As you run programs on your computer, the central processing unit (CPU) is tasked with greater and greater demands for running all of the applications. This can produce a great deal of CPU stress within your computer, and may slow your computer down or bring things to a complete halt. To reduce CPU stress, you should consider checking your running applications to see if any are currently running that could be canceled. You should also consider running background programs like virus scans while you are not using your computer, and if you have overclocked your CPU you may want to return the CPU to its factory speed.
The CPU within your computer acts as both the effective heart and brains of your system. It regulates the speed at which your programs are running and processes all of the programs you run. The more programs and applications you use at once, the greater the amount of CPU stress you are producing. With increased stress on your CPU, your programs may begin to run slower or your entire system could freeze and need to be restarted. You can do a few simple things, however, to start to counteract this potentially harmful increase in CPU usage.
One of the easiest ways you can reduce CPU stress in your computer is to monitor the programs or applications running, and close any you do not need. This is typically done by pressing the “Ctrl,” “Alt,” and “Del” or “Delete” keys simultaneously, and then using the resulting window to view the applications or processes running and their corresponding CPU usage. You should write down the names of the applications that are running, then research each one and determine if it is something that needs to be running or something you can close.
This can also be an excellent way to find any viruses or other malicious software that may be running undetected on your computer. You can then manually close any programs you do not need, often including background programs like antivirus software and toolbars. It is also often a good idea to run programs such as virus scans while you are not using your computer so you do not create undo CPU stress.
You may also want to determine if your CPU is overclocked, as this can produce a great deal of CPU stress. Overclocking is the process of running a CPU at a higher speed than is initially intended by the CPU manufacturer. You can often reduce CPU stress by reverting an overclocked CPU back to the factory speed, which is the speed set by the CPU manufacturer.