When I open applications they take a long time to open (when I just opened FireFox it took over 30 seconds) It never used to take so long. Also When I try to Run PhotoSHop Elelments 4.0 my computer freezes up. My task Manager shows that I am running at 100% cpu. My laptop is a Fujitsu with sempron 3000 and 512mb - not quite state of the art but good enough i would have thought. Any ideas why it is being so slow? How to check?
2006-09-13 03:51:57 · 27 answers · asked by james_evans101 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Laptops & Notebooks
...........................DO NOT FORMAT IT...........................
...................YOU`LL LOSE EVERYTHING...................
Is it getting full? mine is nearly full and it takes an age to load.
Bear in mind that the hard drive is only a little thing compared to a desktop`s
2006-09-13 04:08:22 · answer #1 · answered by Spanner 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are some factors I suspect first off
1) Malware, spyware, or adware is clogging up your computer and stealing CPU time. Run a good spyware program Lava Ad-aware is recommended by Computeractive Magazine(and is free)
2) A friendly program has become corrupted somehow and is stealing CPU time check what programs are using the CPU on XP this is simple just go to the processes tab within Task Manager and click CPU until the high values come to the top.
3) Your drives are fragmented. Run windows defragmenter a couple of times through
To check your memory there is a program called Memtest86 which will do this for you.
As for the spec I'm on a desktop with less power than that. sure it may not be vista capable but it should eat through Photoshop let alone Firefox.
Tridon
2006-09-13 04:08:12 · answer #2 · answered by Tridon & Silverscreen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds to me like you have excessive load on your system resources. If your computer is locking up at the same point all the time or you are getting memory failed errors, then yes, your RAM might be bad.
Otherwise, I would check your system resources and see what is using them.
Hit CTRL-ALT-DEL and click Task Manager, then click the processes tab. Click the CPU heading to sort by CPU use. This will give you an idea of what programs are running and actually using system resources, and how much memory they are using. Next, click on the Performance tab. This will track the CPU use over time, and your page file use. Normal CPU use with an email client, web browser and one or two other programs like Yahoo Messenger will give you 0-5% use. If you are streaming music or playing music, the CU use will be a bit higher.
Now, should something show up on the Processes list as using lots of CPU, go to www.google.com and type the name, like explorer.exe, into the search box. This will usually let you know what the program is and you can decide if you have a problem or not.
I next remove any programs that you don't need, and anything that starts automatically when you start your computer. Most programs have a preferences setting that will remove the "Load on startup" behavior.
Make sure you have a good anti-virus, I personally suggest F-secure, and make sure that you have defragmented your hard drive recently.
Formatting and re-installing the system is something you shouldn't need to do unless you have serious problems, and is only a last-ditch choice. It also requires you to re-load all your programs and you will lose all your data unless you have everything saved elsewhere.
2006-09-13 04:08:34 · answer #3 · answered by Ben 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Several things:
1) Run an independent anti-virus program, like AVG Free Edition at www.grisoft.com. The big names in antivirus like Norton and McAfee don't get everything because virus programmers code their way around the most popular programs.
2) Run an independent adware remover, like Spybot.
3) Defrag your computer.
4) Run a cleanup program like Ccleaner from FileHippo.com.
5) Disable some of your programs that launch at startup by typic "msconfig" in the Run box in the Start menu and fixing the settings.
6) Check system resources.
7) If all that doesn't help enough, backup all your data to CD or an external hard drive (or you will lose it), and run your Quick Restore disc that came with the computer. When it restarts, pick the "destructive" formatting option. It will wipe your hard drive clean and make your computer like the factory delivered it.
2006-09-13 03:57:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would advise a reformat and start over.
Works a lot better after that and in the process kills everything nasty downloaded to the pc. Mostly spyware, but even some spyware can do mischievous stuff.
Spyware killers may do the trick, but not always everything.
If you reinstall, make sure you back up your drivers and software keys, MP3s etc before you wipe.
Especially all the information, drivers to get on the net.
Then if you need anything you can get access back to it.
A program from Lavalys.com called Everest is very useful.
2006-09-13 04:05:45 · answer #5 · answered by The Mole 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sounds like you're infected with at least a coupla viruses and spyware... be VERY careful what you download-you may think you're downloading a program to get rid of spyware and it actually puts it right on there, hard and fast!
you need a program like adaware and nortons-both with updated definitions! ontop of that, run stinger (i find its quite good) and after your all done with the scans and deleting stuff, run a regrepair program to get rid of those invalid reg entries...
There are some stubborn worms out there that hide in the boot sector of your hard drive, you would need a bootable antivirus with defs to get rid of it...
As a last resort-which is not "fixing" the problem but 'plastering' over it, is to do a backup, format and re-install. just make sure you wont be putting the infected files right back on your system when you copyin your files back-do a thorough scan of em before you transfer.
AND IN FUTURE, KEEP YOUR ANTIVIRUS UPDATED AND DO REGULAR MAINTANANCE!!!!
Safe computing!
Laterz!!!!!
2006-09-13 04:19:08 · answer #6 · answered by L.s.t.b.h. 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
run a defrag using 3rd party software like Diskeeper (free trial available on line at www.downloads.com).
Then pres windows key + R and type "msconfig" without the quotes. go to startup and remove the ticks from all the boxes except explorer and any anti-virus software you have.
Now re-start pc, if it is faster, then it is the drivers and programs starting up in the background that are causing the problem.
Also do all the spywear checks using adaware.
2006-09-13 04:05:42 · answer #7 · answered by flibertyjib 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
1-u have virus ,go avast.com
2- recently u installed the program that keep ur cpu in cycle,then uninstall it ,try to understand about xp restore program ,u will find it at start -all programs -accessories-system tools -system restore then restore ur computer to next before restore point that u were good with ur computer , just please know what are u doing ,it will return ur computer to before time
3- if u can put ur cdroms or any devcie as cd writer or dvdrom out ,pull out their data cable and power cable to turning them off ,turn on ur computer without them and check again
4- look what program is making ur cpu busy ,hit ur ctrl+alt+del keys then u will see task manager ,then go to processes and see what program has the most great number in cpu coulumn ,if it was ur firefox then reinstall ur firefox ,if it was not then try to reinstall or remove that program
2006-09-13 04:23:09 · answer #8 · answered by mohsen m 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ok, you're touching some criteria precise the following... lets take care of them one at a time. digital memory (VM) = memory on your hard stress even as your RAM is complete. So transforming into your VM does no longer certainly spead up classes, it would certainly slow them, effectively thinking your HD is slower than RAM. many times, domicile windows XP runs happy with 512 Mb RAM. increasing it to a million Gb will make a huge income. From a million Gb to 2 Gb, you'll be able to now no longer come across it except you've were given applciations that require alot of memory. in case you're having messages about memory (and that those messages are recent, e.g. it worked strong for a lengthy time period), then your situation per chance in diverse places. per chance you could must trust about reinstalling domicile windows, highly should you've set up/uninstalled some classes with the help of the years. those classes ought to guard stuff in memory and this would more beneficial and bigger slow down your computing gadget. final analysis: in case you've were given between 512 Mb and a million Gb RAM, transforming into your VM received't boost up your computing gadget, even if it is going to enable memory-huge structures to run. in case you may have pronounced to slowdown in recent times, trust about reinstalling domicile windows from scratch; you'll be able to be certain quite a replace.
2016-10-16 00:28:08 · answer #9 · answered by fenn 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you download alot of stuff or install alot of software that takes up memory, than you should consider deleting some things. My brother has Windows or something, on some computer (I use mac) and his computer suddenly slowed down after using it for like 6 months.
He downloads tons of things so I had to delete software he doesn't even use to free up space. Which is tricky for me, 'cos I don't use Windows and don't know which components of it are crucial to it's functioning.
2006-09-13 03:56:49 · answer #10 · answered by pacific_crush 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Download a freeware small utility called Aida32...will give you lots of info about whats going on in your compter..including memory usage on an ongoing basis If you run the utility just click on motherboard & then on memory.
D/load from http://www.majorgeeks.com/download181.html
Good luck...ps reformat seems a bit drastic at this early stage :-)
2006-09-13 09:30:23 · answer #11 · answered by baz 9 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋