slow laptop

lilly31 · Guru

slow laptop

biggles · Senior Member

Hello Jude ..

Lappy's are funny things and a lot depends on your own knowlege and computer skills .. There are many beneficial (freeware) programmes out there that can also cause further problems so, from past experience, I could not personally say what will fix your particular problem ..

Memory resources can be hijacked by Malware which gets into the system .. different Windows versions often require different remedies .. and a limited amount of memory can easily slow down your computer if the internal systems hard-drive is in need of being cleaned up .. (defragged) .. Unfortunately there are so many possibilities.

My suggestion would be find a contact through a friend who is capable of looking at the computer as a whole, so that the correct problem can be addressed sooner than later ..

catch you next time ..

Jon

allinone · Senior Member

I'm in NE Tasmania at the mo and looking for something to do at happy hour. If close PM and maybe we can catch up.

spida · Guru

I have just run 'CCleaner' to clean up the registry - recommended by a computer repair shop to maybe sort a 'freezing' problem I have when using a dongle. Just did the registry part - hundreds of cookies found in another of its features also but was too chicken to clean them all out without expert advise. And no - it didnt fix my freezing problem. But a free download.
I know there are often 'breaks' in registry when programs are uninstalled etc and they can cause funny problems.

biggles · Senior Member

I use CCleaner all the time .. its good too .. as long as you know your settings suit your needs .. else you can end up further in the .. "doo doo"

There are "positives" and "negatives" in all things computing ..

Jon

Bucko · Senior Member

I have had the same problems with my laptop for ages, I've tried CC cleaner and a couple of other freeware programs but still wasn't very good, it took ages to boot up, I finally bought a program, I have AVG free antivirus and decided to buy their PC tune up program, got 2 years @ $76.00 and it was worth the money, boots up in less than 30 secs and keeps the computer running great, tidied up a lot of stuff on the computer that I didn't need to be running, so far so good.

Happywanderer · The Master

Have you done a disc clean and defrag lately. Maybe thats all it needs.

Bucko · Senior Member

I did all that on mine, often and still didn't improve, finally got fed up with it and decided to spend the money, at least it worked and I got value for my $$$.

Cruising Cruze · Guru

How long ago did you defragment the hard drive

and other wise don't know how old laptop is but put an SSD drive in it

John

jetj · Guru

Format and reload the operating system fixes most things attributed to software, I do it yearly or so. Need to save your data though. The problem with Windows if all the updates to download.

Bucko · Senior Member

Defrag was a month or so ago, laptop is 12 months old, what's SSD drive?

GaryKelly · Guru

If you're using a hub with a bunch of things plugged in (or even plugged into your regular ports) it slows the comp down terribly. I leave everything unplugged until I need it and then unplug it again. I always make sure nothing's plugged in when I start up in the mornings.

lilly31 · Guru

Defrag & disk clean is done weekly so not that ...Pc is only 6 month old so and not i dont have anything else plug in do best i talk to pc doctor see if i can speed it up thanks for all the reply ........

Big Gorilla · Guru

lilly31 wrote:
Defrag & disk clean is done weekly so not that ...Pc is only 6 month old so and not i dont have anything else plug in do best i talk to pc doctor see if i can speed it up thanks for all the reply ........

If it is only 6 months old, is it still under Warranty ? My laptop is a Toshiba and is now 2 years old. I recently had problems, and being computer literate, I tried everything that has been mentioned here and then some.. Finally I decided to do a System Restore, taking it back not to a recent date, but to the day I bought it. To do this, you need a USB stick or external hard drive to back up all your files, which should be under "My Documents". After the restore you have the tedious job of re-installing all your programs, starting with Anti-Virus. This is a last resort procedure so check out firstly if you are covered by Warranty, and if you don't have the knowledge to do a System Restore yourself, get a professional to do it. My laptop is now running beautifully....

2weis · Senior Member

some anti viros programs slow the internet down . more so when the req updates
brian

allinone · Senior Member

2weis wrote:
some anti viros programs slow the internet down . more so when the req updates
brian

Gees I have a mac and iPad and really miss the slowness of windows flash (not).

But with the windows OS I continually used the task manager shft+esc+Crtl to kill the flash shock wave processes in my old windows laptop just so Icould continue working without flattening the battery. Still do not use an antivirus program.....

Cya

Baz421 · Guru

Hi Jude

microsoft offer a free Malicious Software Removal Tool,,, suggest you run this first to make sure nothing sinister there.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=16

If this doesn't find anything you will need help I think to source the problem ie slow boot, slow only on internet but Ok in word to find out the problem.

DON'T play with registry tools unless you are an expert as this can create problems,,, I know from bitter experience here and many PC "experts" don't like playing with registry too deeply.

Cheers Baz

Baz421 · Guru

Jude

One thing I missed is to make sure you delate cookies from internet as you close it.

Under internet options there is an option to delete cookies on close - tick this box.

Cheers

grill n chill · Senior Member

Hi.. I had a similar problem a while ago and for the life of me could not find the cause. No malware, no browser problems ETC. Tried a recent restore and every other fix I could think of including cc cleaner, defrag and computer self-diagnostic fixes.nothing worked. I was very aware the more tinkering I was doing the more likely it was I may be doing unintentional damage.

The fix when I finally found it was a big relief. Its cause was simply either I had changes my browser settings accidently or a downloaded page had changed things.

I reset my browse settings, in my case Internet Explorer. Here is a link that might help you as it did me.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923737

PeterD · Guru

_wombat_ wrote:
You say you have 'all the anti virus programs on here' how many do you have? one is all you need and its free Microsoft Security Essentials, if you have more than one it can slow your pooter down.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=5201

Your choice of anti-virus is interesting. Get yourself the latest issue of PC & Tech Authority (March.) They did an evaluation of 16 of them. The leaders on 100 points were Bitdefender, F-Secure and Trend Micro. The top rated freebie was Avast which came in 6th with a score of 98, ahead of Norton on 96. McAfee came in at 14th with 83 and the Microsoft offering came in 16th with a score of 67.

There was a comment above that you only need one anti-virus programme. The reality is you should only use one. If you install 2 or more they are very likely to conflict with each other.

-- Edited by PeterD on Monday 18th of February 2013 03:58:00 PM

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

CCleaner is the way to go for a very good cleaner, make sure you know all of your passwords for each program you have installed, ok to delete cookies they will be restored after each visit to sites that need them installed.

IF you do decide to get a SSD drive then be aware that you should NOT defrag a SSD drive, only use CCleaner on it, SSD drives are quicker becasue they do not spin to find programs or stuff on your drive, spinning drives need a defrag once a week I would recommend.

You say you have 'all the anti virus programs on here' how many do you have? one is all you need and its free Microsoft Security Essentials, if you have more than one it can slow your pooter down.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=5201

biggles · Senior Member

_wombat_ wrote:
You say you have 'all the anti virus programs on here' how many do you have? one is all you need and its free Microsoft Security Essentials, if you have more than one it can slow your pooter down.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=5201

.. spot on Wombie

.. MSE is installed on both of my computers and one is a pretty hi-tech gaming machine .. never had a problem since ..

and Bucko .. SSD refers to a Solid State Drive which is fully electronic and non-mechanical (with no moving parts) ..

Jon

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

biggles wrote:
_wombat_ wrote:
You say you have 'all the anti virus programs on here' how many do you have? one is all you need and its free Microsoft Security Essentials, if you have more than one it can slow your pooter down.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=5201
.. spot on Wombie
.. MSE is installed on both of my computers and one is a pretty hi-tech gaming machine .. never had a problem since ..

and Bucko .. SSD refers to a Solid State Drive which is fully electronic and non-mechanical (with no moving parts) ..

Jon

Yes Jon, my hi-tech system is only for FSX flying, and I also have MSE on that one.

Bucko · Senior Member

Thanks Wombat & Biggles for the info, learning heaps.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Bucko wrote:
Thanks Wombat & Biggles for the info, learning heaps.

SSD drives are expensive but they are coming down in price.

my recent experience was this, I had a 256gb ssd in my box and I needed to get a 512gb SSD ($435), I contacted a local tech shop and the guy wanted $1 a gb to transfer all of my stuff on the 256 ssd drive over to the 512gb, I asked him if I looked stupid and left his shop, contacted a mate and he did it for nothing, I had never done a transfer before so decided I did not want to mess up my FSX simming system, all is now working as it should and I have a spare SSD drive in my box for other stuff.

lilly31 · Guru

PeterD wrote:
_wombat_ wrote:
You say you have 'all the anti virus programs on here' how many do you have? one is all you need and its free Microsoft Security Essentials, if you have more than one it can slow your pooter down.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=5201
Your choice of anti-virus is interesting. Get yourself the latest issue of PC & Tech Authority (March.) They did an evaluation of 16 of them. The leaders on 100 points were Bitdefender, F-Secure and Trend Micro. The top rated freebie was Avast which came in 6th with a score of 98, ahead of Norton on 96. McAfee came in at 14th with 83 and the Microsoft offering came in 16th with a score of 67.
There was a comment above that you only need one anti-virus programme. The reality is you should only use one. If you install 2 or more they are very likely to conflict with each other.

-- Edited by PeterD on Monday 18th of February 2013 03:58:00 PM

Only have 1 antivirus on my pc the one it came with ..Trend Micro .... but i have reset the browser so i see how that go ....

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

was the Trend Micro a full version or a trail version? are you getting updates? do you do a manual virus check or only a quick scan?

just want to be sure you have full cover, having said that it will not be Trend that is slowing your lappy down, unless you are testing it for slowness when Trend is doing its thing, then your lappy maybe slower than nornal.

lilly31 · Guru

_wombat_ wrote:
was the Trend Micro a full version or a trail version? are you getting updates? do you do a manual virus check or only a quick scan?
just want to be sure you have full cover, having said that it will not be Trend that is slowing your lappy down, unless you are testing it for slowness when Trend is doing its thing, then your lappy maybe slower than nornal.

I started with trail but upgraded to full when trail expired and yes do get updates ..... i have done a browser reset seem to be a lot better .....

Must say i love grey nomad forum ..no matter what you need advice on..this is best place to come to asked ..a weath of knowledge on here .. Thanks

SaltyDog · Veteran Member

lilly31 wrote:
My laptop is running slow is there a good free program you can get to speed it up.... Yes i have all the anti viris program on here but some day it is so slow to load ...

I concur with what others have said.

I have been a PC "Windows" user for 20 years, and was used to all the rituals you had to preform to keep the "bloated" windows platform running smoothly.

CCleaner and a few other steps are always great, deleteing your browser cache too.

As of June last year, i took possesion of 13" MacBook Pro, now my computer just works!!! No Antivirus, No defragging, No CCleaner, No pop-ups and it works as fast now as it did when i bought it.

For browers i find Chrome and Firefox to be the fastest and less stressful on the computers resources.

Dont want this to become a Mac vs PC battle, but as a Tech person (Electrical Contractor and Data Services), i never thought i'd even own a Mac, now i can't stand using a PC.

I dont miss those days one bit!!!

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

there are pros and cons for each system, I may buy a mac soon just to have alook at it, then I may not come back to Win. biggrin