Guest John Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Hi I just reinstalled win xp pro and it was quiet slick in the beginning. As I started installing apps like Office 2007 and IE 7 it started getting slower. Is this normal? I also used the win xp settings and files transfer wizard to transfer IE and Outlook Express settings but can't say for sure if it had any adverse effect too as I did not check immediately afterwards. Can I speed up windows somehow? Thanks Regards
Guest R. McCarty Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow A PC that has Windows ( Fresh ) is always going to be faster than a setup that has 3rd-Party drivers and applications installed. Windows is a "Platform" to load/use other things. Usually, the performance loss is minimal and not that noticeable. If you experience that much of a performance loss then something is wrong. What is wrong is hard to say ( Use Event Viewer to locate any errors ). A fresh install of XP has less memory usage and background services than one that has all the user's drivers/apps loaded. It's always a trade off between the things you want installed and XP's performance. Some apps are just badly written or have know interaction problems with others. This is why it's important to have all patches/updates for everything on a PC. Nothing is ever 100% at release/delivery - there are always issues that are found and patches released to address them. "John" <John@nospam.infovis.co.uk> wrote in message news:e4bZo6E$HHA.4828@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > Hi > > I just reinstalled win xp pro and it was quiet slick in the beginning. As > I started installing apps like Office 2007 and IE 7 it started getting > slower. Is this normal? I also used the win xp settings and files transfer > wizard to transfer IE and Outlook Express settings but can't say for sure > if it had any adverse effect too as I did not check immediately > afterwards. Can I speed up windows somehow? > > Thanks > > Regards >
Guest Leonard Grey Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow Here are the most effective ways to speed up the performance of an XP PC: 1. Remove malicious software. 2. Minimize programs running in the background that place heavy demands on CPU and RAM. 3. Purchase more RAM. (This helps up to a point - almost nobody needs more than 1 GB of RAM in XP unless they are doing specialized work, like CAD/CAM. video editing or complex photo retouching. --- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est John wrote: > Hi > > I just reinstalled win xp pro and it was quiet slick in the beginning. As I > started installing apps like Office 2007 and IE 7 it started getting slower. > Is this normal? I also used the win xp settings and files transfer wizard to > transfer IE and Outlook Express settings but can't say for sure if it had > any adverse effect too as I did not check immediately afterwards. Can I > speed up windows somehow? > > Thanks > > Regards > >
Guest John Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow Got 1GB RAM, no malicious software as totally new install...and only software is MS's own. I am doing a defrag on disks though as I speak. Thanks Regards "Leonard Grey" <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in message news:%2390A9gF$HHA.4828@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > Here are the most effective ways to speed up the performance of an XP PC: > > 1. Remove malicious software. > 2. Minimize programs running in the background that place heavy demands on > CPU and RAM. > 3. Purchase more RAM. (This helps up to a point - almost nobody needs more > than 1 GB of RAM in XP unless they are doing specialized work, like > CAD/CAM. video editing or complex photo retouching. > --- > Leonard Grey > Errare humanum est > > John wrote: >> Hi >> >> I just reinstalled win xp pro and it was quiet slick in the beginning. As >> I started installing apps like Office 2007 and IE 7 it started getting >> slower. Is this normal? I also used the win xp settings and files >> transfer wizard to transfer IE and Outlook Express settings but can't say >> for sure if it had any adverse effect too as I did not check immediately >> afterwards. Can I speed up windows somehow? >> >> Thanks >> >> Regards
Guest R. McCarty Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow If it's a recent install, then you may not have reached the number of reboots necessary for XP to ProcessIdleTasks and take the Prefetch data and update the Layout.Ini and defrag for optimal boot/frequently used apps. "John" <John@nospam.infovis.co.uk> wrote in message news:%23JlJ9jF$HHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > Got 1GB RAM, no malicious software as totally new install...and only > software is MS's own. I am doing a defrag on disks though as I speak. > > Thanks > > Regards > > "Leonard Grey" <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in message > news:%2390A9gF$HHA.4828@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> Here are the most effective ways to speed up the performance of an XP >> PC: >> >> 1. Remove malicious software. >> 2. Minimize programs running in the background that place heavy demands >> on CPU and RAM. >> 3. Purchase more RAM. (This helps up to a point - almost nobody needs >> more than 1 GB of RAM in XP unless they are doing specialized work, like >> CAD/CAM. video editing or complex photo retouching. >> --- >> Leonard Grey >> Errare humanum est >> >> John wrote: >>> Hi >>> >>> I just reinstalled win xp pro and it was quiet slick in the beginning. >>> As I started installing apps like Office 2007 and IE 7 it started >>> getting slower. Is this normal? I also used the win xp settings and >>> files transfer wizard to transfer IE and Outlook Express settings but >>> can't say for sure if it had any adverse effect too as I did not check >>> immediately afterwards. Can I speed up windows somehow? >>> >>> Thanks >>> >>> Regards > >
Guest Leonard Grey Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow It takes just seconds for a computer to become infected. No joke. On a related topic: Your security software is arguably the single biggest hit to your PC's performance because it has to run all the time and it requires a lot of processing power. --- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est John wrote: > Got 1GB RAM, no malicious software as totally new install...and only > software is MS's own. I am doing a defrag on disks though as I speak. > > Thanks > > Regards > > "Leonard Grey" <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in message > news:%2390A9gF$HHA.4828@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> Here are the most effective ways to speed up the performance of an XP PC: >> >> 1. Remove malicious software. >> 2. Minimize programs running in the background that place heavy demands on >> CPU and RAM. >> 3. Purchase more RAM. (This helps up to a point - almost nobody needs more >> than 1 GB of RAM in XP unless they are doing specialized work, like >> CAD/CAM. video editing or complex photo retouching. >> --- >> Leonard Grey >> Errare humanum est >> >> John wrote: >>> Hi >>> >>> I just reinstalled win xp pro and it was quiet slick in the beginning. As >>> I started installing apps like Office 2007 and IE 7 it started getting >>> slower. Is this normal? I also used the win xp settings and files >>> transfer wizard to transfer IE and Outlook Express settings but can't say >>> for sure if it had any adverse effect too as I did not check immediately >>> afterwards. Can I speed up windows somehow? >>> >>> Thanks >>> >>> Regards > >
Guest Homer J. Simpson Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow > 3. Purchase more RAM. (This helps up to a point - almost nobody needs more > than 1 GB of RAM in XP unless they are doing specialized work, like > CAD/CAM. video editing or complex photo retouching. That's a highly subjective figure. "Specialized work"? A lot more apps beyond just CAD/CAM/video editing/Photoshop need tons of memory. I suppose though if somebody's gonna use a PC as little more than a household appliance, then yeah, 1GB might be adequate...
Guest Gerry Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow Homer It's these applications, especially when they have an Undo feature. Also users who leave computers on 24/7 expose themselves to the worst affects of memory leaks. -- Regards. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Homer J. Simpson wrote: >> 3. Purchase more RAM. (This helps up to a point - almost nobody >> needs more than 1 GB of RAM in XP unless they are doing specialized >> work, like CAD/CAM. video editing or complex photo retouching. > > That's a highly subjective figure. "Specialized work"? A lot more > apps beyond just CAD/CAM/video editing/Photoshop need tons of memory. > > I suppose though if somebody's gonna use a PC as little more than a > household appliance, then yeah, 1GB might be adequate...
Guest Gerry Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow It helps to have cleaned up removing redundant temporary files after such major changes. Also you will accumulated a surfeit of restore points. I agree with other remarks about the need to seek out updated third party drivers, even for any brand new items. Many products are sold with CDs containing out of date drivers. -- Hope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John wrote: > Got 1GB RAM, no malicious software as totally new install...and only > software is MS's own. I am doing a defrag on disks though as I speak. > > Thanks > > Regards > > "Leonard Grey" <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in message > news:%2390A9gF$HHA.4828@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> Here are the most effective ways to speed up the performance of an >> XP PC: 1. Remove malicious software. >> 2. Minimize programs running in the background that place heavy >> demands on CPU and RAM. >> 3. Purchase more RAM. (This helps up to a point - almost nobody >> needs more than 1 GB of RAM in XP unless they are doing specialized >> work, like CAD/CAM. video editing or complex photo retouching. >> --- >> Leonard Grey >> Errare humanum est >> >> John wrote: >>> Hi >>> >>> I just reinstalled win xp pro and it was quiet slick in the >>> beginning. As I started installing apps like Office 2007 and IE 7 >>> it started getting slower. Is this normal? I also used the win xp >>> settings and files transfer wizard to transfer IE and Outlook >>> Express settings but can't say for sure if it had any adverse >>> effect too as I did not check immediately afterwards. Can I speed >>> up windows somehow? Thanks >>> >>> Regards
Guest Ken Blake, MVP Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow On Fri, 21 Sep 2007 15:09:12 +0100, "John" <John@nospam.infovis.co.uk> wrote: > Got 1GB RAM, That's almost certainly more than enough. > no malicious software as totally new install... Then you probably aren't aware of how quickly you can get infected. What anti-virus and anti-spyware software do you run? Is it up to date. Based on your description of your problem, I would think that malware is the most likely cause of it. > and only > software is MS's own. I am doing a defrag on disks though as I speak. > > Thanks > > Regards > > "Leonard Grey" <Leonard@Grey.invalid> wrote in message > news:%2390A9gF$HHA.4828@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > > Here are the most effective ways to speed up the performance of an XP PC: > > > > 1. Remove malicious software. > > 2. Minimize programs running in the background that place heavy demands on > > CPU and RAM. > > 3. Purchase more RAM. (This helps up to a point - almost nobody needs more > > than 1 GB of RAM in XP unless they are doing specialized work, like > > CAD/CAM. video editing or complex photo retouching. > > --- > > Leonard Grey > > Errare humanum est > > > > John wrote: > >> Hi > >> > >> I just reinstalled win xp pro and it was quiet slick in the beginning. As > >> I started installing apps like Office 2007 and IE 7 it started getting > >> slower. Is this normal? I also used the win xp settings and files > >> transfer wizard to transfer IE and Outlook Express settings but can't say > >> for sure if it had any adverse effect too as I did not check immediately > >> afterwards. Can I speed up windows somehow? > >> > >> Thanks > >> > >> Regards > -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Guest Daave Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow Homer J. Simpson wrote: >> 3. Purchase more RAM. (This helps up to a point - almost nobody >> needs more than 1 GB of RAM in XP unless they are doing specialized >> work, like CAD/CAM. video editing or complex photo retouching. > > That's a highly subjective figure. "Specialized work"? A lot more > apps beyond just CAD/CAM/video editing/Photoshop need tons of memory. Those are the heavy hitters, though. > I suppose though if somebody's gonna use a PC as little more than a > household appliance, then yeah, 1GB might be adequate... At work, where I use my PC for Web, e-mail, Word, and Excel, 256 MB is more than adequate.
Guest Homer J. Simpson Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow >> That's a highly subjective figure. "Specialized work"? A lot more >> apps beyond just CAD/CAM/video editing/Photoshop need tons of memory. > > Those are the heavy hitters, though. Ever spend time with dev tools? Databases? Or, God forbid--VMware or VirtualPC? >> I suppose though if somebody's gonna use a PC as little more than a >> household appliance, then yeah, 1GB might be adequate... > > At work, where I use my PC for Web, e-mail, Word, and Excel, 256 MB is > more than adequate. Again, that's the very definition of "subjective". Of all the machines I've used, even after a clean wipe/reinstall, it doesn't take long before (to me) 512MB feels sluggish. How can your system not be paging to disk with half of that?
Guest Daave Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow Homer J. Simpson wrote: >>> That's a highly subjective figure. "Specialized work"? A lot more >>> apps beyond just CAD/CAM/video editing/Photoshop need tons of >>> memory. >> >> Those are the heavy hitters, though. > > Ever spend time with dev tools? Databases? Or, God forbid--VMware or > VirtualPC? The only time I ever used Virtual PC was six years ago on a Mac with OS 8.5. I ran Windows 95 on it. :-) How much RAM does VirtualPC eat up typically? >>> I suppose though if somebody's gonna use a PC as little more than a >>> household appliance, then yeah, 1GB might be adequate... >> >> At work, where I use my PC for Web, e-mail, Word, and Excel, 256 MB >> is more than adequate. > > Again, that's the very definition of "subjective". Of all the > machines I've used, even after a clean wipe/reinstall, it doesn't > take long before (to me) 512MB feels sluggish. How can your system > not be paging to disk with half of that? Perhaps because I rarely multitask. There are rare instances when I play streaming audio in addition to another activity; *that's* when I notice paging occurring. But again, it's pretty rare. Also, I don't use the dreaded McAfee or Norton; I'm sure that makes a big difference! I've found that 256 MB of RAM is fine if you're running lean. YMMV, of course.
Guest Homer J. Simpson Posted September 21, 2007 Posted September 21, 2007 Re: Windows going slow > The only time I ever used Virtual PC was six years ago on a Mac with OS > 8.5. I ran Windows 95 on it. :-) > > How much RAM does VirtualPC eat up typically? It's not really how much RAM VirtualPC eats up for itself, but rather, the amount of RAM you're taking away from the host OS to give to the guest... >> Again, that's the very definition of "subjective". Of all the >> machines I've used, even after a clean wipe/reinstall, it doesn't >> take long before (to me) 512MB feels sluggish. How can your system >> not be paging to disk with half of that? > > Perhaps because I rarely multitask. There are rare instances when I play > streaming audio in addition to another activity; *that's* when I notice > paging occurring. But again, it's pretty rare. Also, I don't use the > dreaded McAfee or Norton; I'm sure that makes a big difference! > > I've found that 256 MB of RAM is fine if you're running lean. YMMV, of > course. "Lean" is the key word here, I think. Back when I had a laptop with XP on 256MB, the only use I got out of it near the end of its life was to read PDFs.
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