I have only been running my Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition for about 2.5 years and it is so slow. If you need to know more about the system when it was bought, it has about 2.79 GHz, 0.99 GB RAM, and my hard drive has a volume capacity of 69.8 GB. I currently have about 27.6 GB of free space on my hard drive, a good portion of that used space being stuff like music files, pictures, and some videos. I have been running regular virus and spyware scans everyday using my AT&T Internet Security Suite, and the firewall is always enabled. Well anyways, my computer once was very fast but within the past year it has been growing gradually slower and I am sick of how slow it is now. What could possibly be causing my computer to run so slowly? What do I have to do to fix the problems associated with my computer's slowness. If you don't know what is causing these problems or how to fix them, then would restoring the computer to its factory condition help? The best answer gets 10 points!
If I do restore the computer to its factory condition, I will lose ALL files, settings, documents, programs, and everything else that I put on the computer myself. Thus, I will need a good amount of time to back up stuff I wanna keep onto discs such as CDs before I do the operation. But the thing is, how do I restore the computer to its factory version if all else fails. Thank you for answering!
What I mean by the above edit is how do I restore the computer to its factory version? I never knew how and I might need to know if I can't fix the problems myself.
Thanks for the answers, they all seem reasonable and worth a try. But I would like to add one more thing, it would be great if I could fix this problem without having to buy anything or download anything.
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9 responses so far ↓
1 Cocoa Cake // Jun 18, 2008
memory adding
2 natureone500 // Jun 18, 2008
first Download HJT
http://www.download.com/Trend-Micro-HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10227353.html
Run a scan BUT DONT DELETE anything. Save the log and post it in an edit.
3 schnauzer // Jun 18, 2008
Restoring the computer to its factory condition would help, but a less drastic step would be to go to Start > Run…, and type 'msconfig' (without the quotes) into the dialog box. Then go to the Startup tab and uncheck anything you don't need.
EDIT: I love it when askers provide information, it makes it so much easier to give a (hopefully) accurate answer
4 j h // Jun 18, 2008
search for info on "msconfig" and press "Ctrl" "Alt" & "delete" at same time to see all the programs running - you probably are running a bunch of junk that doesn't need to be running & changing "start" in msconfig will help… also many antivirus programs will slow down system - i quit nortons (which is awesome protection) because it slows stuff down too much & i now use FREE "avg"
5 colby c // Jun 18, 2008
use system restore to restore it to a eariler time. do a non distructive system recovery. therefore you can keep your files. or you can do a complete format but backup your data because everything on the Disc will be lost!
also try this before doing anything…
click start. go to run type MSCONFIG
on the general tab click diagnosic startup
on the services tab click disable all
same as for the startup tab. disable all.
Click apply
restart the computer and see if that speeds her up any
talk soon
Colby
6 Victoria // Jun 18, 2008
If you reset back to factory defaults, after getting everything that you want off the computer, then yes, it would be the quickest way to get your computer running at it's maximum again.
But…read up on how to clean your computer up if you don't want to do it that way, (and even if you do, just for future reference) by looking up the following:
Add/Remove Programs
Msconfig
Deleting Cookies
Disk Cleanup
Error Checking
Defrag
Spyware/Malware Scanner
Other things you can do are taking the history of your Internet Pages back to either 0 or only a few days, rather than the default 20 days.
Over time everyone's computers get filled with 'gunk'. Programs we just don't use anymore, programs that start up with our computers that don't need to, 'bloatware', third party software/toolbars etc etc and the list just keeps going. Getting into a regular habit of cleaning your computer will help to make it run at it's optimum for as long as possible
7 ComStar Computers // Jun 18, 2008
The reason you are having reduced speed is becuase your computer has been working right for a long time. Like a car, she needs a tune up. Let's get started.
1, Download CCleaner ( http://downloads.comstar-computers.com/Tools/ccsetup127.exe )
2. Install CCleaner
3. Run CCleaner
4. Click TOOLS
5. Click STARTUP
6. Delete EVERYTHING except for your Antivirus software, Wireless Software, and if you use a Lexmark Printer, leave that going too.
7. Next, Click UNINSTALL
8. Uninstall any of the following
a. NewDot Domains
b. MyWaySearch
c. Bargain Buddy
d. Market Score
e. 180 Search Assistant
f. Video ActiveX Controls
g. Search Assistant
h. NavHelper
9. Click CLEANER
10. Click RuN CLEANER
11. Click ISSUES
12. Click SCAN FOR ISSUES
13. Click START/ALL PROGRAMS/ACCESSORIES/SYSTEM TOOLS/DISK DEFRAGMENTOR
14.Click C:
15. Click DEFRAGMENT
16. Reboot and test.
8 tinkterfer // Jun 18, 2008
Restoring it to it's factory condition would bring it back up to speed, but you'd lose all of your files in the process.
First, try a registry cleaner like EasyCleaner (you do need to download and install EasyCleaner): http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm
1) Install EasyCleaner, and run it.
2) Click on the button that says "Registry".
3) Scan the registry, and delete all of the unnecessary registry keys.
4) Go back to the main EasyCleaner window, and click on the "Unnecessary" button. Find and delete all unnecessary files. If EasyCleaner says it cannot delete a specific file for a certain reason, just skip that file.
Delete nonpresent device drivers (you don't need to download/buy anything for this):
DO NOT CLOSE THE COMMAND PROMPT WINDOW.
1) Make a System Restore point. If you don't know how to do this, search it up on the Microsoft website.
2) Go to Start, and click "Run".
3) Type this in the box:
cmd
4) Press the "Enter" key or click "OK".
5) Type this in the command prompt window EXACTLY as it is typed out here (that means NO TYPOS):
set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
6) Press the "Enter" key. DO NOT CLOSE THE COMMAND PROMPT WINDOW.
7) Type in:
start devmgmt.msc
9) In the Device Manager, click on "View" and click "Show Hidden Devices".
10) Expand the "Disk Drive", "Keyboards", "Mice and other pointing devices", and "Universal Serial Bus controllers" categories and Uninstall (right-click, Uninstall) all of the devices that have icons that are faded out. DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING IN THE OTHER CATEGORIES AND DO NOT UNINSTALL ANYTHING THAT IS NOT FADED-OUT.
11) When you're done uninstalling, close the Device Manager window and close the command prompt window.
Defragment your hard drive (you don't need to download/buy anything for this):
1) Go to My Computer
2) Right click on your hard drive
3) Click on "Properties"
4) Click on the "Tools" tab
5) Click the "Defragment Now…" button
Reboot the computer. You may also want to go to stop any unnecessary applications that are running. You can go to EasyCleaner and click on the "Startup" button to see what startup items you don't need and delete them.
9 Perfectest // Jun 18, 2008
Your hardwares are good.
For running slow there are many causes:
Microsoft Registry Problems = Slow Computer!
Spyware/Adware
RAM
De-Fragmenting
Etc.
Below can help you speed up your pc:
For IE, click Tools, Internet Options delete files (offline files) clear history (set days to save to 0 if you want) click o.k., and Restart
For Firfox, press ctrl+shift+del, and click clean private data.
Manage your startup:
Open your Start menu -> Click Run -> In the command screen type "msconfig.exe" -> In the "system configuration utility", click either "service" or "startup" tab -> Uncheck all programs that your are no longer using.
De-Fragmenting
1. Right click of C Disk.
2. Click properties.
3. Click tools tab.
4. Click "Defragment now".
5. Click Defragment.
You can search which process full use you cpu, and end the process.
Under steps:
1. right click on the TaskBar.
2. click the Task Manager.
3. click the processes tab.
4. double click the CPU.
5. find if the "System Idle Process" is max.
6. if not right click and click end process.
Learn "Why Is My Computer Running so Slow?" and "How to Speed it UP":
http://downloadlk.net/WhyIsMyComputerSlow.htm
Use the tool: http://downloadlk.net/themosteffectiveregistrycleaner.htm
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