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Give Your Computer a Nap

 Restart Your Computer Regularly!

The baby did not have a nap this afternoon. Infants, small children and computers all need a nap every so often. If your computer seems to be performing sluggish, is cranky or non-responsive, then chances are its time to give it a nap.

To nap your computer:

• Save all your work,
• Exit all your programs
• Click Start
• Shutdown
• Restart the computer

It does not take that long and you may find that performance has improved after a brief rest period.

No need to turn off the power--  There is no need to turn off the computer when restarting it or napping it..

However-- Do Turn off the power when:

• Windows tells you it is safe to shut down your computer
• When installing new hardware on the inside of your computer
• When plugging in hardware (printers, scanners, modems, cameras, monitors, tape drives, etc) to the external plugs on the back of your computer
• When you are not using your computer for extended periods of time

Windows Cranky Performance and the Memory Leak effect

We do know why Windows needs a nap and the answer may astound you. Just like the infant whose diaper may need changing, the computer leaks. Your computer leaks memory and this symptom can be called the memory leak effect. The quick nap will restore the memory that may have leaked over time. 

My computer leaks memory ? Yes.

Is it time to change the computer’s diaper? No?

Is this a defective product? No!

Every program that you run in Windows uses a certain portion of memory to operate.

Let's say that your system starts with 95% system performance available. (Your actual starting point may vary and it is rare to find a system running at 100%)

Start or use any program, Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.

While any of these programs are running, system performance will decrease a certain amount.  (You can actually check the performance level from Windows control panel while running any program)

While running Word with only one document open, you may be at 85%. (Your actual percentage may vary depending on size and complexity of your document and other variables)

Exit the program you were using and check the performance level again. 

Logically, you should be back at your starting point of 95%.

But are you?  Probably not.  You may be at 92%, or even 90%. 

Where is the extra 3% or 5%?

It leaked.

All programs may not leak the same amount every time. Some programs may not leak memory at all. But over the course of using your computer, you will find system performance level decreasing. 

Restarting the computer restores the memory that leaked.

Just to be clear on the memory leak effect:

 

So, don't panic or get overly troubled over this memory leak effect.

Just remember to give your computer a quick nap and a zap of new energy every few hours of every day.

 

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