Help. NEW comp is painfully SLOW!

[Jeepers79]

So I bought this thing about 2 weeks ago
HP paVILION a656x
3000+ AMD xp athlon
512 mb ram
16o gm HD
DVD/CD RW

Prior to this I had a 400 mhz e machine with like no ram..an old crap system. This thing SHOULD feel LIGHT years faster than that. But it doesnt. Seems im contstantly "Waiting" for ir to do something. IE I open the start menu, and it hesitates before the folder pop up, or if I go to move a window, it moves but the border where it was stays for a few seconds. The internet seem slow too. TOnight its so bad I cant even post on e-bay, feels worse than dial-up (I realize that MAY be my isp) but it all seems so slow for a brand new system, and from what I came from!
When I open internet exlporer, seems I usually open 2 of them b/c it take so long to open I cant tell if it got my doupple click or not!
What can it be? Only thing I have done is installed a DVD burning program. I have done a defrag etc. There are a few large movies on my HD.. But that cant coause this..sould it?
Please help!

Mike

 

[Jeepers79]

Thanks!
Just Checked that.... All looks set right

 

[Lorand]

Do you have XP SP1 on that computer? Then maybe installing SP2 would solve the problem.
Only a few computers are affected by a bug in SP1 (http://www.windows-help.net/WindowsXP/xp-sp1-bug.html) and it's corrected in SP2.

 

[Praetor]

Or better yet, SP1a as SP2 introduces a whole new slew of buggies

 

[Lorand]

Yeah, Microsoft will update your bugs regularly

 

[Praetor]

Actually if you want a compromise, consider SP1a ... probably not from Microsoft. If you absolutely want to try it, i can probably send it to you so that's an option to consider as well

 

[Jeepers79]

Actually if you want a compromise, consider SP1a ... probably not from Microsoft. If you absolutely want to try it, i can probably send it to you so that's an option to consider as well

Is it just something i install like a patch? I cant figure what else my problem could be..
But it just should not be that slow. I move my AOL IM window, and it leaves a white frame where it was for a few seconds...
Might give that a try!
Mike

 

[Praetor]

Is it just something I install like a patch?

Just like a patch... finding it is another story however

I move my AOL IM window, and it leaves a white frame where it was for a few seconds...

Check that you've got all the latest drivers

 

[Jeepers79]

Drivers for what? Sorry

 

[Jeepers79]

Well is there any DOWN side to putting on the SP1a? If not...Lets try it!

 

[Praetor]

Drivers for what? Sorry

For anything and everything

Well is there any DOWN side to putting on the SP1a? If not...Lets try it!

They made a few changes to the way the kernal handles bitmap resources in the way of efficiency (i think) but that shouldnt affect most people.

 

[Jeepers79]

So, is this something you can e-mail me? or is it too big?
[email protected]

THanks so much

 

[Praetor]

I dont have it on this specific system but if i recall its something lik 100MB? It'll definitely be an xfer via IRC or FTP (but since im not in the mood for establishing a secure FTP link ... on an internet connection that doesnt exist at my apartment, odds are it'll be IRC ... unless someone's got a hugeass spot of webspace that i can load it to .. shouldnt take me too long... im on 3Mbyte/s upload so i dont mind)

 

[Jeepers79]

Well when you get the chance, that would be awesome!! Or I can send you a blank CD and return postage if thats easiet too... Lemme know!
Again. Thanks!