slow computer

[Mombo]

A friend of mine has a 2.84GH computer with 256megs of ram in it. She paid quite a bit for it and it already has XP Home on it,m preinstalled. It is hooked up to cable internet, but Ive been there and this computer is sooo slow its unreal. What are some things that can be checked... 2.84 GH hooked up to cable that thing should rock.. but it dont. Thanks

[Lord_Infamous]

it needs more ram and it probably neeeds a better graphics card. what graphics card does it have now?

another 256 ram should do the trick

[Bizkitkid2001]

The ram is barely enough to run Windows XP without hiccups. I recommend at least 512mb for average use.

Also, you can run some spyware and ad-ware remover tools. She may have severel spyware programs slowing her computer down.

Website of Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

Website of Ad-Aware
http://www.lavasoft.com/

Both of those have a free version that you can download and run.

[Bizkitkid2001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord_Infamous

it needs more ram and it probably neeeds a better graphics card. what graphics card does it have now?

another 256 ram should do the trick

If all the computer is used for is internet access then they don't even need a graphics card at all. Evne onboard would be more than enough.

[sr71000]

256 memory is enough as well. I have 256 in my laptop coupled with a 2.0 pentium m (i figured skimp on the ram..it can be upgraded and have since been too broke!! lol) anyways...That shouldn't be a major problem. I'd look more into virus and spyware (click ctrl + alt + del) and see how much the processor is used when the computer is just running idle. also....how much page file is being used?) Another possible problem would be the harddrive. If the harddrive is having a lot of trouble (read/write errors or more likely seek errors) then it can slow down the computer a wicked lot. Plus it's 10x more noticable on a system with low memory because it slows down the paging file and makes it that much worse!!

Those would be my two guesses

[dzee]

more ram needed. forget the graphics card opinion.

xp uses alot of your 256 up, now youve also got whatever programs you use in the background & whatever programs you have open & using.
Like mine i have AV & firewall which start up automatically now that uses extra ram without me actually seeing them anywhere (barring system tray icons)

get anotrher stick, check what progs are running in background.

edit - oh yea run a disc cleanup thing as well get rid of temps etc & spyware scans.

[EXreaction]

Get a virus checker, firewall, make sure you update XP, and a spyware scanner...

http://www.gotechzilla.com/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=235 -Avast Home(AV)
http://www.gotechzilla.com/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=236 -Spybot S&D
http://www.gotechzilla.com/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=234 -Sygate Personal Firewall

You should look into getting more ram sometime...it is not something you absolutely need, but it will make XP much faster.

[sdpp]

ASk her to also analyze the Hard Disk for fragmentation and if needed run a defrag after the cleanup, this will also help improve the performance.

[Shadows4529]

There are boosting programs and a couple of things that I used all the time when I had an older system just email me at Shadows43207@yahoo.com and ill tell ya how to do it. Then I promise on my PC that thing will rock.

[Lord_Infamous]

HAHA oops, he said its so slow its unreal and when i read it fast i thought i read "its slow in unreal" (unreal tournament) :P haha

thats why i said graphics card

yes! just another 256ram and your good!