Search Function Hogging Resources

[A Baffled User]

Windows XP SP2 Home Edition came loaded on my new HP Pavilion laptop. I'm
used to Windows 98 SE and Windows Me. There are 512 MB of RAM on this unit.

Every time I perform a Search (i.e., Start>Search>[filename]), (1) it takes
forever, and (2) the Search function seems to use every MB of available
resources, with the result that I can't really do anything else on the
computer at the same time I'm searching for a file. This is ridiculous! I'm
not talking about anything heavy-duty. I'm talking about, say, adding text
to a Word document.

Has anyone else noticed this? What can be done to keep resources from being
gobbled up by this simple task?

Thanks!

Joan

 

[T. Waters]

Windows XP SP2 Home Edition came loaded on my new HP Pavilion laptop. I'm
used to Windows 98 SE and Windows Me. There are 512 MB of RAM on this unit.

Every time I perform a Search (i.e., Start>Search>[filename]), (1) it takes
forever, and (2) the Search function seems to use every MB of available
resources, with the result that I can't really do anything else on the
computer at the same time I'm searching for a file. This is ridiculous! I'm
not talking about anything heavy-duty. I'm talking about, say, adding text
to a Word document.

Has anyone else noticed this? What can be done to keep resources from being
gobbled up by this simple task?

Thanks!

Joan

 

[T. Waters]

Your search function is not functioning properly.
This could be due to other software you have on your computer, since it is a
new machine and you have had little chance to cause this yourself. What
software applications do you have on your computer (including preloaded
programs)
Not sure of your meaning in regard to adding text to a Word Document - would
you please elaborate?

 

[A Baffled User]

Thanks for writing. I've gradually been trying to get this notebook set up
for regular use beginning next month. So far, I've installed Netscape 7.2,
Outlook 2000, Word, Excel, Quicken 2000, Nortel Networks connectivity
software (which allows me to connect to my university's network from remote
locations), InCD packet-writing software. I've also added small programs
such as the Atomic Clock Sync. My antivirus program is McAfee, which is
updated every time there's a new DAT file, but I have not yet begun
accessing the Internet with this machine for any significant amount of time.

The notebook came loaded with a 60-day trial version of Office 2003, which I
have not used. It also came loaded with Quicken 2004, which I uninstalled in
favor of Quicken 2000, and Norton Antivirus, which I uninstalled in favor of
McAfee. Microsoft Money 2004, various programs beginning with MSN, Internet
Explorer, Microsoft Works, the usual Accessories, various movie-making
programs, and so on. When you run MSCONFIG, there is an incredibly long list
of items checked to run at Startup--maybe four or five times as many as are
there on my Windows Me desktop.

The problem with the incredibly sluggish Search function has been there,
however, from the very beginning, before I ever made any changes at all to
the original machine.

When I speak of "adding text" to a Word document, I simply mean typing words
on a Word "page."

Joan

Your search function is not functioning properly.
This could be due to other software you have on your computer, since it is a
new machine and you have had little chance to cause this yourself. What
software applications do you have on your computer (including preloaded
programs)
Not sure of your meaning in regard to adding text to a Word Document - would
you please elaborate?

Windows XP SP2 Home Edition came loaded on my new HP Pavilion laptop. I'm
used to Windows 98 SE and Windows Me. There are 512 MB of RAM on this unit.

Every time I perform a Search (i.e., Start>Search>[filename]), (1) it takes
forever, and (2) the Search function seems to use every MB of available
resources, with the result that I can't really do anything else on the
computer at the same time I'm searching for a file. This is ridiculous! I'm
not talking about anything heavy-duty. I'm talking about, say, adding text
to a Word document.

Has anyone else noticed this? What can be done to keep resources from being
gobbled up by this simple task?

Thanks!

Joan

 

[T. Waters]

In my opinion, if the Search function has been as you describe from the
start, it would be wise to take the issue up with your laptop manufacturer's
support people, assuming the computer is still in warranty.

Thanks for writing. I've gradually been trying to get this notebook
set up for regular use beginning next month. So far, I've installed
Netscape 7.2, Outlook 2000, Word, Excel, Quicken 2000, Nortel
Networks connectivity software (which allows me to connect to my
university's network from remote locations), InCD packet-writing
software. I've also added small programs such as the Atomic Clock
Sync. My antivirus program is McAfee, which is updated every time
there's a new DAT file, but I have not yet begun accessing the
Internet with this machine for any significant amount of time.

The notebook came loaded with a 60-day trial version of Office 2003,
which I have not used. It also came loaded with Quicken 2004, which I
uninstalled in favor of Quicken 2000, and Norton Antivirus, which I
uninstalled in favor of McAfee. Microsoft Money 2004, various
programs beginning with MSN, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Works, the
usual Accessories, various movie-making programs, and so on. When you
run MSCONFIG, there is an incredibly long list of items checked to
run at Startup--maybe four or five times as many as are there on my
Windows Me desktop.

The problem with the incredibly sluggish Search function has been
there, however, from the very beginning, before I ever made any
changes at all to the original machine.

When I speak of "adding text" to a Word document, I simply mean
typing words on a Word "page."

Joan

Your search function is not functioning properly.
This could be due to other software you have on your computer, since
it is a new machine and you have had little chance to cause this
yourself. What software applications do you have on your computer
(including preloaded programs)
Not sure of your meaning in regard to adding text to a Word Document
- would you please elaborate?

Windows XP SP2 Home Edition came loaded on my new HP Pavilion
laptop. I'm used to Windows 98 SE and Windows Me. There are 512 MB
of RAM on this unit.

Every time I perform a Search (i.e., Start>Search>[filename]), (1)
it takes forever, and (2) the Search function seems to use every MB
of available resources, with the result that I can't really do
anything else on the computer at the same time I'm searching for a
file. This is ridiculous! I'm not talking about anything
heavy-duty. I'm talking about, say, adding text to a Word document.

Has anyone else noticed this? What can be done to keep resources
from being gobbled up by this simple task?

Thanks!

Joan

 

[A Baffled User]

Okay, thanks. I'll give that a try. Yesterday, just for the sake of
comparison, I performed a search on both my five-year-old WinMe desktop and
on the month-old XP noteook for a filename that I knew would not be found.
It took 18 seconds on the WinMe machine--and almost 180 seconds, ten times
as long, on the new notebook.

Joan

In my opinion, if the Search function has been as you describe from the
start, it would be wise to take the issue up with your laptop manufacturer's
support people, assuming the computer is still in warranty.

Thanks for writing. I've gradually been trying to get this notebook
set up for regular use beginning next month. So far, I've installed
Netscape 7.2, Outlook 2000, Word, Excel, Quicken 2000, Nortel
Networks connectivity software (which allows me to connect to my
university's network from remote locations), InCD packet-writing
software. I've also added small programs such as the Atomic Clock
Sync. My antivirus program is McAfee, which is updated every time
there's a new DAT file, but I have not yet begun accessing the
Internet with this machine for any significant amount of time.

The notebook came loaded with a 60-day trial version of Office 2003,
which I have not used. It also came loaded with Quicken 2004, which I
uninstalled in favor of Quicken 2000, and Norton Antivirus, which I
uninstalled in favor of McAfee. Microsoft Money 2004, various
programs beginning with MSN, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Works, the
usual Accessories, various movie-making programs, and so on. When you
run MSCONFIG, there is an incredibly long list of items checked to
run at Startup--maybe four or five times as many as are there on my
Windows Me desktop.

The problem with the incredibly sluggish Search function has been
there, however, from the very beginning, before I ever made any
changes at all to the original machine.

When I speak of "adding text" to a Word document, I simply mean
typing words on a Word "page."

Joan

Your search function is not functioning properly.
This could be due to other software you have on your computer, since
it is a new machine and you have had little chance to cause this
yourself. What software applications do you have on your computer
(including preloaded programs)
Not sure of your meaning in regard to adding text to a Word Document
- would you please elaborate?

Windows XP SP2 Home Edition came loaded on my new HP Pavilion
laptop. I'm used to Windows 98 SE and Windows Me. There are 512 MB
of RAM on this unit.

Every time I perform a Search (i.e., Start>Search>[filename]), (1)
it takes forever, and (2) the Search function seems to use every MB
of available resources, with the result that I can't really do
anything else on the computer at the same time I'm searching for a
file. This is ridiculous! I'm not talking about anything
heavy-duty. I'm talking about, say, adding text to a Word document.

Has anyone else noticed this? What can be done to keep resources
from being gobbled up by this simple task?

Thanks!

Joan