computer speed

[murdock]

a couple of months ago i upgraded my laptop...thinking that i would now have a really fast computer that would switch on a faster...no more waiting while loading programs or internet websites etc...

i must have done something wrong or there must be a setting which requires adjustment.

when i first switched on the machine...man i thought this is what i expected...in fact it was until the updates started from microsoft...now the new computer is just a slow as the old one was...yet i have an i5 with the what was the fastest processor...500 gig hard drive...4 gig ram etc etc ...now i use both laptops because while i am waiting for the one i use the other...it ridiculous...everytime i switch the thing on there are updates then it shuts down and reboots...then you have to wait while it conficues...etc etc...and slowly but surely it is taking longer to load programs...i dont need all the fancy bits that microsaft offers i just want a simple fast computer to run all my old programs for work and access the internet to search for stuff and have my chirp on the forums...it is such a pity i couldnt have just turbo charged my old laptop...which ran fine with windows xp pro...and i could run all my work programs...now i have to use vitual xp to run the porograms.

what have i done wrong...or what do i have to do to speed it up...and is it a good idea to stop the updates?

[rfnel]

Murdock, what version of Windows are you using? Did your laptop come with a Windows installation disk?

If you look at the task manager, are there any processes eating up most of your memory and/or CPU?

[mariusjl]

Hi Murdock,

I have found that all laptops/desktops that run windows as an operating system do degrade in speed over time. I would suggest you get yourself a utility like Glary Utilities, there is a free version available, and run through the different areas to optimise you laptop. (http://www.glarysoft.com/)

Personally I do not switch off the Windows updates, as I believe they are released for a reason. What you could do however is to change the way the updates are effected on your laptop, say for example, set it so that it tells you about the updates, but does not automatically install them. Then you can later on when you have the time and its convenient to you, authorise the updates you require and let windows perform them for you. Using a laptop the ideal time to do this is obviously when you are not connected via your 3G, but rather are connected to the internet via your office network or an ADSL line. (Some updates can consume huge chuncks of your available bandwidth).

Regards
Marius

[Blurock]

Well, I do not think I am qualified to decide which updates to allow or not. An update should be there for a purpose, not so?

While on the topic of speed. Is a broadband speed of 100 mbps. good enough? How do I increase it? I currently use an ADSL Bullion 800VGT router.

[Chrisjan B]

While on the topic of speed. Is a broadband speed of 100 mbps. good enough? How do I increase it? I currently use an ADSL Bullion 800VGT router.

Hellishly fast but possible a typo - maybe 10 Mbps?

[Just Gone]

I have found that if I delete my cookies on a regular basis it sorts out a lot of the speed issues. In fact I have my laptop on a setting which deletes all history and cookies whenever I exit from windows.

[Chrisjan B]

Read this article from PC Pitstop - http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2012/0...new-computer/?

[Blurock]

Hellishly fast but possible a typo - maybe 10 Mbps?

That's what my PC is telling me. Or is that just the LAN connection?

[Chrisjan B]

That is only the LAN connection - sorry...
Go to www.speedtest.net on do a test - you can post the results here...

Mine - http://www.speedtest.net/result/1777535512.png
The best Telkom can offer...

[AndyD]

I'm guessing that's your speed between the PC and the router. You'd need to be directly on the backbone to get a true 100Mbps ADSL in this country, as far as I know the fastest ADSL generally available (via the land line) is 10Mb.

[tec0]

Well my opinion only if I may, Google the relevant OS and follow the instructions to disable Microsoft updated. The only thing you need to update is your antivirus database. Secondly Google System Configuration if your Run command is enabled type in msconfig Find the tab "Services" and see what is running and Google the ones you think is dodgy and disable accordingly. Always do your homework when doing this. There is also a Boot tab again Google is your friend so have a look what you can disable safely.

Also find a good spyware removal program and do a scan… also do a virus scan…

You will find that your computer WILL run faster.

A last tip would be, press the start button go to your "computer" click on it, right click on your hard drive select properties.

Then click on the tools tab. click on "Defragment now" button. Then click on Defragment disk let it run...

If your PC is still slow start uninstalling the programs you don’t use… Also Google the programs you do use and see how to disable there updates. Some programs can be excessive.

[AndyD]

Murdock, If you've got an i5 processor and plenty of RAM then any slow running issue will be software related. Laptops are notorious for being pre loaded with enormous amounts of bloated and useless programs that the manufacturers are convinced you might need one day. These slow things down enormously. With a new laptop the first thing I normally do is wipe it completely along with any recovery partitions or hidden partitions and reload just the operating system from scratch.

With updates you should stop automatic updates and do it once a month manually when it suits you. There have been problems in the past with updates that are unstable and cause crashes with the early downloaders so I usually hold off for a while. Also be picky and choosy which updates you install, they're catagorised as critical and non-critical so just worry about the critical ones which are usually retrospectively patching security holes caused by sloppy coding. As a rule of thumb I would never install any Microsoft OS that's not at service pack 2 which is what most companies would call release candidate stage of developement.

Finally if you don't need Windows7 which I assume you have if it's a new machine then you can use your old copy of XP. The laptop will fly with XP (>=SP2) just make sure you can find an XP driver pack for the particular model. You can always use VMWare to run Win7 as well if you want to.

[murdock]

i am with andy on this one...i beleieve it could have something to do with all the preloaded software...like apparently windows of every version is loaded...i just need a key yo activate it...and i dont know what other junk....i am connected directly to an adsl slow line...it is dissappointing when you spend all that money for the little bigger better and faster and it seems to run at the speed of the old machine...i suppose you want the latest technology...it has to be generated somehow...you cant have a 1100cc you need a V8 or 12

[tec0]

My notebook is a little Samsung not even an i5. Basically it is half the system you got and it runs like a bat out of hell. I did my homework and found software that is "portable" now some portable software allows you to disable there updates easily.

Secondly I identified what I don't need and continued to uninstall. If you would like go to start right click computer click on properties "do this from your start menu" then click on Advanced system settings.

In the Performance box click on "Settings" then click on the Advanced tab.

Now you will see a box named Process Scheduling… By default it is set on Programs. Now you can change that to Background services and do a test. If successful leave it at that if not change it back.

The second box is your Virtual memory "Normally not good to change stuff here" but why not test it, click on change it. Just Google Virtual memory on win7 do a bit of reading please. Sometimes it can be a bad thing.

Now in your "View basic information about your computer" info block you will see System no look at System Type… if it is 64bit then I recommend boosting your RAM to 8Gb. Depending on where you do the upgrade it is not that expensive anymore. Something to consider… If it is 32bit there is no point in adding RAM…