Any PC wizards in the house????

[Smiffy]

I have a really powerful PC as my main computer downstairs. Quadcore processor, blah blah blah (I don't really know what I'm talking about but it sounds good)....
Due to a virus I am now using the kids cheap Acer PC in the bedroom.
How come this thing flies whereas my super dooper PC downstairs clanks, groans and whirrs it's way along.
This PC cost a third of the price of mine, yet is whizzes along. My PC hasn't got a load on it, it's not running hundreds of different applications yet it's soooo slow in comparison. And it hasn't just started since my virus infection, it's been like it from the start!
Any ideas????

 

[Kellfire]

Virtually impossible to diagnose without being there to have a fiddle with them.

This might sound patronising but it's sound advice; run Spybot S&D and Super AntiSpyWare, delete everything you don't need from start up and then do a full virus scan.

 

[RGDave]

I can only presume that when you first started up the super-pc it was already filled with junk. When I bought my laptop (the one I use in the lounge to annoy my family) it was "bundled" with so much unnecessary crud, it wasn't great.

Do you have the windows disk for the PC. If so, it might be worth a complete slash and burn.

I have the XP disk for my desktop and all the driver disks. Years ago, it got sluggish, so I started all over again....it was the best thing I ever did.

If it's full (too many files (music etc)) and it's low on RAM, you're going to suffer. If you have got an indestructible virus, it might be worth frying the hard drive and starting afresh. I only had a virus once, and it was from running a registry cleaner off t'internet. Never again.

 

[brendy]

Dave, has it got norton antivirus on it? If so uninstall it and download nod32 or avg free edition.
Most pcs are usually slow because of the amount of programs running in the background.
If you click start and type in msconfig (or start, run if still on windows xp) click over on startup, this will show you how many 'extra' commands and programs are trying to start up along with the usual windows elements.
Programs like search & destroy and ccleaner are good for weeding out rubbish.
If you were ever tormented with it, there is a program called logmein, it's free and allows mates etc to connect to your desktop and is great for remotely diagnosing issues if they are more technically minded. I use it in work to help fix around 80 machines around the UK as it is faster and cheaper than jumping into the car/ a plane.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Smiffy

PC Hero here

start the main PC and when it has finished
click Start, Then RIGHT click Computer, then LEFT click Properties.

a box comes up, tell me the Processor Details, How much RAM you have and what Operating system.

Then close the open windows and get back to your desktop.

then click start, Left click Computer and RIGHT click the C Drive, Then Left click Properties.

Tell me how much of your hard drive is pink in the pie chart.

Then click on Disk Clean up, let it finish, and get rid of your Temporary Files and Temporary Internet Files.

Then Report back like a good Smiffy

Fragger

PC Engineer to the Gentry

 

[Smiffy]

Smiffy

PC Hero here

start the main PC and when it has finished
click Start, Then RIGHT click Computer, then LEFT click Properties.

a box comes up, tell me the Processor Details, How much RAM you have and what Operating system.

Then close the open windows and get back to your desktop.

then click start, Left click Computer and RIGHT click the C Drive, Then Left click Properties.

Tell me how much of your hard drive is pink in the pie chart.

Then click on Disk Clean up, let it finish, and get rid of your Temporary Files and Temporary Internet Files.

Then Report back like a good Smiffy

Fragger

PC Engineer to the Gentry

Thanks for the advice Frag, but I can't do that at the moment as my PC is off having it's virus removed.
I know it's got a pretty big hard drive (about 250gb) and a pretty rapid (apparantly) processor.
I also went to upgrade the memory but was told my PC is ramped out with it.

 

[Macster]

*cough* .......Macs Rule .....*cough*

Seriously Smiffy, I was soooooooo fecked off with anything to do with Windoze, that I sold my granny to get a Mac, a luvverly 21" iMac to be precise.

Unbeleivably, 'tis true , they rule, and for the last 3yrs, it has started, worked, allowed me to do what I want, when I want, quickly, quietly, without stopping, catching viruses, and generally trying to feck up my existance in any way it can.
Which I think you'd agree, a PC does with ease, and with monotonous regularity.
I hate anything to do with PC's now, cant stand the things, and Bill Gates can go to hell as far as I am concerned, - quite how the bleedin hell he ever got to world domination as he did is beyond me.

There, I feel better now.......

 

[Matty]

The big problem with these quad core processors is that the software (read programs you run) must be written is such a way so as to use all 4 cores. Sadly many are not so you are maybe only using a quarter of that processing power most of the time.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I bet your PC has the cyberclap from the binternet

Anyway, go into taskmanager and click on the processes tab. Look for the apps that are using the most memory and figure out which ones are keeping your PC running and which ones are malware/spyware. Run window washer or another app that searches the registry and get rid of McAffee or Norton and get AVG instead.

And stop looking at pr0n.

 

[Adrena1in]

And stop looking at pr0n.

But that's what the Internet's for!?

In all seriousness though, a wipe and re-start is often a good idea, especially after a year or two of use. PCs and the registry and what not get so overloaded with crap from the repeated downloading, installing, running and removing of programmes. My laptop's a good five years old, and it's been wiped twice...due another. The improvement in performance from a fresh install is like having a brand new machine again.

Which reminds me, need to get Media Center 2005 from somewhere to start again with my laptop...

 

[matt611]

Don't want to sound patronising but have you got what you paid for i.e 1gb of ram installed instead of 3gb? Happened to my mate that's the only reason i suggest it.

 

[jammydodger]

And stop looking at pr0n.

But that's what the Internet's for!?

An old one but check this out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZGnuIMnigA&feature=related

 

[Smiffy]

The PC man called in this morning to take the unit away to remove the virus. He knew what it was as soon as I started telling him about it.
He's also going to give it a clean up to get rid of some of the crap that's built up on there, says it should speed it up quite considerably.
Fingers crossed, and I'll let you know how much he charges me tomorrow

 

[vig]

I hope he's going to wear some rubber gloves.

I don't know how he's going to clean off dried up J**z from under the letters.

 

[Smiffy]

I hope he's going to wear some rubber gloves.

I don't know how he's going to clean off dried up J**z from under the letters.

You are so "Northern"

 

[vig]

 

[Macster]

I hope he doesnt access your History folder, or Favourites perhaps.......

 

[golfstick]

if your pc is 32 bit it cant utilise anymore than 3.3GB of RAM anyway. If someone has sold you a quad core with less than 3GB of RAM this makes me angry lol and they had took the piss. What makes you think its a virus that slows everything down? what does this 'virus' do? Even if you had filled ur HDD your processor aand RAM (providing its a decent amount) should blast through it! Have you used something called 'process monitor'? its a free tool but u can monitor the processes active on ur PC and see which ones are hogging the CPU/memory etc?

 

[bigslice]

I bet your PC has the cyberclap from the binternet

Anyway, go into taskmanager and click on the processes tab. Look for the apps that are using the most memory and figure out which ones are keeping your PC running and which ones are malware/spyware. Run window washer or another app that searches the registry and get rid of McAffee or Norton and get AVG instead.

And stop looking at pr0n.

strangely brown, ive just had uninstall bt browser and anything yahoo, was unable to get on to GM and other sites. whats up with BT browser? is it a known fault. ive had withdrawl symtoms not being able to get on here. even at my parents house it wouldnt recognise me

 

[RobCowan]

whats up with BT browser? is it a known fault.

Short answer - Yes.
Long answer - It's an absolute piece of crap that provides no value whatsoever & basically achieves two things - 1, bogging down your PC with extraneous rubbish and 2, managing to be so badly programmed that part of it crashes simply in the act of starting up.

One of my pet hates is internet providers who insist on you installing the contents of their 'startup' cd when all you actually have to do is plug in the router & connect your PC/laptop to it to get online. I dread to think of all the customers PCs I removed the BT software from in my previous job.

Rob.