My PC is running super slow. Help!

So, here’s how things are looking right now...
I’ve got Avast installed along with CCleaner, and honestly, my PC is running so incredibly slow that I can't even watch a video without it lagging out. Sometimes, when I'm just trying to search for something online, everything just freezes up for a few seconds before it finally decides to start searching again. It's pretty annoying.
I could use some help on where to even begin or what steps I should actually take. Does anyone have any ideas at all? Maybe some advice...

Roger Stewart said:Here’s what’s going on...
I’ve got Avast and CCleaner installed, but my computer is running so incredibly slow that I can't even watch a video without it lagging. Sometimes when I'm searching for something online, the browser just freezes up for a few seconds before finally picking back up again.
I really need some help getting started—does anyone have any ideas on what I should do first?

What operating system are you running? Also, how much RAM and hard drive space are we talking about... and are you on a direct home connection or using someone else's Wi-Fi?

I’ve got an idea for you: first off, just get rid of that Avast junk and switch over to Norton Security. It’ll save you a lot of headaches. Once that's done, I’d suggest downloading AdwCleaner and letting it run its course to scrub out any leftover clutter. Finally, just run a quick defrag on your hard drive to smooth things out.

Frank Foster6 said:what OS are you running... how much RAM and hard drive space... and are you on your own connection or using someone else's..

Windows 7, my own internet, 4 GB of RAM, and maybe 500 plus 60GB

Roger Stewart said:Windows 7, my own internet, 4 GB of RAM, and a 500 + 60GB drive

Your computer is actually more powerful than mine, and I don't run into these issues even though I don't have direct internet—I'm actually piggybacking off my neighbor's connection... First off, you should check if someone else has hopped onto your network. There are plenty of programs out there to help you verify that...

Then there's the processor... Mine is dual-core... so what are you running?

If you've got a dual-core processor, you really shouldn't be dealing with these kinds of problems...

I dealt with similar issues on my old laptop and desktop because they had low RAM, a weak processor, and a small hard drive... A friend of mine had this exact problem too because a few random people connected to his Wi-Fi, even though he was using an ancient machine... Once he changed his password, everything fixed itself...

I don't see any other issue besides maybe needing to clean up your hard drive if it isn't new, or if you've swapped out multiple operating systems and it's just cluttered with junk... You can use CCleaner and use the drive wiper free space tool... You could do one pass, but it'll take a while given the size of your drive... I once cleaned my 250 GB drive with three passes and it took me the entire day...

I don't know any other way... maybe someone here knows a better method... It would probably be a good idea to install Norton Security and blow the dust out of your motherboard... But honestly, even with your current antivirus, you shouldn't be having trouble considering how strong your PC is... These are just my experiences and suggestions. Take care!

ruggedfalcon62 said:You’ve got a much beefier rig than I do, yet I’m not running into any of these issues... even though I don't have my own dedicated line and I'm just piggybacking off my neighbor's Wi-Fi. I mean, first things first, you should probably check if someone else has hopped onto your connection. There are plenty of programs out there designed specifically to track that kind of thing.

So, about the processor... mine’s just a dual-core setup. I guess I was wondering what you're running in yours?

If you’re running a dual-core processor... I mean, you really shouldn't be running into these kinds of issues. Maybe. It's hard to say for sure without seeing the specs, but yeah... a dual-core setup should probably handle this better.

I ran into stuff like this back in the day on my old laptop and that desktop I used to have—you know, the one with the tiny amount of RAM, a sluggish processor, and barely any hard drive space to speak of. It was just a struggle. A friend of mine dealt with something similar too, I think. He had this ancient computer, and it seemed like his connection was being bogged down because a bunch of random people were piggybacking on his Wi-Fi. Once he finally went in and changed his password, everything smoothed right out. Maybe that’s the trick.

I don't really see any other issues here, unless you decide to wipe the drive entirely—assuming it isn't brand new, obviously. If you've been swapping out operating systems constantly or if the thing is just cluttered with a million different files, you might want to clear some space. You could probably use CCleaner; they have that drive wiper tool for free space. I guess you could just run one pass, though that still takes a while depending on how massive the drive is. Personally, I tried doing three passes on my 250 GB drive once, and man... that took the entire day.

I mean, that’s just how I see it... someone else might have a better way of doing things, I guess... it would probably be a good move to just install Norton Security and maybe give the motherboard a quick dusting to get rid of the buildup... though, honestly, with a rig as beefy as yours, you shouldn't really be running into these issues even with your current antivirus... at least, that's just my two cents based on what I've dealt with before... anyway, cheers.

Thanks. I mean, the drive wiper free space always shows up as clean every two or three days... I guess. Maybe it’s just how it works.
I'm using the internet on my laptop too, but I guess it shouldn't be lagging this much just because of that... maybe? It feels like it’s just stuttering for no reason.
Maybe it's just choked with dust. I haven't actually cleaned it in forever... might give it a go tonight.

Roger Stewart said:thanks, the drive wiper free space shows up clean every few days or so..
I'm using the internet on my laptop too, but I guess it shouldn't be lagging just because of that......
Maybe it's just full of dust since I haven't cleaned it in forever, I might try to get to it tonight...

regsvr32

Roger Stewart said:regsvr32

I guess that error just pops up right when I'm trying to launch it...

Your Windows registry is completely trashed. Honestly, you're better off just doing a clean reinstall.

shadowlynx102 said:Your macOS registry is a total mess. Just wipe it and reinstall.

Usually, that’s the quickest way to fix a sluggish machine. Unless the hard drive itself is dying... you'll know pretty much immediately after a clean install if it doesn't speed up. Then you know the HDD is on its last legs.

I personally swear by CCleaner to clear out all that junk that drags down the boot process, so you could give that a shot. But honestly? dr.mrgood gave you the best advice. Back everything up and just reinstall macOS. It’s the simplest way out of the mess.