Windows 8 Bible

Troubleshooting Performance Problems

This section covers basic troubleshooting in terms of using Task Manager and Control Panel tools to monitor and troubleshoot performance. Keep in mind that hardware and software go hand in hand, so performance problems can be caused by either one. For example, if a device is malfunctioning or improperly configured, it can lead to performance problems. Likewise, having too many programs running at one time can eat up valuable memory and processor time, also foiling performance. So, don’t assume that performance problems are always caused by hardware or software — the problem could well be one, the other, or both.

If your CPU Usage chart consistently runs at a high percentage in Task Manager, you may be running two or more firewalls. Most likely, you’ll need to disable and remove any third-party firewalls, or disable the built-in Windows Firewall.

Also, scan your system for viruses, adware, and other malware, and remove all that you can find to eliminate their resource consumption.

If neither of the previous suggestions fixes your problem, you may need to see if an individual process is keeping your system overly busy. To do this, use one of these methods to start Task Manager:

• With Windows running and while logged on to the computer, press Ctrl+Alt+Del and click Start Task Manager.
• Press Windows+X, click Run, and type taskmgr to locate and start Task Manager.
• Right-click the taskbar and click Start Task Manager.

Once you’re in Task Manager, ...