Suddenly sluggish/choppy performance

[A. P. Lombardo]

Hello all --

I am running Windows XP on a Dell Insprion 5100 laptop, 2.4GHz, 256MB RAM.

I have had the computer for about 3 months, running without any problems.
Suddenly, however, system performance has become very choppy. For instance,
video files play back with noticeable choppiness, although audio is fine.
Explorer windows, when maximizing or minimizing, also are choppy, as are
Java applications on websites. This has been going on for about two weeks
now.

I'm usually pretty good at solving my own computer problems, but I cannot
figure out this one. I can't think of anything I've added/installed on the
system that would result in this deteroriation of performance. I've checked
for viruses and spyware, and there's nothing there. There does not seem to
be any processes running that shouldn't be running as far as I can tell.
So, I'm not sure whether it's a system performance problem, or simply a
video problem.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as this problem really detracts
from the usefulness of this machine!

Thanks in advance,

Anthony

 

[Malke]

Hello all --

I am running Windows XP on a Dell Insprion 5100 laptop, 2.4GHz, 256MB
RAM.

I have had the computer for about 3 months, running without any
problems.
Suddenly, however, system performance has become very choppy. For
instance, video files play back with noticeable choppiness, although
audio is fine. Explorer windows, when maximizing or minimizing, also
are choppy, as are
Java applications on websites. This has been going on for about two
weeks now.

I'm usually pretty good at solving my own computer problems, but I
cannot
figure out this one. I can't think of anything I've added/installed
on the
system that would result in this deteroriation of performance. I've
checked
for viruses and spyware, and there's nothing there. There does not
seem to be any processes running that shouldn't be running as far as I
can tell. So, I'm not sure whether it's a system performance problem,
or simply a video problem.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as this problem really
detracts from the usefulness of this machine!

Since you've done the usual check for spyware, viruses, etc., I'd then
look to hardware. You have a laptop - what about heat issues?

Malke

 

[A. P. Lombardo]

Hi --

Since you've done the usual check for spyware, viruses, etc., I'd then
look to hardware. You have a laptop - what about heat issues?

Malke

Thanks for your response -- but, what about heat issues? This is the first
laptop I've owned, so I'm a newbie at these matters. I can't think of
anything that's changed recently; as I said, there were no problems for
about 3 months. How would I know if there was indeed a heat issue?

Also, I've noticed that the CPU is running at 97-99% when media player is
playing a video file, which does not occur on my desktop. I've tried
reinstalling media player (9), and also discontinuing certain background
services that are nonessential to the computer, but still no luck.

Thanks again,

Anthony

 

[Malke]

Hi --



Thanks for your response -- but, what about heat issues? This is the
first
laptop I've owned, so I'm a newbie at these matters. I can't think of
anything that's changed recently; as I said, there were no problems
for
about 3 months. How would I know if there was indeed a heat issue?

Also, I've noticed that the CPU is running at 97-99% when media player
is
playing a video file, which does not occur on my desktop. I've tried
reinstalling media player (9), and also discontinuing certain
background services that are nonessential to the computer, but still
no luck.

I'd suggest you take the laptop to a good local computer shop - not a
CompUSA or BestBuy type - and have them check it out for you, do some
hardware diagnosis, etc. They'll have the testing equipment, hardware
and software, to do it.

Malke