dozens of programs it doesn’t really need. Some of them are “resource-hungry”.

To find out which of the programs are using up the resources, hit Ctrl+Alt+Del on your keyboard (all three at the same time) and then click on the “Task Manager” (alternatively, use Ctrl+Shift+Esc instead). In Task Manager switch to Processes tab, then click on the “CPU” column header. This will show all the CPU hungry processes on top of the list. If you’re running Windows Vista or a newer version of Windows you might want to click on the “Show processes from all users” button /checkbox at the bottom of the Task Manager window. Ignore “System” or “System Idle Process” and look for all processes that take up 10% or more CPU. These are the ones that slow down your computer. You can also try sorting the processes by memory, as huge memory usage can also slow a computer down.

Now, try running Startup Manager (part of BoostSpeed) to disable startup programs you don’t need. Startup Manager will show you the program description (and a link to Internet description for more details). Disabling a startup program is safe because you will be able to enable it back. If you’re an experienced user you can try running msconfig (click Start, Run…, then type msconfig and then hit Enter) where you can see more advanced options.

Hardware Problems

Sometimes computer just freezes even though programs use very little system resources. This can indicate a hardware problem. Here’s a short list of likely hardware issues.

• Bad or corrupt RAM (causes sudden system reboots or freezes)
• High CPU temperature (causes sudden system shutdowns, system refusing to boot up, beeping)
• Bad drivers (they can cause a Blue Screen or Death, or a sudden system reboot)

Troubleshooting these problems goes beyong the scope of this post, but we will get back to this in later posts.

When Nothing Else Helps

If none of the steps above helped you, you can still fix the problem by methodically removing the installed software one by one. To do that use Uninstall manager in Auslogics BoostSpeed or click Start, then Control Panel, then click on “Uninstall a program” (it can also be called Add and Remove Software, etc). Start by removing the least necessary software programs and see if your computer gets better as you go. This will allow you to find out which of the software programs caused the freezing problem. If nothing else helps, you can resort to simply re-installing Windows. Unless the problem is related to hardware faults or inadequate computer specification, this solution will most certainly help.

Sometimes speeding up a computer takes a bit more than removing junk files, defragmenting hard disks, cleaning the Registry, disabling unnecessary start-up items, and tweaking. If you have an older PC and especially if you are trying to run Vista on it, consider adding memory. It is a pretty cheap way to make your old computer a lot faster.

Adding RAM (Random Access Memory) is easy. Let me tell you how to do it yourself.

Getting the Right Type of RAM

First of all you will need to determine what type and how much memory you need. If you still have your motherboard manual, you should be able to look up what kind of RAM you need, how much each slot can take, and how many slots your computer has.

Another way to find the right RAM is to do an online scan. There is a number of websites, usually online shops that sell RAM, where you can perform a free scan (for example Crucial.com).

To look up how much memory you have at the moment, press the Windows key + Pause/Break key to open System Properties. The information you need will be listed on the General tab.

In Windows Vista click Start and type System, then choose System from the list. Look for the amount of Memory (RAM) in the box.

Now let’s get busy!

Installing Memory

If you have a desktop, do the following:

1. Shut down the computer and unplug the power cord. Also it would be a good idea to wear an anti-static wristband, since static electricity can potentially damage the RAM. If you don’t have a static strap, keep one hand on a metal part of the computer case.
2. Open the side of the case. You might also need to unplug some cables to give yourself enough room, so make sure you remember which ones you’ve unplugged.
3. Find the RAM slots. Usually they are near the CPU.
4. Remove the RAM from its anti-static bag. Hold it by the edges to have as little contact with the working parts as possible.
5. Line the memory up with the motherboard slot. Ensure that you have the RAM the correct way round. Begin to press down, first gently and then increase the pressure until the memory slots into the motherboard. Make sure that the memory is seated correctly.
6. Replace all the cables you have unplugged and close the case.
7. Boot your computer. Windows will automatically detect the installed RAM and start using it. To check it out go to System Properties (Windows key + Pause/Break key) and view the amount of RAM on the General tab.

If you are a laptop user, open the panel at the bottom (you’ll need a screwdriver to do that), and find the RAM slots. Insert the memory, replace the panel, put the screws back, and boot your laptop. If the memory was installed correctly, the computer will start using it and you will be able to check it out in System Properties.

As you can see, adding RAM is easy and it will give your computer a new life. Don’t be one of those people who panic when their computer starts slowing down and waste a lot of money on a new one. Because usually all you need to do to speed it up is remove junk files, clean the registry, defrag hard disks, and add more RAM.