Reasons why you should reboot a computer

why-you-should-reboot-a-computer

Have you ever noticed that every time you turn on your computer, it works fine for a few minutes, then starts to gradually slow down? Have you ever noticed that the longer you use your computer without a reboot, the slower it gets? It’s because of this gradual slowdown that most people find rebooting their computers useful.

It is an unfortunate fact that after some number of hours or days or weeks have passed since you last restarted your computer, the activities performed on it will slowly but surely begin to degrade its performance. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a Windows machine powered by an Intel processor or one based on the AMD64 architecture; all PCs are susceptible to this slow decline.

This degradation can be caused by changes in your computer’s configuration, updates to the system and installed software, or simply using the machine for more time than it was originally designed for.

Why should you do it?

Rebooting is an easy process and can make a huge difference in speed. To reboot a computer is simply to shut the device down completely and turn it back on again. This process will clear out all the data from memory and allow the computer to have a fresh start with faster processing speeds.

It has been proven that certain programs on your system benefit from being restarted regularly – many games require that you do so, for example. You might also notice that your computer starts to feel slower after you’ve been using it for a long time straight – the best way to fix this is by simply rebooting, which will clear out all the data from the primary memory (RAM). Note that the more RAM you’ve got, the longer you can wait till you give it a restart. We’ve got an amazing article on how to find your RAM size.

Ever wondered why your computer slows down over time? This is because as data begins to build up in the memory, it has less space to work with and thus takes longer to retrieve information or respond to user input. The easiest way to ensure that your system’s performance doesn’t decrease over time is by restarting it regularly, which will allow you fresh access to faster speeds and more efficient responses.

On top of this, there are many other reasons why you may want to reboot a computer: for example, if it has crashed or frozen, if certain programs won’t start, or even just because it gets too hot inside! Be sure to save your files before you restart your computer!

Rebooting helps fix most issues

Rebooting also helps fix problems that are temporary, such as if your computer is experiencing slow speeds due to having too many tabs open on Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. If you don’t restart your system regularly, these problems will only worsen over time until they become permanent.

If you’re not sure what constitutes an appropriate period between reboots, think about how often you feel the need to shut down your devices at home for a rest! It may sound crazy, but it’s true! Your workstation is no different from your television or smartphone in this sense; it also needs regular breaks so you can make the most out of all its features and functions.

Windows 10/11 vs the rest

 

Please note that a reboot or a restart in Windows 10/11 works in a similar way to what is known in other versions of Windows as “shutting down” or “turning off the computer” – it closes all running applications, ends all processes and services, etc. This helps improve your PC’s performance over time by allowing for many unnecessary files, settings, updates and programs to be cleaned out when the operating system is not being used.

A shutdown and then turning it back on again in Windows 10/11 is quite different than a restart. This method saves most of the information into the primary memory (RAM) so you can get back to it as soon as you power on the computer.

Perhaps this was why Windows XP displayed an increasingly urgent warning message after being left idle for some predetermined amount of time—presumably to let users know they need to restart their PCs soon before they become too bogged down to make it happen manually. This window persists until you choose OK or remind yourself to reboot later.

MacOS

On macOS, shutting down can be done either by choosing Apple menu > Shut Down or by pressing the power button on your computer’s case for 5 seconds. On an iMac or any other desktop running macOS X, choose Shut Down from the Apple menu in the upper left corner of your screen; on a MacBook Air, Retina MacBook Pro, or any other laptop running macOS X, shut down by clicking the Power button in the upper-right corner of your keyboard and choosing Shut Down from the drop-down menu that appears.

To summarize

Rebooting helps speed up your computer by freeing up memory that would otherwise be occupied by unnecessary files, and it helps clear up the degradation of your system’s performance over time.

And hey—it doesn’t hurt that you get to see your operating system load up all over again!

If you’re still having issues after rebooting your computer, give us a call to schedule a repair.

Author:
I am a computer engineer holding a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, complemented by a Master's in Business Administration from University of Strathclyde, Scotland. I currently work as a Senior IT Consultant in Melbourne, Australia. With over 15 years of...