I have a couple of large programmes that I save in a folder on my c-drive, but when I instal & run them, they make my pc start up & run slowly. As my hard drive is partitioned, I wondered if I could instal/run them in the d-drive instead & avoid the problem, or is there another way? Many thanks
Programmes that slow down my PC
- Thread starter jj4091
- Start date
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May be able to offer advice/opinion if we knew what these large programs are.
You said that you install and run them which sounds a little unusual - do you uninstall them as well?
Have you checked the required PC specifications for this software and is your system at least this spec? - some large applications will work on lesser spec. machine but can cause the symptoms you describe.
It is usually seen to be a good idea to have your disk partitioned and use one partition for the OS only the other partition could then be used to store applications and data. This may help with your problem.
You said that you install and run them which sounds a little unusual - do you uninstall them as well?
Have you checked the required PC specifications for this software and is your system at least this spec? - some large applications will work on lesser spec. machine but can cause the symptoms you describe.
It is usually seen to be a good idea to have your disk partitioned and use one partition for the OS only the other partition could then be used to store applications and data. This may help with your problem.
Tony, thanks for your reply. The programmes are large foreign language dictionaries, & yes my pc meets the spec they need. I have downloaded them from a web-site & store them in a folder, but when I open/run them, my pc starts to go a lot slower at start up & using other programmes, so I have to uninstall each time I have finished using them & I wondered if it was possible to run them in a different drive, or if I would have the same problem or is there a better way?
From your description it sounds like once installed the dictionaries remain resident in memory running continuously monitoring PC activity which of course will have the effect of slowing your system. It would also seem that once installed the application is automatically loaded at every start up.
If that is the case I am not sure that installing the application to a different HD will solve your problem - I suspect that it will still load and remain resident in memory and automatically run at start up. Still might be worth a try.
Some thoughts:
1. When you install, or in the application itself are there any options to change the way the program runs e.g. "Load program at start". If so disable auto start until prog. needed.
2. When you close the program does your PC still run as slow. If so it would appear that remnants are still running in the background. It is possible that you may be able to shut these down using Task Manager.
3. Look at the possibility of increasing your existing RAM
4. Look at other programs that are running at the same time - there may be conflicts or programs fighting for memory.
5. Assuming you run Anti Virus you might want to try temporarily disabling to see if this has any effect on speed.
Hope there is something above that will help
If that is the case I am not sure that installing the application to a different HD will solve your problem - I suspect that it will still load and remain resident in memory and automatically run at start up. Still might be worth a try.
Some thoughts:
1. When you install, or in the application itself are there any options to change the way the program runs e.g. "Load program at start". If so disable auto start until prog. needed.
2. When you close the program does your PC still run as slow. If so it would appear that remnants are still running in the background. It is possible that you may be able to shut these down using Task Manager.
3. Look at the possibility of increasing your existing RAM
4. Look at other programs that are running at the same time - there may be conflicts or programs fighting for memory.
5. Assuming you run Anti Virus you might want to try temporarily disabling to see if this has any effect on speed.
Hope there is something above that will help
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Thanks Tony, I will try your suggestions, what difference would increased ram make? Excuse my ignorance but I am no computer expert. Tim, I run defrag & disc clean up regularly & the problem only happens when the programs are installed, so I think it is just relevant to the size of the programs & as Tony says whether they are running at start up or in the background.
But the constant install and uninstall can severely fragment your drive do you defrag every time after installing?
If the application is causing problems from startup onwards (when installed) it is obviously configured to 'auto-launch' when you start your computer. By stopping it from launching on PC startup the application will only start when you actually want to use it thus stopping you from having to instal/uninstal all the time. I would suggest the following:
Click on Start/Run. Type 'msconfig'. click 'ok'. Select the 'startup' Tab from the Systems Configuration Utility. You will see a list of everything that launches on startup. Scroll through the list looking for your problem application (may be easier to identify from 'Command' other then the 'Startup Item' which just gives the executable name) uncheck the box, click 'ok' and then reboot. When you log back in you will get a dialogue box with another check box, tick this box to stop the message re-appearing everytime you log in.
This process will stop the application launching and running in the background using up all your system resources.
All of the above assumes you are running Windows 98 or later.
Hope that makes sense and helps?
Click on Start/Run. Type 'msconfig'. click 'ok'. Select the 'startup' Tab from the Systems Configuration Utility. You will see a list of everything that launches on startup. Scroll through the list looking for your problem application (may be easier to identify from 'Command' other then the 'Startup Item' which just gives the executable name) uncheck the box, click 'ok' and then reboot. When you log back in you will get a dialogue box with another check box, tick this box to stop the message re-appearing everytime you log in.
This process will stop the application launching and running in the background using up all your system resources.
All of the above assumes you are running Windows 98 or later.
Hope that makes sense and helps?
Sorry to have to repeat but the constant uninstalling and reinstalling of large files will almost certainly affect performance by heavily fragmenting the hard drive, try installing an automatic defragmentor like Diskeeper to try to keep the fragmentation to acceptable limit.
My PC used to suffer slowing down till I installed Diskeeper now it is never slows anymore in fact it actually seems faster than ever.
My PC used to suffer slowing down till I installed Diskeeper now it is never slows anymore in fact it actually seems faster than ever.
Sorry to take so long to reply again, but my hard drive died(apparently I should have recognised the click of death! 
) anyway had it replaced & processor & ram upgraded & all seems well. Thank you all for your suggestions
) anyway had it replaced & processor & ram upgraded & all seems well. Thank you all for your suggestionswas probably worn out with all that work it had to doSorry to take so long to reply again, but my hard drive died(apparently I should have recognised the click of death!
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