Computer help

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**Ketara**

Here's the deal. My computer has slowed down to practically nothing these days. It's not just the internet, its regular files and whatnot as well. So I'm trying to figure out what's caused this, in order to rectify it.

Now I've tried all the usual stuff. I've run multiple virus and malware scans and come up clean. I've defragmented the hard drive. The hard drive is more than 50% empty. There don't appear to be any processes chewing up undue amounts of CPU power when I look at what is running. I've run a disk cleaner, and deleted all the temporary files, and unused/broken registry keys.

I am in short, stumped. Baffled, even. Anyone able to give me a clue or two on a potential cause?

**Juvieus Kaine**

If its a laptop, it's showing its age. Software updates might help. If its a desktop, chances are it needs new bits of hardware, potentially a new Processor.

A good idea would be to list what kinda computer you have and its specs

**Asherian Command**

It either needs more ram or there are some files on there that are slowing it down plus internet capabilities do add to it. IF it is showing its age get a new one.

**Corpsesarefun**

I'm going with it's getting old, what are your specs and how old is the pc?

**Ketara**

I custom built it from components about three and a half years ago. It was relatively top of the range then, and it's a Desktop rig, not a laptop.

Dual Processor, Windows Vista, 280GB main hard drive with a 1 TB Hard-drive linked in, 8 RAM (if memory serves).

**Sonophos**

OK, I'll bite. What OS (including service pack); What Processor; How much RAM and how old?

When did you last check what programs you have installed?

Have you tried re-installing the OS?

**Coolyo294**

Did you try praying to it?

**Ketara**

Sonophos wrote:
Have you tried re-installing the OS?

I'd rather try and avoid that, as I have no idea where my oriinal system discs are these days.

**Corpsesarefun**

Ketara wrote:I custom built it from components about three and a half years ago. It was relatively top of the range then, and it's a Desktop rig, not a laptop.

Dual Processor, Windows Vista, 280GB main hard drive with a 1 TB Hard-drive linked in, 8 RAM (if memory serves).

Those will be your issues, upgrade to windows 7 (I'm guessing 32-bit from the age) ASAP. If you want it to be speedy for a good few years perhaps consider getting a new motherboard and quadcore processor with 64-bit windows 7? If you do then the ram you have now should be ok if it's DDR3 (it should say on the stick of ram itself if it's DDR3 or DDR2).

**Ketara**

I genuinely don't believe its a case of age, as this has happened only over the course of a few weeks, as opposed to a slowing down over a sustained period of time. Up until then, it was running fine with the usual speed, and I don't recall installing any new service packs or suchlike. I could be wrong on this, but hardware doesn't usually substantially degrade (and I mean running at about an eighth of its previous speed) over the course of a fortnight.

**Corpsesarefun**

Admittedly my solutions to almost everything are very heavy handed, for example when my graphics driver software wasn't working I bought a new graphics card, but they work most of the time.

I doubt it's storage or ram and you are sure that nothing is wrong in the processes so I'm stuck.

**Ketara**

corpsesarefun wrote:Admittedly my solutions to almost everything are very heavy handed, for example when my graphics driver software wasn't working I bought a new graphics card, but they work most of the time.

I doubt it's storage or ram and you are sure that nothing is wrong in the processes so I'm stuck.

Hence my confusion.

I'm pretty damn sure there's a software glitch here somewhere, but its beyond my casual amateur expertise to locate it, so I thought I'd appeal to you chaps before I look into paying a professional an exorbitant, extortionate amount of money to take a look at it.

**Corpsesarefun**

It will probably be cheaper to just buy a windows 7 home edition disk and wipe.

**notprop**

Have you tried turning it off then on again?

If so, sorry I'm out of ideas.

**Sonophos**

You could try uninstalling all the updates and then letting and then letting re-install updates.

Replacing the RAM may help if it has degraded. Check how much of the paging file space is being used.

**AustonT**

Ketara how many DIMMs of ram are you using?

**Ketara**

Sonophos wrote:You could try uninstalling all the updates and then letting and then letting re-install updates.

Replacing the RAM may help if it has degraded. Check how much of the paging file space is being used.

How do I do that?

AustonT wrote:Ketara how many DIMMs of ram are you using?

I don't actually know what that is, I'm afraid.

**AustonT**

The sticks. How many are there?

**VermGho5t**

Sonophos wrote:You could try uninstalling all the updates and then letting and then letting re-install updates.

Replacing the RAM may help if it has degraded. Check how much of the paging file space is being used.

You should honestly recommend memtest86 if that is what you're aiming at. This is a basic program that will execute after POST and basically run through testing each memory address on each of the DIMM sticks (or RAM).

Paging file is most likely still at default for whatever system values were initially setup, and ultimately increasing your PF won't improve performance at all, since it actually operates slower than normal memory.

If this has been over the course of a few weeks, it honestly sounds like a virus, or hardware failure. I would recommend backing up what you want saved to your storage drive and re-install your OS.

Since you're on Vista I would highly recommend moving to Windows7 64 bit. Vista was full of problems that, while with the release of service packs, has helped the OS, it is pretty specific to the type of hardware you have in terms of running smoothly.

Fortunately with the impending release of Windows8, you can get 7 for not a bad price.

**juraigamer**

You have windows vista, and if I recall if you bought it before a certain date you can get a free upgrade to windows 7 from mircosoft, and I would do that.

I would recommend doing that, or doing a simple reformat and going from scratch. Your registry could be screwed, or various other things. If your computers over 3 years old, then this is something you should do anyway. Just toss all your old files somewhere and proceed with the reformat.

**AustonT**

Oh, yes run memtest, I was going to suggest removing one Dimm at a time to check for a bum Dimm. Still reseat them though

**MartiniPunk**

Also try blowing out your computer, dust can lead to overheating issues that slow your performance.

I'm a huge advocate of regular clean installs, because there is just so much that can affect things in different ways and diagnostics can't be relied upon to pick up on everything.

Also you might try restoring an older back up and see if there is a performance change.

**Ketara**

MartiniPunk wrote:Also try blowing out your computer, dust can lead to overheating issues that slow your performance.

Cleaned it out with an air spray a month and a half ago, whilst wearing a bracelet so no static electricity damaged it.

I don't have the original system discs any more (lost them), so I'll probably have to upgrade I guess. I may pay some IT guy at the university fifty quid to take a look at it first though, in the vain hope he can track down the problem.

**AustonT**

Run that test program on the RAM after reseating them first.
When dealing with the electrical components follow the 3 Rs
Reset
Reseat
Replace

between the last two you might want to try actually testing the component using a program or multimeter.

**SagesStone**

I'd also say try reinstalling the OS. It's actually recommended to do so every few years, but really only Vista really shows the slowing it's supposed to help deal with.

Of course try the RAM first as it'd be easier to deal with. Could also be as simple as just opening it up and cleaning it out.

**Ketara**

An interesting tidbit which again, makes me think this is no hardware problem.

A whiles back, I set up a separate administrator account on my computer (because I disliked the idea of not having access to the full control of my own PC). Now having logged in through that account as opposed to my usual one, the internet, and the computer in general is working almost as fast as the older account used to be. Thoughts gentlemen?

**AustonT**

You said you checked computer processes?

**Ketara**

AustonT wrote:You said you checked computer processes?

I did indeed. However, there are programs installed on the other account not installed on this, most notably of which, is Google Chrome....

**AustonT**

Chrome is evil, maybe not the source of your issues but definitly contributing. It eats physical memory. Check especially for ping.exe

**murdog**

Maybe a little lame to link to another forum but I've found http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/ to be helpful for comp issues. Just in case Dakka is stumped.