Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Mark Topic as New
- Mark Topic as Read
- Float this Topic for Current User
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Printer Friendly Page
- Plusnet Community
- :
- Forum
- :
- Other forums
- :
- Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc
- :
- Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 10:45 AM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 10:59 AM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Which internet security packages are you running
Have you checked the running processes/programmes using Task Manager
Have you checked the virtual memory settings - they may be fixed at a low level to suit your previously installed memory
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 11:55 AM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
As you seemed to suggest, I've just increased my virtual memory (Total paging size for all drives) from 720 to 1440 MB which it seemed to be recommending.
The Task Manager list has so many things on it, I'm afraid I don't know what they all mean.
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 12:00 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler) Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!) Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20) Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month) Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month) |
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 12:11 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
If it helps, until a few months back I was running a 1.8GGHz on 512MB and a 40GB drive. It handled everything with ease - far quicker I might add than this 2.8GHz with 1GB of ram does. Oh.. and this one gets way hotter too.
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 12:31 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 12:37 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
I've just grabbed a PC that a neighbour was going to take to the dump, it's a 1100GHz. I've done a fresh XP Home install starting from an XP SP3 Home disc I got from a friend and it's running faster than my XP1600+ which I also haven't rebuilt for many years.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler) Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!) Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20) Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month) Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month) |
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 12:41 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Quote from: kilburncat My XP SP3 Home desktop is around 6yrs old, I've doubled the RAM to 1Gb, it has an AMD Athlon XP 2000+ 1.6 GHz processor. The 80 GB hard drive is half full. It is now struggling to open documents, Firefox, Thunderbird, Word etc. I use CC cleaner, Defraggler, Auslogics Reg Defrag and tried Systemcare which seemed to make it go even slower. I have an additional Win 7 new laptop which I am also using. Is there a free or paid for programme or procedure I'm missing that would speed things up on the desktop or have I tried everything and should I discard the computer?
It's called Linux and it's free.
I have a 9 year old PC, which doesn't see much use.
It has 384MB and a 600MHz CPU - it's borderline usable with a fully featured desktop.
For better performance, it would go much faster with a "small Linux".
You wouldn't need equivalents of
Quote CC cleaner, Defraggler, Auslogics Reg Defrag and tried Systemcare
"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 12:58 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 1:30 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Quote from: kilburncat I havent re-intalled Windows as I don't have the original disc as it was not supplied by Time Computers (who are no more).
That'll be the problem then. Time went bust years ago... If its really been that long since it last had XP reinstalled then no matter how many suggestions people here make about your anti-virus, junk cleaners, registry cleaners etc nothing will help.
Your registry will be bloated and no cleaner on earth is going to know what it can remove with no effect successfully. If I supplied you with a custom program then how on earth would someone elses registry cleaner know what registry keys my program will need and what can be deleted?
You need to get hold of a XP disk. It's not hard these days, just ask around and I'm sure someone will be able to help. Backup all your files, (including the less obvious ones like outlook express emails, Instant messaging logs etc) and then wipe the drive. Reinstall it all along with the software you need (but not the junk that you've not used for many years) and you'll be away.
Forget the suggestions here about linux... while I agree it's a good OS and is certainly far less resource intensive it's like learning to ride a bike all over again from a PC users POV. It also isn't actually the answer as to what you were asking - more of a 'rub it in' type response.
Get XP reinstalled and you should be ok. I've got an old 733MHz machine sat under the desk at the moment running XP with SP2 installed. Granted its not used for much but it still works well considering its processor is < 1GHz.
Alternatively if you just wanted to hear someone say "Yes, its knackered bin it and get a nice shiny super powerful computer" then I've just said it
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 1:42 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 1:44 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Quote from: okrzynska You need to get hold of a XP disk. It's not hard these days, just ask around and I'm sure someone will be able to help. Backup all your files, (including the less obvious ones like outlook express emails,
yes just go ahead and break the law. I am sure that M$ doesn't care.
Quote Forget the suggestions here about linux... while I agree it's a good OS and is certainly far less resource intensive it's like learning to ride a bike all over again from a PC users POV. It also isn't actually the answer as to what you were asking - more of a 'rub it in' type response.
Well depends on what the user wants to do, doesn't it. With a sub 2Ghz processor they will not be running the latest games
Download a copy of a FREE OS, and give it a try. It doesn't cost anymore than the blank cd to put it on. Then see how FAST your existing PC is.
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 1:45 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
If you have the wrong type of disk then the code for the PC may not be accepted.
Worth a try though.
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 1:48 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Quote from: Hairy yes just go ahead and break the law. I am sure that M$ doesn't care.
If you can get hold of the correct type of disk and use the code on the label on the PC you're not breaking the terms of the licence (and certainly not the law).
The PC will presumably be licensed, as the sticker confirms, you just don't have the reinstall media.
Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?
21-10-2010 2:42 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Highlight
- Report to Moderator
Quote from: Hairy
Quote from: okrzynska You need to get hold of a XP disk. It's not hard these days, just ask around and I'm sure someone will be able to help. Backup all your files, (including the less obvious ones like outlook express emails,
yes just go ahead and break the law. I am sure that M$ doesn't care.
M$ does not care less what disk you use the relevant question is:
Quote from: jelv Providing you have the sticker with the product key
If you have the product key it will be a valid, legal install no matter what disks you use.
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler) Why I have left Plusnet (warning: long post!) Broadband: Andrews & Arnold Home::1 (FTTC 80/20) Line rental: Pulse 8 Home Line Rental (£14.40/month) Mobile: iD mobile (£4/month) |
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Mark Topic as New
- Mark Topic as Read
- Float this Topic for Current User
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Printer Friendly Page
- Plusnet Community
- :
- Forum
- :
- Other forums
- :
- Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc
- :
- Re: Is my desktop ready for the scrap heap?