Speeding up an old XP computer!

DEBTMONKEY1A

Hi-have 2 base units-an old one on xp upstairs (all my files/folders are on it) & a newere bigger memory windows 7 downstairs.

Someone a few years ago posted a definative guide to speed up XP. Can't find it anywhere! Computer just slows up & sometimes 'sticks'-only way to reboot is take out power lead-not ideal. I run CCleaner on start up, avast antivirus in background, Winpatrol (to advise on unwanted programmes caused by a virus altering start up), defrag weekly, run malwarebytes/spybot search & destroy.superantispyware weekly. I also run Auslogics boostspeed in the background.

Any ideas/links to speed up my lovely old XP? 1.49GB RAM, pentium 4 2.39 GHZ, service pack 3, 38gb ard drive (don't laugh...I know I know lol!), 7gb physical memory free.

Any suggestions/links (please don't say just bin it!).

Also....any idea how to back up/save my files/folders? I've loads of USB sticks!:beer:

googler

Slowing because you have too many security products running?

My approach was to install an SSD with a fresh install of op sys (XP) only, and move the existing HDD to the secondary drive. If you have a spare drive bay and drive connector on the motherboard, you could do this.

You'll need an install disk or two for the op sys, and install discs or download packages for anything else you habitually use.

Your files and folders will still be intact on the existing drive, you may need to change applications which save to your 'My Documents' by default, and save to the secondary drive.

As far as backing up, get external drives/CDs/sticks to capacity of over 38Gb, and copy/paste from the current HDD to them. Select folders which have your files, Ctrl+C to copy, go to folder location on backup drive, and Ctrl+V to paste.

If your two machines are networked via your router, you could simply network share between them and copy directly from the XP to the Win7

Rubidium

googler wrote: »

My approach was to install an SSD with a fresh install of op sys (XP) only, and move the existing HDD to the secondary drive. If you have a spare drive bay and drive connector on the motherboard, you could do this.

:idea:

If your computer is using a solid-state drive, it should be using a modern operating system. In particular, this means you shouldn’t use Windows XP or Windows Vista. Both of these old operating systems do not include support for the TRIM command. When you delete a file on your hard drive, the operating system can’t send the TRIM command to the drive, so the file’s data will remain in those sectors on the drive.

Fightsback

DEBTMONKEY1A wrote: »

Any ideas/links to speed up my lovely old XP? 1.49GB RAM, pentium 4 2.39 GHZ, service pack 3, 38gb ard drive (don't laugh...I know I know lol!), 7gb physical memory free.

Any suggestions/links (please don't say just bin it!).

Also....any idea how to back up/save my files/folders? I've loads of USB sticks!:beer:

Bin it, extremely slow pentium 4 single core and not worth spending two seconds on. Give it a minutes silence later at 11.11am and move on.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Thanks guys! Sorry googler....most of the stuffyou mention is way to teccy for me.....I do get the USB copy file bit though! Rubidium, never heard of trim before. I have a setting on ccleaner that will blank free space??? Only security running all the time is avast. Auslogics boostspeed checks settings daily & thats it. The other anti malware/virus prodeucts are run once a week but do not run in the background.

googler

Rubidium wrote: »

In particular, this means you shouldn’t use Windows XP or Windows Vista. Both of these old operating systems do not include support for the TRIM command. When you delete a file on your hard drive, the operating system can’t send the TRIM command to the drive, so the file’s data will remain in those sectors on the drive.

So?

The SSD has the OS only, and only a miniscule amount of data. All the 'proper' data is on platter drives in secondary or tertiary drive positions.

Been working fine for almost two years now, on two machines.

googler

DEBTMONKEY1A wrote: »

Thanks guys! Sorry googler....most of the stuffyou mention is way to teccy for me.....I do get the USB copy file bit though! Rubidium, never heard of trim before. I have a setting on ccleaner that will blank free space??? Only security running all the time is avast. Auslogics boostspeed checks settings daily & thats it. The other anti malware/virus prodeucts are run once a week but do not run in the background.

You can set up and run multiple security products, but a copy/paste is too technical? Really?

AndyPix

1. Open up control panel, go to add/remove programs
2. remove most of the stuff that you see in there, focusing on speed boosters and any other security type programs that you can see that you have installed to make your pc run faster (lol). Be brutal


3. run adw cleaner from here : https://toolslib.net/downloads/viewdownload/1-adwcleaner/


In short, you have an old machine so dont expect the world, but it should at least run smoothly with no hanging etc.


Let us know how you get on, oh and please dont do any online banking etc on this machine as it is a hackers paradise

DEBTMONKEY1A

Googler..you missed my post-copy/paste to USB I CAN do...crossed wires-sorry!

poppellerant

DEBTMONKEY1A wrote: »

I run CCleaner on start up, avast antivirus in background, Winpatrol (to advise on unwanted programmes caused by a virus altering start up), defrag weekly, run malwarebytes/spybot search & destroy.superantispyware weekly. I also run Auslogics boostspeed in the background.

DEBTMONKEY1A wrote: »

a setting on ccleaner that will blank free space

Forget these programs underlined. If you had a proper operating system and antivirus (ie: Windows 7 and ESET Antivirus) you wouldn't need them. If Avast is so good, why are you constantly checking your PC for anything that may have skipped past it?

In your position, I would buy a USB harddrive caddy (to put your current harddrive in and retrieve your files) and a new SSD. Remove your current harddrive and replace it with the new SSD drive, install Windows 7 or above, perform a Windows Update, install ESET antivirus before finally copying your documents with the caddy.

Anything else and you're just working around the fact that harddrives are inherently slow due to their mechanical nature.

googler

poppellerant wrote: »

In your position, I would buy a USB harddrive caddy (to put your current harddrive in and retrieve your files) and a new SSD. Remove your current harddrive and replace it with the new SSD drive, install Windows 7 or above, perform a Windows Update, install ESET antivirus before finally copying your documents with the caddy.

Anything else and you're just working around the fact that harddrives are inherently slow due to their mechanical nature.

Doesn't need the caddy, maybe. Put the existing drive in the secondary drive bay and connector, if the base unit has them (which it most probably has)