Why is it so SLOW?!

[Guest]

Ok, I'm NOT Vista bashing. On the whole, I'm rather impressed. But my new
Vista laptop is SLOW! It is slow to start up and shutdown, and slow to
perform file operations, slow to start applications, SLOW SLOW SLOW!

Here are the specs:

Vista Home Premium
Dell Inspiron 1720, Intel Core 2 Duo T7100, 1.8GHz, 800Mhz, 2M L2 Cache
2GB, DDR2, 667MHz RAM
17.0 inch display (1920 x 1200)
128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400
120G 5400RPM SATA hard drive 5400RPM

I'm running as administrator (bad idea, I know.. I'm going to fix that
soon). I'm running Aero Glass (before you say that switching to Vista Basic
will help, remember that with Aero, GUI rendering is passed to the graphics
card, actually making core processes and applicaitons run faster by freeing
up CPU and RAM resources). Lowering my screen resolution dind't help either
(hell, it's why I sprung for the GeForce instead of cheaping out with
integrated graphics). I do have ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite running at
startup, but it was slow before that was installed, so I don't think that's
it.

Any help would be appreciated. I REALLY want to love this OS and machiene,
but I'm *puts index and thumb close together* "THIS" close to wiping
everything and installing XP pro.

Also, the "enable" button in the software explorer part of Defender is
perpetually grayed out. If they won't let me authorize startup programs, why
teast me with the button?

HLEP!

 

[Guest]

Your hardware specs are fine!
If your anti-virus is Norton, Trend Micro, or McAfee, that is one of your
probs with slowness.

 

[Andy [YaYa]]

Your hardware specs are fine!
If your anti-virus is Norton, Trend Micro, or McAfee, that is one of your
probs with slowness.

Don't put XP Pro, if your chipset is Intel you can probably do it, but most
new notebooks with Vista have limited XP support in the driver department.
Check the Dell website, see if they have drivers listed for XP for your
notebook. Make sure you have your restore CDs in case you fail, can just
reinstall vista from the CDs again (pretty fast).

geForce 8400 isn't that much faster than integrated graphics. That was an
upgrade option? Interesting, is it a modular video card (like could you get
an 8600 down the line?)?

My notebook x1200 radeon runs like a dog with current games, but TF2 is
doable at lowest settings.

download a free-anti virus from someplace like http://free.grisoft.com/ or
http://www.avast.com
Disconnect from the net
Run System Properties, Click System Protection Tab, Click Create... to make
a restore point.
Uninstall ZoneAlarm, never found a use for it
Uninstall any anti virus application
Uninstall stuff you don't plan to use, reboot as necessary, stay off the
internet.

Install AVG or Avast!
Connect to the Internet to update your virus definitions
update windows defender
make sure Windows Firewall is enabled (Shouldn't get the red shield icon in
the system tray)

If this doesn't help too much, you could always reinstall from the DELL
Restore CDs, that'll restore your computer to when you bought it (wipes HD,
be careful with your data).

Remember whenever you go to install anything, Make a System Retore Point. If
something goes wrong then you can easily bring up System Restore and back up
to before you installed whatever it is that slowed down your system.

Best-a-luck

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Open Power Options (its in the Control Panel) and then
place a dot next to High Performance.

Next:

Open Device Manager (its in the Control Panel) and then
right-click on your hard drive (under Disk Drives). Click
on "Policies" and make sure there are check marks next to
"Optimize for Performance", "Enable write caching on
the disk", and "Enable advanced performance", then click OK.

Next, perform a Disk Cleanup:

Click on the blue Vista start button and then on the Computer
entry in the Start Menu. Right-click on your hard drive and
select Properties > Disk Cleanup > Files from all users.....
More Options > Clean Up (System Restore and Shadow Copies).


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

Ok, I'm NOT Vista bashing. On the whole, I'm rather impressed. But my new
Vista laptop is SLOW! It is slow to start up and shutdown, and slow to
perform file operations, slow to start applications, SLOW SLOW SLOW!

Here are the specs:

Vista Home Premium
Dell Inspiron 1720, Intel Core 2 Duo T7100, 1.8GHz, 800Mhz, 2M L2 Cache
2GB, DDR2, 667MHz RAM
17.0 inch display (1920 x 1200)
128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400
120G 5400RPM SATA hard drive 5400RPM

I'm running as administrator (bad idea, I know.. I'm going to fix that
soon). I'm running Aero Glass (before you say that switching to Vista Basic
will help, remember that with Aero, GUI rendering is passed to the graphics
card, actually making core processes and applicaitons run faster by freeing
up CPU and RAM resources). Lowering my screen resolution dind't help either
(hell, it's why I sprung for the GeForce instead of cheaping out with
integrated graphics). I do have ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite running at
startup, but it was slow before that was installed, so I don't think that's
it.

Any help would be appreciated. I REALLY want to love this OS and machiene,
but I'm *puts index and thumb close together* "THIS" close to wiping
everything and installing XP pro.

Also, the "enable" button in the software explorer part of Defender is
perpetually grayed out. If they won't let me authorize startup programs, why
teast me with the button?

HLEP!

 

[Tiberius]

your OS (vista) sucks


bad choice

 

[Guest]

You're a troll. I've seen you spew your crap all over the place.
And if you think I'm just an MS fanboy, know this,

I've got two linux boxes running at home (Edubuntu form my 5 year old, and a
Debain LAMP server)
I'm getting a Mac for my wife.

Your comments are not useful, unappreciated, immature, and frankly,
retarted. Don't you have something ebtter to do with your life than troll
help sites bashing an OS? Get a life.

 

[Guest]

I know that the 8400 isn't all that fast itself, but it does take the
processing for Aero off of the CPU. I'm not really looking to play games on
it. I do use it for some light video editing (home movies to DVD to send to
my luddite relatives), and I use Photoshop CS2 fairly regularly. I mostly use
it as a school machine (B.S in IT, conentration in Security), and for web
development away from my three kids

The computer was slow before I installed ZA. I'll give Windows Firewall and
Defender a chance, though. If I catch something ( unlikely anyway given that
I'm VERY careful about what I do online), I'm coming after ytou with a can of
cheeze-wiz and a sheep that I dyed purple when I was drunk. Yeah, you know
whats coming next..

I've only had it for a little over a week now, so even if I have to wipe it
back to factory, it won't be too much of a problem.

Thanks for the suggestion

 

[Guest]

I had already set the hard drive up for write caching and performance. I'll
have to chekc, but I'm pretty sure that UI have the computer set for High
Performance when its' plugged in. I have to run a disk cleanup, but I haven't
had it that long, so I'm not sure if that will help (although I can see it
getting rid of a crap-ton of setup leftovers)

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll let you knwo how it turns out.

 

[KDE]

Open Power Options (its in the Control Panel) and then
place a dot next to High Performance.

How does changing when the PC sleeps affect "Performance" ?

 

[Guest]

I already responed to Andy about this, but it was slow before I installed ZA.
I'm going to try AVG and Windows Firewall/Defender, and see what happens. But
if I catch something out there on the Internets, read the thing I said to
Andy about the cheese-wiz. For you, I'll tie you to a tree and throw SPAM at
you. Yes, SPAM. The stuff that comes in cans. (mmm..SPAM...)

This is what I get for posting during lunch when I forgot to bring mine (and
I can smell everyone elses...)



Thanks for the reply!

 

[Translator English - French - Creole]

ha ha ha windows firewall is a joke,best one for me is mcafee, but some
people are apparently having trouble between vista and mcafee but i'm fine

--
Jonathan Perreault

Personnal Advice To You:
#1: Do Not Undermine Windows's Work, Or It'll Undermine You As A User.
#2: Torture Windows (Any) Now Before It Tortures You

Best Comments From Users:
No Matter The Problem Even With Linux, It's Microsoft's And Windows's Faults

A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely
foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

 

[Translator English - French - Creole]

woouuuu ha ha ha ha ha YEAH, finally someone who has a good smart mouth,
that and the fact you have linux, oh by the way i think you will find a lot
of people here kinda immature, sometimes it funny but most of the times it's
not, just little head's up

peace

--
Jonathan Perreault

Personnal Advice To You:
#1: Do Not Undermine Windows's Work, Or It'll Undermine You As A User.
#2: Torture Windows (Any) Now Before It Tortures You

Best Comments From Users:
No Matter The Problem Even With Linux, It's Microsoft's And Windows's Faults

A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely
foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for your appreciation of my rapier wit and dashing good looks...
wait... I have neither... what was I talking about again?

Oh, yeah. I know there's immature people. My view on the OS wars is that
each has its place. As much as everyone LOVES to hate windows, I wish they'd
understand that MS and Lord Gates did very well standardize the computer
industry, making MUCH of the technology we have today possible. Windows is a
very good multi-purpose OS. It's not the BEST at anything, but it's damn well
good enough for most things (and most users, who AREN'T techhies).

Mac OS is good for novice users, multimedia, or people who like really
pretty computers. Some may laugh, but it's true, and there's obviously a
demand for that, or they'd be out of business.

Linux is great for its own reasons. It runs really well on older systems
because of it's small kernel footprint. That makes it ideal for things like
webservers and homework machines or web browsing. There'd be a lot more
computer crap in junkyards if it wasn't for techies taking old windows boxes
and resurecting them (Frankenstein-style) as Linux boxes. Call it recycling...

WOW. That was totally off topic... but it was my topic.. so HA!

 

[Guest]

I'm not too keen on using windows firewall myself, but given that my router
keeps my house in stealth mode and that I am pretty responsible about the
sites I visit, it should do just fine.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for the links! I'll definately be trying those when I get home!

 

[Translator English - French - Creole]

yes thanks already tried them and computer is 19% faster, i didn't come up
with that number it was given to me by pc

--
Jonathan Perreault

Personnal Advice To You:
#1: Do Not Undermine Windows's Work, Or It'll Undermine You As A User.
#2: Torture Windows (Any) Now Before It Tortures You

Best Comments From Users:
No Matter The Problem Even With Linux, It's Microsoft's And Windows's Faults

A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely
foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

 

[MICHAEL]

* KDE:

How does changing when the PC sleeps affect "Performance" ?

That setting can also have an impact on how fast the processor
runs.... whether or not to conserve battery power in laptops.


-Michael

 

[Tiberius]

Oh I love windows.. vista is just crap...

Im no troll

 

[Vista User]

What a helpful post. You must be proud of yourself.

 

[Frank]

Oh I love windows.. vista is just crap...

Im no troll

Correction...you're an idiot troll...ahahaha...lol!
Frank