Why not let us give your device the full treatment and make it feel and run like new again, with our comprehensive Device M.O.T Service, which improves the performance, stability, and security of your PC, Tablet or Laptop, and will speed it up overall.

Device MOT

How Can We Help With Our Device M.O.T Service?

Our technical engineers can:

  • Bring Windows up to date with all security and software updates
  • Provide industry-leading fast and free anti-virus software or paid antivirus if required
  • Scan for and remove all viruses and spyware
  • Clean all air vents and fans to prevent over-heating
  • Bring Internet Explorer up to date
  • Optimise system security and system update settings.
  • Remove non-essential start-up software (to speed up loading)
  • Remove unused files allowing Windows to run faster
  • De-fragment hard disk if required, reducing disk accessing
  • Give your machine a complete clean and valet
  • Remove unwanted apps and update them
  • Provide proven fast and free spyware removal software
  • Speed up your device

Unlike other “Device M.O.T Services”, all our MOT’s are performed by experts, using their knowledge and experience to clean up your system, with a personal service and no hard sell on “upgrades”.

15 Reasons Why Your Computer is Slow

1. You have too many startup programs

Newly downloaded programs often try to weasel their way into your Startup menu (Windows) or Login Items (Mac). If you didn’t uncheck the box for that permission, you could have dozens of unnecessary programs vying to be ready and running as soon as your computer boots up (as if that’s happening any time soon).

2. Your hard drive is failing

“A hard drive nearing the end of its lifespan is a common issue. Hard drives are made of moving parts that spin thousands of times a day and they do wear down,” says Schoeffler “Generally, after two to three years of consistent use, there’s a high chance that a hard drive is failing.”

3. Your hard drive is 95% full 

Hard drive space is taken up by programs, updates to programs, and downloads, as well as temporary files and associated files of deleted programs, so you may be able to clear a good amount of space just by emptying your trash. Check your hard drive situation by (Mac) clicking the apple and selecting About this Mac, or (Windows) hitting Start / Computer and right-clicking the primary hard drive (usually C:), then go to Properties.

4. Your browser has too many add-ons

Browser extensions can usefully enhance your web experience (like an ad-blocker or a unit converter I use) – but they might also be a culprit in slowing down your computer by eating up processing power. Nor are all extensions created equal – some add-ons may proclaim themselves popup blockers or search protectors, but they may be browser adware that can slow your computer down by downloading ads and popping up ads every time you open your browser.

5. You’re running too many programs at once

Doing a trillion things at once is exactly why we have computers but, at some point, your little bundle of artificial intelligence is going to falter. Your computer’s ability to run multiple programs at the same time hinges in part on its RAM (random access memory), which allows it to switch from processing one program to another with seeming fluidity, but if the demands of the open programs are outstripping your computer’s memory and processing power, you’ll notice a slowdown.

6. Too many browser tabs are open

If you’re in the dozens of open tabs camp (“All the better to never lose a link”, you claim), your browser is likely hogging far more than its fair share of RAM. “When you open a new browser tab, it’s saved in RAM. If you have only a little bit of RAM left free, you run out of room for processing everything that is active, so the computer slows down,” Schoeffler says

7. Rogue programs are hogging all the processing powers

It’s not always a heavy-duty video or music app that’s eating up your computer’s processing power. Some programs or system processes may be stuck in a loop or have encountered an error.

8. You have an overzealous antivirus program

Having an active anti-malware program is a vital part of computer hygiene – but yours may be running regular background scans at the worst possible times.  “Virus scans slow down the works because they’re running in the background,” Silverman says. Some antivirus programs may be set to weekly full scans, which can take a few hours and suck up a lot of processing power.

9. You have a virus 

If it’s not the antivirus, it could be the virus. Viruses, spyware and other malware can slow down your computer as they mess around with everything from hijacking your browser to pushing advertising or phishing sites, to crashing your computer. “These days, viruses most commonly install a malicious program that runs ads randomly, which is an easy way to generate income for its creator,” Schoeffler says.

10. Someone is using your computer for crypto mining

A sluggish computer could signal that a program or ad is using your system to mine cryptocurrency. Often, this occurs because of code on a website and that is active only while the site is open. In fact, some legitimate sites such as Salon use it as a system to generate income instead of users viewing ads (users can opt-in if they agree). 

11. Your OS is way too slick

It’s the age-old battle of appearance over performance: Having visual effects enabled – aka eye candy like those snazzy transitions for minimizing windows – can impact the speed of your PC (and to a lesser extent, Mac) if its hardware only just skates within the minimum requirements for your OS of choice.

12. Your room is too dusty

Sometimes the problem is not internal but external – is the back of your CPU casing matted over with dust? This can prevent ventilation which cools the processors as they whir away in an attempt to run Photoshop, Spotify, Outlook, and Skype. And nobody wants a hot computer – heat increases the likelihood of malfunctions and crashes.

13. You don’t have enough memory

If you’ve deep-cleaned your computer and modified your browser tab habit, but your computer is still slow (and you own a PC), you might want to consider a minor upgrade in the form of additional RAM.

Some programs take a lot of your computer’s RAM to run – for example, programs that work with huge files such as photo or video editing software. “A lot of people try to run Photoshop or some graphics-heavy program on an entry- or mid-level computer that can’t handle it,” Silverman says.

14. You need to restart your computer

The reason restarting seems to solve so many tech issues is that programs can get hung for a myriad of reasons. “A lot of stuff gets gummed up in the background. For example, if you turn off Outlook, background processes are still running,” Silverman says. “You could ‘end task’, but a lot of folks are not that savvy about which one to end.”

15. You’re running in low power mode

Some Windows laptops give you the option to adjust your power settings to maximize performance. Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options and select “Create a Power Plan.” If your computer lets you adjust the speed of your components, you’ll see three options: “Balanced,” “Power saver,” and “High performance.” Select “High performance” and create a plan name. You’ll then see a screen where you can select your power plan. Select your new plan. Creating a power plan that’s based on “High performance” will maximize the performance of your computer automatically. 

Still, need help or want to order your Device M.O.T Service?

If you have a question about or Device M.O.T Service or require any more information please feel FREE to contact us by clicking here. or call into our shop and we will be happy to help!