My computer runs incredibly slow, and freezes every day! What can I do to fix this problem?

Question

My computer is a Compaq Presario SR1102BD running on Windows XP. It has a 40 Gig hard drive, 256 Megs of RAM, an Intel Celeron D Processor, and a DVD-RW drive I added in. I have roughly 5 Gigs of music data on there, but that's not the main reason why it's so slow. I'm suspecting it may be the many antivirus programs that are still surreptitiously running and clashing... Antivirus programs that I must've not entirely uninstalled. Also, not only is my computer slow, but it completely freezes at least once per day, and it's getting extremely frustrating. I have no idea why this happens. I've run complete scans, so neither viruses nor spyware are to blame.

Answer 1

With Windows XP updates and Anti-virus updates, you are getting slow. Yes, you could have a virus or spyware that is undetected, but.. maybe not. Reboot into Save Mode and run an anto-virus scan. You should have an anti-spyware solution on your computer. I recommend that you go to http://www.download.com and get AD-AWARE and SpyBot Search & Destory. Install, run, update and scan your computer with both programs.

From START, go to RUN, then type MSCONFIG and go to the STARTUP section. Uncheck many of the startup programs. This will help. (keep your anti-virus program checked).

Yes, you should buy more RAM. At this point, you should get as much as your system will take. Visit and check your system at http://www.coastmemory.com 512MB would be an improvement.

Yes, you should run Disk Cleanup to remove many temp and obsolete files. Then run Defrag.

Answer 2

I'll take you word on the scans, but make sure that you scan with updated definitions and that the program you are scanning with isn't under attack

You only want one anti-virus to have real-time protection enabled. More than one will interfere with each other and slow it all down.

If you put a newer version of Norton on it, that is your problem as it is a real resource hog. I have had to tell many people to take it off. There is a tool on Synamtec's web site to remove what the uninstaller misses. (Norton sucks)

256Mb of RAM is low for Windows XP. XP by itself uses almost that much and then a few open programs and you are out.

Control Alt Delete opens the task manager, One the processes tab look at what is drawing CPU time. System idle process is where you should see the majority of it going. What ever else is drawing a lot is the problem. Google the name of the executable and see what it does and where it came from.

Answer 3

Hi, as a computer technician by trade, I deal with this type of issue on a daily basis. If you've had your computer over a year, using it on a regular basis, then your computer may need a format and reinstall of Windows. Whenever a customer comes to me with such an issue and there is no virus, or nothing obvious that can be found in the background, I reinstall Windows and 99% of the time it changes everything. You may try to defrag your hard-drive, and uninstall any programs that you do not need. Other than that, without actually seing your computer, it's hard to say, but defrag may help and reinstalling Windows is absolutely my recommendation. Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Things that slow your system down!
1. Computers basically have two types of memory. Ram and Rom. Lets start with Rom. Read Only Memory is a storage place where files, programs, music, pictures, etc are stored. An example of Rom is your hard drive. Your hard drive is a storage system not unlike your basic cassette player. Next comes Ram or Random Access Memory. This area of memory is where your files and programs are moved to when you use them. You give the computer a command to play a game or maybe to listen to music or perhaps even do your math for you. You click an icon or program and the processor or brain finds that data on the hard drive or cd and loads it into ram. Ram is the place where most all of your programs and files run when you are using them. The processor then controls the ram and runs the software you have chosen. Now lets say you have 100 megabytes of ram in your system. You decide to edit some photos and you start your photo program which takes 40 megabytes of ram plus 5 megabytes to load the picture you edit. You now have 65 megabytes of unused ram. You decide to fire up your media player and play a selection of songs. The media player decides it needs 40 megabytes for the player operation itself plus another 20 megabytes for the stored album you want to play. We now have a total of 5 megabytes of unused ram. You decide to fire up Weather bug or google earth or some other software and its asking for another 20 megabytes of ram. You are now choking the death out of your rescources and what do you think the system will do? Any number of things can happen including simple system shutdown. Most users seem to think that they need everything but the kitchen sink running when they start their system and then scratch their bum and wonder why their system is running so slow. A few examples of software that loads on startup would be winzip, your audio mixer, music download programs, etc! You DO NOT need this crap running! Weatherbug for instance eats up about 20 megabytes of ram just sitting there not being used! Winzip takes another 5, Close down applications you arent using!

2. Viruses, adware, trojans, malware, and hijackers! NOTHING ON THE NET IS FREE! It all comes at a cost to the user! PORN SITES, GAMBLING SITES, FREE MUSIC DOWNLOAD SITES, FREE GAMING SITES, PEER TO PEER file sharing sites, etc are FILLED with this crap! Some of it simply redirects your search to a page they make money off of or hijacks your homepage, some of it constantly monitors what you are shopping for, have you ever wondered how uncanny it is that you browsed the net for a new digital camera and the next day you were spammed to death with camera ads in e mail or have started receiving digital cam popups? Some of it simply is full of malwar and viruses that will destroy data and in severe cases wipe out your hardrive!

3. I have heard everybody and their brother claim that their system is free and clean of adware. Adware removal tools are good to have but there isnt any one that will detect all adware! I dont care if its free or cost you a hundred dollars! Think about it. Adware is being produced daily. It takes the average adware removal company 2 months to even realize that there is a new piece of adware. Now they have to develop a tool to remove it! Theres another month! How much hidden crap is really in your sytem?

4. One of the biggest problems is anti virus software. It keeps your system safe alright but in the process it slows you down sometimes even worse than the original problem did! If you use your system wisely, you dont need to run your antivirus software all the time!

Bottom line....the best system protection comes from the users own intelligence! If you browse the net wisely and follow the simple ideas above you will find your system runs far better! Dont get me wrong....do use your adware removal tools.....keep them updated and when they tell you something is trying to enter your system DONT IGNORE IT! Dont waste money on adware removal tools either! The best is still free! Spybot, Spyware Blaster, Adaware, etc are all excellent choices!

Answer 5

You have 256mb of RAM, windows xp uses 128 by itself that leaves you with 128mb and you have all kind of programs and music files require a lot of RAM.
I am going to leave the answer to you. you have a truck load on top of little car, how do you expect it to run but slow.

Answer 6

You need more ram, 512 or 1GB is what you need depending on how many programs you want to run at a time.

Answer 7

u should change to nod32 for antivirus, superanitspyware and a registry cleaner