Performance extreme deterioration

[Guest]

Hi everyone,
My computer runs so slowly that it is now essentially useless. Here's the
background:
I own an IBM X31 laptop running Windows XP SP2. The machine has a
Pentium M 1.4 GHz processor and 512 MB of memory. The hard drive is
partitioned and the C: drive on which the program files are stored is 22.4 GB
with 2.11 GB free and the E: drive, which is for data has 11:8 GB with 2.97
GB free.
I recently installed the MS Office 2007 Beta and that seems to have put the
machine over the edge in terms of its capability. I don’t think the problem
however, is the Office 2007 per se, but the fact that so many programs load
into memory. If I click on my system tray, there are 24 icons of programs
that are running, and I’m certain there are many more besides that.
I subscribe to MS Windows Live OneCare and so I think the computer is
relatively clean when it comes to spyware and viruses. However, even the
simplest tasks, such as writing an email, seem to tax the system. Switching
between programs takes several minutes. Opening a new program can take five
minutes. The hard drive seems to be almost always engaged. In short, my
computer has become basicaly useless. I want to buy a new one, but this is
not a good time.
I’m guessing that what I need to do is to prevent some of the numerous
programs that automatically load into memory from doing so. However, 1st,
I’m not sure how to do this, and 2nd; I’m concerned that I might prevent a
necessary program from loading.
My questions: 1. How should I manage these programs that automatically
load into memory (some of which are listed in the systems tray), and 2. What
other advice can anyone give me besides this to get my laptop running
acceptably?
Related to the above question, would it help if I removed the hard disk
partition? I always liked to keep my data and program files separate, but
I'm wondering if having the combined free space might make a difference.
Thanks for any information you can give.
Bob

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Please try the following article:

http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm

--


Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups

 

[R. McCarty]

Using Beta programs isn't a good decision on what's called "Production
Machines - Daily use computers". Beta code is seldom optimized, so
even it's basic functionality will be slower than a released/finished app.
To use or try out Beta code, it's best to use an Imaging program such as
True Image 9.01 from Acronis. Take an Image, "Try" the Beta and then
restore to the previous image state.
As to "Startups & Watchdogs", I'd use AutoRuns from SysInternals to
view the active list and make adjustments.
Your partitioning scheme is fine and altering it wouldn't yield any better
performance.
When a PC is laboring to run, first thing to check is the Event logs which
help you to isolate errors and service problems:

To access Event Logs:
Click Start, Run (type) EventVwr.Msc [Enter]
Select category (App, Sys, Security) in left pane and scan for red icons
that denote errors in the Right Pane.

AutoRuns available at:
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Autoruns.html

 

[DanS]

in

If I click on my system tray,
there are 24 icons of programs that are running,

WAY too many. Some people here will say 'it doesn't matter how many, but
what each one is doing.' I don't subscribe to that.

I subscribe to MS Windows Live OneCare

Is that still beta ?

computer is
relatively clean when it comes to spyware and viruses. However, even
the simplest tasks, such as writing an email, seem to tax the system.
Switching between programs takes several minutes. Opening a new
program can take five minutes. The hard drive seems to be almost
always engaged. In short, my computer has become basicaly useless. I
want to buy a new one, but this is not a good time.
I’m guessing that what I need to do is to prevent some of the
numerous
programs that automatically load into memory from doing so. However,
1st, I’m not sure how to do this, and 2nd; I’m concerned that I
might prevent a necessary program from loading.
My questions: 1. How should I manage these programs that
automatically
load into memory (some of which are listed in the systems tray),

There aren't too many that are necesary. There's probably a 'QuickTime'
icon....Realplayer.....maybe an IBM support program also. My home system
has very few programs that start with windows. Currently only AVG and
ZoneAlarm. So there's those 2 icons, plus the volume control. That's it.

Open each program that has an icon in the system tray. Go to that program
'Options' or 'Preferences'. Most have an option there to 'load with
Windows'. Disable them that way first.

Then look in the Start Menu -> Startup group. Delete any program
shortcuts there that you don't want to start. Previous version of Office
used to put at least one shortcut there.

Finally, from the Start Menu -> Run, enter msconfig, press enter. Go to
the startup tab and uncheck the remaining programs you don't want to
start there.

2. What other advice can anyone give me besides this to get my laptop
running acceptably?

Remove Office 2007 Beta for one. Funny, Office becomes bigger and more
complex and resource hungry, yet typically, people only use a very small
amount of the features.

 

[Larry Samuels]

Use MSCONFIG to stop all programs except your antivirus/anti-spyware
programs from loading at startup.
All programs will still run when needed by launching them from the program
shortcut.

--
Larry Samuels Associate Expert
MS-MVP (2001-2005)
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone-

 

[Ken Blake]

Hi everyone,
My computer runs so slowly that it is now essentially useless. Here's the
background:
I own an IBM X31 laptop running Windows XP SP2. The machine has a
Pentium M 1.4 GHz processor and 512 MB of memory. The hard drive is
partitioned and the C: drive on which the program files are stored is 22.4
GB
with 2.11 GB free and the E: drive, which is for data has 11:8 GB with
2.97
GB free.
I recently installed the MS Office 2007 Beta and that seems to have put
the
machine over the edge in terms of its capability. I don't think the
problem
however, is the Office 2007 per se, but the fact that so many programs
load
into memory. If I click on my system tray, there are 24 icons of programs
that are running, and I'm certain there are many more besides that.

How many you run is not the issue; the issue is which they are and what they
do. Some may affect performance greatly, others hardly at all.

However the fact that there are a lot, and that you apparently don't even
know what they all are certainly suggests that this is a big part of your
problem.

 

[LS \(V\)]

Try "MSCONFIG" (start, run tpye in msconfig)
and stop those programs from starting with Windows.
Then get a bigger hard drive.

 

[Guest]

This is helpful to me, too. But how do I tell which processes to stop? Some
are obvious, like a photo processor programme, but the other 21 are located
in the current version/run file of Windows and look important, such as NvCPL
and qttask. Any guidance?

 

[Larry Samuels]

DON'T play with the processes unless you know exactly what they are.

Only make changes on the startup tab--technically *all* entries can be
disabled there and Windows will run, but you want to leave your antivirus
and anti-spyware active.

--
Larry Samuels Associate Expert
MS-MVP (2001-2005)
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://pelos.us/SERVER.htm
Expert Zone-

 

[Frank]

And another partition scheme bites the dust..

 

[HeyBub]

This is helpful to me, too. But how do I tell which processes to
stop? Some are obvious, like a photo processor programme, but the
other 21 are located in the current version/run file of Windows and
look important, such as NvCPL and qttask. Any guidance?

Get your first clue from Google. For example:

qttask = Quick Time Video Tray Icon

NvCPL = a process which is registered as W32.SpyBot.S Worm. It takes
advantage of the Windows LSASS vulnerability, which creates a buffer
overflow and instigates your computer to shut down. To see more information
about this vulnerability please look at the following Microsoft bulletin:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms04-011.mspx.