Why does the computer run slower the longer you use it?
 

Mabye its just me, but I notice that when I reformat the compter is blazing fast and smooth. After about a month, its starts slowing down crap. Then i usually reformat and start again. Anyone else have this problem? Oh and I still have 15 gigs free.

It's all of the crap that you accumulate by installing software, loading down the registry, drive becoming fragmented, temp internet files, you name it. I'm sure after you format you'll see very few tasks running in the background, but they'll increase tremendously as you install and use the necessary applications to utilize your computer.

Can't really be fully avoided, you can try to defrag, clean up your registry, manage the windows services, remove programs from startup, etc.

Unless this is a more severe problem than what I am referring to. Care to elaborate?

yeah, thats what Im talking about

The dreaded Windows creep. This is a problem that manifests itself more in 9x than it does in NT-based systems. It's all about managing your startup and other programs. If you have Windows 9x/ME, download Cacheman (Google search) and use that to optimize your RAM/swap/etc. You can use Cacheman for 2k/XP as well but I don't find it as necessary.

Usually cuz' of all the backgrounds and startup apps you got running. I know MSOffice has a lot of crap that loads in the background. What you can also do is to clear out the cache folder (windows\cache32).

I have xp and have about 5 tweak programs for windows, drive cleaners, registry cleaners...and a new one i just added today to the list a registry compactor which made a HUGE difference..