Windows Performance Issues/Slowness | Computer Slow
Summary
There are many reasons why a computer seems slow while using it. Here are some of the reasons:
- Too Many Running Programs
- Full Hard Drive
- Software Issues such as Windows or a Cloud application such as WellSky facing server issues
- Connectivity
- Updates
- Uptime
Troubleshooting
Rebooting will fix most slowness issues. Please make sure you reboot according to our solutions article: https://nobis.freshservice.com/support/solutions/articles/16000073728
Reboot your computer at least one to two times a week to avoid performance issues.
TOO MANY RUNNING PROGRAMS
Your computer may have too many programs that are open and running. All programs run on memory and when memory runs out, it will start using the hard drive for running these programs. The drive is slower than memory and you'll experience a slowness issue.
Fix: Close out the programs you're not using. This includes tabs in the browser. If slowness persists, reboot the computer.
FULL HARD DRIVE
A full hard drive can cause many problems such as files not saving or print jobs from printing. Since there is no disk space, the computer will use memory which can max out causing performance issues.
Fix: Create a ticket with IT so they can reimage the computer or remove user profiles if possible.
SOFTWARE ISSUES SUCH AS WINDOWS OR A CLOUD APPLICATION SUCH AS WELLSKY FACING SERVER ISSUES
It's possible that Windows is having a bad day due to many reasons which can impact performance. Recent Windows updates may affect the performance of applications that haven't made updates themselves. Cloud applications such as WellSky could also be facing issues. The server on "their" end could be the problem. You can have the fastest internet, but if the server is having issues, then it doesn't matter how fast your computer and internet are.
Fix: Give it time or reboot.
CONNECTIVITY
Connectivity could be your network cable, WiFi, or USB cable that plugs into your laptop. Your hospital also relies on an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that provides internet. If disrupted, it can prevent websites from opening, access to file shares, or applications to run slow.
Fix:
- cable - check your cables. Is it snug? Check if your network cables are plugged into the network jack of both the wall and docking station (if provided.)
- WiFi - is it on? Do you see other networks broadcasting?
- USB Cable - if using a docking station, the USB cable provides internet through the network cable attached to the backside of the docking station. If the network cable is missing, the laptop will be using WiFi instead. If you suspect it's the docking station, unplug the docking station and plug it back in.
- You may also be at the "mercy" of the ISP. If the ISP is experiencing issues, it will affect the entire hospital. If the ISP does go down, the hospital is supposed to fail over to a backup connection, but it could be slower since the backup isn't designed to handle large amounts of traffic.
- if file shares are slow, then the datacenter in Texas could be experiencing issues. If you suspect it's isolated to file shares, please let us know.
UPDATES
Windows updates in general will cause slowness issues because it's downloading a lot of information or it's waiting for a reboot. You'll start noticing performance issues or stuff not working as it should. The updates are waiting for a reboot. The wonkiness will not go away until you reboot. Be forewarned that certain updates are big and it's not uncommon to take several minutes. Some updates can take 30 minutes.
Fix: Reboot the computer and ensure it's done properly: https://nobis.freshservice.com/support/solutions/articles/16000073728
UPTIME
What exactly is uptime? It's the amount of time that your computer has been up and running since the last reboot. The longer the computer stays up, the more unstable it becomes because programs are always updating in the background and memory is constantly being loaded with applications.
Fix: Reboot! Please keep in mind that signing out or pressing the power button is not a reboot. This will put the computer in standby mode or hibernation. We often hear that this important step was done, but it wasn't. Please familiarize yourself with this article to ensure it's done properly: https://nobis.freshservice.com/support/solutions/articles/16000073728