One For The Pc Wizards

[Mr Morse]

My laptop is running REALLY slowly

The HD is not fragmented, the windows task manager doesn't show anything that could be slowing it up and there are no viruses etc

Can anyone recommend any fixes or (free) diagnostics please?

[Steve ( West Mids )]

When is it running slow? Boot-up / internet / application or all the time? Is HDD on the way out, any noise if you listen at the vents. What about memory is it showing it's all still working?

[aido]

Check this out Mike:

http://neodon.blogspot.com/2006/07/little-...hard-drive.html

Also, what free memory does task manager report?

[Mr Morse]

When is it running slow? Boot-up / internet / application or all the time? Is HDD on the way out, any noise if you listen at the vents. What about memory is it showing it's all still working?

Running slowly all the time, just started earlier this afternoon. HDD is making a slight hissing/whirring noise.

Memory:

Total 1,038,448

Available: 472,000

Cache: 611,000

The machine is less than 6 months old, never been dropped or abused. Its a Sony Vaio VGN-TX2XP

Check this out Mike:

http://neodon.blogspot.com/2006/07/little-...hard-drive.html

Also, what free memory does task manager report?

I'll have a look through that one Aido....it all looks a bit geeky to me!

[webbbr]

Running slowly all the time, just started earlier this afternoon. HDD is making a slight hissing/whirring noise.

Mmmmm,

If it has recently started to make this noise, you could have a faulty HDD. If the bearings go inside, they start to make all manor of noises.

Have you checked for spyware?

[el_gencer]

Do you have a lot of crap installed on it ? it may also be worth optimising the registry but i wouldn't do it unless you feel confident about it. if it is the hdd, back everything up and re-install using the restore cd and send it back to sony to check (assuming its under a uk warrenty)

[Mr Morse]

Mmmmm,

If it has recently started to make this noise, you could have a faulty HDD. If the bearings go inside, they start to make all manor of noises.

Have you checked for spyware?

I'm running AVG Anti-virus (freeware)....will this pick up spyware?

[aido]

This software will check the SMART status of your drive mate and tell you if it's reporting any errors:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-D...T-Monitor.shtml

Memory sounds good, it's worth going through that link, the next door neighbour had a similar problem, laptop running like crap, went through that and it made a HUGE difference in speed!

Windows occasionally drops back to PIO mode and that's the only way to reset to DMA

Mmmmm,

If it has recently started to make this noise, you could have a faulty HDD. If the bearings go inside, they start to make all manor of noises.

Have you checked for spyware?

I'm running AVG Anti-virus (freeware)....will this pick up spyware?

Don't think so, you'd need something like Windows Defender I think the MS version is called or Spybot Search and Destroy, both are supposed to pick up spyware.

Glad I run a Mac to be honest :)

[Mr Morse]

I ran the software download...it's all a bit meaningless but most of the "current" values are the same as the "worst" value...what does this all mean? :duh:

[aido]

I think that the worst value basically shows the peak value, ie it increments if there's an error - if any are incrementing then that is bad fella!

If it's all looking ok then go through the stuff on that blog, first of all check what mode the drive is running in, if it's PIO then go through the whole blog, if it's in DMA mode then that's not the issue

[Kremmen]

When it starts chugging open Task Manager, then click the CPU column so that they are listed top down and see what process is taking the most resources.

From this you/we should be able to pin down what the offending application is.

[Noel]

Does it run slow when you boot it up while connected to the mains?

Some high powered dell pc's are designed to only work at full speed when mains powered......has to be plugged in before powering up to get the full effect...

just a thought...as i think dell are using sony batteries

[lexus_IS_200]

best thing is to save all ur thins u need on ur HD and reformatt it

[IRLRs200]

best thing is to save all ur thins u need on ur HD and reformatt it

Yep make a backup of all important documents, pics, vids etc onto dc/dvd. Try download, Hirens Boot cd. This allows you to make a boot up disk that comes with a load of helpful disk diagnostic tools. and virus scanners. This is what we use in work.

Is your temperature of the hard disk gone up since it started making the new noises? Noise and extra heat are definite tell tail signs a hard drive is on its way out! I dont have a link at the moment for that boot cd, a quick search should help you find it, pm me if you cant find it and ill upload it somewhere.

[Brettster]

sony machines are usually like this, Sony cram them so full of crap that your poor lappy struggles under the load of them, Windows also tries to be smart by preloading anything you have run on the laptop, so eventually your startup takes so much longer because windows is preloading even the programs you no longer use. easy way to check this is to delete the contents of the prefetch folder you will find this folder within the windows folder on C drive. you can delete everything out of there and reboot. the first time you reboot it will take a long time as the main system files were not preloaded either

but the next time you boot up you should notice a big improvement in system speed and boot up time. just some of your programs will take a little longer to load up after you click them the first time u run them. you can also change a setting in the reg to stop new programs being added into the prefetch folder. (only worth doing after you have cleared it out and loaded everything you use day to day once)

[Tyger]

http://www.apple.com/hardware

Save your soul!!!!!

[Darkman]

Mmmmm,

If it has recently started to make this noise, you could have a faulty HDD. If the bearings go inside, they start to make all manor of noises.

Have you checked for spyware?

I'm running AVG Anti-virus (freeware)....will this pick up spyware?

Aido is right, AVG is good at finding viruses but spyware is much more of a problem on PCs. I use ad aware from Lavasoft AND Anti Spyware. If one does not get it the other one does.

Most of my slowdowns have been tracked down to either a trojan or spyware hogging resources.

Incidentally these will not always show as taking up CPU time.

If your HDD is the problem then a full scan disk will let you know if there are errors (windows may be trying to load progs that are corrupt which slows things down). Also as someone else suggested check the transfer mode of the Hard Disk (Primary IDE Channel in Device Manager). If windows encounters a problem it will step down to PIO mode rather than Ultra DMA which is Verrrryy slowwwww.

Lastly as silly as it may sound I have had the whole system slow down if I had a dirty or scratched CD\DVD in the drive. Everytime you do something Windows will try to access the cd (whether it needs to or not!!) Take out and cds and see if that makes a difference.

[Mr Morse]

delete the contents of the prefetch folder you will find this folder within the windows folder on C drive. you can delete everything out of there and reboot. the first time you reboot it will take a long time as the main system files were not preloaded either

Good tip!

Loads faster :D

[Mr Morse]

Aido is right, AVG is good at finding viruses but spyware is much more of a problem on PCs. I use ad aware from Lavasoft AND Anti Spyware. If one does not get it the other one does.

Another good recommendation........Adaware found 24 and Avorax anti spyware caught 5!

both free downloads

[Moffet]

Run a scan at http://safety.live.com/ which will look for virus', spyware, temp files etc etc. It's Microsoft's offical cleanup tool.

Also use Windows Defender from http://download.microsoft.com for realtime protection afterwards.