March 27th, 2012 by ElizaP

If you’ve noticed a slowdown in your computer’s performance lately, one suspect could be the amount of usage or load there is on your computer’s CPU, or central processing unit. This part of your computer is what’s responsible for making the data calculations that allow your computer to run at optimal performance. But if your CPU is bogged down by extra memory, overheating, slow performance and even a computer crash could result.

Minimize Computer Program Use
One of the most common culprits of high CPU usage is too many programs operating at the same time. But you can decrease the amount of load on your CPU by simply only keeping programs open that you need when you are using your computer, or closing them immediately after you’re finished with them. Having two or three programs open at a time can greatly decrease the load on your CPU.

Third-Party Processes
Third-party processes are those programs which run at startup, and/or in the background when you are using your computer. And most of them aren’t critical to normal computer use, so they can be closed. You can do this in Windows Vista by visiting the Control Panel, and then choosing “Performance Information and Tools”. This area will advise you about how to turn off those third-party processes in a safe manner.