Very slow laptop...wats the options

BarginHunter1985

Hi all...

I have a very extremely slow laptop...wat are the options...is there a way I can completely restart the computer so that it will run faster...or can I do something...delete stuff etc, to make it run quicker...i dont want to buy any more memory cos its a old laptop...

Thanks in advance

BH xx:T

rmg1

I would try the malware sticky at the top of this forum.
If you have a lot of temporary internet files, etc on there, it could really slow things down.

BarginHunter1985

Thanks rmg1 I will have a look at it..how do i delete temporary internet files?

GunJack

three ways - do all as part of the process to ensure cleanup....

1. CCleaner
2. right-click on your explorer icon, properties, delete browsing history, delete all
3. open my computer, right-click on your HDD, properties, disk cleanup

That'll help....also need to defrag HDD, found on tools tab where disk cleanup is

kwikbreaks

If cleanup or more radically reinstalling Windows doesn't produce the sort of speed you find acceptable consider installing Ubuntu Linux on it as it will perform far better on limited hardware than windows.

Alternately you could investigate if installing more memory is viable.

[Deleted User]

If you've got the Windows CD/Recovery Disc for the laptop and you can source the drivers, you might as well just format the drive and start again. No point wasting time doing anything else if you're in a position to start over again.

negg

It may be one program taking up processing power. I assume you have Windows XP (probably same for Vista though).

Hold Control+Alt and press Delete - a new window should pop up called Windows Task Manager. There should be some tabs across the top, one is called Processes, click on that and it will show you all the tasks running and the CPU usage. Click on CPU to sort by CPU usage (zero usage will go to the top), click on it again to reverse the sort (zero usage will go to the bottom).

Now the names of the tasks eating into CPU power will be at the top. Google them to find out what they are and to find instructions if they can be disabled, assuming you don't want them.

aliEnRIK

Clean install/restore is best option
You probably need more memory whatever happens

If you cant install/restore then you may have conflicting programs running, and/or malware/viruses

andy2004

How much memory in the laptop, running what OS,
laptops usually use the memory not only for running the OS but for running the graphics.

1. download and install malwarebytes antispyware 1.37 < current version, and update it, run a quick scan, and click on remove if anything is found.
2. check your processes to see if any of the programs running is using to much, possible infection.
3. if you have a xp cd handy for the same version you have installed
open a command prompt and with the cd in the drive. type SFC /scannow and press return. this will replace any windows files with the orginials.
4 defrag the harddrive, there are a few freeware program outthere, the built in defrag is a little too slow for me. i use on occasions a freeware program called JKdefrag with a gui called JKdefragstarter <this is the gui. simple to use, otherwise you would need to type in a load of commands in the command prompt, another freeware one is defraggler by the same people who brought you ccleaner.
links to both. https://www.defraggler.com and https://www.kessels.com/Jkdefrag/

upgrading the memory should be cheap about £20 for a 2x1 gb sticks, depnding where you look,