If you work in an office (or work from home for a business) then you will most likely rely on a computer to complete your daily activities. This means you need your PC to be performing well all the time – so what do you do if it is not?

Troubleshooting problems is a pretty unavoidable part of owning a PC – they are complex machines featuring a diverse array of both hardware and software components. Normally, in a business context, a business would defer troubleshooting a PC’s performance to the IT department, or an IT provider such as TechQuarters, and they will manage the PC for the user. TechQuarters have been providing IT support North London businesses have been relying on for years, and have therefore seen thousands of common PC issues over time. They claim that there are a number of common culprits when it comes to your PC not performing very well. Below are some of the top reasons for poor PC performance:

1. CPU Bottlenecking

Your CPU is essentially the computer within your computer; it is essential for PC function, but it can sometimes cause problems if it is not paired with the right hardware.

Many people may be familiar with the term bottlenecking – most commonly associated with gaming, it can occur with any task that calls upon your CPU and another device in your PC (most commonly a GPU) that is operating at a higher capacity than the CPU. If a PC contains lots of high-end hardware, but the CPU is low-end, all the capabilities of the high-end hardware will be restricted by the capabilities of the low-end CPU this usually manifests as lagging.

The solution for CPU bottlenecking is to either upgrade your CPU, or potentially downgrade the hardware or software that is being bottlenecked.

2. Old Hard Drive

Your hard drive holds the operating system and all critical programs that your computer needs to function. It is also the central repository for all files that are created, downloaded, moved or copied to your computer.

Most computers have a hard disk drive, which is made up of a number of moving components. Those components can actually get worn down with time and use. This in turn makes the hard drive less efficient at reading and writing, which will slow down your PC.

Most hard drives have a lifecycle of between 3 and 5 years. If your PC runs slowly, and periodically freezes, and your hard drive is more than 3 or even 5 years old, then it is likely the culprit. If your entire PC is as old as the hard drive, it may be time for a full upgrade, otherwise upgrading the hard drive will suffice.

3. Low Storage

Another common issue with hard drives is that their capacity may lead to poorer performance. As mentioned above, your hard drive contains all the critical files and programs needed to run your PC. It needs to be able to read and retrieve data from the hard drive. What is more, your CPU also needs to be able to swap files with the hard drive, and store temporary files. This means there should always been a certain amount of free space on your PC’s hard drive.

A full hard drive means there is no space for this type of exchange, and a full hard drive means it is harder to locate information when needed. If your PC is slowing down, and you have a very full hard drive, you should free up some space – delete old files, uninstall unnecessary programs, and move things to the Cloud or an external storage drive.