XP is so slow

[ptw]

Hi, my system is getting very slow. Had a fresh install 3 months ago but I really don't want to do another.

Is there any other way to clean up the system like a fresh install, without actually doing one.

If I do install, would it make much diffrence if I go for the repair option rather than formatting HD.

Any suggestions please.

 

[FragTek]

Have you done a thorough defrag on your hard drive? Have you scanned for viruses? Spyware and Adware?

Start there.

 

[ptw]

Yeah done the defrag, scans, errors, deletes on temp files.

 

[nathan]

start > run > msconfig is always a good start. Just stop the unwanted programs from starting up.

 

[Raging]

i notice after about 6 months (average ish point for me) windows becomes sluggish and from there on its downhill basically,gets slower and windows starts getting bugged.

im sure it is its own way of telling you it wants a format

 

[FragTek]

M$ actually recommends that you format like every 6 months or something...

 

[ptw]

I did remove most of the unused program at my last install.

Also wondering how much formatting is bad for HD. Does it eventually kill it

 

[Toxcity]

Formatting will not kill a harddrive.

It isn't hard work for the drive at all..

 

[ptw]

Formatting will not kill a harddrive.

It isn't hard work for the drive at all..

So what you saying is no matter how much you format, it doesn't have any negative effect on the HD?

 

[nathan]

So what you saying is no matter how much you format, it doesn't have any negative effect on the HD?

it will have a slight negative effect, but just the usual wear and tear you get form using hard drives.

I always do a fresh install, set up everthing how i like it then ghost it. Then every 6 months or so i reghost it. I personally think its all the rubbish that apps leave behind that slow it down.

 

[ptw]

Thanks guys, i will problably do a fresh install this w/e

 

[FragTek]

it will have a slight negative effect, but just the usual wear and tear you get form using hard drives.

I always do a fresh install, set up everthing how i like it then ghost it. Then every 6 months or so i reghost it. I personally think its all the rubbish that apps leave behind that slow it down.

That's brilliant nathan! I'm going to do that when I get home today considering I have like 5 spare hard drives sitting around.

 

[Rastalovich]

It`s a great habit to get into Frag, it takes me 5 minutes to reinstall windows now.

I use something like imagedrive and keep the image on the D: drive, anything important I keep off C:. Change the mail folder etc.. Games ..

It`s so simple to solve something, u don`t hardly bother goofing around with it anymore, just reimage the drive. 5 mins. (10-20g partition like) If the system continues not to work, u know it`s hardware related.

Ghost is just as good, anything that`ll allow u to create a boot cd or summit.

 

[darkorb]

i usually save everything onto a DVD, game install shields iv downloaded etc..

then re-install OS, do updates, install Norton (yaya.) then 1 by 1 install games/apps/xfire/itunes/copy music etc.. takes about a day

 

[Rastalovich]

i usually save everything onto a DVD, game install shields iv downloaded etc..

then re-install OS, do updates, install Norton (yaya.) then 1 by 1 install games/apps/xfire/itunes/copy music etc.. takes about a day

Ouch.

 

[nathan]

i usually save everything onto a DVD, game install shields iv downloaded etc..

then re-install OS, do updates, install Norton (yaya.) then 1 by 1 install games/apps/xfire/itunes/copy music etc.. takes about a day

norton, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

/me hides!

 

[MikeEnIke]

Avast! FTW.

Even though everyone here is all about something else, avast has always been the best virus remover for me.

 

[Danni]

Avast! FTW.

Even though everyone here is all about something else, avast has always been the best virus remover for me.

Agreed, especially since I'm forced to use XP at the moment (I cannot get my mobile phone to work on Kubuntu, it's my only internet connection and I haven't got the energy to do any more troubleshooting- I just hope that Virgin Media find my new flat soon ).

Avast! detected a virus my ex-partner had got through MSN which had sent itself to me. AVG (on his machine) didn't pick it up until he'd done a manual scan, for some reason. By that point the virus had sent itself to everyone on his contact list. Both virus scanners were up to date.

 

[nathan]

Agreed, especially since I'm forced to use XP at the moment (I cannot get my mobile phone to work on Kubuntu, it's my only internet connection and I haven't got the energy to do any more troubleshooting- I just hope that Virgin Media find my new flat soon ).

Avast! detected a virus my ex-partner had got through MSN which had sent itself to me. AVG (on his machine) didn't pick it up until he'd done a manual scan, for some reason. By that point the virus had sent itself to everyone on his contact list. Both virus scanners were up to date.

helloooooooooo, havent seen you post on here for a while! nice to see you back.

 

[Danni]

Thanks I've been ill and with it get a bit forgetful- it's only when I want some computer stuff/am overclocking PC do I ever remember this place