Have you noticed how a PC that was very speedy when new gradually seems to get slower? And have you ever wondered why?
Well, there are two reasons. The first is a trick of the mind: when a PC is new, you’re frequently amazed by how fast it is, but gradually that speed becomes the ‘new normal’ and instead you increasingly notice the times when it makes you wait.
The second reason is software, but not for the reason you might imagine. You might be expecting me to say that all that those added programs are filling up your hard disk, but that’s not the problem: unless your hard disk is more than about 90% full, your PC won’t mind at all.
The problem is actually the registry, the hidden database where vast amounts of information and settings for your PC and software are stored and which Windows is constantly consulting. The bigger the registry gets, the longer your PC takes to find anything in it, and since it’s in constant use that can lead to a noticeable slow-down of the whole system.
Most of the programs you install add at least a little information to the registry, and some may add quite a lot. And even if you uninstall a program, it may not remove what it stored in the registry. That’s partly because many software makers are a bit slapdash, but a lot of software leaves its registry information behind on purpose.
If you install a 30-day trial of a program, that program uses the registry to keep track of how many days you have left before it starts insisting you pay. What you might think of doing at the end of the trial is to uninstall the program, install it again and have another 30 free days. To prevent this, the program purposely leaves behind that registry data when you uninstall it. This way, if you do install it again, it knows you’ve already finished your free trial.
I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t install software, of course – you won’t get far without it! But if you’re the kind of PC user who likes to install and try out every program you come across, on the basis that you can uninstall it if you don’t like it, it would be a good idea to rethink that strategy!
This is a great use for an old PC if you have one lying around. You can install new programs on it to try them out, and only install them on your main PC if you decide they’re really worth having.
If you don’t have a spare PC, think carefully before installing something new. Do you think you’ll really find it useful? Is it worthy of adding a little extra weight to that bulging registry? If you’d only be installing it out of vague curiosity, my advice is to give it a miss!
