Third Hour Forum Rules - Please be familiar with these rules before posting

How do I keep my computer from hating me?

SeekYourWish

By SeekYourWish
in General Discussion

 Share

Recommended Posts

SeekYourWish

SeekYourWish

Posted
Posted

Okay So, Its not really a How question well I suppose it is and I'm going to try to not ramble on before I get to my question. Though I'm good at that.

I am running windows vista and its been a alright computer, I've always tried to update things when its time run virus scans keep junk off the computer, but lately everything seems to want to not respond. Like I can open a internet browser and it will work for a while but then it will not respond for 3-4 minutes and then it will work again or it will freak out to the point I shut it down and start over. I have the same problems with Windows Media and every Instant Messenger I've used. I was using the "windows updater" to manage updates or whatever, but that no longer works. I click on it and it tells me its not running and to restart my computer, no matter how many times I've restarted it it won't work and it tells me that I should restart, So basically I guess my question is What can I do to fix this? I'm really not into wanting to pay someone to fix it. If it comes to that I'll just use it how it is til it dies. If anyone has any ideas I'm ready to try them, I have become quite annoyed with having to shut down everything because things freeze up.

Thank You for your help in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dravin

Dravin

Posted
Posted

Personally I'd be tempted to wipe and reinstall, but some folks aren't comfortable with that. Have you defragged lately? Or tried a registry cleaner? That might help. Additionally you may have start up menu creep and have way to many programs running in the background. To cull what runs on start up take a look here: http://forums.wincustomize.com/136463

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Landy77

Landy77

Posted
Posted

With windows vista there are a few "house cleaning" steps you can take to help performance. About once a week clear your browsing history. In the internet explorer go to tools menu, then internet options, then select delete under browsing history. Also to make sure you do not have a virus you can scan your computer for free. Go to the below link and select download house call.

HouseCall - Free Online Virus Scan - Trend Micro USA

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Moksha

Moksha

Posted
Posted

How do I keep my computer from hating me?

Speak soothingly to it and occasionally bring it a cup of Hot Coco.

---------------

Probably moving to Window 7 or rolling back to XP sp3 would be in order.

Have you tried the service pack for Vista? Sometimes people need to completely reload their OS to bring everything back to normal.

Additionally, a good idea for all PC users is to download Ad-Aware Free and run it. Make sure you have the latest definitions files.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Elphaba

Elphaba

Posted
Posted

Probably moving to Window 7 or rolling back to XP sp3 would be in order.

I actually had to purchase a new computer and got one with Windows 7. I hate it.

I have a couple of applications that I have to run in compatability mode Windows XP. You can't do that in Windows 7 without purchasing the top of the line product at, as best as I can tell, $200 a pop. This is not something I can afford, so I cannot run the apps, one of which I rely on quite a bit.

I am NOT happy.

Elph

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SeekYourWish

SeekYourWish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Holy wow okay, um I've defragmented I've clear the internet stuff like every other day, Ive got no idea where to go for the computer stats... as for freak out.. things just wont work or I have to have a lot of patience to use that is mainly the messengers. At the time that I bought the laptop I didn't know that vista wasnt something to go with. I now know ill probably never buy it again. also the dvd application? on the computer hasnt worked in a long time but thats not something that im worried about fixing anytime soon unless theres something really simple about it. I suppose I'm not very good at describing what is going wrong. Its jsut being frusterating..

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Blackmarch

Blackmarch

Posted
Posted

Okay So, Its not really a How question well I suppose it is and I'm going to try to not ramble on before I get to my question. Though I'm good at that.

I am running windows vista and its been a alright computer, I've always tried to update things when its time run virus scans keep junk off the computer, but lately everything seems to want to not respond. Like I can open a internet browser and it will work for a while but then it will not respond for 3-4 minutes and then it will work again or it will freak out to the point I shut it down and start over. I have the same problems with Windows Media and every Instant Messenger I've used. I was using the "windows updater" to manage updates or whatever, but that no longer works. I click on it and it tells me its not running and to restart my computer, no matter how many times I've restarted it it won't work and it tells me that I should restart, So basically I guess my question is What can I do to fix this? I'm really not into wanting to pay someone to fix it. If it comes to that I'll just use it how it is til it dies. If anyone has any ideas I'm ready to try them, I have become quite annoyed with having to shut down everything because things freeze up.

Thank You for your help in advance.

how often do you wipe your computer and reinstall everything?

I've really enjoyed a program called deepfreeze... if you have some money to spare you may want to look at getting deepfreeze. It saves me a lot of hassle- I don't have to wipe and reinstall stuff anymore... just restart my computer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Wingnut

Wingnut

Posted
Posted

Holy wow okay, um I've defragmented I've clear the internet stuff like every other day, Ive got no idea where to go for the computer stats... as for freak out.. things just wont work or I have to have a lot of patience to use that is mainly the messengers. At the time that I bought the laptop I didn't know that vista wasnt something to go with. I now know ill probably never buy it again. also the dvd application? on the computer hasnt worked in a long time but thats not something that im worried about fixing anytime soon unless theres something really simple about it. I suppose I'm not very good at describing what is going wrong. Its jsut being frusterating..

Messenger programs are going to eat up your RAM like there's no tomorrow, especially Yahoo! Messenger. Though I've never used any of them, there are universal messenger platforms that you can use to only have one window and program at a time going, but be logged into multiple chats at once. Look up Trillian or Pidgin. If you go with one of those, uninstall all your other messenger programs once you're set up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mahone

Mahone

Posted
Posted (edited)

Probably moving to Window 7 or rolling back to XP sp3 would be in order.

Probably one of the more useful additions to windows 7 is the PSR.exe inclusion. PSR stands for problem steps recorder, and is designed with remote non-visual support in mind.

A slow computer is the most common complaint anyone who works in supporting computers will receive. Unfortunately, as is expected, there are several hundreds of thousands of reasons a computer could be slow, both hardware and software related. This problem doesn't have anything like a "one solution fits all" unfortunately. Most of the time, it requires an experienced eye actually looking at what is happening, as often minor, but very significant details are unintentionally omitted when relayed to the person supporting the machine via a third party (e.g. the computer owner). The problem steps recorder tries to resolve this by recording (with automatically generated screen shots and text details) the steps a user takes before the problem occurs, and puts it into a file which the user can send to anyone else to take a look at. Unfortunately vista does not come with such a tool. You could of course try and replicate this by using a screen recorder, something like Wink (which I've used before for different purposes) or a google may give you a better alternative (there are loads out there). This may give us a more accurate description of what is happening.

You may also find the solution in one of the suggestions already given, as these are some of the more common solutions.

Edited by Mahone
Link to comment
Share on other sites
SeekYourWish

SeekYourWish

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I have never wiped this computer and started over, Im too chicken -bawk- -bawk- Ive thought about it many times and started the process of moving all my crap to a external drive but I dont want to mess it up or lose something I cant get back. I've had people tell me I need to do it and then I tell someone else that someone told me to do it and they tell me oh no you dont have to do that just do this. So I try what they say and it works the first time and helps... but then it goes all hfjdkshal =x again and what they said to do doesnt help the next time i try. I suppose my biggest fear with wiping it off is the antivirus and fire wall im using it something my brother in law put on my computer and im not having to pay for it every year. and with wiping the computer i lose that right?

I have used universal messengers pidgin being the main one, but even it fails.

I may just be a very impatient person =s

Mahone, I'm pretty sure everything you just said flew over my head...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dravin

Dravin

Posted
Posted (edited)

You'll lose all the installed programs on the computer (that is to say you'll have to reinstall them), if you aren't paying for a subscription for virus definitions there is a good chance it is freeware, commercial software suites like Norton of McAfee charge a yearly subscription. There are tons of freeware firewall and antivirus software out there, I use Avast! for antivirus myself.

Edited by Dravin
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mahone

Mahone

Posted
Posted

You do not necessarily need to reinstall. It's what I would do, because I can either be sure it will completely solve the issue, or eliminate the issue being software related, therefore saving me time. If however losing your installed programs will be an issue, you could try several things. One that hasn't been mentioned already I don't think is a system restore. Just type in "restore" in your little search box at the bottom of the start menu - restore the system files back to a date where you know it was working. This could potentially damage any programs were installed after the restore date, but it may well sort the issue out. You will not lose any documents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
Still_Small_Voice

Still_Small_Voice

Posted
Posted

Okay, I am going to post some instructions for you to cleanup your operating system without having to do a re-installation.

Operating Systems may get loaded down with malicious software and other programs slowing down system performance if they are not maintained properly. Some tools to improve system performance are as follows:

Run Disk Cleanup. Go to Start -> Programs ->Accessories-> System tools-> Disk Cleanup. This application will help you clean up old and unneeded files on a computer. Do not use the option compress old files that you do not use.

Open Start -> Programs ->Accessories-> Run, type "MSCONFIG" and press enter. Go into Startup and find programs that you do not use or do not want starting up when you boot your computer and un-check them. This will make your start up faster. Be wary unchecking everything, some things you actually do need for Windows to operate properly. Unselect programs you do not need to start when your computer starts up.

Also in MSCONFIG go to BOOT.INI and click on "Advanced Options..."

Check "Number of Processors" in Windows Vista and select in how many processors you have (if your system has more than one). Windows default is to use only one core.

Run a virus scan, DO NOT USE NORTON Anti-Virus. It really slows down a system. I recommend Avast! and if you do not want to pay money (other good free programs are Spybot - Search and Destroy, Malwarebytes or SuperAntiSpyware). Fix any viruses and malcious software you may find with your virus scanning programs.

Run Disk Defragmenter. Over time your hard drive will clutter up with fragmented files and be spread over the drive. Defragmenting will organize files on the hard drive and speed up access time. I would recommend using Disk Defragmenter at least once every two weeks. I recommend downloading a program called "Auslogics Disk Defragmenter". It works much more efficiently than the defragmenter that comes with Windows. The easy way to find this program is to go to the following link:

http://www.auslogics.com/en/software/disk-defrag/download/

Install the program and run it. I would recommend using this Disk Defragmenter at least once a week. I use mine every day because it defragments my hard drive in about two minutes.

RAM is random access memory. The processor uses RAM to temporarily hold both data and instructions while it is processing them. RAM is much faster to access than permanent storage (hard drive). Most RAM presently transfers data at over 3,200 megabytes per second. A hard drive reads data at around 60 to 100 megabytes per second presently (as of 2010). If your system doesn't have enough RAM it uses the hard drive as memory which really slows down your system.

If you are using Windows Vista and your computer does not have at least 1500 megabytes (1.5 gigabytes) of RAM I would recommend you upgrade your memory.

Your hard drive is the most important component in your computer. It is good to run an error check at least once every few months to make sure there are no bad sectors on your drive. Right-click on a hard drive via My computer -> Properties -> Tools and click on Error-Checking Check Now. A pop-up will come up with Scan for system Errors and Attempt to fix system errors. Check the second box (Scan for system Errors) because your HDD (hard drive disk) may not have errors. Let it run and fix errors if it finds them.

I might also add if you find bad sectors on a hard drive to get whatever data you value off the hard drive because the bad sectors spread eventually destroying whatever data you store on the drive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mahone

Mahone

Posted
Posted (edited)

Also in MSCONFIG go to BOOT.INI and click on "Advanced Options..."

Check "Number of Processors" in Windows Vista and select in how many processors you have (if your system has more than one). Windows default is to use only one core.

I don't think this is true. I'm pretty sure that setting is to limit the amount of processors windows will use on startup. My understanding is that 1. by default all processors are used (it'd seem silly for it to be otherwise) and 2. this setting is for pre-kernel boot. After windows has booted, this setting no longer applies and it will simply use all the processors it has at its disposal.

Edited by Mahone
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Still_Small_Voice

Still_Small_Voice

Posted
Posted

I don't think this is true. I'm pretty sure that setting is to limit the amount of processors windows will use on startup. My understanding is that 1. by default all processors are used (it'd seem silly for it to be otherwise) and 2. this setting is for pre-kernel boot. After windows has booted, this setting no longer applies and it will simply use all the processors it has at its disposal.

Interesting thoughts on this point. I will test on my system and see if I get slower start ups with the setting on 1 core versus 4 cores.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
 Share
Go to topic listing