Ask Mahone about my computer....

[beefche]

My laptop is a little faster tonight. I'll try the shutting off modem thing tomorrow. My desktop is still shower than snot.

[tubaloth]

Originally Posted by FairChild

so what happens if you do that and your puter still runs slower than molasses in January?

Add more RAM!

[tubaloth]

Originally Posted by FairChild

How do you know what to turn off or what to delete or what else it is that you need to do?

Usually its trial and error. You never know until you try it!?

[Mahone]

Originally Posted by tubaloth

Usually its trial and error. You never know until you try it!?

Unfortunately this is all too true. The most common complaint any IT technician will receive is "my computer is running really slowly". This is a problem that it's not usually possible to give step by step instructions to the owner to solve it, because there are about a million reasons this could occur, with both hardware and software issues having the potential to cause it. Finding out exactly what is slow is the first step. Is it any specific programs, logging in, booting up or shutting down or absolutely everything?

Them most common causes of "everything in general" running slowly (but by no means an exhaustive list) are:

- Spyware or malware

- Dying hard drive

- A five year old computer that hasn't had its internals cleaned since it left the factory (i.e. it's clogged up with dust and overheating)

- Hundreds of software applications that have been installed trying to load parts of themselves on startup and taking up vast amounts of memory

- Needs to be defragged

- Needs more RAM/faster processor

- VISTA

[jameslentz]

Originally Posted by mahone

- vista

lol!!

[FairChild]

Hundreds of software applications that have been installed trying to load parts of themselves on startup and taking up vast amounts of memory

How do I fix that?

[Mahone]

Originally Posted by FairChild

Hundreds of software applications that have been installed trying to load parts of themselves on startup and taking up vast amounts of memory

How do I fix that?

For a basic list, go to start >> run >> "msconfig" >> startup tab


For a more comprehensive list, download autoruns from sysinternals and run it: Autoruns for Windows

Both allow you to disabled the ones you don't want. Be careful, some of them will be important and you really don't want to disable these ones. If you don't know what it is, don't disable it.

[FairChild]

That's what I wanted to know. Thank you so much.

[miztrniceguy]

and if you don't know what a specific process is then google it.

[FairChild]

I goggled and got really confused. I tried.