Common Misconceptions About PCs
These are some common misconceptions about computers and electronics from around the web.
Windows/Personal Computers
You shouldn't have to defrag your drive regularly, only when the fragmentation percentage is high enough to be noticeable and is causing a performance decrease. You should never defragment a SSD due to how performant and fast they are. If you have the option to, you should trim it instead.
Malware usually isnt the case to why your PC has been so slow lately. Open Task Manager (CTRL + SHIFT + ESC), and check which programs are using the most resources. Check the "Startup" tab in Task Manager and see what programs are running when your PC starts.
Also, check the storage capacity of your OS drive in the File Explorer. This drive is usually assigned letter C: with the name "Windows". If the bar is red or mostly full, you should try to free space by uninstalling unused applications/programs, and or emptying the Recycling Bin.
The default Windows Defender should suffice. If you are using a Mac or similar Apple device, Apple themselves makes it hard for bad programs to appear on the App Store. Unless you want the backup options, you shouldn't need Norton, McAffee, ect. Don't click on links that are suspicious and make sure you get software from a reputable source.
You shouldn't have to update/replace drivers unless you are having problems, or your PC manufacturer says so.
The only real exception to this are drivers for dedicated gaming GPUs, which need to be updated for the latest features and technologies. Like previously mentioned, make sure you download these from a reputable source.
These usually are unnecesary and you will waste money buying these. You should stay away from Registry cleaners as these may break things.
This one is partially true, as modifying stuff you shouldn't will break things. You should only modify variables in the Registry if you are 100% certain that you know what you are doing and are willing to accept consequences if you break something. Modifying the Registry should be a last resort to fixes after you tried every other method to your problem. To be extra safe, you should create a restore point beforehand if something breaks.