Superior Electronics Q&A

This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press November 17, 2009.

Q: Lately, my computer has been running very slow. It was pretty fast when I got it, but the other day, I went to install a new version of my accounting software and it took forever. Do computers just wear out over time?

A: Realistically, the only parts of your computer that can wear out are those with moving parts, like your hard drive, fans, and DVD burners. What you are probably seeing is just the operating system slowing down because it has accumulated too much junk. This junk comes in the form of programs installed that you no longer use, orphaned program data, and temporary data. It’s always a good idea to clean up this old data, at least, once every six months or so. It’s kind of like the regular maintenance you do to your car. It just helps things run smoother. The first step to performing a basic clean up is to simply go to your disk clean up utility. This can be found under accessories-> system tools-> Disk cleanup. This will remove all of the old cached, temporary, and other junk files in Windows. Next, go to control panel and find the programs and features icon (in Windows XP, it’s called add or remove programs), uninstall programs that you have not used or do not intend to use. Things like old chat programs and picture programs can have entries that allow them to start up every time your computer turns on. If you are not using them, then getting rid of them will free up resources. Finally, run a full virus and spyware scan of your computer, not just the quick scan. These steps should help speed up your computer. If it still seems slow, then you can bring it in for a deeper cleaning or even a reload of the operating system.

Q: I noticed on some people’s computers they have lights in the front of the computer that blink when they do things. Mine does not seem to have any that blink, just one that stays on all the time. Is there something wrong or missing from my computer?

A: Those lights are simply indicators for power and hard disk activity. The solid light on your computer is most likely the power light. If you do not see another light, it could simply be that your computer case does not have one. If there is a light, and it’s just not turning on, then it is possible that it is disconnected or damaged in some way. Either way, if the computer is running fine, then I would not worry about it.

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