\nA few days back someone brought me a computer that had started as Windows 10, then updated to Windows 11. Now, after perhaps five years, it was very slow, they claimed. I powered it on for examination.<\/p>\n
\nTheir computer wasn’t as slow as some I’ve seen, that’s for sure. Yet, apparently it had been much faster in the past.<\/p>\n
\nAsking them about programs they use or not, I uninstalled a lot. It seemed this computer had been with them through various periods while they had pursued diverse projects. The device showed one or two behaviours which seemed a little dodgy, but its antivirus suite, which was still in force, seemed content enough.<\/p>\n
\nAfter I’d done enough to hopefully improve the computer’s performance, I started a full virus scan. Yet, awhile later it started looping: it would mention files it was examining, then a minute later mention the same ones.<\/p>\n
\nI had looked earlier at the temporary files, but there didn’t seem enough to cause much issue. I wondered, now, if they contained problem files that were causing the loop. I decided to clear them out.<\/p>\n
\nYet, when I tried to remove the temporary files, the same looping idea seemed to happen again: the computer seemed frozen at a certain point. I restarted it, then resumed the same operation.<\/p>\n
\nThis time, the computer was able to purge the temporary files. Afterwards, I ran a full system scan which worked briskly.<\/p>\n
\nThis wasn’t the first time I’d encountered a problem in the middle of removing some temporary files, so had to restart the computer and then the removal process.<\/p>\n
\nI think it’s probably good to remove temporary files (that one doesn’t need anymore) at least twice a year from a Windows PC. Moreover, the Windows computers I use, I do a fresh install of them every two years or so.<\/p>\n
\nAfter I returned the computer, its owner told me it was much faster, so I guess it worked out all right:)<\/p>\n