When you ask yourself, why is my computer running slow, there are a number of reasons that might be causing your computer to run slowly. Excessive background programs, slow software or lack of enough RAM can dramatically cause less performance. It can also be slowed down by malware or virus using up resources. A second reason is an almost full hard drive or a malfunctioning storage device. Attempt to close unneeded programs, run antivirus programs and empty temp files. Another way to significantly speed up your computer is by upgrading your hardware such as RAM or moving to SSD.