This is most likely due to having too much junk software running at the same time or hidden viruses or spyware lurking in your system.

Below are some ways to tell why your computer is running so slow. 

 1) Startup Items

Check your taskbar near your clock.  Do you see a lot of icons there sitting next to the clock taking over your taskbar?  If so, this is making your computer run slow.  Usually when you buy a new computer, desktop or laptop, it always come with software trials and bundles.  I like to call this "bloatware."  Most of these programs startup when you fire up your machine and then they hide to the bottom right corner of your screen next to the time.   The one picture above isn't as bad, but it shouldn't go much further than that.  

 2) Multiple Security Programs

Face it, there are hundreds and thousands of viruses, spyware, keyloggers, trojans, worms, out there that can hurt your computer.  We all get paranoid and slap on every program we see that claims 100% protection.  FALSE!  While there are many efficient security programs, not all of them can catch everything.  New infections are created everyday.  It's hard to keep up.  From what I've heard, some companies purposely create viruses and spyware out there and create some sort of forumla to fight against it.  That's the business for you.  But truth be told, having too many of these programs conflict with each other and also exhaust all your computer's resource: memory, hard drive, processor performance.  From my personal experience try using "light" programs.  I like using AVG Free Edition Antivirus and Antispyware (you can download these for free at http://free.grisoft.com ).  It usually suffices for moderate web-browsing.  Try to stay away from the all-in-one suites like McAfee and Norton.  They are good at what they do, keep the bad stuff out, yet at the same time don't give as much freedom as a user. Real-time Antivirus is important, real-time anti-spyware not so much.  Having these both on real-time can cause some slight delay in response.  Scheduling a weekly spyware scan should be good enough.

3) Infections

This is a no-brainer.  You don't need a tech to tell you, "it might be a virus."  This is first instinct that something might be wrong. The tough part is, how do you get rid of viruses?  In concept if your whole computer is infected with viruses and spyware, woudln't you think that your ANTIvirus and ANTIspyware solutions have been corrupted too, usually this is the case.  Preventive maintenance is much better than resolution. If you've been overwhelmed, we are more than welcome to help you out!

4) Hardware

When i say hardware i mean your components like you hard drive, memory, your processor.  Maybe it is time to upgrade!  With newer versions of your applications raising the bar of system requirements, it's time to upgrade those dinosaur-fast computer parts.  Memory would be the most immediate change in speed and performance.  More memory is good, also the least expensive soltuion.  Hard drives have different speeds ie: 5400rpm, 7200rpm, etc.  Faster means better, of course.  Think about it first.  If you get a new hard drive, you'll have to back up your stuff, reinstall your operating system, reinstall your programs, and then re-import your data.  Try a defragment first, then see if you still want something faster.  It would require more time to get this done, but it DOES make a difference.  YOUR CPU (processor), gets a beating when the computer takes on more than it can handle.  If you are a multi-tasker, get a multi-tasking processor.  Dual core processors are good for this, such as the Intel Core 2 Duos or the Athlon 64x2s.  Single core processors are your older processors such as the Intel Pentium 4 and Celeron CPU chips, AMD Sempron, and Athlon 64.  They are good processors for simple-tasks.   Keep in mind, if you are upgrading all your components, think if its time to just upgrade to a new machine completely.  Saves the hassle, but if you're picky like I am and want the best of the best in each category, custom-build it! 

 Hope this helps.  Contact us for any questions.