Laptop slow

[hifi_dave]

Hi Folks. My main Dell laptop running Windows Vista has started running slow. It is around 5 years old.

Last night it happened suddenly by locking up and freezing, mainly because I kept on clicking things when it was so painfully slow. Start up is slow and even turning off takes 10 minutes. I have run a McAfee and a Malwarebytes quick scan, both of which went through without a hitch.

I have done a bit of www searching which pointed to 'registry' problems but being a complete computer numpty, I have no idea what that is or what I should do about it.

Any ideas will be gratefully received.

[walpurgis]

If you don't want to attempt anything complex, try a 'one click fix' application like SlimCleaner. I've used it many times. It's glitch free and works, it also costs nothing as it's a free safe download at:

http://download.cnet.com/SlimCleaner-Free/3000-18512_4-75279939.html Note! Whilst downloading and installing, decline or uncheck any offered extra software which appears on each box. There will be some.

I've used SlimCleaner on Vista laptops a few times and it definitely helps.

If your laptop isn't carried about and is kept on the mains power supply all the time, try setting the power options to high performance. This is in your control panel under 'system and security' then 'power options'.

Also, turning off 'Aero' display interface saves power and can help add speed, right click the desktop and choose 'personalise', then select a basic non-Aero theme.

It may also help to defragment the hard drive, there's a good defragmenter on SlimCleaner.

[hifi_dave]

Many thanks Geoff. I'll give it a go tomorrow.

[walpurgis]

Let me know how you get on Dave. I've used the steps mentioned on my brother's and my daughter's desperately slow Vista laptops successfully.

[John]

Yes do a system clean and defrag.
5 years pretty old for a laptop so back up your files in case

[Light Dependant Resistor]

Hi Dave
You can entirely escape the problems of software like this by downloading a iso image file of linux mint http://www.linuxmint.com and read through all of the information there. The first thing you will notice is that mint like most linux operating systems is community driven, so you have like minded people and the developers all chatting and sharing ideas. So you are not left on your own. Read there and let me know what you think, it makes a refreshing change to have wonderful assistance so close for you to use and ask questions with.

Now the nice thing is once you have the .iso image file ( and with a modern day computer like yours it is probably 64 bit but in any doubt use the 32 bit iso ) , you can choose to keep your existing operating system when you choose to install, so you can run what you presently have and linux side by side,( a debian program called gparted is given a nice graphics user interface where you just cannot make a mistake ). After a few hours with mint you will wonder why you ever bothered with the other. If changing over entirely to Mint, backup your documents, photos music files to a external hard drive.

In fact you run your entire computer from the .iso , first though read up about the different desktops like cinnamon ,mate,xfce, and kde, ( lxde is also available as a package ) and choose one of them. Cinnamon works really well
Also read up about pressing f2 when your computer boots so the DVD drive is selected first, which it probably does already. So there is absolutely nothing stopping you experiencing what I have known and used for over 11 years, and always get a thrill out of sharing with others. :)

Cheers / Chris

[Mark Grant]

Hi Folks. My main Dell laptop running Windows Vista has started running slow. It is around 5 years old.

If it is your main laptop that you run your business on then my first thought is buy new one while that old one is still working.
Unfortunately new laptops have windows 8 which has a learning curve that many dont like.
Or buy a decent refurbished lenovo T series etc with windows 7, there are some real bargains to be found.

If you are going to try and clean it crap cleaner is great http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner just use the free one as it is all you need.
You will loose cookies with saved forum logins so will have to log into forums again unless you find where to keep these, no problem though.
You probably have a million cookies and tons of crap that websites install when browsing the internet and facebook and twitter stuff that you did not know about so worth cleaning it.
Always make sure all important data is backed up before fixing computers.

Linux is great on an old PC ( and amazingly fast on a modern PC) although not really a good start for linux beginners on a main work laptop that has data on it.

When you do get a new one sometime install linux on the old one as Chris mentioned then use that linux laptop as internet browsing laptop keeping the new one clean of internet risks and use the new one mainly for important business work etc that needs windows programs.
Browsing the internet slows down windows PC's so much that 2 years is about all you get from a windows install before it needs reinstalling or restoring from an original image.

Good luck with it :)

[Old George]

As mentioned above, download CCleaner, it's the best of the bunch.
Clean your system and run the registry cleaner after, do a defrag, run msconfig to stop your laptop from running unnecessary software.

[walpurgis]

Yes 'Crap Cleaner' and 'CCleaner' do a good job. They offer much the same as the mentioned 'SlimCleaner'. CCleaner is not quite so comprehensive though.

The 'SlimCleaner' one click operation will declutter all the old unwanted temp files and clean the registry too and do a few extra tweaks at the same time.

I'm not sure Dave would want to face the new learning curve presented by installing a Linux distro.

[Light Dependant Resistor]

I'm not sure Dave would want to face the new learning curve presented by installing a Linux distro.

What learning curve, a lot easier might I say than being teased until eternity by problems,

I am here to help and so is the Mint forum with any installation questions. A typical mint install will take 30 mins or less. Read this review almost everything related to installation with images is there to assist you
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/linux-mint-qiana-cinnamon-nvidia.html

Just save your present needed files ie documents music photos onto an external drive, and move on, away from the silliness of the other.

[Clive]

It's all very well suggesting linux but will it run the windows apps Dave may have to run his business? Dual boot is pain when you need to reboot just to run an app.

[hifi_dave]

Thank you all for the help and suggestions. Fortunately, I have a second laptop which I am using now because the Dell is really in a bad way.

I loaded the registry cleaner, which took 30 minutes because the laptop is slow and then another 1.5 hours to do the checks. It found 87 registry faults but would only remove 15 without a subscription. Unfortunately, the 15 fixed hasn't helped. I guess I will need to take it into a computer repair man if I can find one nearby.

[Light Dependant Resistor]

It's all very well suggesting linux but will it run the windows apps Dave may have to run his business? Dual boot is pain when you need to reboot just to run an app.

Yes its called Virtual Box that can run your entire prior software you will need the original disc, changing once installed from one to the other within 30 seconds.
A bit lonely shown here without audio and in other displayed language but giving how its done http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYvqa_T4jlQ

My experience with Virtual box is a machine I use that runs circuit simulation, so I have first hand experience with Virtual Box https://www.virtualbox.org/

Need more convincing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD6nqQrJx78

Cheers / Chris

[guy]

Thanks for the link "Walpurgis",

I have an old Dell, tried the "slimcleaner" (easy to use) and have been impressed with the improved performance.

Do you have any ideas what to do about cursor moving back in to the body of the text as I type though? (problem present before I used the slimcleaner).

Cheers. Guy.

[slate]

It could also be that your harddrive is done; get Crystaldisk:

http://crystalmark.info/softwa...

If f.ex. Reallocated sector count is high or rising it would mean bad sectors and decay.

[DSJR]

Dave, wait until 'Little Alex' and I come round in the hols. we'll help sort your general laptop for you.

On a basic level, Vista is sluggish on any late noughties computer I think. I now have similar Dells, including the older Inspiron 510 you gave me and all of these work quite acceptably on W7 (the Inspiron needed a 2GHz CPU fitting and suitable memory but this was easy for me to fit and the other Dells are C2 Duo T7200 level). NONE of these have ever been used for gaming of any sort, but they're fine for youtube and general internet use, as well as streaming from the 'office' to the sitting-room.

Just cleaning out old internet files and a defragment is often enough to get things moving again. C-Cleaner can clean the registry too and you can take reliable backups first before cleaning to restore things if it makes it worse. I mentioned C Cleaner to you ages ago Dave...

[Ammonite Audio]

If it is your main laptop that you run your business on then my first thought is buy new one while that old one is still working.
Unfortunately new laptops have windows 8 which has a learning curve that many dont like.
Or buy a decent refurbished lenovo T series etc with windows 7, there are some real bargains to be found.

I second that, having bought a refurbished Lenovo T410 from Scan Computers for £240. It came with a completely fresh Win7 installation and, compared with a Win8 laptop that I bought in error, it's a joy to use.

[walpurgis]

Thanks for the link "Walpurgis",

I have an old Dell, tried the "slimcleaner" (easy to use) and have been impressed with the improved performance.

Do you have any ideas what to do about cursor moving back in to the body of the text as I type though? (problem present before I used the slimcleaner).

Cheers. Guy.

Dunno, but here's a link to a similar question. The answer may help: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_other-hardware/typing-issues-jumping-cursormoves-my-text-to/48824765-6ad1-4f3d-a2e0-82b5d79825a1

[DSJR]

I use SuperAntiSpyware regularly to keep the internet cache clear of tracking cookies, which also seem to slow things down when the cache is full. I don't keep page history for more than a few days either, yet allow plenty of disc space (up to 1024MB) as too small a cache makes IE11 freeze (still intending to try Google Chrome more).

Since I had bought middle aged Dell laptops for us three here, I first tried Vista as they came with this disc and seemed to have the licence built in. Once I got used to Vista over XP pro, I upgraded to W7 and so far haven't looked back.

[hifi_dave]

Do you have any ideas what to do about cursor moving back in to the body of the text as I type though? (problem present before I used the slimcleaner).

Cheers. Guy.
I had this on a couple occasions with the Dell which is now very sick. It was extremely frustrating when in the middle of a long e-mail or letter to find it all jumbled up. The answer was to go to the Dell website and download the keyboard driver. That fixed it.

[guy]

Many thanks,

just been on the Dell website, ran diagnostics and new touch pad driver was recommended. Now downloaded and will see how things go - mind you it looks promising, this is the most that I have written in ages without a problem!

Guy.

[Firebottle]

Well it has finally arrived, the death of my Vista installation. It has been in service for about 4 years and getting worse and worse for the past 6 months or more.

I came this close() to putting a sledgehammer through it. Why Microshit can't produce software that forgets how to do the most basic things after a while beats me.

I've had to re-install so lost all the programs that were on the machine; MS tells me it has moved the old Windoze into Windoze.old. Can the programs be resurrected from this?

Alan

[Light Dependant Resistor]

On another computer, yes you guessed it download Linux mint 17, if your computer still has its bios at bootup using f2 to see that. you can have Linux mint 17 up and running in 30 mins or less.
Would you or anyone else reading this invest once again in such a silly operating system as you have been using. Bugs viruses, patches, Trojans Worms - basically in a simple word rubbish.

Cheers / Chris

[Firebottle]

Chris you could be my saviour. I have downloaded Mint and expanded the files onto a memory stick. What I don't have is a blank DVD.

Do I just copy the expanded files on block to the DVD to then use it as a boot disk?

Alan

[Light Dependant Resistor]

Chris you could be my saviour. I have downloaded Mint and expanded the files onto a memory stick. What I don't have is a blank DVD.

Do I just copy the expanded files on block to the DVD to then use it as a boot disk?

Alan

Hi Alan
Booting from USB needs the .iso image you downloaded to be arranged on the USB drive. The program called unetbootin can do this http://unetbootin.net/
You then may need to f2 at boot up which is Bios and look carefully at boot order that the computer has in place running the cursor usually to the RHS to find Boot order , as USB's are not usually first. to change boot order follow the instructions on the RHS pane, usually these are Pg Up and Pg Dwn, or + and - Once you have the .iso on unetbootin taking care that it arranges the placing of the .iso to the USB ... just follow the instructions displayed.

unetbootin is a good program but has been replaced in linux with slightly better ones.

If you don't want to go through boot order changing and changing back afterwards, a trip to the shop for a DVD might be the answer.

Online here for a few more hours tonight to help you. :)

Cheers / Chris

[hifi_dave]

Update.

My sick Dell will go to the local computer doctor. Meantime, I've bought a Macbook Pro and it's brilliant. Once I got over the panic, it's so easy to use. I have been printing documents wirelessly and it took less than a minute to set that up. Two clicks and it was done.

That's how computers should be.

[Gordon Steadman]

Update.

My sick Dell will go to the local computer doctor. Meantime, I've bought a Macbook Pro and it's brilliant. Once I got over the panic, it's so easy to use. I have been printing documents wirelessly and it took less than a minute to set that up. Two clicks and it was done.

That's how computers should be.

We Mac users are not allowed to say that but you are quite right of course:)

[Firebottle]

:D:eyebrows:

After a bit of faffing about and having to install software that would write to the DVD, I have successfuly installed Linuxmint on this old laptop.
I have chosen to have a dual boot with microsoft XP, just to keep the options open.

However the desktop PC, once I had bitten the bullet and decided I had to re-install vista (one would have thought it would improve matters), was far WORSE: bluescreen after bluescreen after bluescreen.

So that's having only LinuxMint on it and Microsoft is DEAD, there is a saviour after all :carrot::yay:
Many thanks to Chris for the push needed,

:cool: Alan

[Light Dependant Resistor]

:D:eyebrows:

After a bit of faffing about and having to install software that would write to the DVD, I have successfuly installed Linuxmint on this old laptop.
I have chosen to have a dual boot with microsoft XP, just to keep the options open.

However the desktop PC, once I had bitten the bullet and decided I had to re-install vista (one would have thought it would improve matters), was far WORSE: bluescreen after bluescreen after bluescreen.

So that's having only LinuxMint on it and Microsoft is DEAD, there is a saviour after all :carrot::yay:
Many thanks to Chris for the push needed,

:cool: Alan

Hi Alan
Glad I suggested it. Maybe let others know about it to, and a quick review back here. You will find heaps of software all free in the Software manager within the menu list. Libre Office you can export documents in all formats. etc etc The little blue icon on the RHS bottom means you can select updates, if its up to date you get a pleasant little green tick showing

Cheers / Chris

[Firebottle]

Thanks for that tip chris, doing it as we speak...........

[Gordon Steadman]

Well done Alan.

Escaping Microshaft has to be a good move, even if it does mean you didn't go quite all the way:lol:

[DSJR]

Well it has finally arrived, the death of my Vista installation. It has been in service for about 4 years and getting worse and worse for the past 6 months or more.

I came this close() to putting a sledgehammer through it. Why Microshit can't produce software that forgets how to do the most basic things after a while beats me.

I've had to re-install so lost all the programs that were on the machine; MS tells me it has moved the old Windoze into Windoze.old. Can the programs be resurrected from this?

Alan

May have been answered, so apologies if necessary, but the old Windows can only be used for reference, so you can go through the old program files as a basic list of software that WAS installed so you can re-download/install to the new one. I've become something of an expert in doing this - cough! Documents can be saved and transferred though.

My sincere advice is to upgrade to Win7 pronto, as it runs far better on c2010 era machines (our Dells are c2008 I think). Easy to upgrade from Vista, although the Power shell folder needs to be removed, followed by a C-Clean to clear the registry. Believe me, I've had to do it a few times and the first bad-un was on Christmas Eve, the fallout in lost hours from which I'm still paying for dearly at home :(

[Firebottle]

Prompted by Chris here is the tale of the Linux installation:

Whilst the Vista machine was still working I downloaded the .iso file and saved it onto an external usb hard drive.

I decided to try the installation onto an old laptop first, it's a Compaq that had been resurrected by the fresh installation of XP Pro. Processor is a 1.4GHz jobby.
After buying a blank DVD the drive in the Compaq would only recognise it as a CD so I searched for DVD writer software and downloaded ImgBurn.

Two clicks, using the 'write image file to disk' and specifying the .iso file as source and the DVD drive as target and I had a Linus installation disk. Most trouble so far being finding s/w to write the DVD :scratch:

Re-booted the Compac, screen came up for LinuxMint installation, entered the neccessary info and bingo, a Linux machine in less than 30 minutes :D
I selected dual boot with XP just to keep the option open, the screen came up with a slider control to split the hard drive between the two OS, couldn't have been easier.

Moved the install disk to the desktop Vista machine, installation screen came up saying there was a Windoze installation but I think recognised the fact that it was screwed up, so didn't offer the option of dual boot.
Suits me I thought :eyebrows:

I didn't time it but it seemed like about 10 minutes (2.5GHz processor) and I've got a proper FAST computer back :wow:

It's so easy, thanks again Chris for the required nudge to go this way.

:cool: Alan

[Mark Grant]

After buying a blank DVD the drive in the Compaq would only recognise it as a CD so I searched for DVD writer software and downloaded ImgBurn.

Two clicks, using the 'write image file to disk' and specifying the .iso file as source and the DVD drive as target and I had a Linus installation disk. Most trouble so far being finding s/w to write the DVD :scratch:



Just so that you know for future use an easy way is to make a bootable USB memory stick as many small computers dont have any dvd/rom drives.

This program does it on a windows PC.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/
Download whichever version of linux you want then point the usb program to where it was saved, simple and works.
The Bios in the PC you plan to install linux on may need a setting changing so it will look for bootable USB devices at bootup , or this can sometimes be an 'F' key on the keyboard at bootup to choose a boot device. Then you install linux from the memory stick just a though it is from a CD/DVD.

[Gordon Steadman]

Two clicks, using the 'write image file to disk' and specifying the .iso file as source and the DVD drive as target and I had a Linus installation disk.

Trying to get 'blanket' coverage for LinuxMInt??:eyebrows:

[Light Dependant Resistor]

Trying to get 'blanket' coverage for LinuxMInt??:eyebrows:

Unsure what you mean or need, can you explain Blanket coverage please

[Gordon Steadman]

Unsure what you mean or need, can you explain Blanket coverage please

You are obviously too young:lol:

Did you not read the Charlie Brown cartoon??? Linus is the kid who always has his thumb in his mouth and always carried a blanket comforter around. Sorry....showing my age.

Linux is good 'cos you get it for 'Peanuts':rolleyes:

[Light Dependant Resistor]

You are obviously too young:lol:

Did you not read the Charlie Brown cartoon??? Linus is the kid who always has his thumb in his mouth and always carried a blanket comforter around. Sorry....showing my age.

Linux is good 'cos you get it for 'Peanuts':rolleyes:

OK you mean the security blanket, yes I remember .

Its a great operating system !