Hi all
Can any kind news reader please help me with my computer it is
running very very slow it takes ages 5min or more to start up and shut down
slow all round in general. Is there any web sites where I can get ideas to
help me speed up my computer . suggestions tips anything that can help I
am running windows xp 1.8 GHz. 256mb ddr-sdram 40gb so it says on the side
of the tower .I imagine I have the normal kind of things installed on it or
are they helping to slow it down Encarta. Norton anti virus .auto express
Nero. office 2003 eBay tool bar just the normal things you would have I have
broadband it is a Compaq Presario
I hope I have covered every thing . any help would be very very much
appreciated
regards and thanks Kenny O'Rourke

"Kenny O'Rourke" <kenny@orou.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dvciqh$c60$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
internet etc. ?.
If not d\load and install CCleaner from here:
www.ccleaner.com/
Use It Carefully !. and clean out all the detritus.
Go into your Event Viewer and check for any errors\problems.
You are a bit light on the amount of ram 512 is good, 1Gig is excellent.
How full is your hard drive ?.
Do a defrag.
That`ll keep you busy for a while. Every little helps.

--
bw..OJ

1. Clean computer of temporary files.
vouk.adolf@amis.net

"Kenny O'Rourke" <kenny@orou.freeserve.co.uk> je napisal v sporoèilo
news:dvciqh$c60$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk ...

"Kenny O'Rourke" <kenny@orou.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dvciqh$c60$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...

Kenny

1 Go to
http://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en...fine:Spywa re
read up and understand what 'Spyware' is, then download the following
freeware tools, install, update and scan with them.

Spybot Search & Destroy
http://spybot.eon.net.au/
http://www.safer-networking.org/
SpyBot S&D guide
http://www.chem.wisc.edu/~network/spybot/

Ad-Aware
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

Spyware Blaster
http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareblaster.html
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
http://www.net-integration.net/tools...reblaster.html

CWShredder
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html
http://www.merijn.org/files/cwshredder.zip

There are others but that should clear any major infections of Spyware.

2 Remove Norton Anti Virus and replace it with the Freeware AVG Anti Virus
(Norton is known to be bloatware and seriously affect modest PC's like
your's performance)
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

3 Add another 256 or 512 MB of Ram.
Though 256MB meet's XP's requirements all Tech's will tell you it doesnt go
well until it has 512MB or more of Ram to work in.
This is also very relevant for Norton's performance.

Cheers
Paul.

Kenny O'Rourke wrote:
Make sure you run Lavasoft Ad-Aware and Spy Bot S&D sounds like you are
loaded with spyware.

Kenny O'Rourke wrote:

No complete remote diagnosis possible.
First, start in "safe mode" (press F8 a few times just when the bios bootup
or logo screen disappears and the white progress bar appears.
Now does it take just as long to start, or is it remarkably quicker?
If yes, you probably have a spyware /virus problem.
If it's just as slow and your harddrive led appears to be lit almost
steadily while starting, and considering the possible type and age of your
harddrive (1.8G->3yrs, 40GB->a good chance it's a deathstar crap) you may
better backup what's important (emails, address book, "My Documents"
folder, serials ...) and find out about the brand of your HD in device
manager, then download the diagnosis floppy and do as suggested.
--
vista policy violation: Microsoft optical mouse detected penguin patterns
on mousepad. Partition scan in progress to remove offending
incompatible products. Reactivate MS software.
Linux 2.6.14-mm1 [LinuxCounter#295241,ICQ#4918962]

On 2006-03-16, jpuccetti@gmail.com <jpuccetti@gmail.com> wrote:
Something is doing strange things to punctuation, grammar, and syntax,
too.

--
-- ^^^^^^^^^^
-- Whiskers
-- ~~~~~~~~~~

Kenny O'Rourke wrote:
computers model and buy 256 megs of memory. Then I would buy the anti
virus program Nod32. Install the memory. Then backup all your
documents and write down any setting and passwords you might need. Make
sure you have the install disks of all your software if you have
downloaded software make sure you have backed up the install files.

Then boot your computer to the Restore partition and have it format your
drive and restore back to the way you got the computer.

Once back and running install Nod32 then go to Windows update and get
everything they have for you. Then go to Microsoft.com/spyware and get
Defender it will stop spyware. Set Windows Nod32 and Defender to auto
update. Then go to getfirefox.com and install it and make it your
default browser.

This will speed your computer up.

In article <dvciqh$c60$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>, Kenny O'Rourke
<kenny@orou.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

If this is meant as a list, no, I doubt it is typical, maybe not even
common.
Encarta? Does this have an executable that is running all the time?
NAV has a terrible reputation in this group, apparently because of the
background activity tool.
I'm assuming Auto Express is some add-on to check mail? No, I suspect
most people just open their mail program.
Nero shouldn't have to do anything unless you are actually burning
something, right? So it isn't running?
eBay toolbar? I don't think I know anyone who uses that. It might do
almost anything -- have you tried turning that off? have you considered
if it is of any use at all?
I thouht the general attitude here about toolbar add-ons was that most
of them are unnecessary junk, better avoided than ever installed.

I would suggest that when you have started your system open the task manager
by pressing 'ctrl, alt and delete at the same time. Then click on the
performance tab to see how much of your processor is being used, im guessing
it will be at 100% all the time. Now click on the processes tab, from there
you can see exactly what programs are using the processor. It is a
possibility that you may see IEexplporer taking up a lot even though it
isn't running. If this is the case then I think you may have a virus. Avast
antivirus is a good freeware prog. Very effective. Failing that I would do a
OS reinstall.

Ron
"Kenny O'Rourke" <kenny@orou.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dvciqh$c60$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...

On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 20:45:48 -0000, "Kenny O'Rourke"
<kenny@orou.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

I didn't see anyone else ask, so I will...is it substantially slower
than it was when it was brand new? If not, it is probably related to
hardware. If it is quite a bit slower than before, it is probably
software.

A 1800+ is fast enough for most of your tasks. 256MB is a bit short.
40GB is enough for many people's needs, unless you collect music or
pictures or movies, etc.

The suggestion about adding memory is a good one, but doesn't go far
enough. Windows XP likes 512MB of RAM or more. Since it is a Compaq,
there is a good chance your 256MB is two sticks of 128MB. Compaq does
that to save themselves a few pennies, literally.

As cheap as RAM is, get 512MB, not just 256MB more. It will run a
little better and costs a VERY few dollars more. As was said, be sure
to research so you get the right kind. There are dozens of types of
RAM and almost none are interchangeable. Get a name brand, not a store
brand. Especially don't get the CompUSA store brand. My experience is
that it is of inferior quality and that their technical support is
essentially non-existant. As a repair technician for a recomendation,
NOT a sales person!

Typically, this is a software problem. As said by others, you probably
have a lot of malware, including spyware. There may also be a virus or
two, even with an anti-virus program. Have you run a hard drive
diagnostic and defragmented lately? If not, try that also.

IF it is a software problem I agree with the suggestion that you
reload Windows and disagree with the suggestions that you try to find
and fix the problems. Theory says that can be done, but practice says
it is too complicated for most people. I get a lot of machines where
the owner got the programs to clean and they didn't fix the problem.

Instead, just reload Windows to start from scratch. You should use the
same version you now have, but with service pack 2 on the CD. Your id
number, on the sticker on the machine, should still work.

There have been many good suggestions for this problem. I didn't see
anyone suggesting ideas on locating the reason for the slow computer.

It is very probable that you have many unnecessary programs running in
the background. Review what's running (Cntl, Alt,Delete) and
selectively 'end task' on unnecessary programs. See if you have
increased speed.

You can also go to RUN and enter MSCONFIG. Select the 'start up' tab
and 'uncheck' unnecessary programs. Reboot and see if you have
increased your speed. Be sure to uncheck NORTON also.

After you have identified the CPU hog you will be able to make a
decision on corrective action.



"Kenny O'Rourke" <kenny@orou.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dvciqh$c60$1@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
: Hi all
: Can any kind news reader please help me with my computer it is
: running very very slow it takes ages 5min or more to start up and shut
down
: slow all round in general. Is there any web sites where I can get
ideas to
: help me speed up my computer . suggestions tips anything that can
help I
: am running windows xp 1.8 GHz. 256mb ddr-sdram 40gb so it says on the
side
: of the tower .I imagine I have the normal kind of things installed on
it or
: are they helping to slow it down Encarta. Norton anti virus .auto
express
: Nero. office 2003 eBay tool bar just the normal things you would have
I have
: broadband it is a Compaq Presario
: I hope I have covered every thing . any help would be very very much
: appreciated
: regards and thanks Kenny O'Rourke
:
:

Kenny O'Rourke schreef:

I experienced a similar problem, had to look 3 minutes at the windows
logo and after that everything was ssslllooowww. I found the problem to
be the hard disk. It ran in PIO mode instead of UDMA. Don't know what
caused it. You can easily check it if you follow the instructions on
the following web-site I found: http://www.michna.com/kb/WxDMA.htm

The solution that is on the website worked for me and my system is OK
again, there is nothing wrong with the hard disk, just the UDMA setting
was lost!

"reijkie" <r.eijkemans@hccnet.nl> wrote in message
news:1144157081.337009.145350@z34g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...
There are a whole heap of processes and applications that load
with Windows, it is the usual step to troubleshoot these first for
conflicts, errors etc.
Follow this MS knowledgebase article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310560/en-us

"reijkie" <r.eijkemans@hccnet.nl> wrote in message
news:1144157081.337009.145350@z34g2000cwc.googlegr oups.com...

Just a thought -- you may or may not be virus free, but are you sure that
you are SPYWARE free. First of all, get rid of most of your programs in your
StartUp menu. After that try one of the excellent free on-line scanners
available (links below). I'll place any bet that these will pull out 1 or
more bits of SpyWare which is slowing your PC right down.

http://www.bitdefender.com

http://www.precisesecurity.com/antiv...nline-scan.htm

Good Luck !


Moke G.