Community Newsletter: Q&A: In plain English, how do I speed up a slow computer?
- 8/15/08 9:58 AM
Speeding up Internet Explorer
by rbHighTech - 8/10/08 12:24 PM In reply to: Updating Drivers, cleaning cookies by pjlindsleyThe biggest drag on Internet Explorer is add-ons! If you are running IE7, then after awhile it becomes slower than molasses in January. The best solution to this is to run Firefox 3, but for those of you that are more comfortable continuing to use IE, then go in to Tools v Manage Add-ons > Enable or Disable Add-ons. Disable as many, if not all, of these add-ons as you want by selecting them one at a time, click on the Disable selector, then once done, click on OK. You will be prompted to restart the browser. Once you do, I think you will find a startup process from click to your home page go from about 15 or 20 seconds down to 2 seconds!
Good advise about Add-ons
by Finge - 8/10/08 7:34 PM In reply to: Speeding up Internet Explorer by rbHighTechGood advise rbHighTech. Think you might get a kick out of this.
(Consumer used IE7 - Some commonalities with customized Office Use of IE7) With all the tweaks we use, toolbars offered by Google, Yahoo, etc even through other program installers, we never allow to be a part of IE7. IE7 can do it’s job just fine without em and they basically just clutter the works. Preventing Toolbar extensions and applying certain tweaks is a few of the things that makes IE7 speedy and more stable. Some tweaks are available from knowledgeable sites and from Microsoft but again, in which order, why the selection, and considering what other internet accessing programs your running, makes the difference as what tweak is applied and their effect on speed and stability of IE7. I haven’t nor am I considering posting a Consumer/Office lineup of these. It takes too much time to compile the documentation. But the starter for Consumers and Office machines alike is this. Don’t allow a home page (customized for Office is the exception), rather a blank html with black background. The idea is when executing IE, only that page comes immediately showing that no site is highjacking IE nor does IE spend time on a homepage load. If a website is frequently used, make it a favorite, not an immediate execution. The second option is tell IE7 to "Empy Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed.".
Users can find that switch in: IE7 / Tools / Internet Options / Advanced, slide down the list and check the option, Apply and OK.
For users of IE7, creating a blank/black homepage is easy.
Open IE7 and save your current home page if you have one you want to keep, as a favorite.
You don't have to close IE7 just yet.
Select and copy these bracketed lines then open notepad and paste them in.
<html>
<title>Untitled</title>
<body bgcolor="#000000">
</body>
</html>
Select File / Save As
Save In: C:
Name the file "blank.html" without the quotes.
Change "Save as Type" to "All Files" and save it, closing notepad.
Go back to IE7 and enter this address.
C:\blank.html and enter it.
Once the Black Page is up, go to IE7's Tools / Internet Options / and select "Use Current", Apply and OK.
Close IE7 and bring it back up. There's your home page. From here, you can go anywhere you wish.
It’s easier on the eyes with a black background than IE7's default “Use Blank”.
( Concerning IE7 Add-ons) For the general user, to help IE7, I suggest uninstalling every toolbar you see in “Add and Remove Programs” accessed from the Control Panel, including the MSN Toolbar. You don’t need them. As far as Add-ons in IE7, only a few are suggested keeping and the rest can be disabled. Leave any downloaders you’ve chosen to use. Leave Sun’s Java and it's SSV Helper, and for example, if running SpyBot, leave it's IE Protection. You can Disable all others including Windows Messenger (including Live) but only if you don’t use it or use it to access hotmail-livemail email. Research can also be disabled. For those using AVG, it’s add-ons need to be removed via reinstalling AVG over itself, choosing custom, and unselecting things like Link Scanner. All add-ins that are used to configure a particular program which have their own configuration shortcuts or can be configured from within the programs themselves can be disabled.
Another important safety option is found in IE7 / Internet Options / Programs
Check the box, "Tell me if Internet Explorer is not the default web browser.
( a discovery )
The biggest speed problem in IE7 is Microsoft (the middle man). Back when (IE6), Microsoft was sorta in the middle, but with the event of 911 and Microsoft’s stab at getting hold of Googles Database, which Google continues to say no, Microsoft had to get around that. Therefore, via some MS updates post these events, Microsoft has placed themselves in between IE7 and the rest of the world. When you go to Google, you go through Microsoft first, then Google to where ever, with the return also via Microsoft before it gets back to you. This is accomplished via various means including Live Search. Some colleagues and I have come up editing IE7, the registry, and “startup” in that order, that guarantees when Google is accessed from either IE7's search or address bar, the hop bypasses MS going directly to Google or any other site we choose, and back direct. The result is an increase in IE7's response time by at least 30%. This includes the registry elimination of Live Search leaving Google as the search default in every instance. Interesting discovery. It’s a benign thing but does cause IE7 slowdown.
It all falls back on a famous saying known by good techies and Trekies, “The more they overtake the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain”. Good techs are also good plumbers. (Finge)
Did you ever find a solution to your computer running slow?
by dmtwa - 11/28/09 12:33 PM In reply to: Speeding up Internet Explorer by rbHighTechIf so, could you please share it with me? My email address is: denisemartini@prodigy.net
and I need help. I tried deleting emails. Please help
Speeding Up a Slow Computer
by {Eagle} - 8/18/08 6:57 PM In reply to: Updating Drivers, cleaning cookies by pjlindsleyThe first thing I would do is click on the Start Menu
Go to Run and type in MSConfig. Once it's up and running
go to the startup tab and click Disable all and Restart.
Once your computer restarts, if there are any programs you use alot
and actually want them to run at startup, then you can run MSConfig again and click the checkmark next to them. For Laptops you need to keep SynTPEnh running so that the touchpad will scroll.
That step alone will greatly speed up most computers because half the time they are bogged down with too many startup applications.
You can look into registry cleaner software which is all easy to use,
and reducing the number of icons on your desktop is also a good idea.
In the Control Panel under Add/Remove Programs you should go through the list and uninstall any applications that you are sure that you don't use or want anymore to free up hard drive space. If there are any apps that you don't know what they are, just google them and you should get a detailed description of what they do.
MSCONFIG
by Randy Walter - 8/18/08 10:52 PM In reply to: Speeding Up a Slow Computer by {Eagle}Good post, Eagle. I was scouting MSCONFIG SERVICES and I noticed the windows firewall service is running. I checked the control panel security and it says the windows firewall is off. I have a MCAFEE firewall running and from what I can gather there should be only one firewall running as more than one executing at a time will ball up the system. What gives?
Computer speedup
by VidVibeman - 8/1/08 8:12 PM In reply to: In plain English, how do I speed up a slow computer? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I don't claim to be a super geek but I HAVE had a lot of success on many hard drives that were so slow as to be nearly useless.
My opinion is that clutter is usually the problem, but bad stuff from the Internet can also be your problem. Clutter can mean: too many fragmented files (defrag the drive); too many invalid entries in the Registry (happens mostly during uninstalling programs, but seems to be part of the sloppy housekeeping that exists in all versions of Windows)... my experience covers versions from 98 through XP Pro; or your hard drive may be too small.
Trying to keep my solutions simple as you requested, these are the steps I take.
1. Locate your C: drive in My Computer, right click for Properties and hope that you have at least 25% free. If not, try to delete stuff not needed. Be sure that you know how to remove clutter safely. A simple DELETE can be very harmful if you don't know what you are doing.
2. A pretty safe way to clean up a drive is Norton System Works (my current version is 2006 Premier) which contains Cleanup, DiskDoctor, and WinDoctor. These features will run from the CD so don't install these programs on your hard drive.
3. About a year ago I bought "SpringCleaning" ver. 3 and love the way it not only cleans out the Registry, but will help you uninstall files that have corrupted uninstall files.
4. If you don't scan for junk that the Internet puts on your computer, this can be so bad as to make a full format and a clean install of Windows the only real cure for slow drives. Do not try this without professional help. YOU MUST SAVE ALL OF YOUR DATA FIRST, to DVDs or another hard drive.
There are a number of good & free programs for scanning harmful files. LavaSoft offers AdAware 2008, SpyBot Search & Destroy has been a favorite. Look for reviews on this kind of assistance. Hope this helps. I am running 2 computers with about a dozen slide-in hard drive trays using Windows 2000 Pro and XP Pro. My preferred backup is Norton Ghost cloning drives in DOS. I don't trust Windows to do anything as important as cloning a drive.
Hope this helps. VidVibeMan
Keeping a system running well
by frj11 - 8/1/08 8:29 PM In reply to: In plain English, how do I speed up a slow computer? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Gail,
Simply put the easiest way to speed up your computer is to once a year reload your operating system and all of your application code. This is quite easily done if you separate your data files from your operating system and application code. The second hard drive in my system is where I keep all of my documents, pictures, spread sheets, music files etc. The first hard drive has a boot partition of 40 GB in which holds my operating system and all application code. I often back up both the code partition and the data partition. The backup code I use is Acronis True Image 11. The backups are stored on a third hard drive which in my case is a 320 GB USB drive.
This sounds more complex than it is. I have suffered several hack attacks and several hard drive failures. Yet my ability to keep a high performance system running well has never been compromised.
I hope this helps,
Rick
Reloading the operating system
by Rick75230 - 8/9/08 3:53 PM In reply to: Keeping a system running well by frj11Gail,
Reloading the operating system IS the best way. But trying to separate your data is a pain. I'm a "power user" and I recently did it and it's just a pain. Every program has a default place where it stores data. You would have to manually change the defaults for every program. Some programs don't allow that. Reloading the OS will reset all you preferences. The more you use your computer the more annoying that is. The cookies that remember website passwords, etc., will be deleted, so you'll have to re-enter all your passwords.
Plus, I GUARANTEE there will be SOME program where you thought you saved the settings and you didn't and you'll wipe out either a downloaded installer, a license, or something else and you won't be able to reinstall the program or activate it or you'll have to create a new user account and you won't be able to access data from the old account.
Gail: PC Secret Formula
by sjeffreya1 - 8/9/08 11:43 PM In reply to: Keeping a system running well by frj11Hi Gail, Not to worry Gail, help is available. I consider myself technology advanced and have even built a few computers in my day. Yet I was intrigued by an eBook with an 8 week money back guarantee. Claiming that what it could do would make a tune up by Geek Squad or Fire Dog a waste of a money. It was written by Kris Manieri and is called PC Secret Formula. http://pcsecretformula.com/?e=fix-it. It cost $14.97 and I couldn't resist trying it. It's written in plain english with pictures to guide you and not only gives the best tune up I had ever had seen it hacker proofs your computer at the same time. It is about 25 pages of lifetime updates and the last page has a maintenance schedule. My first computer was slooow and took about 2 hours taking my time. It improved it overall by 300% so I tried it on a fast rig that was tweaked pretty well. It improved overall by 100%. It reloads in under a minute. The beautiful part of this Gail is that you can do it yourself, and you'll be learning about your computer also.
Buy a Mac!
by rwinbush - 8/10/08 4:05 AM In reply to: Keeping a system running well by frj11I know some of you will see this as a smarta** answer, but it really is the fastest way to speed up your machine. The Intel Macs run Windows software *faster* than Windows based machines.
I was tired of ad/spyware on my PC and just switched over (reluctantly) a few years ago, and I just don't have these problems anymore. It took me about a day to migrate my documents fully to a Mac and now I rarely use the "Windows" side of it.
I think the "Mojave" ad campaign that Microsoft has mounted reflects the fundamental problem with Windows-based technology --- too many problems to fix and a perception that it's complex, messy and troublesome.
Like I said, buy a Mac (and I *don't) work for Apple...
I strongly suggest you find a knowledgeable friend...
by rae2_2 - 8/1/08 8:35 PM In reply to: In plain English, how do I speed up a slow computer? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Gail... I've been messing around with, building, fixing, teaching computers since the mid 1980s and some things about them still confuse me. But I know enough to know there are NO "easy instructions to speed up my computer."
Rather than get into all the whys and wherefores in this forum, let me strongly advise you to find someone who does know what he or she is doing re "speeding up your computer" and have them sit with you and your system and fully explain what you need to know. Be prepared to spend many, many hours.
A computer isn't termed a "system" for nothing. EVERYTHING about them is somehow interdependent and interrelated to every other thing. Change one thing and it's almost a given you'll affect something else. Sometimes the effect is benign, sometimes catastrophic. There is no way to explain all the complexities in writing unless you want to read a 500 page book of technospeak. And there's no way to know if you're doing the right thing until you understand the complexities. I know it's frustrating unless you're really "into" computers but that's the way it is.
You can read a list of "easy to follow instructions" on how to drive and maintain a car but you won't get far trying to negotiate today's traffic from "book learning." Same with computers. How you "speed them up" depends entirely on what's slowing them down... and that could be a thousand different things. Each computer system, although it may look identical to another, is unique.
Most people who simply want to turn on the machine and use it and who couldn't care less about understanding how it works or maintaining it are well advised to bite the bullet and hire an "expert" to periodically tune-up their systems.
I respectfully disagree
by minette061554 - 8/8/08 6:50 PM In reply to: I strongly suggest you find a knowledgeable friend... by rae2_2I've been using computers for a long time but only got my own 8 years ago and have had to learn about things like hard drives, hardware, software, tweaks.....When using computers at work all I did was use the software provided.
I believe that asking questions in forums such as this one is how I've learned to overcome many problems and also how I've solved many problems without having to ask again next time those problems occur.
I am not answering the OP's question, that has been answered in this forum.
I am saying keep asking, keep trying to learn these things and don't worry about finding a knowledgeable friend. If you do it, you will learn, I did and if I can anyone can.
Agreeing to disagree
by David Walland - 8/8/08 11:25 PM In reply to: I respectfully disagree by minette061554Can I add my two pen'north specifically to agree with the post "I respectfully disagree".
I started with computers in my teens back in 1964 (when mercury delay tubes were still in use!). I got very expert with BBC microcomputers in the 1980s, then was abroad when the PC revolution took off completely. Since the early 90s, I've been little more than a PC user and I find the average IT persons determination to fix a problem rather than help me learn more so I can do it and deal with other problems as well, very frustrating. I used to write machine code at one time - surely I can learn "PC nerd" (my wife's name for the language used).
So please, I'm on this forum to learn. Don't just tell me to pay someone else to fix my machine - I want to learn to do this myself.
Finally, any advice on other cheap/free sites which give loads of information and little disinformation to help me learn more quickly would be gratefully received.
Regards
David
Perhaps you misunderstood my advice...
by rae2_2 - 8/9/08 7:05 AM In reply to: I respectfully disagree by minette061554I suggested that to have her system "fixed" and working properly NOW she absolutely MUST find someone knowledgeable. My advice was not intended to deter her from learning... quite the contrary.
But learning piecemeal how to "fix" computers is really doing things the hard and most-likely-to-screw-things-up way. I suppose an interested, talented individual could learn BRAIN SURGERY by book learning, trial and error, and advice from friends as well, but I sure wouldn't be calling that doctor to help me!
IF... big IF... she WANTS to learn the complexities, then I would combine your advice with mine. But learn the easy way - get advice from experts FIRST - then experiment on your own home computer (preferably a second one that if and when you royally screw it up, and you will, it won't take the only copy of important data with it). NEVER experiment on the computers at your workplace unless you have permission in writing from your boss. Work systems will likely be networked and have other MAJOR differences that most home systems won't have. Two different systems doing two different tasks.
Finally - in my experience, about 80% of the "Easy-to-fix-your-computer" software packages, are AT LEAST as likely to cause as many problems as they purport to solve. The most popular, such as NORTON's bloated suites, are, for the most part, the MOST COMMON CAUSE OF COMPUTER SLOWDOWN. I could write a book full of horror stories regarding the NORTON stuff from Symantec, especially the garbage published in the last ten years. When Peter Norton himself was authoring and publishing software to help "fix" systems, the stuff was really very good and useful. But it's been all downhill for the past 10 years. I won't even work on a system that has Norton installed - it either comes off, or I walk.
I Agree...Step 1 -Remove Norton
by waytron - 8/10/08 4:20 AM In reply to: Perhaps you misunderstood my advice... by rae2_2I totally agree, the first thing I do with any computer that is having problems is uninstall Norton (if it has it installed) and the second thing I do is use the Norton Removal tool (Downloaded From Symantec) to remove any remnents left behind as well as old versions of Norton.
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