Help! Slow PC

[HellFire]

Greetings:
I purchased my PC in 09/2001, a Dell Dimension 4300, total capacity 149GB, used space=9.52GB, free space= 139GB.
OS:             Windows XP
BIOS:          Default Sys BIOS 
Processor:    Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 1600MHz
Memory:      1024MB RAM        Page file: 420MB used, 2043MB available
DirectX ver: DirectX 9.0C    Device:Nvidia GeForce 6200      Monitor:  DellM991      Main Driver:nv4_disp.dll version  6.14.0011.7813 (English)  Date:09/17/2008
Firewall:      Online Armour,  Avira Anti-virus Personal, Spyware Terminator.
Windows startup items: six (6)
I defrag my PC every 5-7days, run spyware weekly, likewise anti-virus checks, my ISP is SBC Yahoo dsl, connection is fast, starting my PC is slooowww, logging on takes approx. 1-1/2 minutes.   Why is it so slow? Is there a way I can optimize my PC?

Your advice & suggestions are welcome.  Thx.
                     

[DustyR]

Try running a Spy-ware program such as "Spy Bot Search and Destroy" and see what it comes up with.  There could be a lot of adware etc on your computer that is slowing it down.  Are you updating windows on a regular basis? if not that can create some issues also.   

[Getback]

Try running a Spy-ware program such as "Spy Bot Search and Destroy" and see what it comes up with.  There could be a lot of adware etc on your computer that is slowing it down.  Are you updating windows on a regular basis? if not that can create some issues also.   

Ditto and you can add programs running in the back ground or at start up.

Also, well that pc is slow.

[fuzeman]

Read the 'Hints and Tips' sticky threads at the top of this Technical Support Forum.

[drdeathx]

you probably have too many processes running in background. Press ctrl/alt/del and get task manager up. In processes tab it will tell you on the bottom how many you have running. Post a note on this thread and many of us will advise. Just need the number. If you are above 30 you have way too many/ XP will run with as little as I think 16 processes/ 20-25 isn't bad but when you get 30-40-50 its like a 4 cylynder engine trying to pull an 18 wheeler.

[Babalonian]

When was the last time you did a fresh reinstall of your OS and programs on the machine? 

I do a complete reinstall usualy every year when I feel like my PC would benefit, performance wise, with a clean slate.  At most I've gone 2 years w/o doing it, I think one year I went through a new game every two months, so I reinstalled my OS three times.  I still have a couple programs I install and run regularly/weekly to keep performance up (antivirus, adaware, etc.), but it's less than a third of what I used to use before I gave up and decided to go the way of regularly reinstalling... when your ready/organized for it and don't dread it, it turns into an easy ~2hour investment for a very lean and clean machine (I have always gone with two hard drives: my primary HD I always treat like I'm going to wipe next week, and my 2nd HD I store things I want to keep, valuable data, music, latest drivers, work/family/school related data, AHII downloads, etc.).

[PFactorDave]

Dropping the textures in the AH video settings from 1024 down to 512 helped my computer out quite a bit.

[Skuzzy]

The NVidia 6200 is a very slow/low performing video card.  To get any performance out of it at all, you need to set the game's "Maximum Texture Size" to 256, no higher.  Also set the resolution to 1024x768, and no higher.

As the 6200 counts on the CPU for most work to be down with the graphics, it is imperative you be running a clean system.  Open the Windows Task Manager and select the "Processes" tab.  A good clean Windows XP system will be around 19 to 21 processes (the total count is in the lower left corner).  The CPU usage, in the bottom center, should be at 0% and bumping up to 1% (occasionally 2%) at very regular intervals.

[Kazaa]

I've got 56 processes running when I play AH2. 

[Skuzzy]

Not uncommon.  Most OEM computers will range from around 45 to 75 background processes under Windows XP.  More for Vista.

[HellFire]

Thx everybody for ur help, as stated previously, I defrag & do a systems check on a weekly basis, I've reinstalled my system on 07/03/2008, I don't know HOW to do it so I had it done profes-
sionally.
Thx for the advice re checking my processes, never knew what it did or what it's for, following "drdeathx's & Skuzzy's" advice, I was more than surprised by the following data:

                     Processes:  35          should be : 19 to 21
                     CPU Usage: 4%-5%   should be : 0% to 2%

Way too high, now that I know what the problem is HOW do I correct it?  How do I know WHICH items to delete & which to safe?

[Skuzzy]

Well, that is the fun part.  Every Windows computer is different and has different requirements based on the hardware and software installed.

The most tedious way is to Google each process name and read about it.  There are some good sites ou on the Internet which will make an effort to explain what the process is and what it is used for.  Many give instructions on killing it, where it can be killed.

[Babalonian]

You seem so ontop of your computer's securities, performance and maintenance, I find it hard to grasp that you aren't familiar (or don't understand) with how to (re)install windows.  If you aren't you should, it's not as hard as it is just time consuming and prep work, and the reward is a computer with nothing on it but what it needs to do what only you want it to do.

But if you don't want to jump into that yet, here is an alternative to keeping what you have as it is.  http://alacritypc.kensalter.com/download.htm  It's another anti-junk 3rd party program, what it uniquely does is terminate background processes (which you found a lot of, useing at any given time ~4% of your computer's processing power while doing "nothing".) while running a high-resource program like a computer game.  When your done playing it can even resume the processes it stopped, making everything work just as it was before.  By disableing the "junk" that isn't needed and more (like some of your normal windows tasks not needed/visible while running the game) while specific applications/programs are running so that they get the most possible out of your computer's resources that are available to smoothly run the intended program/game.

[HellFire]

Thx Babalonian for the url you sent me, I'll use it soon, appreciate your courtesies & ur assistance.  I'm on top as u've noted on my security, maintenance & performance because I use my computer MAINLY for trading stocks & bonds, programming horse races & for relaxation playing Aces High.

The 1st two(2) are my income, for the time being I'm on the sidelines trading-wise, whilst horse-racing I pick & choose making prudent wagers.

In trading one has to have a fast computer as time is of essence,
insofar, my PC serves me well albeit a wee bit slow presently,
while Aces High has a GREAT bunch of helpful & fun loving people

This is my explanation why I do some things & not others.

[drdeathx]

Here is Blackvipers list of services to disable. Proceed at your own risk! Do some research and you will have less services and processes running and your computer will perform better!

http://www.blackviper.com/WinXPx64/servicecfg.htm


Also enditall2 is a nice program that will end your services when you boot your computer. After running the program the processes will end and you will be smooth. When you reboot all your services will be running again so if you game run enditall2 again. XP can run on as little as appr 16 processes but if you end them or disable them they will be off. This is why Blackvipers site is nice. End all programs and processes you will never use via his chart. Then run enditall2 before you game. When you are done gaming reboot computer and the processes and programs you have elected to keep on will be running!

http://www.docsdownloads.com/enditall-1.htm