PC hardware: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow
After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow
by almach1 - 2/9/05 1:08 AMMy friend wants me to fix her dell. It's a used system and it ran fine. Windows XP just ran really really slow when she first got it. It took like 10 minutes to start and then afterwards it takes like 5 minutes for the controll panel to come up after you click it. Mouse and keboard work fine. So we're like just reinstall windows and that's it.
She has an official windows XP that isn't from dell from her old computer.
Started to install it and that's when we knew we had a problem. The OS took like 7 hours to install really slow. Then after the computer still ran rediculously slow just as it did before.
So we took out the ram and tested it on other computers and it ran fine. I put in my good RAM anyways just in case(so it wasn't bad ram)
Then we took the HD drive and put in a brand new one and it still ran slow.
I don't konw what to do now. I can't find a setting in the dell bios to set defaults. There is now way to install new mobo and cpu because the dell case won't fit another brand of mobo. is there anything else I can test to see if it's the problem.
forgot the processor type
by almach1 - 2/9/05 1:11 AM In reply to: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow by almach1BTW the computer is a recent dell, 2.8 P4, that's all i know.
RAM?
by Daniel32 - 2/11/05 5:40 AM In reply to: forgot the processor type by almach1Do you have a reasonable amount of the correct RAM? This will show briefly in the BIOS screen during startup; I find it helpful to run Belarc [Belarc.com], to confirm that what the BIOS is seeing is actually what Windows is using [especially after adding RAM]. If not, one or more of the RAM modules may be damaged or of the wrong type. On general principles I would run CHKDSK from your START / RUN menu, but that shouldn't be necessary after a reformat, which also removes viruses and spyware from the suspects. There are some sites that offer online benchmarking [Google "benchmark" or "speed test"] to show you whether the problem lies in the mobo, hard drive, RAM, or processor. If you have any system documentation, re-check the mobo jumper positions. Norton / Symantec's SystemWorks offers an effective and easy tool for correcting Registry errors and other configuration issues, but it's not free, and, as noted above, these types of issues shouldn't appear immediately after a format and re-install. [You did format the hard drive to eliminate any junk before re-installing, right?] I think the prime suspects would be the hardware components or the software itself. Have you installed XP on another computer from the same disk, to confirm that the software is not corrupted? This is a long shot, because in most cases it wouldn't run slow; it just wouldn't run.
After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow
by jcrobso - 2/9/05 9:09 AM In reply to: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow by almach1Did you check to see if the fans are all running?? Are the heatsinks full of dust?? If a P4 gets hot it will slow way-way down. One other thing but low chance is that the L1 and L2 catch are disabled this will slow down any processor. With your processor you should be able to install XP in about an hour. John
dells wierd cooling
by almach1 - 2/9/05 5:14 PM In reply to: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow by jcrobsoThe fan on the dell case is wierd. The fan sits flush with the back of the case and it brings in cool air from the outside of the case and then with a deflector it blows onto the heatsink on the inside. I'm going to check the l1 andl2 cache.
Thank you John
by pflesch - 1/10/06 7:06 PM In reply to: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow by jcrobso"f a P4 gets hot it will slow way-way down. One other thing but low chance is that the L1 and L2 catch are disabled this will slow down any processor. With your processor you should be able to install XP in about an hour. John"
This was exactly the answer I was looking for. When reinstalling I had reset bios due to bad hardware and forgot to put back on the options. Reading your post saved me a lot more hours of waiting on installs. Thanks I became a forum member due to this post
Sounds like a bios issue to me
by cadpeet - 2/11/05 5:26 AM In reply to: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow by almach1I would hit F2 right after you turn it on and go into the bios and make sure the disk drives are all set to auto. Make sure the processor speed is correct. Save the changes and reboot. If that does not do anything reset the bios. For a newer Dell this should work:
Restart your computer.
At the first text on the screen, or when the Dell logo appears, press the <F2> key every three seconds until the message Entering Setup appears.
When the System Setup screen appears, press the <Alt> + <F> keys at the same time to load the factory defaults.
A beep sounds to indicate the defaults have been loaded.
Check and, if necessary, reset the time, date, and year.
Change the Secondary Drive 0 setting to Auto.
Change USB Legacy Support to Enabled.
Press the <Alt> + <B> keys at the same time to save changes and reboot.
Good luck
Fdisk, format and reinstall...
by jparkhill - 2/11/05 6:24 AM In reply to: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow by almach1First, I don't read where you ran FDISK to remove old drive partitions and _then_ formatted the drive. I also recommend you format using the /u switch (unconditional format.)
Dell offers a 'Restore CD' that will reinstall your complete software (Win XP Home or Professional.) Call Dell and ask them for a copy...Try that install method since your version of Win XP isn't doing well.
Dell also has downloads for the latest BIOS upgrades and they are very reliable from my past corporate experience.
Good luck -
- Jan
Dell restore CD?
by jijo272 - 2/13/05 2:29 AM In reply to: Fdisk, format and reinstall... by jparkhillI have a Dell but it originally came with Win ME. Changed that to XP. Will that make a difference when using the original Dell restore CD or could I still use the Restore CD and change to Win XP?
I had this same problem just last week...
by engstromm - 2/11/05 6:27 AM In reply to: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow by almach1I was overhauling my ex-wifes pc and once everything was set up and I copied all her files from the original drive I removed it - thereby leaving her with just an 80 Gig Drive. After doing this, the machine took forever to even get through the post let alone have Windows XP Pro start up and let me work. I searched high & low for an answer as to what I had done wrong but to no avail. Eventually I got the idea to remove the jumper from the remaining hard drive (WD 80 Gig drive). It seems that if the drive is a master with no slave present that you should not use a jumper. In any event, by removing that jumper the machine was back up to speed... the post screen was almost non-existent and XP booted up almost instantly and all was once again right with the world. Give it a try... Good Luck.
ios Configuration Utility Alarm
by jcrobso - 2/11/05 9:14 AM In reply to: I had this same problem just last week... by engstrommYes that jumper config is unique to WD drives. Good job. John
Hard Drive
by pcdoc1 - 2/11/05 12:49 PM In reply to: I had this same problem just last week... by engstrommAll of the Dell computers use cable select to assign the drives.
not enough ram?
by tinman1275 - 2/11/05 7:28 AM In reply to: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow by almach1I just fixed my friends mother-in-law's computer that took almost 10 minutes to boot up. She had taken it to a few local shops to have it looked at and they couldn't figure it out, so i said i'd have a look. Anyway, it is a 3 year old IBM that came with 128 megs of ram which just wasn't enough, i tried installing another 128 and it now boots in less than 1 minute. Microsoft may say the minimum ram for XP is 64 but in my experience anything less than 256 is not enough. When I build a system now it gets no less than 512. Hope this helps!
slow PC
by yohan129 - 2/11/05 9:21 AM In reply to: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow by almach1first you can do the easy thing and that is ,take it to PC world and have a £25-00 service,this will save all the trouble of going into the bios for that is your trouble,it is in the bios and i take it that you have had the Xp program checked also that its clear of virus etc.also did you have one hard drive in the PC ? format with 2 and that will slow it down,and may not even start in windows.sorry I have no more ideas.
Yohan.
Was it a fresh install or upgrade from Windows 98?
by Dynochem - 2/11/05 10:19 AM In reply to: After reformatt and reinstallation Winxp comp stil slow by almach1If it was a fresh install the generic drivers in XP might not be working properly for the Dell.
Did you get all the latest drivers for that model from Dell's web site?
Also do any available Bios updates.
Easiest way to isolate problem is to try each bit of hardware one by one in another PC.
You've already proved it's not the Hard disk, do this with any other removable devices.
A big possibilty is the motherboard IDE driver.
If it isn't the correct one for the Dell m'board the system will crawl. Same goes for the AGP and PCI drivers.
If you cant get these from dell, try to identify which chipset the motherboard is using e.g. VIA, SIS, INTEL...the download the drivers for the board from the chipset manufacturers site. (e.g. Via 4in1, Sis 645, Intel 810 etc
If it didn't used to crawl on Win 98 then for sure it's the chipset drivers.
Try it... good luck
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