Slow computer

[alfonzo]

So of course computers slow down as the OS hasn't been rebuilt for a while.

After getting rid of virus, malware, and spyware, cleaning out old programs, disabling startup programs and setting services to run manually.
Doing a disk clean, a disk defrag, and disk check, cleaning the registry.

What other kinds of things can slow a computer down.

Its an XP SP2 version 2002 Home edition.

This computer runs like a turtle, I have a laptop which runs almost 10 times faster.

Hey I just realized, is there a hardware testing program out there for XP, or is there one on the comp.

 

[Droogie]

You'll need to list the spec's of the computer. Could just be time for an upgrade.

 

[alfonzo]

lets see,

tell me if there could be anything else

Pentium (R) 4 CPU 1400MHz

1.38 GHz 512 MB of RAM
NVidia GeForce2 GTS

like I said earlier this is an XP with SP2


Is there a key combination to reset the RAM.

I know MACs have it I believe it resets the ram that runs drivers or something like that.

 

[alfonzo]

I tried to find my ram but it wasn't in the hardware device manager.
Where is it?

I mean besides being told in the System specs where could I find it.
What is Mobo?

 

[Droogie]

lets see,

tell me if there could be anything else

Pentium (R) 4 CPU 1400MHz

1.38 GHz 512 MB of RAM
NVidia GeForce2 GTS

like I said earlier this is an XP with SP2


Is there a key combination to reset the RAM.

I know MACs have it I believe it resets the ram that runs drivers or something like that.

With specs like that you are bound to see some performance issues. Try going to Run -> type msconfig and go to the Startup tab and remove any program from the list that don't need to start up with Windows.

Also you may want to consider some programs like the Windows de-fragmenting tool, or CCleaner.

However like I said it looks like you could use an upgrade, you may want to start thinking about a new computer.

 

[Droogie]

I tried to find my ram but it wasn't in the hardware device manager.
Where is it?

I mean besides being told in the System specs where could I find it.
What is Mobo?

What do you mean find the RAM? If you want to know you RAM specifications try downloading CPU-Z. It's a computer diagnostics tool, you can download it here

Mobo stands for motherboard if that's what you're asking.

 

[alfonzo]

I meant like through Hardware devices you can see that you have either a Nvidia or a Geforce Video card.

I was trying to find out where to tell what kind of Ram I had without opening the tower like crucial or kingston.

Is there a reason everyone likes CCleaner as oppossed to other registry cleaners?

Already took off all startups except my antivirus and the system processes, lowered some setting on the services too.

 

[Gareth]

Id upgrade to Windows XP SP3, I believe it has some performance upgrades with that. Service Pack 3 can be downloaded from Windows Update.

 

[alfonzo]

SP3, I hadn't realized they made one.

Thanks for the advice.

BTW is there a hardware test for windows?

to check for problems in Memory, motherboard, hard disk things like that?