View Full Version : HP & Pack...Need your advice
Ducky
04-17-2010, 01:01 PM
Pack...first of all, you know I'm working with Window. I don't plan on changing over to Linux just yet (you got me motivated though lolol)
Give me the layman's terms.
So here's the stretch...
I need something to help make the puter run FASTER.
It's not lagging; as in it has viruses or conflicting apps, but I'm feeling a bit greedy and want to upgrade.
Ducky, if this disk sub system isn't fragmented really badly and your apps are I/O intense then you most likely would have to get faster processor.
One thing you can check is how much ram is installed and look to see if it is all in use so that there are apps swapping in and out of memory quite often. Does it seem faster when less applications are in use?
Ducky
04-17-2010, 01:27 PM
Ducky, if this disk sub system isn't fragmented really badly and your apps are I/O intense then you most likely would have to get faster processor.
One thing you can check is how much ram is installed and look to see if it is all in use so that there are apps swapping in and out of memory quite often. Does it seem faster when less applications are in use?
As far as having loads of apps going, no...that doesn't seem to be the case.
Would an occasional 'defragmenting' help somewhat?
I've got a vista home premium.
* 9500 AMD Phenom X4 quad-core processor
* 4 GB DDR2 memory
* 640 GB SATA hard disc
* Super multi drive / muti media desktop
Seems like a decent box. If your are talking internet apps then that is almost entirely the connection.
pack3tg0st
04-17-2010, 01:53 PM
The one thing that bogs down windows quicker than shit are a slew of TSR's... (Stands for Terminate and Stay Resident).
Do you have anything in your systray (lower right, adjacent to the clock) that you don't recognize or use?
you could also start up task manager (ctrl+alt+del) and check what processes are being run on a regular basis...
Typically, I'd recommend a good defrag like HP said, accompanied with a registry cleanup, and removal of unneeded programs... Just don't defrag or do a registry clean up until AFTER you uninstall your unneeded stuff...
I say typically because I am hesitant on having someone who doesn't know what they are doing tinker with the registry if I'm not in the immediate area to offer support should something go haywire.
There are also a few more advanced tweaks you can do (increase pagefile and virtual memory etc.) but unless everything else is running ship-shape, it won't make a noticable difference to most people...
What kind of Motherboard are you running? do you know? You might be able to overclock your PC... but again, thats more advanced stuff (BIOS tweaks etc)
WhispersInTheDark
04-17-2010, 01:58 PM
Does that mean the systray is RAM hungry? I didn't know that... are all those things running?
Ducky
04-17-2010, 02:00 PM
What kind of Motherboard are you running? do you know? You might be able to overclock your PC... but again, thats more advanced stuff (BIOS tweaks etc)
Where can I check to find the exact specs?
pack3tg0st
04-17-2010, 02:03 PM
Does that mean the systray is RAM hungry? I didn't know that... are all those things running?
the systray itself isn't RAM hungry... but is just a representation oif some of the programs that are running...
and yes... all those icons are programs that are currently running.
pack3tg0st
04-17-2010, 02:03 PM
Where can I check to find the exact specs?
you running a pre-built machine? or a homebrew?
Ducky
04-17-2010, 02:07 PM
you running a pre-built machine? or a homebrew?
Pre-built
Ducky
04-17-2010, 02:08 PM
I had a homebrew, but the mother blew up on me. Choked on the smoke et al.
MrPenny
04-17-2010, 02:10 PM
Off the shelf pcs have an incredible amount of crap running at startup that needlessly use resources. Find someone who's familiar with "msconfig" and use it to tune the computer's startup parameters. I have found that one utility to be a great tool for improving performance.
You can also adjust the overall system performance in such a way that the cutesy visual features are toned down.....allowing more processor time to important stuff.
Also increase your "virtual memory"......I find most off the shelf computers to be using far too little for best performance.
Finally, if you're using Firefox 3.6, it has been showing a nasty tendency towards "memory leaks".....in other words, sucking up RAM and not releasing it when done.
Before doing anything though......dig around and make sure you know how to set a "System Restore" point before fiddling with any configuration or startup items.
Ducky, are your concerns with the 'net not desktop apps?
Ra187
04-17-2010, 02:23 PM
i would say i would do it for ya but i dont know if you would be comfortable with me remoting into your computer...but as MR.penny wrote msconfig is the way to go for cleaning up starter programs...and i agree with pack on the whole uninstall and defrag and then registry clean up....and PACK most registry programs are user friendly these days and are just a simple click...but im sure you know that
Ra187
04-17-2010, 02:24 PM
oh dont forget to make a save point so if something does get fucked you can just recover back to that point
Ducky
04-17-2010, 02:24 PM
Off the shelf pcs have an incredible amount of crap running at startup that needlessly use resources. Find someone who's familiar with "msconfig" and use it to tune the computer's startup parameters. I have found that one utility to be a great tool for improving performance.
You can also adjust the overall system performance in such a way that the cutesy visual features are toned down.....allowing more processor time to important stuff.
Also increase your "virtual memory"......I find most off the shelf computers to be using far too little for best performance.
Finally, if you're using Firefox 3.6, it has been showing a nasty tendency towards "memory leaks".....in other words, sucking up RAM and not releasing it when done.
Before doing anything though......dig around and make sure you know how to set a "System Restore" point before fiddling with any configuration or startup items.
Good advice Mr.P
I find it hard to trust just any techs around here. May be it was a bad experience of mine, but 'once burnt, twice shy' applies nonetheless.
Just after Future Shop changed it's name to (damn..forgot the name..oh well) I took my acer to the geek squad to check out what was up with the sound card. It turned out, there was nothing wrong, but what really pissed me off, was the tech guy scoping out info on my puter.
He was insistant that I stayed behind the counter (so I couldn't view what he was doing) and yours truly couldn't take no for an answer. So, as he was sifting through this and that, he started scrolling through 'my pictures/albums/etc, I went behind the counter and stood next to him.
Now what the FUCK did that have to do with the tea in china?
Me thinks these so-called geek techs are told to look out for dubious shit > pron etc (later to report to authorities?), or this asshole was just a snoopy little bastard in the first place.
I told him to 'close that up' and that it wasn't any of his business. He pretended he didn't hear me, and kept checking out my pics. Believe me folks...I'm not into porn..nor care to have anything like that sitting in my harddrive. But asshole just kept checking them out.
That's when I raised my voice (could be heard through the whole store lolol) and told him, "CLOSE IT UP RIGHT NOW!!! TURN MY HARDDIVE OFF!!!"
As far as getting someone with puter savy to check out the 'natural store-bought config' and either deleting unnecessary apps or tweaking them....well...dunno.
MrPenny
04-17-2010, 02:29 PM
I guess you learned the hard way....
For the love of God people......do not take your pc to those idiots at "Geek Squad".
Ducky
04-17-2010, 02:30 PM
Ducky, are your concerns with the 'net not desktop apps?
See if I understand this correctly..
I'm concerned with how to 'speed up my puter's performance.
As far as I know, the 'connection/server' has no probs. I might think of checking out one of those sites that have a 'test for performance'. Know any good linkies?
Now as far as the desktop apps goes, everything that's there, should be there. I didn't fart around and get rid of any essential components per se. Just non-essential software that came with the puter when I first purchased it.
Ducky
04-17-2010, 02:33 PM
I guess you learned the hard way....
For the love of God people......do not take your pc to those idiots at "Geek Squad".
hence my mini-rant above. live and learn.
The bastard at the geek squad tweaked with a hell of a lot more than I thought.
When I got home, and hooked the puter up again, there were more probs than when I started out with.
So I said 'fuck it' and rebooted back to the manufacturers config. Crashed the mother.
Then lo and behold, allllllllllll my probs went away and the sound card worked perfectly.
What I meant is are the speed concerns have arising when using the internet or desktop apps such as word or spreadsheets.
If it is loading web pages then it might not be your system setup making it seem slow.
pack3tg0st
04-17-2010, 02:37 PM
Shameless Plug:
lol I think you'll find if you install linux, once you're configured, you'll be stable as shit.. (i think i'm on like day 30+ of uptime... I restarted a few weeks ago after I recompiled my kernel.)
pack3tg0st
04-17-2010, 02:39 PM
Whoa, ducks...
Just noticed your useragent.
I.E. 7... If you're running slow on the web, try changing browsers.
MrPenny
04-17-2010, 02:52 PM
IE 7 heh? If you go to Firefox Ducky, search for and download 3.5. 3.6 has some problems. Fortunately, Mozilla is supporting 3.5 through August of this year....gives them time to fix 3.6's memory problems.
pack3tg0st
04-17-2010, 02:54 PM
Fixing the memory leak is a piece of cake.
I think Anarch posted a thread on that somewhere 'round these parts.
Ducky
04-17-2010, 02:54 PM
What I meant is are the speed concerns have arising when using the internet or desktop apps such as word or spreadsheets.
If it is loading web pages then it might not be your system setup making it seem slow.
Wherein does the problem lay?
Hmmm.. flash games? Pages not opening up as fast as they normally did when I first bought this puppy.
I'm not compiling data for use with spreadsheets. lolol haven't used that app in quite some time.
My home page lags. It use to start up lickedy split. Now it takes 2-5 seconds to do, then I'm good to go.
I understand that the more I use the puter, the more programs I install, the slower it will be. Correct? I haven't downloaded anything in ages (big programs)
What I think I'll start out with is the basic stuffs that you guys have been telling me so far.
Defraging is at the top of my list. I'll start that in a little bit.
Ducky
04-17-2010, 02:55 PM
Whoa, ducks...
Just noticed your useragent.
I.E. 7... If you're running slow on the web, try changing browsers.
to 8?
edit to add:
you have a reliable download linky Pack?
MrPenny
04-17-2010, 02:55 PM
Fixing the memory leak is a piece of cake.
I think Anarch posted a thread on that somewhere 'round these parts.
You're right.....downgrading to 3.5 works slicker than shit.....:D
Ducky
04-17-2010, 02:56 PM
oh dont forget to make a save point so if something does get fucked you can just recover back to that point
Thanks Ra :D
I appreciate everyone's input here. Sho lee do!
MrPenny
04-17-2010, 02:57 PM
to 8?
edit to add:
you have a reliable download linky Pack?
Windows update site will have IE 8.
Firefox 3.5 (http://www.mozilla.com/products/download.html?product=firefox-3.6.3&os=win&lang=en-US)
Ducky
04-17-2010, 03:02 PM
Windows update site will have IE 8.
Firefox 3.5 (http://www.mozilla.com/products/download.html?product=firefox-3.6.3&os=win&lang=en-US)
Even for the vista? Thought they cut back giving updates for vista.
Apparently there's a new windows coming out the end of this year or in 2011. So I've heard.
Probably why they're not doing anything more with vista.
Sounds like malware. You might try adding more cache for wab pages in the browser.
Ducky
04-17-2010, 03:15 PM
internet explorer 8 failed to download properly
pack3tg0st
04-17-2010, 03:16 PM
IE sux.
Ducky
04-17-2010, 03:21 PM
I'm going to shut down and use some apps to scan in safe mode.
See ya in a moment
Go with FF.
Here is a zip with a tcp connection viewer. You can watch what connections are being created. You might look for odd stuff.
http://homingpigeon.com/xfer/TcpViewer.zip
Use tcpview.exe
Ducky
04-18-2010, 12:01 PM
Go with FF.
Here is a zip with a tcp connection viewer. You can watch what connections are being created. You might look for odd stuff.
http://homingpigeon.com/xfer/TcpViewer.zip
Use tcpview.exe
HP? Thanks so much for your help too :D
I'm going to try the FF this afternoon and see how it goes. I've tried it before, for a few days. Not sure why I ditched it though. The 'unfamiliarity' of it might have been the only reason. Pretty much stuck with the tried and true at the time: I.E.
But what ticks me off right now, is the 'installation' probs I've been experiencing.
Nothing seems to be downloading properly at all. Getting 'error msgs' left and right.
HP? Do you have a step-by-step instruction on how to see what's wrong with that. Troubleshoot my installation?
pack3tg0st
04-18-2010, 12:05 PM
Getting 'error msgs' left and right.
hehehe
Win7! Now with 80% more error!
Talking the FF download - install. That should be straight forward.
Might have to do with the 32 vs 64 bit code if you have a 64bit processor. I haven't use the newest windows so I don't know if it figures that out and sets up the run time environment.
Ducky
04-18-2010, 12:31 PM
hehehe
Win7! Now with 80% more error!
fuck off pack...you rotten rotten kid lolololol
you're not helping...roflmao
Ducky
04-18-2010, 12:32 PM
Talking the FF download - install. That should be straight forward.
Might have to do with the 32 vs 64 bit code if you have a 64bit processor. I haven't use the newest windows so I don't know if it figures that out and sets up the run time environment.
I have a 64
I would be a good ides to DL the 64 version. Maybe you got the 32.
Ducky
04-18-2010, 12:42 PM
I would be a good ides to DL the 64 version. Maybe you got the 32.
I already have a 64.
So if the 64bit FF doesn't work guess you'll ahve to go back to 32. Windows should have some easy way to configure the app. I get the impression that Mozilla isn't big on 64 bit FF development.
Ducky
04-18-2010, 01:02 PM
So if the 64bit FF doesn't work guess you'll ahve to go back to 32. Windows should have some easy way to configure the app. I get the impression that Mozilla isn't big on 64 bit FF development.
The proof of the pudding will happen when I go to download FF this afternoon.
It will either DL or not.
Depending on the installation issues I'm having at present.