how to clean up slow PC?

suiko

Well, there was no specific recommendation, just a series of charts showing how much faster it would work with however much added memory. The first was 768,and the next 2.25. If I buy this, how does one install it?

I still don't really understand why lack of memory should cause it to freeze occasionally, rather than just make it slower generally.

GunJack

suiko - with so little RAMto start with, and a shedload of stuff booting up on startup, not suprising it's freezing on you...it doesn't have enough memory to cope properly with the operating system, let alone all the other stuff

GunJack

Installing RAM is easy....see this for tips

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=14792873&postcount=17

suiko

I just wonder how come it was always "absolutely fine" for the previous user, who had it 5 years with the same RAM and operating system. Wonder what it is that I've put on it that has made this a problem. Also - how do I know which sort to buy (the Crucial scan was "unable to recognise your system"), and how much do I need (mimimum)?

I imagine this is all going to take some time. What things can I do/programs can I disable in the interim to reduce use of memory resources?

Donnie

Comodo Firewall

Seriously, you've added XP3, IE8....

Harder to diagnose the problem until the RAM variable has been eliminated.

Anyway, download and run the cpuz.exe in CPU-Z

It will tell you exactly what RAM is currently installed.

The whole memory thing should only take a couple of days from ordering to fitting. Fitting takes five minutes.

espresso

suiko wrote: »

But hey Espresso, it's easy to criticise! AliEnrik is doing his best - what do you suggest?

Useless OP has now reinstalled IE7 and updated other stuff. And installed Comodo.

Whilst not wanting to disagree with the others still following this long thread and trying to help you, I'm not convinced that your freezing is down to lack of RAM. I know plenty of machines running XP fine with only 256MB, however you do seem to have a lot of crap loading up, do you click on anything that's going for free?

Also I don't think that anyone now knows exactly what you do and do not have installed and running now. Therefore as you have not posted a HJT log since the 6th, you should at the very least do this. This would show what you have actually removed e.g. all those extra toolbars etc. You could post your HJT log to various other forums for 'expert' analysis see here.

suiko

Is there any program that will tell me exactly what type of memory I need? I see all sites have a proviso saying that "memory will not be exchanged", which indicates that it is very easy to choose the wrong kind!

espresso

suiko wrote: »

Is there any program that will tell me exactly what type of memory I need? I see all sites have a proviso saying that "memory will not be exchanged", which indicates that it is very easy to choose the wrong kind!

The program in post# 136 will tell you exactly what you currently have installed, so you can then buy a similar specification when adding more.

suiko

Will post another Hijack thing this evening (tho I don't actually think there will be many changes from the last one, if any at all).

Most of the "crap" I have loading up is stuff people on here have told me to download! What do you suggest I remove?

Donnie

espresso wrote: »

The program in post# 136 will tell you exactly what you currently have installed, so you can then buy a similar specification when adding more.

I'm dumbfounded. Ignored my post, in this case #136, for the umpteenth time, doesn't bother to thank me and then thanks you as if you posted the link. :rotfl:

Actually the OP is far too annoying for me to continue helping them.

Note that I did not write that the lack of RAM was the reason for the problem of 'freezing'. I wrote that is was the likely reason.
Because if the problem was too many programs loading at Start Up, fitting more RAM would take care of this.

If this were not the case, we could investigate issues with XP SP3 or malware.