[PhalanX]

hmmm.... well someone else back me up here, but going on that, I would say that you have only 256 MB... it says you have about 426 MB but thats because the operating system normally uses your harddrive as "virtual memory", which is slower than your actual RAM... since you are approaching 256 MB usage (its at 222MB) that might be why its running slow...

To be honest, 256MB RAM for Windows XP is only just enough and doesn't give you much leverage for running stuff, but it should be bearable...

To help clarify this further, what exactly do you mean by "running slow"?

[Advertisements]

well like when i click on a program to start or like even when i click on control panel ,its taking awhile to open

[saraveza408]

well like when i click on a program to start or like even when i click on control panel ,its taking awhile to open

[PhalanX]

yes, that indicates that your computer is suffering from memory starvation... basically the solution to this (assuming I am correct, which I believe I am) is to get more RAM installed into your computer, if you do indeed only have 256 MB of RAM then for a Windows XP system that really isn't enough if you want to be running media applications and other stuff...

[saraveza408]

so how would i get more RAM?Im sorry im a rookie when it comes to computers & you guys are so helpful!

[wannabe1]

Desktop or laptop?

[saraveza408]

i have a windows xp proffesional 5.1.2600 service pack 2 build 2600.my laptop is a omnibook pc x86 based pc(whatever that means)

[PhalanX]

In terms of installing RAM, laptops are a bit more tricky and expensive than pc's unfortunately...

Basically you just need to go to any computer store and make sure that they sell laptop ram and can install it for you...

Now in terms of what you want to get, that depends on your laptop... Different laptops have different specifications in terms of the number of RAM slots they have and how much RAM can be fitted into each slot.

So you have a HP Omnibook then? Do you know the model number? Then i can look up the specifications and we can figure out what is best for you...

[CJIS]

To find out what RAM is needed for the laptop then a great site to visit woud be Crucial and then running their scan and it will tell you exactly what RAM you need.

Firefox VS IE= neither I don't like any of these browsers. I am using the new opera 9.0 Beta. The best browser ever.

Edited by CJIS, 14 April 2006 - 03:34 AM.

[saraveza408]

hey phalanX,here i copied & pasted my system info(I took out the user name & stuff for saftey reasons((i think))anyway I coulnd tell my omnibooks model # so I thought you might be able to tell from this....

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name THE-HHQV7UC1MJJ
System Manufacturer Hewlett-Packard
System Model HP OmniBook PC
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 3 GenuineIntel ~647 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies Ltd. EA.M1.07, 10/8/2000
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Total Physical Memory 256.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 34.72 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 426.27 MB

[PhalanX]

hmmm ok... well I was right about the fact that you have 256 mb...

From the fact your computer is a Pentium 650 MHz, looking up the different HP Omnibook models I would say your computer is a 6000 model.

Check out the pictures on this file and the specifications - do they match your laptop - here: http://www.ima.umn.e...ibook/specs.pdf

From the specifications, it looks like your laptop has two slots, each can have a maximum of 256mb of ram in it, so if both slots have 256 then you will have 512mb of ram, twice what you have now, which should work well.

Now the question is whether or not you have two 128mb chips in your computer or if you have a single 256mb chip... Either way, if you buy 1 256mb chip then you could have either 512mb or 384mb of ram in your computer which is better than what you currently have.

Your comptuer is reasonably old though so the ram is really expensive, both of these sites have it for around $70 for one chip of 256mb:

http://www.crucial.c...../650&tabid=CR
http://www.memoryx.net/f1654b.html

So now the problem is whether or not that your comptuer is actually the 6000 model and then how to get someone to install the ram for you. Installing ram inside a laptop is really hard because it can be quite difficult to get to. I would say give a few computer stores in the area a call to see if they can install the ram for you and then purchase the ram separately from the internet because it will most likely be cheaper.

[saraveza408]

yup that sure looks like my laptop.& from what it sounds like it mill be less trouble to just get a new laptop huh?Besides you stated my current laptop is kinda outdated.Another thing I decided to go with Opera.Opera's seemed to be a lot faster than my experiance with firefox.And Opera allows me to change themes just like Firefox.So with that said......I currently have Ad-Aware(free edition),Spybot,Trojan Hunter, ccCleaner,Wash n go (which I really like),AVG and Windows Defender all installed on this ol' xp,Are all these really nessecary?

[PhalanX]

yeah it probably would be easier getting a new one

and wow, thats quite a comprehensive list, to be honest i am pretty lax about all that, all i have is kaspersky antivirus which in my opinoin is the best out there... but with sp2 on xp it is reasonably secure... Generally, as long as you don't go downloading dodgy programs and such you are fine with just a decent virus scanner and maybe adaware or one of the others... but im sure people probably have differing opinoins about that

fair enough about opera, I personally don't like opera as much as firefox for various reasons, but it is still a good browser, and if you are using that instead of internet explorer then thats great

[saraveza408]

so which programs do you suggest i uninstall??

[PhalanX]

generally they wont run in memory except the virus scanner, so unless you are having lack of harddrive space issues it doesnt really matter...

[pip22]

Slightly off-topic but the soon-to-be-finalised IE7 has closed the gap considerably, and definitely starts faster than Firefox on my PC at least. renders pages faster too. Also has tabbed browsing now so that's another equaliser. Still uses ActiveX technology though, so FF can still claim to be safer, but ActiveX can be very useful without being risky just as long as you can control it -- IE7 now asks for your permission to allow it every time you visit an ActiveX-content website. personally I'm quite happy to return to using IE again with this new version. If I had to make one complaint about IE7 it's the fact that the poor 'autocomplete' for website logins is unchanged from IE6. It's not as intelligent as FF and you can't view individual saved logins to delete one, you have to delete them all. Apart from that, IE7 rocks for me.

Edited by pip22, 16 April 2006 - 02:24 PM.