Dell Problems

Dabberdoo

I brought a new Laptop from Dell in October as my daughter was starting at University. The laptop was so slow by December and I had done all the technical support before sending back to them to rectify. They replaced the motherboard which is surprising for a 3 month old Laptop, it returned and was still no better on performance. So slow and unresponsive, Dell have said there is nothing in place to replace the laptop or refund the purchase, meanwhile I am paying to rent a laptop from the University for my daughter to use in her studies. Surely this cannot be the case that I have a laptop that is effectively scrap?

Carrot007

Some thoughts:

1. What are the specs of the laptop, some sold are always going to be slow.

2. Have you done a clean install of windows downloaded from MS via a usb stick? Dell stick a lot of fluff on there and you are mostluy better off without it (and a nice fresh install with no added software would show you the norm for the machine).

shiraz99

As above, the full specs of the laptop will determine whether being "slow" is within reason or not.

Heedtheadvice

Some other thoughts...

If it is slower than when bought

Have you/daughter added any software even inadvertantly by clicking on links/pictures etc out of curiosity

Is it slow when using a briwser and lots of adverts keep popping up?

Have you done a virus etc check if not download and run malwarebytes free. Allow it to delete everything reported as an issue by default.

Have you run task manager (ctl+alt+delete) to look at performance to see if cpu is maxing out, or memory or disk etc? Dell will have tested hardware but there could be software running hogging all resources.

Is it ok off line i.e. not connected to the internet?

Do you have a backup of disk (data/all/anything)

Maybe best to do a few few checks before doing a new install of windows imho just in case you do it incorrectly and loose data or programs if you do it incorrectly

Carrot007

Heedtheadvice said:

Maybe best to do a few few checks before doing a new install of windows imho just in case you do it incorrectly and loose data or programs if you do it incorrectly

They would lose everything if they are doing it correctly. The only way to rid yourself of the dell nonsence is a clean install, which would be done with a wipe. Anything else is jus tputting a sticking plaster on a knife wound.

Or course reinstallation is not everybodys first call. But if it the quickest simplest way to do things. Of course I keep nothing but windows and programs on the drive so nothing would ever be lost. But people have backups of important stuff right? That's what you do with important stuff.

cx6

Why would you replace a motherboard for a laptop going slow? Unless you suspect the master clock or something.

GDB2222

If it was fast enough in September but had slowed down by December, the obvious thought is a virus. 

Sicard

Things to try:

Run a defrag if it's not an ssd. If it is make sure the TRIM is activated.
Run a sfc: cmd, run as administrator and type sfc /scannow (note space)
Run disk cleanup.
Install Driver Booster (free) and update any drivers. It's perfectly safe contrary to what some may say.
Run Malwarebytes (free)
Run Adwarecleaner (free)
Run Superantispyware (free)
Change power options to max.
One more thing: Run Glary Utilities (free).
Good luck.