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Who do computer slow down when old?

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    #32
    riclad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,184 ✭✭✭riclad


    On that pc ,linux mint will be 2 -3 times faster ,
    no point in buying an ssd ,put in another 4gig ram.
    Get linux mint 7 32bit version .
    switch off animation , effects ,in windows ,Performance settings .


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    #33
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Setting up windows securely, and picking a resource light antivirus, is a very simply task. As is keeping it running well.
    Anyone who can run Linux and trouble shoot it, is not struggling with keeping a simple system like Windows working. Its just not a credible argument. Saying you want to use Linux for other reasons, is perfectly justifiable, not every one like Windows.

    That's not the issue. The issue is the old hardware is fundamentally missing the hardware to run modern video codecs and tasks efficiently. Which is why your multicore mobile phone can playback 1080p video and youtube no problem but your old Laptop which might actually have a higher cpu power can't.

    The other issue is that modern OS'es cache a lot to the hard drive. Windows 8 and 10 hit the hard drive very hard. Which is why a SSD makes such a difference to how a system feels. Even chrome does this with its " Prefetch resources to load pages more quickly" setting.


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    #34
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Theres plenty of valid reasons to run linux. But pixie dust isn't one of them.


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    #35
    riclad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,184 ✭✭✭riclad


    adding in another 4gig ram is cheaper and will speed up the os by a factor of 3,
    ssd,s speed up the bootup process ,but ssds are smaller and more expensive than a standard sata drive .
    just putting in an ssd into a pc with only 2gig ram is almost pointless,
    I Won,t use a pc with less than 4gig ram.


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    #36
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,301 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    WINSXS folder expands overtime, giving you less room.

    =-=

    If you feel able, take apart laptop, and hover the dust out.

    Installing a cheap SSD will give it a new lease of life, making it faster, and also making the battery last a bit longer (due to lack of moving parts).


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    #37
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    riclad wrote: »
    adding in another 4gig ram is cheaper and will speed up the os by a factor of 3,
    ssd,s speed up the bootup process ,but ssds are smaller and more expensive than a standard sata drive .
    just putting in an ssd into a pc with only 2gig ram is almost pointless,
    I Won,t use a pc with less than 4gig ram.

    On my 2GB machine I don't run out of RAM. More Ram would have no effect. For light use, opening only one or two apps at time or only a couple of browser tabs. The caching is often hard coded to the HD. Even with 16GB of RAM it would still cache to the HD.

    If you are running out of RAM then you need RAM. It will have a decent effect on a machine.

    More is always a good idea. But Ram for an old machine is dead money. The SSD can use again in the next machine.

    Also 32bit OS and Applications use less RAM in general. If you are using 64bit OS and Apps you will need 4GB.


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    #38
    FanadMan
    Registered Users Posts: 3,820 ✭✭✭FanadMan


    If you've got a spare SD card or USB pendrive, you could try Readyboost. Found it to help a little on older machines.

    http://www.howtogeek.com/123780/htg-explains-is-readyboost-worth-using/


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    #39
    bonzodog2
    Registered Users Posts: 6,220 ✭✭✭bonzodog2


    FanadMan wrote: »
    If you've got a spare SD card or USB pendrive, you could try Readyboost. Found it to help a little on older machines.

    http://www.howtogeek.com/123780/htg-explains-is-readyboost-worth-using/

    Indeed. Needs a fast one though. Drive properties will test it, I'd suggest a class 10 card


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    #40
    FanadMan
    Registered Users Posts: 3,820 ✭✭✭FanadMan


    bonzodog2 wrote: »
    Indeed. Needs a fast one though. Drive properties will test it, I'd suggest a class 10 card

    I used a class 10 SD card in an old slow Win 7 machine - made a big difference. Upgraded to an SSD - Readboost won't work cos SSD is faster than the SD card!

    But def recommend OP tries it - most people have spare SDs anyway.


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    #41
    jenny smith
    Closed Accounts Posts: 716 ✭✭✭jenny smith


    allybhoy wrote: »
    Simple things to try.... click run then type msconfig, check the startup tab and disable pretty much everything in here, then click the services tab, click to hide microsoft services and again, disable any items that you feel are non-essential. Give a reboot and see how its performing.. Next open up system properties > Advanced > Performance. Click the radio button, adjust for best performance and see if you like the UI, if you can live without the likes of Aero Peek i would reccomend leaving it disabled if you only have 2GB of RAM. I also agree with other users that you should remove Norton but thats up to you...
    Done all this. Also increased the paging file which was below recommended
    But i discovered the CPU is 90 degrees C :eek:


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    #42
    listermint
    Registered Users Posts: 33,972 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    Has the OP done these 2 things

    1) clean install of windows (clean!)
    2) turn of Norton

    As advised several times.

    Because they will and are magic silver bullets to the issue. Any of the other wishwashy advise about stopping services and checking the health of the harddrive are not the source of the problem here. It is the OS.

    ??


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    #43
    riclad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,184 ✭✭✭riclad


    i have old toshiba laptop 2gig ram , i bought dell laptop 64bit cpu 4gig windows 7 ram,it feels 3 times faster than the old laptop.
    got it on adverts.ie
    ram can be bought in cex see www,cex.ie its very cheap,buy 2gig or 4gig.
    i can have 10 plus chrome tabs open without slowing down.


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    #44
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    jenny smith wrote: »
    Done all this. Also increased the paging file which was below recommended
    But i discovered the CPU is 90 degrees C :eek:

    Machine might also be full of dust.

    TBH with a machine this old it might be none or all of things advised so far.


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    #45
    riclad
    Registered Users Posts: 8,184 ✭✭✭riclad


    http://eu.crucial.com/eur/en/systemscanner
    This scans your pc ,tells you exactly what ram you have ,
    eg pc2 ddr2 1500 and tells you what ram you can buy,
    eg one 2gig or 1 4gig dimm, or
    maybe one 2gig dimm if one slot is empty.
    is your ram is ddr2 1500 ,theres no point in buying ddr2 1000 .
    As it,ll slow down your laptop.
    most laptops have ddr2 or ddr3 with 2 slots full .
    older laptops eg dual core use ddr2 .
    64bit cpu in a laptop means you can add more than 4gig ram.
    32bit cpu laptop max ram it can detect is 4gig .


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