What else can I do to make my desktop perform faster besides adding the RAM?

Question

Here are the details.

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
System Manufacturer HP Pavilion 06
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~2532 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD 3.15, 26/02/2003
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 451.07 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 2.86 GB

i want my desktop to perform faster. recently, i've just upgraded my 256mb ram to 1gb. but i want it to become faster. what should i do?

thanks guys for the answers. what processor shld be good? i'd prefer the best one in the market.

GREAT OVERWHELMING ANSWERS! thank you people!

Answer 1

If your virus/spyware free, there are a couple things you can do get your computer working faster. If you using your computer for normal stuff and not gaming. You don't always need more RAM you just need to perform a few maintenance task.

First, if you haven't cleaned your registry in a while. This is necessary. Your registry holds all the information regarding updates, installs, un-installs etc. Each one of those events produces a key. That key needs your PC's resources and free space. So, if you clean your registry, you make more resources available for speed. Do a registry scan if you got more than 20 errors you should clean it.
http://www.delete-computer-history.com/what-is-the-best-registry-cleaner.html

2. Clear your Windows cache files, this is your temporary file. It can grow up to a large volume and stop your computer from using RAM properly. In a sense slow it down by preventing it from using free space.Here is how:

1. Quit Internet Explorer, Firefox, or any other web browser
2. Click Start, click "Control Panel", and then double-click "Internet Options".
3. On the General tab, click "Delete Files" under Temporary Internet Files.
4. In the Delete Files dialog box, click to select the "Delete all offline content" check box , and then click OK.
5. Click OK.

3. Manage your startups. Your excess CPU usage is due to too many programs running in the background. You can cut these to barebones by alter your msconfig. Here is how:

1. Open your Start menu.
2. Click Run
3. In the command screen type "msconfig.exe"
4. In the "system configuration utility",click either "service" or "startup" tab
5. Uncheck all programs that your are no longer using.
6. Click "OK"

Other great tip is increasing your virtual memory to simulate more RAM. This will give you a bit more resources for multiple program use or CPU heavy programs.
Hope this link helps. Shows you how to do everything step by step. You should get a least 60-120% more resources and speed
if you follow the tips.

Answer 2

Make sure the page file is on windows managed, right click "my computer", go to "properties", then go to the "advanced" tab then click "settings" , then "advanced" tab again, then click "change", then "system managed file" then click OK.

Also a restore to factory defaults (usually you can do that on HP computers) would help because it'd clean all the "rubbish" off it.

Depending on what you use it for, a new graphics card would help but if it's just 2d stuff theres no need. It would probably need an AGP one and AGP graphics cards are semi-expensive now.

Also doing a disk defragment (start> all programs > accessories > system tools> disk defragmenter) would help.

That pc isn't too old and it would be pointless to buy a new pc unless its really needed.

A P4 HT "Northwood" 3.0, 3.2 or 3.4 would be a good choice for a replacement CPU and would be fairly easy to get second hand cheaply. Avoid the "Prescott" ones, they run extremely hot.

Answer 3

Upgrade to 2 GB or 3 and it will be like 100 times faster... Promise!

Answer 4

Another gigabyte of RAM would help tremendously, since you're only showing 451MB free memory. You'll certainly notice the difference going from 1GB to 2GB. You could upgrade your processor too. You have a Pentium4 2.5Ghz -- Get that thing up to 3.4Ghz or higher if you can afford it.

Answer 5

Your running a pentium 4... Most likely its gonna be a socket 478.. Upgrade the cpu. I did so on my garage computer from a 1.7GHz to a 3.4GHz and the difference was like night and day.

Answer 6

Hi there, I have a similar computer. I also want to buy a new computer.

My advice would be to get a Core 2 Duo (Intel) Processor. I hear that Patriot RAM is a good brand.

Answer 7

lower you vitual memory first, down to id say bout maybe 1048ish, or maybe a little bit more. that will help a little bit.

besides that, deleting stuff from you HD and defragmenting, that about all you can do unless you want to upgrade the processor

Answer 8

Get a new pc! No offense but ur computer is terrible from my view. You can upgrade your mobo, processor, graphic card, and go for 2gb of ram.

Answer 9

Defrag your hard drive, get a program such as c cleaner and clean all temp files ! You should defrag your hard drive at least once a week !

Answer 10

well i would remove everything i do not use anymore for starters........check how many running processes you have running, jot them down and google them......you can find out what not needs to be running on start up and stop them from loading..dont touch any a/v stuff though..that needs to run........msconfig......or services........you will gain speed back that way........i have a lot of pc's and they only run 25-27 processes at a time..........also if your system will handle another gig of ram that will help a lot also..........

scott