my P-II, 400 MHz has slowed down to such an extent that it takes 12 minutes to show my desktop after swithing?

Question

can any body help and suggest something. I only have 3 programs in my startup and I am not an expert

Answer 1

The same thing happened to me until I realized I didn't have enough memory. Buy a stick of memory and stick it in and it will start zooping again.

Answer 2

Time for a new computer my, um, buns. There's no reason why a P2-400mhz machine can't do a fine job of running Windows (probably 98 on a machine that age, but could be 2000).

You don't need a new computer any more than you need to spend 400 bucks. If the PC you've got is powerful enough for your needs (three programs, right?), why upgrade if it's possible to fix it for free?

Since you admit you're not a techie, the problem is most likely to be not doing enough housework on your hard drive to keep your PC running smoothly.

If so, the first two things you need to do is TURN OFF YOUR SCREENSAVER AND END ALL PROGRAMS. Done that? Good.

Now you can do what you really need to do: run *ScanDisk* (might be called Disk Cleanup on your PC), then *Disk Defragmenter*.

Start them by clicking START :: Programs :: Accessories :: System Tools :: ScanDisk/Disk Defragmenter.

Once you've done that (it could take hours if you've never done it before, and I mean as much as 6 or 7 hours), reboot your PC and see if it loads up any faster.

If you use the internet without a firewall or virus protection, your machine will be crawling with bugs. Download spybot and AVG antivirus (the free version - rummage for it on the AVG site, it's there), and run those on your machine.

AVG will protect you machine in future, and wipe out nearly all of the little horrors who may be lurking on your hard drive.

That should get your PC up and running at a functional speed again. If not, you'll need to reformat your hard drive and start all over again. Or, it could be a hardware error. In those situations, I'd spend the 400 bucks. But don't get an e-machine - my new custom-built PC beats the pants off their miserable offerings and only cost 500 bucks.

Answer 3

Check the virtual memory or swap file; make sure it's at least 512MB. You can get to this thru My Computer props., advanced.

If the hard drive is nearly full, then this is the problem and you'll have to clean it up a bit.

Run a spyware scan. Even if you have only two apps installed, the background tasks can hog your whole machine. View the stuff thru Task Mgr. to see what processes are eating away at your CPU and RAM, if any.

Do Start, Run, msconfig to control what processes are autostarting. To know which are OK and which are bad, use:
http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/

A defrag of the hard drive might not hurt but it's probably not the main culprit.

Answer 4

I'm no expert either, but what I would do is copy ALL my files to some outboard source like CDs, then I would format C. I would lobotomize the computer. You might have too many programs, you might have too many files eating up too much memory, you might have a virus, and maybe a dozen other things I don't know about. Re-formatting it and reloading your currently used programs will speed it up for sure. If you can't format it you could take it to a shop and they could do it.

A quick trial fix might be to de-fragment the hard drive(s). The de-frag tool should be in you accessories/system tools.

Answer 5

u have not mentioned the memory and virus contaminent..

whatever, first stop unneccessary services from Administrative Tool / Service.

Setting > Control Panel > Administrative Service / Status

stop services related to Mac Computers, DSN, DHCP, IIS related etc.


beside this, change the performance setting of your computer as fast..

My Computer > Right Mouse > Properties > Advanced > Performance etc. and change for best performance

I hope, yr computer will be faster than current !!

Answer 6

It's probably because...

It's a freaking P2, 400Mhz processor. You do know that they are at somewhere around p4 4.0Ghz, right?

I think it's time to upgrade. Buy an E-machines. Cheap, crappy, but at how you seem to keep the same crappy computer for so long, you don't need a power hog.

Answer 7

Before running out and spending money (that everyone else seems to assume you have) first download Microsoft beta antispyware. Its free, and will ubclog your machine of any nasty spyware that maybe occupying your puter. (which makes it run very slowly) some spayware is NOT picked up by antivirus checkers because it is basically benign.

Good luck

Answer 8

what's the CPU specs? have you ever used cleanup approaches like CCleaner, Disk purifier, Defrag, etc? you could also flow to commence > Run and kind in msconfig, flow to the startup tab and disable any classes you do not desire on startup. in case you do not understand one in each of them, google it. this technique CCleaner helps you to do maximum folk of that stuff, except for the defrag. attempt those and observe what takes position. you may desire a computer improve too no matter if it really is fairly previous.

Answer 9

If you are using Win98, check your startup software's by using msconfig and see that not every thing boots with your PC. try using minimal softwares when you PC starts.

This will make huge difference, Also try cleaning your windows registry by deleting software you don't requrie.

Answer 10

sorry to tell you, but you have to change your computer right away. Nowadays, softwares consume a great deal of RAM memory space and a high speed processing compared to same hardwares of the P-II ages. So, my advice is to change your entire PC.