laptop help needed

[butler]

Hi Everyone, I'm in need of some help from more experienced people than myself.

My Wife has been given a Fujitsu/siemens S series lifebook Mod No 4510.

I was asked to look at it a few years ago and at that time it had Win 98SE installed, now however it has XP Pro and is as slow as a stopped clock.

It's got a P111 398 processor, 128 mb RAM (max for this is 192)and a 28 gig HDD with 19.3 gig free, it's got very little software installed and I have done the usual defrag etc

I am under the impression that it just can't handle XP but am hoping someone can give me some ideas on how to turn this, lost for words to describe, into a usable bit of kit, the Missus only wants to use it for e-mails, facebook etc no heavy usage, so, what do ya say, up for a challenge.............

 

 

Now that I've got that off my chest I'll say Hi, my name is Ralph from near Windsor, here's hoping someone can help, thanks.

[Jelly Bean]

Hello and welcome to the forum Ralph.

 

The first thing I see and the important one is you need to up the RAM/Memory,hopefully its MAX is 512 mb.

 

Run this scanner:

 

RAM Memory Upgrade: Dell, Mac, Apple, HP, Compaq. USB drives, flash cards, SSD at Crucial.com

 

This will tell you how much RAM can be installed and what speed etc.

 

More RAM would most definantly speed it up.

 

A PIII can handle XP.

 

JB.

 

EDIT:

 

I just found the specs of the laptop and MAX RAM is 256 mb.

 

Installed Size64 MB / 256 MB (max)TechnologySDRAM - 100 MHzForm FactorSO DIMM 144-PIN

[Tootech]

Crucial and Kingston say max of 128MB in 1 slot, be interesting to see what the online scanner says.

[butler]

Thanks to both of you, I have now found the same as you Jelly Bean, 1 slot max 256, not sure if its worth it, have to think about it, after all we can both use my Presario.

[Plastic Nev]

A lot depends on your present budget of course, but there are some reasonable laptops available at good prices these days, and to be honest that machine will struggle even if there was more Ram fitted.

 

The processor is slow in comparison to more up to date machines, plus the hard drive is a lot too small if any data needs storing or other programs installed.

If possible to do, I will recommend you buy a new, or at least newer second hand machine.

Nev.

[Jelly Bean]

For such and old machine the RAM may not be available and if it is it may cost.

 

And you are most welcome Butler..

[butler]

well I bit the bullet, and decided to give it a go, only because I managed to find someone selling the exact memory needed for £9.25 all in, and, made by Samsung no less!

I'll keep you posted on this thread :-)

[Jelly Bean]

That will be great,keep us posted.

 

You may find increasing virtual memory may help also.

[butler]

Hello again..........well I bought and installed the 256 mb memory stick....and....nothing, I press the power button and I hear encouraging clicks and whirrs and then nowt it just sits there.

Question is :- is it the memory ? is it me, is there something I should be doing or should have done.

All input welcome, thanks, Ralph.

[snow]

Hi Ralf,

 

The new memory stick may be faulty. Does the computer start up OK if you use the old memory sticks instead?

 

Are there any flashing lights on the laptop when it doesn't start, or beeping sounds?

[danzil]

try your original sticks of ram to see if it boots up ok.....

 

 

 

if you are determined to run XP,..may i suggest you look at nlite..

this is a programme for making unattended OS install...but the good part of this programme is you can remove all the junk you dont need in XP.

for istance Internet explorer.msn,file n settings wizard, any services you dont need...

i have made a tiny xp install with sp3, that was just over 360mb and use 128mb of ram,with 19 processes runnin.

that would get XP on that laptop and at a much faster speedincrease.

maybe worth a look: nLite - Deployment Tool for the bootable Unattended Windows installation