23-01-2007, 19:04
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#1
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Inactive
Join Date: Nov 2004
Services: VM 50Mb
Posts: 1,665
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Laptop query
Hi all
Got a question for you all.
My dad bought a cheapo laptop from PCWorld about 2 years ago, it was on offer and was the cheapest laptop they sold
So, here's the problem
It's a Celeron M 1.4Ghz, 256mb of ram, 40gb harddisk
Running Windows XP Home
Problem is, it's SO slow....
He's to cheap to buy any ram for it and i've turned off all unnecessary effects/visuals to speed it up, but it hasn't had much of an effect
What would you do?
Do you think it's worth formatting it and sticking on an older operating system? Like Windows 98SE or perhaps Windows 2000 professional?
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23-01-2007, 19:07
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#2
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Inactive
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Peterborough
Posts: 5,106
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Re: Laptop query
what processes are there running in the background that you can turn off?
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23-01-2007, 19:09
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#3
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Inactive
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,939
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Re: Laptop query
Why not just reformat with XP, surely that will speed it up...
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23-01-2007, 19:11
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#4
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Inactive
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Peterborough
Posts: 5,106
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Re: Laptop query
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nikesh
Why not just reformat with XP, surely that will speed it up...
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Why reformat, just get it under control
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23-01-2007, 19:11
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#5
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Guest
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Re: Laptop query
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdamD
Hi all
Got a question for you all.
My dad bought a cheapo laptop from PCWorld about 2 years ago, it was on offer and was the cheapest laptop they sold
So, here's the problem
It's a Celeron M 1.4Ghz, 256mb of ram, 40gb harddisk
Running Windows XP Home
Problem is, it's SO slow....
He's to cheap to buy any ram for it and i've turned off all unnecessary effects/visuals to speed it up, but it hasn't had much of an effect
What would you do?
Do you think it's worth formatting it and sticking on an older operating system? Like Windows 98SE or perhaps Windows 2000 professional?
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You can only help those who help themselves if its short on ram and he flatly refuses to upgrade tell him to be patient 
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23-01-2007, 19:14
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#6
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Inactive
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Peterborough
Services: Virgin Media XL
Broadband XL
Virgin Mobile
V+ installed!
and a happy Virgin Media customer
Posts: 2,560
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Re: Laptop query
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy
Why reformat, just get it under control
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I tend to agree. A reformat and re-installation is a bugger, but does strip out all the useless programmes that seemed a good idea at the time but you no longer use...
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23-01-2007, 19:14
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#7
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Inactive
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,939
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Re: Laptop query
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy
Why reformat, just get it under control
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Well, I just thought it's better to do a clean install of a computer rather than trying to clean up a two year old computer by uninstalling everything... and when his dad bought the computer I'm sure it was running fine, so getting it back to its original state would be good 
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23-01-2007, 19:15
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#8
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Inactive
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Peterborough
Posts: 5,106
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Re: Laptop query
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyCambs
I tend to agree. A reformat and re-installation is a bugger, but does strip out all the useless programmes that seemed a good idea at the time but you no longer use...
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agreed, but uninstalling them has almost the same effect
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23-01-2007, 19:30
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#9
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Inactive
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Abertawe
Services: 10Mb BB, DTV & Phone
Posts: 2,859
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Re: Laptop query
It might be worth checking what's running at boot time. Startup Inspector (freeware) is a useful tool http://www.windowsstartup.com/
DW
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23-01-2007, 19:32
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#10
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Inactive
Join Date: Nov 2004
Services: VM 50Mb
Posts: 1,665
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Re: Laptop query
As for a format, yea I did that, using the factory install disk
Removed all the default program that it installs (Aol, ugh :P) and whatnot, but it's still slow
It's weird though, it shouldn't be as slow as it is
It's only got a few programs on there
Open office, powerdvd, avg anti virus and a spyware program
I tried changing the anti virus and spyware program, didn't have any effect
Ah well, I told him to stop being stingy and buy some ram for it
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23-01-2007, 19:34
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#11
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Inactive
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,939
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Re: Laptop query
More RAM is definitely a good thing to do. This website is good for picking the right type of RAM.
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23-01-2007, 19:45
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#12
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Guest
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Re: Laptop query
with only 256 meg of ram most active apps will be paging and this is why its slow. Boot laptop then hit ctrl alt delete and look in performance see how much ram is used from boot
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23-01-2007, 20:25
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#13
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Inactive
Join Date: Nov 2004
Services: VM 50Mb
Posts: 1,665
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Re: Laptop query
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nikesh
More RAM is definitely a good thing to do. This website is good for picking the right type of RAM. |
Thanks, that helps alot
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23-01-2007, 20:29
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#14
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Inactive
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,939
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Re: Laptop query
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdamD
Thanks, that helps alot
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You're welcome!
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23-01-2007, 20:51
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#15
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Inactive
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Essex
Age: 43
Services: 80/20Mbps FTTC on Freeola
Posts: 871
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Re: Laptop query
If it's an Advent or Packard Bell Machine then after a default Restore the Virtual Memory will be set to a fixed size that is normall way to low. Go to Start > Control Panel > System >Advanced tab > Click the Settings button under Performance >select the Advnced tab > Click the Change button under Virtual Memory > Click System Managed Size and click Set, then ok and restart.
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