VERY SLOW PC START UP

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

From switching on my computer it takes about half an hour before you are up and running.

You darnt try to connect to the internet as you will wait about 5 minutes for each page to turn over.
It does this every single day. I have run virus checks, clean up, defrags, removed some programs from my ADD REMOVE PROGRAM box, there is no rubbish downloaded and all in all 'she' is looked after. I am running Windows XP.

Once she is up and running she works well for several hours but then will throw another tantrum in the evening and the whole thing this time can last several hours. Using the internet is very frustrating.

What else can I do.

Dont suggest a new PC as really cannot afford one, so what can I do.
HELP HELP HELP.

 

[^neo^]

Back everything up and reinstall windows would be the easiest / less involved / cheap option

 

[MrHumbug]

Check that your anti-virus software isn't set to do a full scan on system startup and again in the evening.

How much RAM do you have?

How much free space on the C: drive? (That's free space, not total space).

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

To Neo, Ahhhhhhh. I cant reinstall windows, I would be terrified to do that.
To Mr Humbug, I use Microsoft Antivirus, the one where you go to their site and tell it to do a full scan/check etc, this can take about 8 hours so usually let it do this overnight. I know this isnt running in the backgound but I found when I did have an Antivirus on the computer just worked slower all the time. So a bit risky but the Antivirus only runs as when I need it so no scheduled times. I have 32.5GB and have 11.5GB free.
It is 2.2GHz, 248MG of Ram. Hope I said all that right.
What I have just done is to change the Automatic Updates which was set to Download and Install, to just Download but install in my own time.
Hope this helps. I will await your replies.

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

I think thats a bit of an exageration. Just at the minute it is working perfect, later on it could suddenly throw 'A TANTRUM'. There must be a reason why it does this. If there was a problems with RAM etc etc then why would it not be slow all the time. The worst one is when you just switch it on, its awful and sounds as though it is reading something constantly, when this whirring noise stops then everything works great. Sometimes this can happen again at night, and once again I have just let it pass (about 30 minutes) and all is fine.

 

[dave.m]

I think thats a bit of an exageration. Just at the minute it is working perfect, later on it could suddenly throw 'A TANTRUM'. There must be a reason why it does this.

You ask for help and then tell people that they are exagerating when they say your system is grossly under powered to run efficiently.

The reason that it starts to run slow after a while is probably because it is overheating due to lack of RAM and it being over used. What operating system are you using, because XP requires at least 512MB of RAM to work properly and that is according to the Windows team.

The first thing to do is to run the Crucial scanner to see what type of RAM it takes:
http://www.crucial.com/uk/index.aspx?cpe=CHAWKuk
Then kit yourself up with about 1GB either in one stick if it will take it or 2 x 512MB sticks.

When you come to install them, give the case a thorough clean out to shift all the fluff around the fans etc. That should speed it up for a start.

Then a proper clean out of the dross left on your hard drive would help it.

dave

 

[Estrella]

your system is grossly under powered to run efficiently.

Nonsense.

The (customers) laptop I am currently typing this message with is a p4 2.0GHZ , 256MB RAM , XP and AV Wifi machine. It boots in about 30 seconds and once logged on is ready to go in another 15 -20 seconds. The laptop runs very well. I wouldn't be silly enough to try and run CS3 on it, but as an email/net/office machine its absolutely fine.

Adding more RAM will of course speed things up, and if he wants to do anything remotely exciting he will be forced too,but the bottom line is the machine should still run better than it is doing with the current hardware installed.

OP, if you wish to spend no money at all do as previously suggested and reinstall Windows. Or add more RAM at a cost. Or ideally do both!

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Apologies if I upset anyone but this is frustrating. I dont know if I have the RAM thing right, were do I find this. I'm asking because the 512MB seems to ring a bell.
We havnt really added much at all to the PC it is used mostly for internet a bit of homework, MS WORD, MS WORKS, CANON PHOTO, not really a lot, the odd download from itunes.
If you tell me where I find the RAM I will check as I would like then do the scan thing.
PC was purchased in Comet with the usual bits and bobs on it.

 

[Estrella]

Click on Start > Control Panel > System . The PC's specs will be listed under the general tab

Or

Click on Start, right click on My Computer and click properties

 

[MrHumbug]

OP - try defragmenting the hard disk. I wouldn't normally suggest that as a solution, but in this case it sounds like your disk is thrashing about all over the place.

Also run the disk cleanup utility and see how much stuff you can clean out. Do this before you defrag.

More RAM will make a big difference, but you should be able to boot up and surf the net with the ammount you have.

 

[Bahco]

Go to RUN and Type "MSCONFIG" into the box and then go to the Startup tab.
This will tell you what is starting up to run when you boot up.

You will probably find a lot of programs are starting up needlessly such as Messenger etc.

Tick off what you recognise as programs not needed and restart your machine and see if that cures it.

 

[mattylad]

Find yourself a 13 year old computer nerd.
Offer him a tenner to come fix it for you.

before long it will be running smooth as pie

 

[Estrella]

Tick off what you recognise as programs not needed and restart your machine and see if that cures it.

Please ignore this OP.

 

[Bahco]

Hi Boxcleva

Can you please explain why

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

I'm afraid I was right, I do only have 248 MB of RAM. And I think this is the processor 'Celeron(R) CPU 2.20GHz'.

If the RAM is the memory size, then I have loads of memory left so why do I have to add more RAM.
I always run the Disk Clean up utility, but I havnt defragmented for a while as it usually says this is not necessary but I will do this if theres a chance it will help.

I will try the MSCONFIG thing.
Once again this is running fine now but earlier on it did slow quite a bit again.
I did a feeling about the dust inside the unit but am frightened to unscrew this and open it in case I make things. I'm sure if I just open it and blow any dust out and then screw it back together this wont do any harm will it??