increase computer speed

jackson_gp7 · 02-10-2008, 10:22 PM

Hi,

I would like to increase the speed of my computer. it is not very slow but should certainly go faster and has slowed in time (about 2 yrs).

is there any free program that i could use? or any tips 2 increase comp. speed?

look forward 2 ur replies.........thankz.

**koala** · 02-11-2008, 12:19 AM

Check your free disk space. Windows permormance starts to drop when it's less than 15%. Do you defrag regularly?

How much RAM is installed?

Go to Start > Run > msconfig > Startup tab and post back with the full list of programs. There might be some that run at startup and continue running in the background that could be disabled or uninstalled to increase your computer's performance.

Have you checked inside the case for any faulty or dirty fans? If your computer's temperature goes too high it can cause slowdown and other problems. SensorsView or SpeedFan will show your system temperatures and voltages.

**bhahar84** · 02-11-2008, 01:35 PM

Hi jackson_gp7!!

Seems like koala already suggested every single steps there. Try to check it out all.

And, you can also disable some of the appearance of the operating system in order to speed up the computer. And, are you sure your computer not infected by any malware?It could slow down the computer as well

jackson_gp7 · 02-12-2008, 04:44 AM

I had never done error checking or disk defragmentation b4 until recently a few weeks ago. No error were found and nothing happened with defragmentation. When u say: check free disk space, I checked my C: which has 15.7GB used out of 74.5GB.
I have AMD sempron processor 3000+, 1.6 GHz, 448MB of RAM.

This is the list of programs:

VTTimer
Soundman
Nerocheck
Cctray
Cavrid
Cafw

2 avoid typing all of them out, most of them relate 2 CA security center antivirus program, quicktime, itunes, system 32, webshots, Skype, Olympus digital camera- one which says ‘no start’ at the end of the command, google talk and java.

I have never opened the monitor or tower case and don’t think I know how to. I downloaded sensors view and these are some of the temperatures in degrees celcius:, I don’t know if they are good/bad.

CPU 42
SYS 35
AUX 46
HD0 46
HD1 38
CPU fan: 3200 RPM

The computer is not very slow, I just believe it can be faster like it was a few yrs ago. I have CA security antivirus and antispyware etc and have recently removed spybot. I might investigate possible malware later, unless its highly recommended.

thayyibahmed · 02-12-2008, 04:59 AM

Hi Jackson

you can try installing ccleaner which is freely available in the net. <www.ccleaner.com> That is is comparitively a good programe to delete all unnecessary stuff and make your computer more faster.

**koala** · 02-12-2008, 05:36 AM

You could probably remove a few programs from your msconfig startup list, or use the options in each program to prevent them from running at startup, like nerocheck, quicktime, webshots and itunes, but none of these are resource hogs that would slow down your system significantly.

Thayyibahmed's suggestion of CCleaner, along with regular defrags, will help keep things running smoothly. Just be careful which options you select in CCleaner or you might remove more than you wanted to.

Increasing the RAM is always a good idea with XP. 512MB is recommended as the minimum, and you'll see a big performance increase with 1GB. With only 448MB RAM, Windows is probably using the swap file alot of the time to make up for the lack of memory. This is located on the hard drive rather than the RAM chips, so is much slower. Go to Control Panel > System > Advanced tab > Performance Settings button > Advanced tab > Change button. Set the Custom Size to 2048 for Initial and Maximum, click the Set button, then OK out and reboot to complete. This will give you a large static swap file.

If you've never opened the case, now would be a good time to check the fans are all spinning and to blow out any dust with a can of compressed air. The build-up of dust and dirt around the fans, heatsink and card slots is a major contributor to heat problems and system slowdowns. Your temperatures look ok though. Take them again while running a 3D fullscreen game to stress your system (alt-tab back to SensorsView during the game, not after). Also note the PSU voltages, especially the +12V reading.

Please list all the security software you have installed. There might be a conflict between realtime monitors that run in the background.

Run some malware scans and post back with the results.

In what way does the computer feel slow? Is it the framerates in games, occasional mouse lag on the desktop, programs taking too long to open, constant hard drive activity, etc?

As a last resort, you could backup your data, then format and reinstall Windows. A clean install is a good way to get performance levels back to how they were, but only if the slowdown is not being caused by a hardware problem. We can help you through this procedure if nothing else works.

jackson_gp7 · 02-14-2008, 10:16 PM

I ran CCleaner but did not delete any files. I am not sure if any of the files are important and should not be deleted. The results are here: http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...ml#post1324679

I increased the static swap file.
I will attempt opening the case asap.

My antivirus software that I currently have: CA internet Security Suite (not free), Ad-Aware 2007 (freeware).
I have recently uninstalled Sybot S&D, Norton and True Sword all of which were freeware.
Today I installed spyware blaster, IE Spyad with Zoned out and SuperAntiSpyware.
Today I also did a scan with PandaActiveScan http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...tive-scan.html, Ad-Aware and SuperAntiSpyware http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...ml#post1324714

The computer takes long to start, programs and windows take long to open. I am not sure about games, there r a few games installed…..approx. 1GB max. Could internet speed also be affected by the computer because my internet speed is slow also.

thankz 4 ur help, i await ur reponse.

thayyibahmed · 02-15-2008, 11:54 PM

Dear Mr. Jakson

You have already gone this far, just analyse the list and take the decision.

**mattlock** · 02-16-2008, 12:22 AM

Jackson, I just wanted to bring to your attention that the Hijackthis Log help forum is for Hijackthis logs only. If you want the security team to look at your system then you need to read and follow the steps in http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...oval-help.html, then post a HJT log.

If the team needs any other logs they'll request them.

jackson_gp7 · 02-17-2008, 04:44 AM

Thanyyibahmed: I will run CCleaner again n delete all the files.....

Bhahar84 said: "you can also disable some of the appearance of the operating system in order to speed up the computer." how do i do this?

Matt: These r the results of DSS: http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...ml#post1327585

Koala said: "Run some malware scans and post back with the results." I thought i could post my results in the hijackthis log. So r u saying that I need to post those results in this thread?

k, thankz.

**bhahar84** · 02-17-2008, 09:55 AM

Hi again jackson_gp7!

Quote:

Koala said: "Run some malware scans and post back with the results." I thought i could post my results in the hijackthis log. So r u saying that I need to post those results in this thread?

No, you can't post HijackThis log on this page. Only post the HijackThis log on Security forum, only the expert there can guide you on that.

Quote:

Thanyyibahmed: I will run CCleaner again n delete all the files.....

Just make sure you check all the files that will be deleted by CCleaner before continue.

Quote:

Bhahar84 said: "you can also disable some of the appearance of the operating system in order to speed up the computer." how do i do this?

You can right click on My Computer.
Choose Properties.
On System Properties windows, choose the Advanced tab
Click on Settings under Performance section
You can disable lot of appearance settings here

jackson_gp7 · 02-25-2008, 04:39 PM

hi,

i have followed the advice given so far and i still cannot say the computer speed has increased.
i recently scanned with AntiVir personal edition classic and found 2 critical objects that were deleted.
i posted some links to scan results (above) and described some of the problems regarding the speed.
if i were to buy additional RAM, i would want to be sure that the computer is currently running at its maximum speed since, over time, the speed has decreased.
thankz 4 your help so far.

**bhahar84** · 02-26-2008, 01:16 AM

I would recommend that you go here; read and follow the instructions very carefully; then, post all the requested logs and information; as instructed, in here. (Just click on the coloured links.)

Once done, please be patient, as the Security Team Analysts are usually very busy. One of them will answer your request as soon as they can.

Lets see if the computer performance increase after the security team check through your computer

Please also remember DO NOT post your logs in this thread, please start a new thread in here. (Just click on the coloured link.) and post the logs.

02-10-2008, 10:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
jackson_gp7 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 75 OS: WinXP	increase computer speed Hi, I would like to increase the speed of my computer. it is not very slow but should certainly go faster and has slowed in time (about 2 yrs). is there any free program that i could use? or any tips 2 increase comp. speed? look forward 2 ur replies.........thankz.

02-11-2008, 12:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,147 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	Re: increase computer speed Check your free disk space. Windows permormance starts to drop when it's less than 15%. Do you defrag regularly? How much RAM is installed? Go to Start > Run > msconfig > Startup tab and post back with the full list of programs. There might be some that run at startup and continue running in the background that could be disabled or uninstalled to increase your computer's performance. Have you checked inside the case for any faulty or dirty fans? If your computer's temperature goes too high it can cause slowdown and other problems. SensorsView or SpeedFan will show your system temperatures and voltages. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

02-11-2008, 01:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
bhahar84 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Malaysia Posts: 1,386 OS: Windows XP SP2, Vista Ultimate My System	Re: increase computer speed Hi jackson_gp7!! Seems like koala already suggested every single steps there. Try to check it out all. And, you can also disable some of the appearance of the operating system in order to speed up the computer. And, are you sure your computer not infected by any malware?It could slow down the computer as well __________________ .:CPU-Z::Power Supply::Recuva::Unlocker::SensorsView::PSU Calculator::Everest:.[/center]

02-12-2008, 04:44 AM	#4 (permalink)
jackson_gp7 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 75 OS: WinXP	Re: increase computer speed I had never done error checking or disk defragmentation b4 until recently a few weeks ago. No error were found and nothing happened with defragmentation. When u say: check free disk space, I checked my C: which has 15.7GB used out of 74.5GB. I have AMD sempron processor 3000+, 1.6 GHz, 448MB of RAM. This is the list of programs: VTTimer Soundman Nerocheck Cctray Cavrid Cafw 2 avoid typing all of them out, most of them relate 2 CA security center antivirus program, quicktime, itunes, system 32, webshots, Skype, Olympus digital camera- one which says ‘no start’ at the end of the command, google talk and java. I have never opened the monitor or tower case and don’t think I know how to. I downloaded sensors view and these are some of the temperatures in degrees celcius:, I don’t know if they are good/bad. CPU 42 SYS 35 AUX 46 HD0 46 HD1 38 CPU fan: 3200 RPM The computer is not very slow, I just believe it can be faster like it was a few yrs ago. I have CA security antivirus and antispyware etc and have recently removed spybot. I might investigate possible malware later, unless its highly recommended.

02-12-2008, 04:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
thayyibahmed Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 2 OS: XP	Re: increase computer speed Hi Jackson you can try installing ccleaner which is freely available in the net. <www.ccleaner.com> That is is comparitively a good programe to delete all unnecessary stuff and make your computer more faster.

02-12-2008, 05:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,147 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	Re: increase computer speed You could probably remove a few programs from your msconfig startup list, or use the options in each program to prevent them from running at startup, like nerocheck, quicktime, webshots and itunes, but none of these are resource hogs that would slow down your system significantly. Thayyibahmed's suggestion of CCleaner, along with regular defrags, will help keep things running smoothly. Just be careful which options you select in CCleaner or you might remove more than you wanted to. Increasing the RAM is always a good idea with XP. 512MB is recommended as the minimum, and you'll see a big performance increase with 1GB. With only 448MB RAM, Windows is probably using the swap file alot of the time to make up for the lack of memory. This is located on the hard drive rather than the RAM chips, so is much slower. Go to Control Panel > System > Advanced tab > Performance Settings button > Advanced tab > Change button. Set the Custom Size to 2048 for Initial and Maximum, click the Set button, then OK out and reboot to complete. This will give you a large static swap file. If you've never opened the case, now would be a good time to check the fans are all spinning and to blow out any dust with a can of compressed air. The build-up of dust and dirt around the fans, heatsink and card slots is a major contributor to heat problems and system slowdowns. Your temperatures look ok though. Take them again while running a 3D fullscreen game to stress your system (alt-tab back to SensorsView during the game, not after). Also note the PSU voltages, especially the +12V reading. Please list all the security software you have installed. There might be a conflict between realtime monitors that run in the background. Run some malware scans and post back with the results. In what way does the computer feel slow? Is it the framerates in games, occasional mouse lag on the desktop, programs taking too long to open, constant hard drive activity, etc? As a last resort, you could backup your data, then format and reinstall Windows. A clean install is a good way to get performance levels back to how they were, but only if the slowdown is not being caused by a hardware problem. We can help you through this procedure if nothing else works. __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

02-14-2008, 10:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
jackson_gp7 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 75 OS: WinXP	Re: increase computer speed I ran CCleaner but did not delete any files. I am not sure if any of the files are important and should not be deleted. The results are here: http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...ml#post1324679 I increased the static swap file. I will attempt opening the case asap. My antivirus software that I currently have: CA internet Security Suite (not free), Ad-Aware 2007 (freeware). I have recently uninstalled Sybot S&D, Norton and True Sword all of which were freeware. Today I installed spyware blaster, IE Spyad with Zoned out and SuperAntiSpyware. Today I also did a scan with PandaActiveScan http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...tive-scan.html, Ad-Aware and SuperAntiSpyware http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...ml#post1324714 The computer takes long to start, programs and windows take long to open. I am not sure about games, there r a few games installed…..approx. 1GB max. Could internet speed also be affected by the computer because my internet speed is slow also. thankz 4 ur help, i await ur reponse.

02-15-2008, 11:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
thayyibahmed Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 2 OS: XP	Re: increase computer speed Dear Mr. Jakson You have already gone this far, just analyse the list and take the decision.

02-16-2008, 12:22 AM	#9 (permalink)
mattlock Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 4,183 OS: XP SP2, Win 7 Beta, Win 7 RC My System	Re: increase computer speed Jackson, I just wanted to bring to your attention that the Hijackthis Log help forum is for Hijackthis logs only. If you want the security team to look at your system then you need to read and follow the steps in http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...oval-help.html, then post a HJT log. If the team needs any other logs they'll request them. __________________ Matt Everest-Thermal Paste Instruction-Power Supply Info-Sensorview PSU Calculator-Speedfan-Bench Test Help TSF Fight Disease. It's Free! Last edited by mattlock; 02-16-2008 at 12:33 AM.

02-17-2008, 04:44 AM	#10 (permalink)
jackson_gp7 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 75 OS: WinXP	Re: increase computer speed Thanyyibahmed: I will run CCleaner again n delete all the files..... Bhahar84 said: "you can also disable some of the appearance of the operating system in order to speed up the computer." how do i do this? Matt: These r the results of DSS: http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...ml#post1327585 Koala said: "Run some malware scans and post back with the results." I thought i could post my results in the hijackthis log. So r u saying that I need to post those results in this thread? k, thankz.

02-25-2008, 04:39 PM	#12 (permalink)
jackson_gp7 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 75 OS: WinXP	still no improvement hi, i have followed the advice given so far and i still cannot say the computer speed has increased. i recently scanned with AntiVir personal edition classic and found 2 critical objects that were deleted. i posted some links to scan results (above) and described some of the problems regarding the speed. if i were to buy additional RAM, i would want to be sure that the computer is currently running at its maximum speed since, over time, the speed has decreased. thankz 4 your help so far.

02-26-2008, 01:16 AM	#13 (permalink)
bhahar84 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Malaysia Posts: 1,386 OS: Windows XP SP2, Vista Ultimate My System	Re: increase computer speed I would recommend that you go here; read and follow the instructions very carefully; then, post all the requested logs and information; as instructed, in here. (Just click on the coloured links.) Once done, please be patient, as the Security Team Analysts are usually very busy. One of them will answer your request as soon as they can. Lets see if the computer performance increase after the security team check through your computer Please also remember DO NOT post your logs in this thread, please start a new thread in here. (Just click on the coloured link.) and post the logs. __________________ .:CPU-Z::Power Supply::Recuva::Unlocker::SensorsView::PSU Calculator::Everest:.[/center]