Do you know what programs are running on your computer right now? If not, you should! There could be programs that are running in the background (firewalls, AV scanners, and even programs you never use) that are using up memory and causing sluggish performance.
To check on what programs are running on your computer, do the three-finger salute (Ctrl+Alt+Delete) to bring up the Windows Task Manager. Click the "Processes" tab. This will show you each individual program that's running. If there's a bunch of entries that you don't recognize, don't panic! There are some Windows processes that may even have multiple entries (like svchost.exe). There are some processes that Windows needs to have running in order to function. Now let's not go shutting things down willy-nilly, that's a bad idea. If there's an entry you don't recognize, Google it.
For example, if you're using Windows, you'll see 'csrss.exe' as an entry in your Task Manager. A quick Google search will tell you that csrss.exe is an app that Windows MUST have running in order to function, so this would definitely not be one you want to shut down. Do this for all the entries in the Processes tab, and make your own decisions about what you need to have running and what you don't. The idea here is to have the minimum amount of Processes taking up resources. That leaves more memory for Riffworks to plunder. Any entry that can be shut down should be. Right-click the entry in the "Processes" tab of the Task Manager and select "Shut Down".
There's a program I like to use called Startup Inspector that tells me EXACTLY what programs are set to start whenever I reboot my computer. It's free to download, I've been using it for years and I love it. It actually acts as a kind of a physical barrier to programs that TRY to start when Windows starts even when you tell them not to (like QuickTime).
All these tips are designed to do one thing and one thing only - increase the amount of memory available to RiffWorks. Think of memory in your computer like a piece of fabric with a finite size. When you start any program, that program cuts off a little slice of that fabric. Add that up over 20 or 30 programs, and what started out as a king-size quilt can start to look like a handkerchief. Not to mention the fact that some programs (even when shut down) can continue to hang onto their piece of fabric, making it unavailable for any other program to use.
Hope y'all get something out of this.
Happy riffing!
