enividaliehs

For quite a while the computer which I'm using has been going through an extremely irritating streak of incredibly low performance. I've run out of ideas in how to fix that and decided to throw aside my pride and seek help.

When I initially start it up, performance is flawless for ~10min, at which point the fan will become rather loud and the laptop's speed will come near to a screeching halt. At its peak the computer can run new rather high graphic games, but the second the fan starts blaring, it becomes a hassle to even type in Notepad. I'm currently using a Dell Inspiron 8600 Lappy.

I should note that, thanks to my technologically-incompetent family members, this computer recently was hit with an insane amount of viruses due to the use of Limewire. I cleared out all of the viruses that I could, and now my antivirus service hasn't picked up any in several days. The performance issue, though, has been occuring long before the virus problem came up.

Here are my specs:



Windows: Windows XP5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2
Internet Explorer: 6.0.2900.2180(I use Firefox v2.0.0.6)
Memory (RAM): 512 MB
CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1400MHz
CPU Speed: 599.9 MHz
Sound card: SigmaTel Audio
Display Adapters: NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 | NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 | NetMeeting driver | RDPDD Chained DD
Screen Resolution: 1280 X 768 - 32 bit
:
Network Adapters: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3A Mini PCI Adapter - Packet Scheduler Miniport
CD / DVD Drives: D: HL-DT-STRW/DVD GCC-4241N
:
COM Ports: COM3 | COM1
LPT Ports: LPT1
Mouse: 2 Button Mouse Present
Hard Disks: C: 37.2GB
Hard Disks - Free: C: 6.8GB
USB Controllers: 4 host controllers.
Firewire (1394): 1 host controllers.
:
Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
Product Make: Inspiron 8600
:
AC Power Status: OnLine
BIOS Info: ATAT COMPATIBLE 093003 DELL 27d3091e
Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time
Battery: High
Motherboard: Dell Computer Corporation 0D2465
Modem: BCM V.92 56K Modem

enividaliehs

Sorry for double posting, but a little update:
I've now been getting blue screens with virt. mem. dump rather oftenly. It has happened thrice in the past 12 hours

TheMatt

If you post the error on the blue screen (BSOD), it will help out a lot. Be sure to post the technical details on the blue screen including the STOP error.

enividaliehs

0x0000002E. Called Dell Support and they told me to reseat my memory module. So I popped it out and popped it back in... Worked like a charm... for the blue screen issue. It didn't fix my performance issue one bit, though...

Oh yea, I timed it, its actually happens in the range of :40-1:20 after I boot up that the computer starts to slow.

Tell me any other information I should include that would help out, this issue is extremely irritating, makes any task longer than 40m impossible.

enividaliehs

Sorry, misread, its actually 0x0000008E, and it just happened again

TheMatt

Do you have two memory modules? If so, try running with only one, and see if the BSOD happens. If it does, replace the one you took out and take out the other.

enividaliehs

Thanks a ton, that worked... one last question though: I'm now replacing the 256k stick with a 1gb. Would OCZ Value 1GB 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227099) be compatible with my Dell Inspiron 8600?

TheMatt

That will work. Its good as well, that RAM even in single channel is Core 2 Duo ready. This means the RAM is fast enough to keep up with the 667 MHz FSB of the Core Duo and Core 2 Duo (except Santa Rosa).

HawMan

Matt, Isnt doesnt the 8600 support DDR333 max?

According to Here It does, Unless thats a different lappy. :S