Slow Operation

[Don]

I am running Windows XP with SP3 on a four year old desktop with 1GB of RAM.
Operation has become slower and slower with it taking as much as two or three
minutes for a webpage to open; I am connected to the internet via broadband
cable. I have tried to eliminate unnecessary programs running in the
background, deleted temporary internet files, performed disc defrag on the
hard drive, turned off Norton Internet Security 2009, and have now run out of
ideas. The problem is not unique to any particular website. Once Internet
Explorer 7 opens, the downloading of subsequent pages is fine. Even Outlook
Express takes about 30 seconds to fully load. The extremely slow loading
seems to occur primarily after coming out of Standby.
Any suggestions?
--
Don

[Malke[_2_]]

Don wrote:

> I am running Windows XP with SP3 on a four year old desktop with 1GB of
> RAM. Operation has become slower and slower with it taking as much as two
> or three minutes for a webpage to open; I am connected to the internet via
> broadband cable. I have tried to eliminate unnecessary programs running in
> the background, deleted temporary internet files, performed disc defrag on
> the hard drive, turned off Norton Internet Security 2009, and have now run
> out of ideas. The problem is not unique to any particular website. Once
> Internet Explorer 7 opens, the downloading of subsequent pages is fine.
> Even Outlook Express takes about 30 seconds to fully load. The extremely
> slow loading seems to occur primarily after coming out of Standby.
> Any suggestions?

Some reasons for computer slowness:

1. Computer hasn't been maintained -
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Maintenance

2. Computer is infected with malware -
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

3. Hard drive is too full. Remove unnecessary stuff, uninstall unused
programs. Don't forget to back up!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Backing_Up

4. Flaky third-party software. Toolbars and add-ons are particular culprits
in this area. Uninstall toolbars (Google, Yahoo, ISP-branded, etc.) and look
carefully at what add-ons are in use in your browser(s).

5. Computer has too many unnecessary programs/processes running in the
background. Manage your Startup:

For XP - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP -
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310560
The free Autoruns program is very useful for managing your Startup -
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/default.mspx

6. User is running a bloated/invasive antivirus program such as ones from
Norton and McAfee. Replace with a better program. I recommend either NOD32
(commercial) or Avast (free). Avira is also good but the free version has an
unpleasant nag screen (Google for instructions as to how to disable this).
User may also be running more than one real-time antivirus/firewall/security
program.

7. User has installed new programs that are processor and/or memory-
intensive (Photoshop, AutoCAD, Mathmatica or the like) and doesn't have the
necessary hardware power.

8. Hard drive is failing and is in PIO Mode. This is very dramatically slow
(like being back in 1985). See Hans-Georg Michna's information here:
http://winhlp.com/?q=node/10

In addition to the above, also see
http://miekiemoes.blogspot.com/2008/02/help-my-computer-is-slow.html

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ