My PC. Slooooowwwwwwwwwwwwww

chouglez

chouglez

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I recently bought [around 4-6 months ago] a Dell Dimension E520 and the specs read as follows:

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_qfe.070227-2300)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Dell DM061
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 2.1.2
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 3070MB RAM
Page File: 568MB used, 4386MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

I have at least 2 USB external hard disks attached to it.

I have 4 GB of Ram installed but as from above info it shows only 3. Is it a XP feature like Vista 32?

Instead of finding my PC blazingly fast, I find it way too slow and find my laptop which has lower specs than the PC much faster and hence tend to use the Laptop more.

Any advise/suggestions are welcome to make my PC work faster please?

Many thanks
 
Whilst working on it and its running slow go into task manager and see if anything is eating up your memory usage. you may find a program you didnt know about running in the background..
 
You only have 3GB of RAM showing because of 32bit addressing.
Your computer can only address 4GB in total (including video ram, etc) so that comes off the total sytem RAM available.

Unfortunately I think your slowness is a factor of having used windows, and installed stuff on it.
Run your restore disks, and it will be back up to speed.
 
chouglez said:
I have 4 GB of Ram installed but as from above info it shows only 3. Is it a XP feature like Vista 32?
Click to expand...

32 bit versions of all of MS OSes have a limit of 3Gb you would need to upgrade to 64bit Vista to overcome this, an OEM version would cost you about £90

As for being slow, has it always been slow? I usually find that any Windoze machine that is running slower than expected is down to software installed. Try typing 'MSCONFIG' into run and unclicking anything from your startup sequence that you don't actually use. Make sure you only have one virus protection running (I often see more than one!). If this doesn't sort it the 64bit Vista will - It will need to be a clean install as it is an OEM at that price.

NOTE - You can buy an OEM OS from MS so long as you buy ANY item of hardware with it such as a £1 mouse or keyboard!!

ADDED : I was typing at the same time as NUTTER426 so we have both answered the 3Gb bit but what he means by "including video ram, etc" is that 1Gb of the maximum 4Gb addressable space is reserved for IO ie to write information to PCI cards, video cards etc you write it to addresses within this unusable 1Gb space and this is then passed to the relevant card. You could have a 2Gb video card and it will still use the same part of the IO space. 64bit versions have no such problem as they can directly access more than a Terabyte of Ram!
 
cowasaki said:
32 bit versions of all of MS OSes have a limit of 3Gb you would need to upgrade to 64bit Vista to overcome this, an OEM version would cost you about £90
Click to expand...

doesn't using /3gb in the boot.ini file allow it use it more effectively though?
 
rwotton said:
doesn't using /3gb in the boot.ini file allow it use it more effectively though?
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter how 'effectively' it is using it, it is still just 3Gb. I would just upgrade to 64bit Vista and go with that.... Err no I wouldn't I would just buy a Mac :LOL:
 
probably your temp folder full of junk, clean it out. you'll find it in C:/documents&settings/yourname(usually)/local settings. Everything in here can be deleted.

clearing that out usually results in speeding things up for a while.
 
How Mr. G? Any side effects like processor over heating?

mrgubby said:
You could always tweak your CPU speed.

My E6600 (coreDuo 2.4Ghz) is running at 3.2Ghz for absolutely zero cost. :clap:
Click to expand...
 
get rid of any progs you dont use from the sys tray (or use msconfig if you are more experience). Then run a check for spyware/viruses.

then write to bill gates and ask why he charges so much for such a pile of ****
 
chouglez said:
How Mr. G? Any side effects like processor over heating?
Click to expand...

It will run hotter (mine is up about 15c) which *could* reduce it's life span but I've yet to hear of any CPU giving up before the entire PC is obsolete :). I think they are rated up to 85c , mine hits 58c after a couple of hours of torture tests:clap:
 
frank said:
probably your temp folder full of junk, clean it out. you'll find it in C:/documents&settings/yourname(usually)/local settings. Everything in here can be deleted.

clearing that out usually results in speeding things up for a while.
Click to expand...

Do this for all users with their own login.
 
cowasaki said:
It doesn't matter how 'effectively' it is using it, it is still just 3Gb. I would just upgrade to 64bit Vista and go with that.... Err no I wouldn't I would just buy a Mac :LOL:
Click to expand...

do you want to try again?

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx

"Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 Memory Support. The maximum amount of memory that can be supported on Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 is also 4 GB. However, Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition supports 32 GB of physical RAM and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition supports 64 GB of physical RAM using the PAE feature."
 
frank said:
probably your temp folder full of junk, clean it out. you'll find it in C:/documents&settings/yourname(usually)/local settings. Everything in here can be deleted.

clearing that out usually results in speeding things up for a while.
Click to expand...

Start>run

%temp%

(y)
 
rwotton said:
do you want to try again?

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx

"Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 Memory Support. The maximum amount of memory that can be supported on Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 is also 4 GB. However, Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition supports 32 GB of physical RAM and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition supports 64 GB of physical RAM using the PAE feature."
Click to expand...

http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/08/30/32-bit-windows-and-4gb-of-ram/
 
Instead of saying stuff like "defrag, delete temp files etc" I would be asking questions such as:

What are you doing when you notice it's slow?
Does it happen all the time?
Is it still slow if you login as another user?
What applications seem slow?
Have you tried unplugging all periperhals except for monitor, mouse, keyboard and retesting?
etc etc
 
Also take a look at the Event Logs to see if anything is awry.

You may also have a carp XP build. I had a problem with my new build and XP with SP2. It would take upto 5 minutes to boot and I had cut down all the processes not needed etc but still struggled. (Though it was fast enough when fully booted)

I finally gave up the ghost with it and installed XP 64bit and Vista 64bit on a dual boot (using an MSDN subscription before I get shot down! :) ). This also meant I could use all of the 4Gb I had just installed. It now boots up super quick.

I am putting the original build down to a faulty driver somewhere?
 
This is quite a useful thread, thanks for starting it. I've never backed up on my PC, and have tonnes of WORD docs etc, so should take heed, before something drastic happens. Our PC often runs slow, leaving sections of the previous page in view, whilst trying to download and/or access another page or site. We've defragged it from time to time, and isn't so bad then, bad then it starts a while after that.

What are the quickest or best methods of backing up please? Thank you. :) (Please don't think I'm hijacking your thread, just thought this would tie in with the thread, that's all, lol). :)
 
Beth said:
What are the quickest or best methods of backing up please? Thank you. :) (Please don't think I'm hijacking your thread, just thought this would tie in with the thread, that's all, lol). :)
Click to expand...

copy them to an external hard drive or write them to a cd.
 
rwotton said:
do you want to try again?

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx

"Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 Memory Support. The maximum amount of memory that can be supported on Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 is also 4 GB. However, Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition supports 32 GB of physical RAM and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition supports 64 GB of physical RAM using the PAE feature."
Click to expand...

PAE is a component of the x86 architecture from Intel and is only available on the XEON line of CPU's. You basically have 36bit addressing as opposed to 32 bit. Obviously that's why it's an option for Win2k3 installs as they tend to run on XEON based servers.
 
I'm running OpenSuSE 10.3 on my E520, with
a gig of ram, and its faster than a sh** off a shovel :)

Funnily, the wife's dell is running vista, and it's so
slow it's comical!!!
 
rwotton said:
do you want to try again?

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx

"Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 Memory Support. The maximum amount of memory that can be supported on Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 is also 4 GB. However, Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition supports 32 GB of physical RAM and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition supports 64 GB of physical RAM using the PAE feature."
Click to expand...

I am happy with my answer, these are server OSes NOT client OSes. As if he is going to want to install one of those on a laptop. Only the 64 bit version of XP pro runs 4Gb not the 32bit version.

The limits within Vista are much higher and in reality you will be hard pressed to find an affordable machine capable of having enough RAM to hit that limit. My machine for example will only take 8 X 4Gb sticks so I would be limited to just 32Gb!
 
LOL I've had 2k3 Enterprise running in a SQL cluster config on 8 HP laptops. I was actually surprised that it even installed :) Shame about the 2GB max ram on each though hehehehe!
 
cowasaki said:
I am happy with my answer, these are server OSes NOT client OSes. As if he is going to want to install one of those on a laptop. Only the 64 bit version of XP pro runs 4Gb not the 32bit version.
Click to expand...

when did xp professional become a server os? maybe you need to have a chat with Microsoft about how much memory it can handle? I know my xp box can handle 4gb, but then as an IT person I have configured mine well and not installed junk on there.
 
rwotton said:
when did xp professional become a server os? maybe you need to have a chat with Microsoft about how much memory it can handle? I know my xp box can handle 4gb, but then as an IT person I have configured mine well and not installed junk on there.
Click to expand...

Eeeeeeerm, it isn't, and as I read it cowasaki never stated it was. The 4GB limit in Windows 2003 (standard) is only there simply because of its positioning in the product range, yes it's a server OS but the limitation is one of marketting not technical ability.
 
rwotton said:
when did xp professional become a server os? maybe you need to have a chat with Microsoft about how much memory it can handle? I know my xp box can handle 4gb, but then as an IT person I have configured mine well and not installed junk on there.
Click to expand...

I was referring to the list of server OSes you mentioned and then spoke about XP explicitly. I am not getting into "who can wee furthest up a wall" competition with you but I was an IT professional too before I got a proper job and as for not installing junk you already have 'Windows XP' :)

Seriously though 32 bit versions of windows OSes will only address 2Gb per process anyway. The address range of 32bit processors is 4Gb inc IO space, giving a maximum memory of just over 3Gb (3.1 ish I think from memory and that is using the /3Gb cludge)

Yes if you have the PRO version of XP, a 64bit processor
, service pack after 2 (i think), bios support and use the switch you can get 4Gb total ram but again it is still limited to 2Gb per process. Very few laptops are supplied with PRO (yes I know some are), all versions of Vista 64bit work out of the box with 4Gb hence my advice.

I am not a fan or either XP or Vista though. Both are bloated and slow even on a fast computer.
 
Hello Everyone,

Thank U all for your kind advice and suggestions. I am gonna try one by one and see if I go any further with the speed on the PC. if it improves U all will be getting my blessings for sure :)
 
as said a page back, do you have norton installed ? if so remove it now ;) then use programs like avg and ad aware/spybot s@d.
 
No big fan of Norton. Been using AVG for more than 5 years now and still can't find a single flaw with it ;)
 
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