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Need advice on how to make my computer run faster
    #4372623 -

I have about 3 GB left in a 50 GB or so hard drive. I have Steam (used for Half Life 2) and that takes up a big chunk, but I can't seem to find whatever else is taking the space up.

My question deals with the performance of the computer though. Recently, web pages have been loading very slowly, and often if my computer is on for a relatively short time (or running too many programs, which, in my case, are Firefox, AIM, and Windows Media Player), it becomes sluggish. What should be my first steps in improving my computer's performance? I'm not sure of the RAM or anything because I got this computer a while back (if anyone knows a command to figure it out, that would be appreciated; I thought I had one a year or two ago, but I forgot it).


Thanks in advance.


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Re: Need advice on how to make my computer run faster [Re: IAmTheWalrus212]
    #4372758 -

To check your ram, hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete which should bring up the Task Manager (or a window with a button to bring up the Task Manager). In Task Manager, click on the "Performance" button, and look in the "Physical Memory (K)" section. Your total and available memory should be listed.

Total memory should be no less than 256 MB (will show up as 262144). If it is any less than 256 MB and you are running Windows XP you will have some pretty severe performance issues. 256 is the bare minimum. 512 MB is the standard, these days, and should provide you with enough memory for most tasks.

Also take a look at your available memory. This is how much you HAVEN'T used up at the moment. It can varry widely, and depends on what you have running as well as how much total memory you have.

If Available memory is below 64 MB (65536), you will be running into a lot of slowdown issues (especially with internet browsing!).


Ok, now to get your computer running faster I have a few suggestions:

1) Run a "Disk Cleanup" (Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->Disk Cleanup).
-This will help clean out any old "temp" files from your hard drive, and should free up some room for you.

2) Run a "Defragment" (Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->Defragment)
-this will help improve your hard-drive access speed

3) Clean out your startup list.
-open the "msconfig" program (Start->Run and type msconfig)
-go to the "Startup" tab. there will be a list of programs with checkboxes in front of each one. These are all the programs that start up with windows. If the list has too many items, you will run into problems with not having enough available memory
-most items in the list will be fairly cryptic, so I suggest you use this web site www.sysinfo.org to search for each item. The web site should give you an idea if you want to keep each item or not (Y for keep or N for uncheck).

The last step is probably the most important, and definitely the step that will result in the biggest performance increase for your computer.

If you find that you only have 256 MB of ram, I strongly suggest that you purchase at least another 256 MB for your computer. No other single upgrade will give you as big of a performance boost as extra RAM will! :yesnod:

Hope that helps!


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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free.
But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.

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Re: Need advice on how to make my computer run faster [Re: IAmTheWalrus212]
    #4372998 -

dig up a small old hard drive. alot of people just have an old, small one laying around somewhere. set up firefox to use it as a cache. anything like bit trrent or p2p (aka kazaa) and the like should use it as the temp folder. it will effectively double the write speed. i always keep a 8 gig h/d for just this purpose. also, defrag at least twice a week.


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No, no, you're not thinking, you're just being logical. ~ Niels Bohr

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Re: Need advice on how to make my computer run faster [Re: IAmTheWalrus212]
    #4373198 -

visit this site: http://dhost.info/kyeu/mirror/blackviper/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

do this: start>run>type "services.msc"
and go down the list of services on that website
what services are marked as "safe" are usually good
to disable/enable - but you might want to just click on
each entry & read the description to see if you need
the service running.

trendal pointed out doing msconfig to accomplish
the task of minimizing running services, but
as the website explains, services are best modified
by running "services.msc"
also, there are more [possibe unnecessary] services
listed on services.msc than on msconfig

follow blackviper's guide and
your computer should be must faster.

you might also want to use programs that
run on low memory/cpu (foobar over winamp, for example
or VLC over WMP) or use the firefox preloader to turbo-boost the loading of firefox.

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Re: Need advice on how to make my computer run faster [Re: IAmTheWalrus212]
    #4373460 -

Also, you can save some disc space by deleting all your old restore points. You can do this through the disk clean up utility under the "options" tab. They can pile up and really take up a lot of room....

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Re: Need advice on how to make my computer run faster [Re: Le_Canard]
    #4374708 -

Another tip for saving space...get a program called Size Explorer Pro, it will let you view your entire hard drive by file/ directory sizes. Quite handy for finding those huge files lurking throughout your drive. :thumbup:

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Re: Need advice on how to make my computer run faster [Re: IAmTheWalrus212]
    #4374730 -

definitely get some RAM like trendal said.
i'm only running 128MB of RAM right now and it is just about rediculously slow.

i have a 512MB RAM card for sale..i just bought it, but my computer won't accept it.

what kind of computer do you have?


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Real botanists laugh at HPS systems, we do however use high pressure sodium in the parking lot. - artthug

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Re: Need advice on how to make my computer run faster [Re: felix]
    #4377911 -

Dell Dimension 8200 from several years ago.

Total memory says 261132, availible is 59752 with Firefox, AIM, and Windows Media Player running, which are what I usually have running (at most).




Thanks a lot for the advice everyone, I'll do that now.  :thumbup:


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Re: Need advice on how to make my computer run faster [Re: IAmTheWalrus212]
    #4378052 -

I'd switch to VLC media player for video...and foobar for music - they'll save you memory / load quicker.

perhaps even switch to like litestep or geoshell instead of explorer.exe - those run real light.

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