I have a freshly installed XP Home w/sp3 on a Celeron laptop with 512kb
memory. That should be enuf to make it run in a reasonable manner - not
lightning fast, but acceptable. However, the disk stays so busy doing I
don't know what that the laptop runs like a snail! I had this problem a few
years ago with another laptop, but don't remember what the solution was.
Help anyone? TIA, Paul

Turn off indexing.
"Paul H" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:OYUZ%(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a freshly installed XP Home w/sp3 on a Celeron laptop with 512kb
>memory. That should be enuf to make it run in a reasonable manner - not
>lightning fast, but acceptable. However, the disk stays so busy doing I
>don't know what that the laptop runs like a snail! I had this problem a
>few years ago with another laptop, but don't remember what the solution
>was. Help anyone? TIA, Paul

Paul H wrote:
> I have a freshly installed XP Home w/sp3 on a Celeron laptop with
> 512kb memory. That should be enuf to make it run in a reasonable
> manner - not lightning fast, but acceptable. However, the disk stays
> so busy doing I don't know what that the laptop runs like a snail! I
> had this problem a few years ago with another laptop, but don't
> remember what the solution was. Help anyone? TIA, Paul

Not all "freshly installed XP Homes" are created equal. :-)

What is the make and model of your laptop? Does it have any customized
additions (trialware for certain obnoxious programs for instance)
appearing as part of the "fresh" install?

Also, is the laptop connected to anything?

Why and how did you perform this fresh install?

"Paul H" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have a freshly installed XP Home w/sp3 on a Celeron laptop with 512kb
>memory. That should be enuf to make it run in a reasonable manner - not
>lightning fast, but acceptable. However, the disk stays so busy doing I
>don't know what that the laptop runs like a snail! I had this problem a few
>years ago with another laptop, but don't remember what the solution was.
>Help anyone? TIA, Paul

More than likely, the disk is staying busy flogging the swap file
because you don't have enough RAM for the apps you run on the machine.

--
Tim Slattery
(E-Mail Removed)
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

In news:OYUZ%(E-Mail Removed),
Paul H <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
> I have a freshly installed XP Home w/sp3 on a Celeron
> laptop with 512kb memory. That should be enuf to make it
> run in a reasonable manner - not lightning fast, but
> acceptable. However, the disk stays so busy doing I don't
> know what that the laptop runs like a snail! I had this
> problem a few years ago with another laptop, but don't
> remember what the solution was. Help anyone? TIA, Paul

It could be several things from "good" applications running
that -should- get out of your way when you want the cpu's
attention, to malware.

The "good" stuff could be things like indexing (there is a
default magnifying glass in the system tray if it's turned on,
which pulsates during indexing). It might run a lot when first
turned on but after a couple days should settle down and not
run unless you've added files or deleted/changed files on the
system; then it may run long enough to index those files.
Indexing can be turned off, but in general is a good thing
and speeds up opening files and finding files.

Another is Anti-Virus. AV programs can be set to run during
machine idle times. It should stop and get out of your way if
you want to use the machine though. Background AV can be
turned off, too.

Same for some anti-spyware/malware applications you may be
running in real time.

And so on; there are a fairly long list of items it could be.

Task Manage might show you which task if using up all the cpu
time on you. Start TM, click the cpu column to select it,
then click it again to set the sort order so the largest
numbers are at the top of the list. When the machine has set
idle for a minute or so, the System Idle Process should show
numbers in the 90% or more area during idle (computer sitting,
doing nothing).
Look for the process that has the highest cpu usage; it's
likely the culprit. Then you have to figure out what that
process is (ask here if you don't know), and act accordingly.
Another handy tool is msconfig: It lets you turn things off
and reboot to see if what you turned off is causing the
problem. Once known, then it can be corrected the proper way.

I would recommend:
-- Disconnect from the internet.
-- Do a Cold Boot. That means turn the PC off, and then
disconnect its power cord for about 30 seconds minimum. Start
the computer.
-- Do a ...System Toos; Disk Cleanup. Might take awhile to
run so be patient.
-- Restart.
-- Update and run your anti-virus program
-- Restart or do as instructed on the screen if anything
comesup. Then Restart.
-- Update and run at least three anti-spyware programs. e.g.
superantispyware, adaware, spybot search & destroy; there are
many of them available. Ask here if you want help choosing
which ones. You need at least 3 because so far no single
program seems to catch or check for all possibilities: Each
has their own strengths and weaknesses, so three or more gives
much better odds of finding malware. Some people try to say
SuperAnti... does it all, but that's not true by any means.
It's good, but not that good. No program is yet.
-- Restart. I know it's a pita to do all the restarts, but
they can make the difference between realizing it's fixed &
not, and continuing with TSing steps when it's not necessary.

-- Run ChkDsk with NO flags! Nothing will get fixed, but it
WILL report any problems it finds. Based on what it finds,
then you can make a decision as to whether to run it with the
switches or not.
I do it that way because it IS possible, under the right
circumstances, for Chkdsk to trash your drive to the point of
going non-bootable when the "fix" switch is set.

Then come back here and describe what you've done and the
results, if any, of each step. The next steps will become a
little more complex and depend on the results of all the
above. Write down any meaningful messages you get so you can
accurately detail them here.

HTH,

Twayne`

On Apr 5, 9:13*am, "Paul H" <NoSpamphobergNoS...@att.net> wrote:
> I have a freshly installed XP Home w/sp3 on a Celeron laptop with 512kb
> memory. *That should be enuf to make it run in a reasonable manner - not
> lightning fast, but acceptable. *However, the disk stays so busy doing I
> don't know what that the laptop runs like a snail! *I had this problem a few
> years ago with another laptop, but don't remember what the solution was.
> Help anyone? *TIA, Paul

Do a RUN msconfig and see what is starting up.

I run XP Pro on a .386 with 256 Mb ram, it it runs pretty fast.

Look in your Start Menu and see what's running.

I have nothing but a Calender program starting.

If you use a Virus Program, I would recommend stopping it.

If you run as a Limited User and have a firewall, you won't need it.

Good luck,
Andy

Hi Twayne,
You (and a couple others) named it. Indexing! It finally stopped and the
Dell inspiron 1000 is fairly fast now. 512 is enuf memory. I do use Avast
and AdAware. I'll leave indexing on.
Thanks,
Paul

"Twayne" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In news:OYUZ%(E-Mail Removed),
> Paul H <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
>> I have a freshly installed XP Home w/sp3 on a Celeron
>> laptop with 512kb memory. That should be enuf to make it
>> run in a reasonable manner - not lightning fast, but
>> acceptable. However, the disk stays so busy doing I don't
>> know what that the laptop runs like a snail! I had this
>> problem a few years ago with another laptop, but don't
>> remember what the solution was. Help anyone? TIA, Paul
>
> It could be several things from "good" applications running that -should-
> get out of your way when you want the cpu's attention, to malware.
>
> The "good" stuff could be things like indexing (there is a default
> magnifying glass in the system tray if it's turned on, which pulsates
> during indexing). It might run a lot when first turned on but after a
> couple days should settle down and not run unless you've added files or
> deleted/changed files on the system; then it may run long enough to index
> those files.
> Indexing can be turned off, but in general is a good thing and speeds up
> opening files and finding files.
>
> Another is Anti-Virus. AV programs can be set to run during machine idle
> times. It should stop and get out of your way if you want to use the
> machine though. Background AV can be turned off, too.
>
> Same for some anti-spyware/malware applications you may be running in real
> time.
>
> And so on; there are a fairly long list of items it could be.
>
> Task Manage might show you which task if using up all the cpu time on you.
> Start TM, click the cpu column to select it, then click it again to set
> the sort order so the largest numbers are at the top of the list. When the
> machine has set idle for a minute or so, the System Idle Process should
> show numbers in the 90% or more area during idle (computer sitting, doing
> nothing).
> Look for the process that has the highest cpu usage; it's likely the
> culprit. Then you have to figure out what that process is (ask here if you
> don't know), and act accordingly.
> Another handy tool is msconfig: It lets you turn things off and reboot
> to see if what you turned off is causing the problem. Once known, then it
> can be corrected the proper way.
>
> I would recommend:
> -- Disconnect from the internet.
> -- Do a Cold Boot. That means turn the PC off, and then disconnect its
> power cord for about 30 seconds minimum. Start the computer.
> -- Do a ...System Toos; Disk Cleanup. Might take awhile to run so be
> patient.
> -- Restart.
> -- Update and run your anti-virus program
> -- Restart or do as instructed on the screen if anything comesup. Then
> Restart.
> -- Update and run at least three anti-spyware programs. e.g.
> superantispyware, adaware, spybot search & destroy; there are many of them
> available. Ask here if you want help choosing which ones. You need at
> least 3 because so far no single program seems to catch or check for all
> possibilities: Each has their own strengths and weaknesses, so three or
> more gives much better odds of finding malware. Some people try to say
> SuperAnti... does it all, but that's not true by any means. It's good, but
> not that good. No program is yet.
> -- Restart. I know it's a pita to do all the restarts, but they can
> make the difference between realizing it's fixed & not, and continuing
> with TSing steps when it's not necessary.
>
> -- Run ChkDsk with NO flags! Nothing will get fixed, but it WILL report
> any problems it finds. Based on what it finds, then you can make a
> decision as to whether to run it with the switches or not.
> I do it that way because it IS possible, under the right circumstances,
> for Chkdsk to trash your drive to the point of going non-bootable when the
> "fix" switch is set.
>
> Then come back here and describe what you've done and the results, if any,
> of each step. The next steps will become a little more complex and depend
> on the results of all the above. Write down any meaningful messages you
> get so you can accurately detail them here.
>
> HTH,
>
> Twayne`
>
>
>
>

In
news:ed1b2f31-e3ab-466e-9ef9-(E-Mail Removed),
Mint <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
> On Apr 5, 9:13 am, "Paul H" <NoSpamphobergNoS...@att.net>
> wrote:
>> I have a freshly installed XP Home w/sp3 on a Celeron
>> laptop with 512kb memory. That should be enuf to make it
>> run in a reasonable manner - not lightning fast, but
>> acceptable. However, the disk stays so busy doing I don't
>> know what that the laptop runs like a snail! I had this
>> problem a few years ago with another laptop, but don't
>> remember what the solution was. Help anyone? TIA, Paul
>
> Do a RUN msconfig and see what is starting up.
>
> I run XP Pro on a .386 with 256 Mb ram, it it runs pretty
> fast.
>
> Look in your Start Menu and see what's running.
>
> I have nothing but a Calender program starting.
>
> If you use a Virus Program, I would recommend stopping it.
>
> If you run as a Limited User and have a firewall, you won't
> need it.
>
> Good luck,
> Andy

Wow, so many falsehoods all in one place. What speed is the
cpu on this 386 I wonder? And the FSB speed?

"Twayne" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In news:ed1b2f31-e3ab-466e-9ef9-(E-Mail Removed),
> Mint <(E-Mail Removed)> typed:
>> On Apr 5, 9:13 am, "Paul H" <NoSpamphobergNoS...@att.net>
>> wrote:
>>> I have a freshly installed XP Home w/sp3 on a Celeron
>>> laptop with 512kb memory. That should be enuf to make it
>>> run in a reasonable manner - not lightning fast, but
>>> acceptable. However, the disk stays so busy doing I don't
>>> know what that the laptop runs like a snail! I had this
>>> problem a few years ago with another laptop, but don't
>>> remember what the solution was. Help anyone? TIA, Paul
>>
>> Do a RUN msconfig and see what is starting up.
>>
>> I run XP Pro on a .386 with 256 Mb ram, it it runs pretty
>> fast.
>>
>> Look in your Start Menu and see what's running.
>>
>> I have nothing but a Calender program starting.
>>
>> If you use a Virus Program, I would recommend stopping it.
>>
>> If you run as a Limited User and have a firewall, you won't
>> need it.
>>
>> Good luck,
>> Andy
>
> Wow, so many falsehoods all in one place. What speed is the cpu on this
> 386 I wonder? And the FSB speed?
>
Maybe he OC'd the CPU? Made Windows think it really was running at 300MHz?
Yeah, right!! ROTFLMAO!!! Next he'll be running Win7 on his 486DX50!!! Hee
hee hee!!!
--
SC Tom

"Owning a handgun doesn't make you armed
any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician."
Lt. Col. J.D. "Jeff" Cooper, USMC, Ret.