[Granmama]

My computer is running so slow. Boot up and operation are both slow. I am on a dial up and use PeoplePC as ISP. I have windows defender, AVG and SpyDectector. Any ideas?

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To speed-up your computer please do the following: (For most downloads use links in my signature).

1: Click Start > run. Type msconfig. Go to the "startup" tab and uncheck everything which is not essential to run in the background. Leave only antimalware programs running. (if you change your mind latter you can reactivate those programs). Confirm and reboot. Upon rebooting a message will show up. Please check it and continue. For laptop users: do not uncheck items that clearly relate to the operation of the computer.

2: Download and install CCleaner. Do not install the Yahoo toolbar that comes packed with the program. Run the "cleaner" and "registry" options a number of times until nothing is left to be cleaned. Use the backup option (in "registry") when prompted to do so.

3: Run a thorough scan with updated antimalware programs. Use the link in my signature to the malware forum and follow all the preliminary steps. Run full system scans (all files), preferably in safe mode. Run the programs one at a time,

4: Run disk defragmantation. For this operation I use and recommend Auslogic Disk Defrag.

5: Download and run PageDefrag. This program defrags registry and page files which are not defragged by other means. Set it to work upon next boot and reboot.

6: Press ctr+alt+del to enter task manager. Under Performance tab look for "physical memory". Please report Total and Available.

7: Enter "My Computer", right-click drive C: -> Properties. Please report Capacity and Free Space of your hard disk (each partition, if you have more then one).

8: Go to Device Manager, expand IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers, Double click IDE Primary Channel, click Advanced Settings and write down what you see in Current Transfer Mode. Repeat the procedure for Secondary IDE Channel.

[The Skeptic]

To speed-up your computer please do the following: (For most downloads use links in my signature).

1: Click Start > run. Type msconfig. Go to the "startup" tab and uncheck everything which is not essential to run in the background. Leave only antimalware programs running. (if you change your mind latter you can reactivate those programs). Confirm and reboot. Upon rebooting a message will show up. Please check it and continue. For laptop users: do not uncheck items that clearly relate to the operation of the computer.

2: Download and install CCleaner. Do not install the Yahoo toolbar that comes packed with the program. Run the "cleaner" and "registry" options a number of times until nothing is left to be cleaned. Use the backup option (in "registry") when prompted to do so.

3: Run a thorough scan with updated antimalware programs. Use the link in my signature to the malware forum and follow all the preliminary steps. Run full system scans (all files), preferably in safe mode. Run the programs one at a time,

4: Run disk defragmantation. For this operation I use and recommend Auslogic Disk Defrag.

5: Download and run PageDefrag. This program defrags registry and page files which are not defragged by other means. Set it to work upon next boot and reboot.

6: Press ctr+alt+del to enter task manager. Under Performance tab look for "physical memory". Please report Total and Available.

7: Enter "My Computer", right-click drive C: -> Properties. Please report Capacity and Free Space of your hard disk (each partition, if you have more then one).

8: Go to Device Manager, expand IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers, Double click IDE Primary Channel, click Advanced Settings and write down what you see in Current Transfer Mode. Repeat the procedure for Secondary IDE Channel.

[Granmama]

Skeptic

Thanks for responding to my problem. Unfortunately, I am not as computer savvy as I would like to be.

How do I find your signature to see the download links?


Also a little timid about the msconfig and start/run instructions. Afraid I will uninstall something I need.
Could you give me a little more guidance and assurance on this issue.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

[cmpm]

msconfig will not uninstall anything by unchecking boxes

The download links are at the bottom of Skeptic's messages.
Click the names of the links he mentioned.
These are safe to run.

[Granmama]

Have completed all the steps before this. Computer is running faster, but still pretty slow. My mind is drawing a blank as to how to get to device manager. I know I have seen it, but can't remember where.


Task Manager/Performance/Physical Memory
Total = 522224
Available = 241672


My Computer/C:/Properties
Capacity = 108 GB
Free Space = 96 GB

[Ztruker]

To get to Device Manager, open Control Panel then System. Click on the Hardware tab then the Device Manager button.

[Granmama]

Finally, I have been able to get all the information asked for

Task Manager/Performance/Physical Memory
Total = 522224
Available = 241672


My Computer/C:/Properties
Capacity = 108 GB
Free Space = 96 GB

IDE Primary Channel - Current Transfer Mode = Ultra DMA Mode 5
Secondary IDE Channel - Current Transfer Mode = Ultra DMA Mode 2

Does this have any bearing on the slowness of the computer?

[The Skeptic]

All looks well. Could you give us the make and model of your computer? We would like to see what the specs are. If it's a relatively old computer then it's slowness is understandable. Windows defender is a program that use a considerabler amount of resources. AVG antivirus goes into automatic scan after start up, slowing an old computer seriously. Add to this Window Update scan and you get a very heavy load on the computer for about 15 minutes after startup. It could be that the computer only gives what it can.