frustrated!
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Posts posted by frustrated!
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My first pc, a crashy Win 98SE, came with only 64MB RAM. Adding another 64 noticeably improved performance. But when I maxed it out at 384MB the improvement was not as remarkable as expected.
I donated mine, less HDD, to a dumpster diver.
Heya (born in ky south not my fault :>,
Sorry I can't donate and still have a comp. to cry about :>.
Going back to school in spring-----better times ahead!!!!
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Thank you for your help and suggestions. I don't have a back up disk for XP. Computer here before I moved into house. This comp. is so old no place to plug in a "scandisc" to download anything for saving or uploading into the comp. Only floppys I have got magnitized and it won't open them to read or copy onto. Been looking for work online at job servers and big hassle as have to go to pub. lib. to download resume. Going to put it on "skyline" today at live.com so I can pull up and download to sites that way. Really appreciate your help and I agree BIGGEST thing is enlarging RAM for better speed. ican spend 20 min. just looking up email, then pull up mail listings and try to turn pgs. there end up being lengthy process for something that should be a 10 min. deal.
First is Happy Birthday Jesus---This my outlook. REALLY appreciate your input on my quest. Do you have a suggestion on demagnetizing my floppys. Curious if I can fix these and use again. Don't care what is on them anymore as on other resouces. Your a nice fellow interneter to respond to my query. Good evening and happy New Years to us all!!!!
frustrated!
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Mr F, my spouse has an old laptop with an Intel 900 MHz chip, 15 gb disk, and originally 64 mb of ram and XP Home SP1. It was rather slow. The main things we (I) did were:
Increase ram to a max of 512 mb - this is the most important speeder-upper
Migrate to SP3
Increase pagefile to 1 gb min/max
Use pagedfrg to defrag pagefile and other sys files (free)
Removed AVG and installed Avast - noticable imporovement
Removed every last thing (almost) from Startup
Removed as much junk as possible
Defrag using Win defragger
There is still a lot in the registry, but I have not really dared to look at it apart from some obvious twiddling. But it now boots in around 1 min and is quite livable with. All free except for the ram.
This is all very useful and really appreciate it. The remove junk is a scary part to me as I not sure what needs go and what needs stay. Not a comp. internal files knowledgable fellow. And yes increase RAM a big part of the problem---can't afford ANYTHING right now, gas in truck, food, rent, Xmas, etc. more important. Thank you again.
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Welcome to the forums!
AVG:
When you state "AVG Cleaner 2011" I don't know if you mean their free antivirus or not, if so please do yourself a favour and read this info about AVG Antivirus Free Edition 2011 breaking computers - not something to scare you but something worth knowing:
http://forums.majorg...d.php?p=1571502
CCleaner:
CCleaner's registry cleaner finding a ton of invalids the first time you run it in my opinion would be normal, especially on a old computer that has seen tons of software installs and uninstalls over the years.
Virtual Memory:
While some people truly believe in manually adjusting the virtual memory ("Page File") in Windows, I don't. I've never once seen any benefits whatsoever in over a decade playing around with it. However; I have seen some negative's such as programs not having enough memory to function correctly after manually changing it, etc., so I leave it at the Microsoft default setting as System Managed.
Wiping Computer & Installing Windows XP:
You can wipe the computer clean if you have the original Windows XP setup disc either OEM build or purchased, or if it's on an OEM recovery partition. That would remove everything off of drive C: and start out fresh from scratch, which in most cases is ages faster than removing a horde of software that leaves tons of stuff behind.
RAM:
Regardless of whatever you do the biggest issue is only having 120 MB of RAM! Ideally Windows XP needs/benefits from a minimum of 512 MB RAM, however I'd recommend at the very least 1 GB (or more) if that computer can hold that amount. When you have some money buying and installing some extra RAM from an reputable online retailer such as Crucial.com which can match your system to the correct RAM it requires would benefit your system more than any amount of cleaning, defragmenting, or tweaking.
Backup:
Whatever you do don't forget to backup the system if it's feasible, i.e.; if you have another drive ("hard disk, hard disk partition, large capacity USB Thumb Drive, CD/DVD burner, etc.") with something like Macrium Reflect Free Edition or another suitable disk imaging backup software. Once you get that system the way you want it software-wise and clean-wise making a backup will mean you'll never again have to fully reinstall Windows.
Thank you for your help and suggestions. I don't have a back up disk for XP. Computer here before I moved into house. This comp. is so old no place to plug in a "scandisc" to download anything for saving or uploading into the comp. Only floppys I have got magnitized and it won't open them to read or copy onto. Been looking for work online at job servers and big hassle as have to go to pub. lib. to download resume. Going to put it on "skyline" today at live.com so I can pull up and download to sites that way. Really appreciate your help and I agree BIGGEST thing is enlarging RAM for better speed. ican spend 20 min. just looking up email, then pull up mail listings and try to turn pgs. there end up being lengthy process for something that should be a 10 min. deal.
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Welcome to the forum.
I suggest you quickly edit and remove your email address to prevent spamming.
Many knowledgeable members will eventually help you. We are a friendly crowd.
Thank you for intro and helpful suggestion. Deleted and edited for better results
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First this is an OLD computer tower I'm working from (Intel Celeron1300 MHz 1.3GHz; 120 MB of RAM. running the MS XP Home Edition 2002 Service Pack 3). V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-W-W!!!!!! Takes 3-5 min to come up from startup of comp. Another 5-8 min. for internet page to appear - if it doesn't crash or "error". Been this way for long time-years. Was used originally as business comp. for a home for displaced veterans which I am one of. I came to this house a month ago and told can use comp., but warned slow and could try to update if can to speed up---been trying ever since with not much results except FRUSTRATIONS!
Presently I am have run the CCleaner in Registry and NUMEROUS issues have come up for missing DLL's, unused file extensions, Invalid or empty file, ActiveX/COM Issue, Missing TypeLib Re..., Open with Aplication, Installer reference..., MANY - Unistaller Reference...,Obsolete Software, Missing Startup Software, Old Start Menu Key-(for McAfee)--Deleted as I have Avast and not want to use space.
I am an amatuer at this and learning. I am broke and not able to buy downloads so I have gone thru at least 6 what they list as "free" only to find out after scan want $ to fix--a scam of a scan. I have defragged at least 4x. Ran the free AVG cleaner 2011 that was a one time offer. Been on hints and help sites. Adjusted my virtual memory from 340 to 640 (computer only has 120 MB of RAM). Checked Secondary IDE and put on "dma when available" from PIO. Tried download of startup software. Read all I can of fix this and that....Have reset back to old settings at times it just want to crash or not even want to connect....Been in connection with AT&t Tech who had me delete some files and seemed to work a little better for about a day then crashed back to old ways.
I am curious if I can absolutely wipe the comp. clear of ALL software ever been in on drives and RAM to "like a virgin" and start all over again with a free XP version or better (Whatever this old computer can handle at 120 MB RAM). Sure it ran better than this when fresh out of the store. Anyone know a website get free download for starting software of XP or better and how to wipe this old stuff to oblivion.----START FRESH ya know...
Frightened I have ruined any chance of fix myself with all the deleting and downloads and scans and cleaning...wanted to take online comp. classes (join today and start 1/4/11) just couldn't with computer in this fix and no money. Education a BIG priority for me and stuck because this old computer SOOO slow. A3 hr session with test would take me 8 hrs on this comp!!!!AAARRRRGGGG!!!!!
Anyone out there read this and can suggest or "KNOW" how to fix please reply to my posting---My first time on forum.
Poor man really needs help reconfiguring this very old office computer to a FAST personal use computer.
in The Lounge
Posted
Thank you for info on demag my floppys. I not sure where to go to do the Command Promt. Have never done this on a computer. Can you explain step by step how. Sorry no geek here
Frustrated!