Laptop runs like a dog - any advice?

[tugboat]

Hi
go start/run type msconfig (enter)
go to the startup tab and uncheck everything!
go to services tab and select hide microsoft services
uncheck everything left!
close (you'll be asked if you want to restart, yes)
when you restart you'll get a box (in startup mode, do you want to see this mesage again, click no)
Do this whenever the pc gets sluggish.
Let me know if it helps?
Nick

Another grateful customer! Thanks a lot, Nick.

 

[BobnLesley]

Hello again - Set a 'Restore Point' before acting.

I've just tried Nick's advice too and whilst it did appear to improve start-up speed substantially, like arfa I found that I'd lost and couldn't find my wifi/hotspot signal. Having resorted to my old faithful - I keep beggaring the lap-top - of banging it on the side and getting no joy there either, I resorted to my invariable Plan-B and hit the 'system restore' function. So it may be slow, but at least I'm in the game.

 

[aslabend]

Hi
go start/run type msconfig (enter)
go to the startup tab and uncheck everything!
go to services tab and select hide microsoft services
uncheck everything left!
close (you'll be asked if you want to restart, yes)
when you restart you'll get a box (in startup mode, do you want to see this mesage again, click no)
Do this whenever the pc gets sluggish.
Let me know if it helps?
Nick

Just one warning, if you use avg antivirus it will turn it off/stop it running but it's easy to go back into msconfig and see what needs to be done.

Very useful to know about msconfig, thanks nick.

 

[Kilter]

Enter it in one of these:

Beat me to it!

 

[Wunja]

This might sound really stupid, but....

Try taking the battery out and just running it on the mains power supply.

If the power supply is only able to provide the minimum amount of current, and the battery is a bit flakey the battery may take too much power trying to recharge and the PC thinks the battery is about to run out, so puts itself into a low power slow mode.

I know this is true with Dell PCs.

 

[V1701]

Just one warning, if you use avg antivirus it will turn it off/stop it running but it's easy to go back into msconfig and see what needs to be done.

Very useful to know about msconfig, thanks nick.

Yes when I did it it stopped Spyware Doctor, Zone Alarm stayed operational though, now have reasonable speed with 1GB RAM and Vista Basic and glad I read this thread...

 

[capsco]

Hi
go start/run type msconfig (enter)
go to the startup tab and uncheck everything!
go to services tab and select hide microsoft services
uncheck everything left!
close (you'll be asked if you want to restart, yes)
when you restart you'll get a box (in startup mode, do you want to see this mesage again, click no)
Do this whenever the pc gets sluggish.
Let me know if it helps?
Nick

Nick I tried the above on my old laptop [Windows 2000] result

oblong box in centre of screen - Cannot find the file "msconfig"[or one of its components] Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available.

Any suggestions please in low tech form !!!!

 

[ianat182]

Nick Robinson

Thank you for the advice, worked for me too!

ianat182

 

[Roberto]

+1 thanks

Just one warning, if you use avg antivirus it will turn it off/stop it running but it's easy to go back into msconfig and see what needs to be done.

Very useful to know about msconfig, thanks nick.

I did not read this message earlier, as it turned off AVG in my PC too I re-installed it completely, next time will look into msconfig




anyway, another thank you Nick, a lot faster now :smile:

 

[lyc]

Thank you Nick, worked for me also, just had to put a tick back for AVG and laptop is now running a lot better

 

[tudorsailor]

Thank you Nick, worked for me also, just had to put a tick back for AVG and laptop is now running a lot better

Once you have done all the obvious things such as defragging the disk, running disck clean-up and running several spy ware detection programs you could think about getting a new bigger and faster hard drive. I have just exchanged the hard drive in my 3 year old HP Compaq and it runs noticably faster. When a hard drive is nearly full it slows down.

It is easy to install a new drive. Find out the type of connection your drive has and the size. 2.5" in commonest with a Sata connection. Some drivee now run at 7200 RPM. I got a Western Digital from ebuyer

Use an image program such as Acronis to copy your existing HDD. Ideally buy a caddy to put you new disk in initially. Format the new disk and load the image onto it while connected via USB in the caddy. The take out the old disk and install the new one. Should run stright away with lots more space and faster speed.

Tudorsailor

 

[NickRobinson]

http://www.perfectdrivers.com/howto/msconfig.html

Not tried this but it seems to be msconfig for '2000

Nick

 

[webcraft]

.
What have people got against spending £15-£20 to double the memory?? Fast, sure and painless.

- W

 

[Madhatter]

My laptop is running like a dog, and has been for some time. I know that I should rebuild it, but an avoiding that if I can. Are there any tools out there to improve performance that you could recommend?

Have you tried worming it ??

 

[V1701]

.
What have people got against spending £15-£20 to double the memory?? Fast, sure and painless.

- W

Nothing against it but sorted for now without spending any money, always the preferred option...

 

[BrendanS]

Hi
go start/run type msconfig (enter)
go to the startup tab and uncheck everything!
go to services tab and select hide microsoft services
uncheck everything left!
close (you'll be asked if you want to restart, yes)
when you restart you'll get a box (in startup mode, do you want to see this mesage again, click no)
Do this whenever the pc gets sluggish.
Let me know if it helps?
Nick

I really, really wouldn't recommend that as a blanket approach for a variety of reasons. A whole bunch of things that people really do need running would be caught up in that, and they might not know they were no longer running, or cause some real problems. Better to learn selectively what to turn off, as there is no one size fits all in tweaking systems this way

 

[Jamesuk]

My laptop is running like a dog, and has been for some time. I know that I should rebuild it, but an avoiding that if I can. Are there any tools out there to improve performance that you could recommend?

£300 Cash PC world in short, you mention rebuilding it - this shows some computer knowledge - If you have all the discs order a new hard drive for £30 (200gb) install that making sure that it is set for master and do a FRESH install from OS to drivers to software. with the OLD hard drive make it an external one buy the kit for £10 off Novatech.

Superfast system like new

 

[kalindi]

Great advice

Thanks Nick.
I spend most of the year abroad and use an oldish lap top with sling box based in my home in the UK. Before the picture was a bit sluggish but now after following the advice it is near perfect.