slow computer

[jaguar1]

My computer is running very slow especially when first switched on , i always delete history cookies etc , any ideas please ?? i have windows xp home edition version 2002 sevice pack 3.

Its a pentium 4 cpu 2.80 GHz 768mb of ram

 

[wingcoax]

Try disc cleanup and de frag.

 

[uzziel49]

How big is your hard drive, and how much free space is there?

 

[jaguar1]

Free space is 47.1 gb and total size is 74.5gb , its just that when you are on a website and click on a box in that website it sometimes will not open and the pc locks up

 

[uzziel49]

Hang on, just to clarify - your first post said your P was slow when first switched on, but your second post says it's slow when you're web browsing, so which is it? Or is it both?

Different symptoms are likely to have different causes, if we're clear on the symptoms then you stand a better chance of getting sensible & helpful replies. (P.s. not being arsey, just trying to be helpful!)

 

[JohnD]

you do keep it clean of viruses and adware, don't you?

press ALT+CTRL+DEL to start Wndows Task Manager, which will show you what is running and what it is using.

In the Processes tab, click on the CPU column and it will sort by heaviest use.

If it is slow at switch-on maybe there is a scan or maintenance thing running

 

[jaguar1]

Yes its both , i have avg as virus protection , so not sure what i should do to speed things up what is defrag and how do i do it , thanks.

 

[wingcoax]

Go into all files from your startup menu, highlight system tools and you should get a drop-down menu with de-frag,disc cleanup and one or two others, click on disc clean-up to start with and follow instructions.This will get rid of a lot of rubbish, then repeat early instructions and click on de-frag. This organises the files ang tidies up.

 

[uzziel49]

.... or download and install Defraggler Slim from here http://www.piriform.com/defraggler/builds

More efficient defragger than the Windows one, use the slim version and you won't get any IE toolbars installed by accident. A defragger re-organises your hard drive, the idea being to place connected data in contiguous space instead of the drive heads having to make repeated searches across the surface of the disk platters to find what you need. See here for more of an explanation of disk fragmentation and defragmentation http://ask-leo.com/what_is_defragging_and_why_should_i_do_it.html

While you're at it, download Ccleaner Slim from here (same company) http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds

This will clean up a lot of the junk on your machine, see here for a list of features http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/features.

Both products are spyware and virus free.

Try those (run Ccleaner first, then Defraggler) and see how you go.

 

[Johnmelad502]

I have been having similar problems, with my laptop.

All of my memory was being used and the laptop was running so slow I was on the verge of smashing it.

I tried everything even some of what is suggested above, all to no avail.

A friend said to uninstall Real Player which I did. My machine now runs like new.