[Inactive] Slow, freezes, last attempt

[Hoov]

Old hardware can seem to run slower.

   1. Double-click My Computer, and then right-click the hard disk that you want to check.
   2. Click Properties, and then click Tools.
   3. Under Error-checking, click Check Now. A dialog box that shows the Check disk options is displayed,
   4. Use one of the following procedures:
          *  select the Automatically fix file system errors check box
          *  select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box
   5. Click Start
 
      Note If one or more of the files on the hard disk are open, you will receive the following message:
      The disk check could not be performed because the disk check utility needs exclusive access to some Windows files on the disk. These files can be accessed by restarting Windows. Do you want to schedule the disk check to occur the next time you restart the computer?
      Click Yes to schedule the disk check, and then restart your computer to start the disk check.


Let me know if there was any change.

[patm233]

zero change.

[Hoov]

There is something I would like you to try. Open the Taskmanager again. This time go to the performance tab. You will see graphs in that section. Reduce it to the taskbar. Now go ahead and start programs normally. If it hangs up again, reopen the Taskmanager and look at the graphs. Did either one of them spike to maximum? Which one?

[patm233]

Google chrome, skype and itunes all spiked.

[Hoov]

How high did it go, and was it the CPU graph or the memory graph or both?

[patm233]

It was both and the spiked at the very top

[Hoov]

The CPU spike happens when first opening a program, but it should not stay there to long. But the memory spike shouldn't happen. Have you ever changed any settings for your Swap File (also known as Virtual Memory, Paging File)?

[patm233]

No sir, have never heard of it nor how to do it.

[Hoov]

1. Open System in Control Panel.

2. On the Advanced tab, under Performance, click Settings.

3. On the Advanced tab, under Virtual memory, click Change.

4. Under Drive [Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.

5. Under Paging file size for selected drive, make sure that it is set on system managed size.

Let me know if it was not selected.

[patm233]

It was set on custom size, switched it to manage.

[Hoov]

How is the computer running now? You may need to reboot the computer to see a change from that setting.

[patm233]

Things running better now. Switched from mozilla to chrome and that's made a significant change in my online speed.

[Hoov]

Try Firefox safe mode (not windows safe mode), use the instructions below.

1.  Close down Firefox completely: At the top of the Firefox window, click the File menu, and select the Exit menu item.

2.  In Windows, click Start, open the All Programs list, and navigate to the Mozilla Firefox folder. In the Mozilla Firefox folder, select Mozilla Firefox (Safe Mode).

3.  Firefox should start up with a Firefox Safe Mode dialog.

4. Click Continue In Safe Mode. This starts Firefox in its Safe Mode. While you are in Safe Mode, your extensions and themes will be disabled, and any toolbar customizations will be reverted back to their defaults. These changes are not permanent - when you leave Safe Mode and start Firefox up normally, your extensions, themes, and settings will return to the state they were in before you entered Safe Mode.

[patm233]

When I open all programs, mozilla has no folder, it's just the applicaction.

[Hoov]

In firefox, go to the help section and select "Start firefox with all addons disabled". Let me know if that allows Firefox to run better.