If your entire computer is running slowly, what is the first step you should take to diagnose the issue?

To effectively address a situation where your entire computer is running slowly, the first step you should take is to restart your computer. Restarting can resolve many issues because it clears the memory and stops any processes that may be consuming resources unnecessarily. It helps to temporarily eliminate system performance problems caused by memory leaks or software bugs.

Running a virus scanner is indeed a critical step in diagnosing a system slowdown, especially if malware is suspected. However, it is more efficient to start with a restart because it can quickly resolve minor issues without needing to delve into potential security problems first. Similarly, checking for software updates and freeing up disk space are also important diagnostic steps, but they typically follow after confirming whether the system's performance improves with a simple restart. Restarting often provides immediate insight into the state of your computer without requiring further extensive measures at the outset.