Slow Vaio Help Please.

[ringway]

Hi PC Guru's.

I've been given the task of speeding up my uncle's 6 year old Sony Vaio running XP Home 2002 servvice pack 3.

Pentium 4 2.88Hz.
256mb Ram.



It is unbelievably slow. If you click on ANYTHING online or not it can take upwards of 30 seconds to accomplish the task.

He can't afford to have it repaired but I know (not for the first time) I'll end up paying for anything that needs doing to it - I don't mind though, he looked after me when I was a youngster and truth be known he is my hero.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

[Bobby Dazzler]

Any idea which security software he's running? If relatively recent version of one of the big name tools, eg McAfee or Norton, then that may be consuming most of the 256MB he has.

First thing, whip off any data so it's backed up and safe.

Then do the basic housekeeping items to see if it improves performance. Starter for ten:

1. Download any Windows updates.
2. Remove any software that's not actually required.
3. Disk clean up - clear cache and temporary files.
4. Defrag.
5. Scan using a few different tools for spyware and virus.

[A210AMG]

Hello

If its a laptop? then the only real option is to increase the RAM, this will make a huge difference. It maybe able to go to a Maximum of 2gb. Any PC runing 256mb ram will be very very slow. I recently upgraded my motherin laws from 256mb to 2gb (desktop) and its made a huge difference.

If you take a back up of all the docs / pics he wants I would be tempted to clear it completely. Then re install XP fresh, with the additional RAM. also don't forget to reinstall an anti virus package (AVG is good and free)

Use Crucial.co.uk if your unsure, go to this web site on the actual laptop and it will come back with what is the maximum you can fit and with a price.

Also try memoryc.co.uk. You will find with it being an older machine the memory is quite pricey.

Another option if a laptop is to change the hard drive (probably a 5400 speed, to a 7200 speed) Moe than likley IDE hard drive, a new one around 160gb / 250 gb would be £45 ish


Thing is with memory and hard drive you could be at £150 and a new laptop can be bought for £300....

So option, either to sell the current one and upgrade...as a newer one will be dual core processor (much quicker), more RAM, quicker (larger) HD (SATA), possibly graphics memory, generally more features...

[Mark300SL]

Originally Posted by ringway

256mb Ram.

That will be the biggest problem
RAM is cheap so find 1Gb for it if the motherboard will support it

If ti were me I would
1. do a cleanup,
2. run Advanced System car on it,
3. top it up with Malwarebyes
4. run Avast AV in the background

Cost is very little, just a bit of time

[A210AMG]

DDR2 / 3 is relatively cheap. I tend to find the older stuff as probably as in this machine is pricey in comparison.

Still I agree for the cost it will make a huge improvement

[ringway]

Many Thanks Guy's.

It was my Sony (cost £1800 6-7 years ago) and has been a good machine handed down to my Son then Mom and now Uncle. It's been bombproof really and had a lot of stick.

I did have it in at the local pc shop for a clean out before giving to my Uncle at which point I installed an o2 wireless mobile dongle.

That is when the wheels fell off and rather than take it back to the shop and pay again I thought I'd try and get some proper advice on the forum because there is so much knowledge here from such great guy's as yourselves.

I uninstalled the o2 software (signal rubbish) and have bought an Orange one (signal excellent).

I'll have a play around with the suggestions and see what happens.

Many Thanks.

Paul.

[ringway]

Originally Posted by Bobby Dazzler

Any idea which security software he's running? If relatively recent version of one of the big name tools, eg McAfee or Norton, then that may be consuming most of the 256MB he has.

First thing, whip off any data so it's backed up and safe.

Then do the basic housekeeping items to see if it improves performance. Starter for ten:

1. Download any Windows updates.
2. Remove any software that's not actually required.
3. Disk clean up - clear cache and temporary files.
4. Defrag.
5. Scan using a few different tools for spyware and virus.

Yep! When I got the machine back from the computer shop I had a 3 licence McAfee and installed a copy on the machine. You're probably correct in that it is taking a lot of memory.

He's an internet newbie so I wanted to make sure he was protected but if I remove the McAfee is there a suitable programme to use that won't suffocate the machine?

Cheers,

Paul.

[flanaia1]

Originally Posted by ringway

Yep! When I got the machine back from the computer shop I had a 3 licence McAfee and installed a copy on the machine. You're probably correct in that it is taking a lot of memory.

He's an internet newbie so I wanted to make sure he was protected but if I remove the McAfee is there a suitable programme to use that won't suffocate the machine?

Cheers,

Paul.

Just taken Macafee off mine as it was too resource hungry even with 2Gb. The other thread on security is good with some top tips by Spike I'm back to running PC tools firewall and AVG and its amazing the difference in speed just by dumping macafee

[wemorgan]

I'd backup all the data on an external HD, reformat the Vaio HD and reinstall Windows XP. Plus like others have said, more RAM

[robert.saunders]

ram, ram, glorious ram... is what you need

[ringway]

Update.

I removed McAfee and installed AVG and also downloaded the excellent Advanced System Care both of which have improved the speed of the laptop.

I may get some more RAM or see if I can pick up a new laptop for my Uncle in the near future.

Thanks for the great advice everyone.


Paul.

[wemorgan]

post what type of RAM you need, as it'll be quite old generation stuff that someone might have in their spares tin.

I have some memory I'd be happy to give away:

PC2100 DDR 266MHz 1GB
PC2100 DDR 266MHz 512MB
PC2100 DDR 266MHz 256MB

[Frank O' Phile]

Have a look in Task Manager to see how many processes are running. My ole Tosh would run XP with 30-40 task carrying on at any given time.

Download and install Galry Utilities and see what starts up and runs in the background. The remove anything that you deem unecessary.

Oh, and did anyone mention ram? Go to crucial.com and let them do a scan to tell you the best options and then buy the cheap stuff off eBay.

[ringway]

Originally Posted by wemorgan

post what type of RAM you need, as it'll be quite old generation stuff that someone might have in their spares tin.

I have some memory I'd be happy to give away:

PC2100 DDR 266MHz 1GB
PC2100 DDR 266MHz 512MB
PC2100 DDR 266MHz 256MB

Cheers Will,

I don't know what RAM to look for. The machine model number is Vaio PCG-GRT786M.

Is there a way I can find out what I need?

[ringway]

Originally Posted by Frank O' Phile

Have a look in Task Manager to see how many processes are running. My ole Tosh would run XP with 30-40 task carrying on at any given time.

Download and install Galry Utilities and see what starts up and runs in the background. The remove anything that you deem unecessary.

Oh, and did anyone mention ram? Go to crucial.com and let them do a scan to tell you the best options and then buy the cheap stuff off eBay.

Thanks Paul.