Melvin said:
My daughter-in-law has an older HP system with a ASUSTeK P4B-LA
REV. 1.xx motherboard and a 2.00 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor. The
MB has three memory slots. Slots 1 & 2 contain a memory stick of
256MB. She wonders why the system is slow.
I would like to add more memory but my question is can I add a 1
GB of memory in the 3rd slot? Can different size memory co-exist
without problems or do I need to add two 1GB cards in slots 1 & 2?
I'm looking for the least expensive methods that accomplishes the
desired result.
More memory does not necessarily equate to faster system. Is she currently
using all of the memory available to her?
(What does the "Performance" tab of the "Windows Task Manager" show for
"Available" "Physical Memory (K)"?)
I'd do a major cleanup of the machine and update of several things before I
go changing the hardware. From your description, she has 512MB memory - and
depending on what she is doing - it is unlikely she is using all of that as
a home user in Windows XP
However - if you want to look up exactly what RAM to get:
http://www.crucial.com/
(Use their tool - you know the make/model - it can do the rest for you.)
The cleanup? It's long, but not difficult at all.
First - because this is a computer and to do anything without backups is
just unwise... Backup one extra time for safe measure (above and beyond the
normal consistent backup schedule that should be in place for almost
everyone that has a computer - IMO.)
Then- let's get started...
Start button --> RUN
(no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
--> type in:
winver
--> Click OK.
The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
(Operating System name and edition) while the line starting with the word
"version" will give you the rest of the story.
Post _both_ in response to this message verbatim. ;-)
Want some other details (either to share or to help you later)? I suggest
downloading, installing and running a report with "Belarc Advisor". It will
give you all sorts of useful information (from hardware manufacturers for
those hardware components with decent drivers to software product keys.
http://belarc.com/ (free.) I'd print a hard-copy of the results to store
with the installation CDs, receipts, etc for the computer in question.
Also - what AntiVirus software is running? If some 'all-in-one'
monstrosity - uninstall it and turn on the Windows Firewall and utilize
Avira AntiVirus (free.) Less resources use with as good (if not better)
results.
Continue with the cleanup...
Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
After installing, do the following:
Start button --> RUN --> type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)
Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):
SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/
MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/
After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.
Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx
Reboot.
Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/...6F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en
Reboot.
and...
Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:
Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.
Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.
(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...
Reboot.
Then follow the instructions here:
How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058
Reboot.
CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time and a reboot
Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time
Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.) Never get hardware drivers
for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft.
Reboot as needed and one additional time.
Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...
Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.
Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.
Reboot again.
If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.
The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
Internet Explorer 8 at this time.
Seriously - do all that. This is like antibiotics - don't skip a single
step, don't quit because you think things will be okay now - go through
until the end, until you have done everything given in the order given. If
you have a problem with a step come ask and let someone here get you
through that step. If you don't understand how to do a step, come back and
ask here about that step and let someone walk you through it.
Then - when done - let everyone here know if it worked for you - or if you
have more issues.