 sj |
||
|
||
Computer help: Slow running machine
|
|
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: MMario Date: 01 Dec 00 - 08:33 AM he was posting last night |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Bernard Date: 01 Dec 00 - 08:13 AM A valid point, but this doesn't apply in 'Zebedee's' case. It's a very basic stand-alone machine with limited resources. He's been quiet because he's been re-formatting and reinstalling - but I'm not quite sure how successfully!! Earlier this week he emailed me for some driver software, and since then...?! |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: GUEST,CraigS Date: 30 Nov 00 - 10:57 PM If the speed drop has occurred suddenly, as you suggest,there is the possibility that the drive system is mirrored across two drives to avoid data loss, and that either the mirror drivers have been damaged / disabled, or one disk has become defective. If you don't understand this, open the box and look to see how many drives are in there. If there are more drives than the software reports,take it to someone who knows about these things to have it fixed. |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Bernard Date: 30 Nov 00 - 04:14 PM Fair comment - there are so many factors which can affect speed that all avenues need to be explored!! A hard disk which has too little free space, or is too fragmented to allow a large enough swapfile is often the biggest culprit, and they are so cheap these days (I've just paid £79 for a 20Gb!) that it's often worth relegating the old drive to D: and adding a new C: drive - that way you don't need to worry about losing data. However, one problem which is often overlooked is 'cut and paste'! After a few c&p's, an already over-stretched PC can slow down to a crawl, or even crash altogether. You can use the clipboard viewer to clear it, although a re-boot is usually more effective... MicroShaft don't make it too public that Windows 95 and Internet Explorer require 32Mb RAM as an absolute minimum to run satisfactorily - 64Mb is more comfortable. You can alleviate the problem by uninstalling 'Active Desktop', which isn't a lot of use to the average user - I found this out from MS's 'helpdesk'! Yes! They told me something useful!! Any road up, how is the problem progressing, Ed? You've gone very quiet!!
|
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Amergin Date: 29 Nov 00 - 07:52 PM Just a bit of information here.... If your pc is slow at start up, that usually means you have too many programs running. The programs in the bottom right hand corner of the screen (by the clock) are running in the background at all times. This affects your resources. To find out how many resources you have left, right click my computer, then go down and click properties....this should give you a percentage. If your resources are below oh say about 50%, that means that you have too many programs running at the same time, whether you are using them or not. To fix this problem click the start button, then click run. Type msconfig in the box, then click the startup tab....all those programs are the ones you have running...you unclick the boxes beside the programs you don't need in your tray...then you reboot. Amergin |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Penny S. Date: 29 Nov 00 - 06:44 PM OK, I've now found a lot of references. But I haven't done anything to them yet. I suppose if I do, and then nothing works, I have to do the recovery thing, so I'll still backup first. Irritating, as I was using this machine to look after the saved files from my Norwegian Blue model at school. Penny |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Penny S. Date: 29 Nov 00 - 06:27 PM msnp32.dll - and MSN has had no problem running on the occasions I've tried it. I couldn't find any references in the registry. (I've never actually done anything in regedit, but I've looked there, to see what it was like.) At the time the message started to appear, 3 VXD files were also claimed as missing (I've got a note of them somewhere). Two I was able to copy. The other was picked up by the McAfee Office 2000 registry editor and sorted somehow. It has no idea about the DLL file. I've tried using it with the copy I found on the computer, and with it off with no success. Interestingly, computers at school of the same type had no trace of the offending DLL file on them - I thought they were the most likely source for the missing stuff. Thanks for the support. I feel there should be snatches of Vivaldi between these postings. Penny Penny |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Bernard Date: 29 Nov 00 - 06:15 PM Depends on the DLL, but actual physical position usually doesn't matter, only the path. It's more likely that the 'missing' DLL is only the thin end of the wedge. Is the DLL actually needed, or a legacy from a bad uninstall? If it's the latter, you could edit it out of the registry - a little risky, but not impossible. Run 'regedit', then 'find' the file in question, deleting the entries that appear. I say 'entries', because there will be more than one - continue the search until it can't find any more. It's a long process, so brew up before you start! If it is still needed - the machine won't run without it - you need to be sure the version you have is the right one, and that other files associated with it are also there, which could include VXD or HLP files. Out of curiosity, what is it called? |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Penny S. Date: 29 Nov 00 - 06:02 PM Can I creep the thread a little? My computer is complaining about an absent DLL on startup. I've found a copy of it, but it won't recognise it. The computer suppliers recommend recovery of factory settings, as it needs to be restored to the exact position that the registry looks for it in. Since this involves a total backing up of everything prior to reformatting the hard disk, I'm not thrilled at this. I've not even finished getting all my files on it yet since mid-October. Does the exact position mean its pathway, ie C:\Windows\System or whatever? Or does it mean the real physical position (impossible, presumably)? The MS site mentions the problem and then dives into a lot of odd DOS commands which don't seem to do anything. Does anyone know a way of dealing with the problem which does not involve vast numbers of floppies and amounts of time? (I have not been issued with a Windows CD-Rom, only a recovery CD-Rom, which will autorun the reformat.) Penny |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: kendall Date: 29 Nov 00 - 05:06 PM I've never gone into dos.. lions and tigers and bears! I went to bed last night with the de frag running. This morning, it had done 1% of the job. |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Willie-O Date: 29 Nov 00 - 03:26 PM Definitely kill all the schedulers. (Now that's my idea of a pleasant morning's work!) Can't you still defrag from DOS so windows doesn't bollox you up? Willie-O |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Bernard Date: 28 Nov 00 - 06:35 PM Defrag keeps being interrupted! The nerve of Windows! Persevere - eventually it will succeed! Unless you heave a brick through the screen first! It wouldn't be the first time I've left the thing on all night, only to find it still at it the following morning. You'd think that defrag (Symantec, not Microshaft, BTW!) would be able to intercept anything and tell it to come back later. Or am I missing something (else!)? Was I dreaming, or did somebody once say that Windows was more user-friendly than DOS?!! Silly twit! |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Penny S. Date: 28 Nov 00 - 06:06 PM kendall, you could try right clicking on all the icons in the system tray in turn and exiting or quitting as many as you can. Mine include virus and various other scanners and schedulers, and shutting them down might help reduce the restarting. Penny |
|
Subject: Lyr Add: REINSTALLING WINDOWS (Les Barker) From: Zebedee Date: 28 Nov 00 - 06:04 PM Kendall, You have to turn everything such as screensavers off. You will probably have to disable things that you don't know how to disable too. Sorry for being no help at all.
Reinstalling Windows (To the tune of "When I'm Cleaning Windows") I bought a new computer, I used to think it was my friend I switch it on; what is this? I want to share my printers and Load disk four, oh what fun! Load disk ten; it will say It can't find my printer Still unplugged, still unplayed, Up at dawn for one more try; It doesn't like my modem and I used to like a drink or three; |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: mousethief Date: 28 Nov 00 - 06:02 PM After it says that it should give you the option to ignore any subsequent interruptions, or keep on going in spite of the interruptions, or whatever. Which option you check. There's always interruptions; Windows just can't stop dinking with the FAT, even when there's nothing taking place. Just part of the wild and woolly wonderland that is Microsoft Windows. Alex |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: kendall Date: 28 Nov 00 - 05:56 PM I've tried many times to de frag, but, after about 10 attempts, I get a notice that says "Windows keeps interrupting" it never finishes. Now what? |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Penny S. Date: 28 Nov 00 - 05:39 PM As to the miditxt files, I didn't even try to use them. Merely appearing in the Explorer window was enough to make everything freeze. And deleting them stopped it. So I can't use them again to hear music. I can't explain it. The school computer definitely has hard disk trouble, with bad sectors, iffy folders and all, and it's a laptop, so we'll be returning it to base. Hopefully I'll be able to salvage more files first, and they won't be able to find exactly the same disk and have to replace it with a bigger one! That happened with our last one. It's just the time the whole business wastes when I could be reading the latest Terry Pratchett! Penny |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Bernard Date: 28 Nov 00 - 05:25 PM Penny - it sounds as if your hard drive is acting up. Have you got a removable drive caddy? If the answer is 'uh?', you probably haven't! If you have, remove the drive and push it back firmly. Are the ends of the drive cable pushed firmly home? Opening it to change the hardware - even if it's only the CPU fan! - can dislodge the connectors, as they are such a poor fit! If it's neither of those, the drive may well exhibit rapidly increasing numbers of bad sectors each time you run scandisk 'thorough'. If you haven't run 'thorough' recently, it's time you did! If you're in or around the Manchester area, I am able to help (for a small consideration!!)... Good luck - you'll need it! |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Zebedee Date: 28 Nov 00 - 05:18 PM Penny, Not sure what you mean. Can you explain a bit more? As far as I understand, you've used the mudcat 'text to midi' program to convert midi files to text. Is this right? I'm not sure what you mean when you say that you 'can't read them' Are you getting text when you want midi? Ed who might be able to help if he knew a bit more |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: MMario Date: 28 Nov 00 - 05:18 PM haven't heard of anyone having problems with any of the miditxt files, penny - so I would say just replace them by downloading again. you can go to the link at any of the threads that has miditxt. *I* had 7 out of ten machines in a lab crash last week - all the same age, all died within 3 weeks. (two the week before plus one this week) It's just the 'possum in the 'puter. |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Bernard Date: 28 Nov 00 - 05:16 PM If a hard drive is infected with a virus, re-formatting alone is not guaranteed to eradicate it, as the boot sector could have moved! You may have to run FDISK from a write-protected floppy which has been prepared on a clean machine. This floppy (I always keep one in my 'toolbox') should be bootable, and have himem.sys and a generic CD driver on it, with an appropriate config.sys file. Autoexec.bat should also load mscdex.exe with the same drive reference as in config.sys - eg d:/mscd0000 (or similar). There will be room on the floppy for fdisk, format, scandisk, edit and other such tools. The floppy produced during installation of Windows 95 is a good starting point, but nigh on useless on its own!! When you run FDISK, you must first delete any partitions, re-boot the machine, then FDISK again to create an active partition. Re-boot again, and format the drive. If the drive is big enough - 1Gb or more - it is wise to copy the win95 directory from the Windows 95 CD onto the hard drive, for two reasons. One - it's handy when updating drivers... Two - 95 install has a nasty habit of losing the CDRom! I love Les Barker's parody of George Formby - 'Reinstalling Windows!' He's been there!! |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Penny S. Date: 28 Nov 00 - 05:11 PM Oh, and I forgot to mention, the offending item on my computer was one of the group of programs and files associated with changing text to midi and vice versa that I originally downloaded from a link from here, and which gave me no trouble at all before. I had transferred them, with others, from my school computer to this one via e-mail. Both computers have anti-virus software. I now can't read those text files any more. Any suggestions? Penny |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Penny S. Date: 28 Nov 00 - 05:07 PM Oh boy, did I not need to open this thread. Sunday, my own computer started to play up, freezing whenever I opened My Documents. My McAfee software couldn't find any problems, and every time I restarted, more had gone wrong. I had to make a new Documents folder, redirect the icon, open up a tiny Explorer window and copy folders to the new one, use Find for each file type and so on, until nothing was left but the offending items, then delete the old file and empty Recycle bin. Monday, my work computer started to crash, and eventually decided it had no hard disk. I was working till 7.15 trying to salvage it. This morning I rang support, and the thing started up...so, following instructions, I ran scandisk in DOS, and then in Windows, which kept restarting. Gave up in the end, before getting to defrag - its definitely getting full, and spent time ferrying files onto floppies instead. Its given up again, so I'm home. I seem to spend my time now doing the dead parrot sketch to tech support..... Penny |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Zebedee Date: 28 Nov 00 - 04:50 PM Kendall, Defrag is a way of 'tidying' up your hard disk. It trys to put your programs in order, and can make things work a lot faster. Click 'Start' 'Accessories' and 'System Tools' and choose 'Disk Defragmenter' Choose to defrag 'C' or whatever your hard drive is. Start it working and then go out. It can take several hours to complete. If your told that your disk doesn't need defraging, ignore it, do it anyway. Hope this helps Ed |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: MMario Date: 28 Nov 00 - 04:43 PM kendall - if you have it installed - under start, programs, accessories, disk tools you will find a program called "Disk deframenter" - basically you just run it. You should turn screen savers off first though. or you can run it by going to start: run: and typing in "defrag" |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: GUEST,Russ Date: 28 Nov 00 - 04:36 PM My $.02 Two flavors of formatting 1. format (via the FORMAT command) 2. low level format (via third party utility, e.g, Norton Disk Doctor) #1 takes care of all viruses EXCEPT boot-sector viruses. #2 is required to eliminate the possibility of boot-sector viruses. #2 is also nice because it actually tests the surface of the disk platters and marks bad sectors as unusable. IF you are comfortable with formatting and reinstalling, #1 it is the quickest and dirtiest way to deal with your problems. Not elegant. Brutal but effective. If it works, you're finished. If #1 doesn't improve the situation, you should begin to suspect problems with the drive itself. Time for a new drive or #2. Russ (Everybody's an expert) |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: kendall Date: 28 Nov 00 - 04:28 PM Would someone explain how to "defrag"? |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Zebedee Date: 28 Nov 00 - 04:22 PM Thanks - I'll try reformating, and will have the nightmare of trying to find a CD driver that works (I know it's easier in 98 - but this organisation doesn't have 98) Ed starting to get down at the realisation that being able to use a wide variety of software and write HTML, means that I've got a magic wand and can fix anything.... |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: MMario Date: 28 Nov 00 - 04:07 PM normaly if you boot from a (clean) floppy and reformat that will get any virii |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Zebedee Date: 28 Nov 00 - 04:05 PM Bernard, Viral activity is a possibility as this machine has been used for net access without using any anti-virus software for a while. Would a total reformat (and I may show my ignorance here) also zap any viruses? Or is there stuff like the BIOS where they might remain? Ed
|
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Bernard Date: 28 Nov 00 - 03:57 PM Sounds as if there isn't enough 'contiguous' free space for the swapfile, or the hard drive is simply filling up. Your problem with 'defrag' could indicate viral activity, though. Then again, I've had precisely that without a virus! Try running scandisk, then re-booting before running defrag. It's not strictly necessary to defrag before installing new software, but it's a good idea afterwards! The reason is simple - during installation, files are copied and then deleted, leaving gaps of free space. Defragging eliminates these gaps. Re-formatting does seem a bit extreme, but may be the only answer. You've been MicroShafted! |
|
Subject: RE: Computer help: Slow running machine From: MMario Date: 28 Nov 00 - 03:49 PM If scandisk shows no errors, I would believe it over defrag. I would say your fastest fix would be wipe and resinstall. |
|
Subject: Computer help: Slow running machine From: Zebedee Date: 28 Nov 00 - 03:39 PM I'm having problems with a computer at one of my work places - as there's no IT support I'm left to deal with it myself. The problem is that the machine (Windows 95) has suddenly started running really slowly. My first instinct was to uninstall all the unnecessary software and then defrag it. When I ran defrag I was told that there were disk errors and that I needed to run scandisk first. I've run scandisk in 'thorough' mode several times both under Windows and in DOS and each time it comes up with there being no errors. I run defrag again, and guess what, I'm told to run scandisk to correct the errors. My next instinct is to reformat the whole thing and start again - the machine's only used for internet access and simple office tasks so data backup isn't an issue. Is this the right thing to do? I don't want to spend half a day on this if it's a waste of time. I remember reading somewhere that you should run scandisk before reformating or reinstalling software. Any ideas? Thanks Ed |
| Share Thread: |