Slowing down

  • Thread starter Thread starter sooky grumper
  • Start date Start date
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sooky grumper

John said:
Hi All,
I have observed over the years that when I build a new PC it is
very fast, but as time goes by it slows down progressively until it is
virtually unbearable. Then I end up formatting and reinstalling all the apps
(takes a couple of days usually) and a week or more to get back to normal.
Are there any other methods or is there good software for returning a pc to
good performance after a few months or is this unavoidable. I observe good
practise when uninstalling software, using windows uninstall each time. But
the damn registry seems to have a tumour whichgrows and grows until bootup
is as slow as win95 or 3.1 and Im using a P4 2.6 with 512m ram. Any advice
would sure be welcome....John (fed up rebuilding pc`s)
Click to expand...

Change to linux.
 
Hi All,
I have observed over the years that when I build a new PC it is
very fast, but as time goes by it slows down progressively until it is
virtually unbearable. Then I end up formatting and reinstalling all the apps
(takes a couple of days usually) and a week or more to get back to normal.
Are there any other methods or is there good software for returning a pc to
good performance after a few months or is this unavoidable. I observe good
practise when uninstalling software, using windows uninstall each time. But
the damn registry seems to have a tumour whichgrows and grows until bootup
is as slow as win95 or 3.1 and Im using a P4 2.6 with 512m ram. Any advice
would sure be welcome....John (fed up rebuilding pc`s)
 
John said:
Hi All,
I have observed over the years that when I build a new PC it is
very fast, but as time goes by it slows down progressively until it is
virtually unbearable. Then I end up formatting and reinstalling all the apps
(takes a couple of days usually) and a week or more to get back to normal.
Are there any other methods or is there good software for returning a pc to
good performance after a few months or is this unavoidable. I observe good
practise when uninstalling software, using windows uninstall each time. But
the damn registry seems to have a tumour whichgrows and grows until bootup
is as slow as win95 or 3.1 and Im using a P4 2.6 with 512m ram. Any advice
would sure be welcome....John (fed up rebuilding pc`s)
Click to expand...

Learn to use msconfig (start, run, msconfig), and RESEARCH to find out what
all the programs are in the startup tab. Even if you uninstall programs
correctly, lots of helper apps. (and worse) can be left behind. In
msconfig, you should probably only have four or five programs at most
starting there. If you check it now, you might find DOZENS of applications
are running as soon as you turn the computer on. Also check your "startup"
folder in your windows start menu, but you've probably already done that.
You might also run an application like spybot to check for spyware. Other
than that, defrag your hard drive(s) every month or so. You shouldn't have
to rebuild every few months. -Dave
 
What wouldmake the Reg bloat ??

I use a Regcleaner to clean the REG plenty out their.
 
I assume you periodically DEFRAGMENT your harddrive using Windows utility?
That might explain it.
 
I run win2k and defragment occasionally, I am leery about messing with the
registry.....years back I used Cleansweep to try to slim it on 98 and ended
up re installing everything.I find some apps are a serious draw on resources
Like Norton systemworks and Zone alarm, and are a pain is the ass at boot
up. I guess perhaps Lindows might improve things when it finally appears
with suitable applications. Thanks anyway folks......John.
 
I assume you periodically DEFRAGMENT your harddrive using Windows utility?
That might explain it.
Click to expand...
Are you suggesting the use of a different defrager? What are your
thoughts on Diskeeper?
 
I have observed over the years that when I build a new PC it
is
very fast, but as time goes by it slows down progressively until it is
virtually unbearable. Then I end up formatting and reinstalling all the apps
(takes a couple of days usually) and a week or more to get back to normal.
Are there any other methods or is there good software for returning a pc to
good performance after a few months or is this unavoidable. I observe good
practise when uninstalling software, using windows uninstall each time. But
the damn registry seems to have a tumour whichgrows and grows until bootup
is as slow as win95 or 3.1 and Im using a P4 2.6 with 512m ram. Any advice
would sure be welcome....John (fed up rebuilding pc`s)
Click to expand...

Windows can slow down as you install more stuff onto it. To avoid rebuilding
totally each time make a Ghost image of your drive as soon as you have built
it. Then when you feel the need to reinstall you just copy the Ghost image
back and everything is back to normal in about 10 minutes.

Ghost makes an exact copy of your hard drive (or partition) as one large
file, so it is best done as soon as you have installed your operating
system, drivers and programs.

To make an image, start in DOS and run Ghost, follow the prompts to make an
image file on another partition or hard disk. To reinstall, start in DOS run
Ghost and it will put your system back to the state it was when you made the
ghost image. Beaware that this process will overwrite EVERYTHING on that
partition (or disk) so save your data somewhere safe first.

Norton Ghost:
http://www.symantec.com/sabu/ghost/ghost_personal/

How to use Ghost:
http://ghost.radified.com/ghost_1.htm

There are other applications that do the same job, I just have experience
with Ghost and find it works for me.

Adam S
 
John said:
registry.....years back I used Cleansweep to try to slim it on 98 and ended
up re installing everything.I find some apps are a serious draw on resources
Like Norton systemworks and Zone alarm, and are a pain is the ass at boot
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you have run MSConfig and elminated anything that might
be slowing down Windows resources?

- JB
 
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