What can I do to speed up my PC?

[Remah]

Originally Posted by MidnightCowboy

Running a DNS benchmark test and switching to a faster service for your locality could possibly make a difference regarding browsing. Any gains are likely to be negligible in terms of noticeable speed but maybe every little helps?
Remah is the expert

As MidnightCowboy, it is worth running a DNS benchmark test anyway.

It's not likely to be a DNS issue for you because you've noticed its slow with folders on your computer.

But if you were having problems, changing DNS server can make a massive difference browsing. For example, DNS server problems can mean 20 seconds or more to load a web page. The DNS query will time out at the first server before Windows queries the secondary DNS server which might be slow too, particularly if they are from the same organization.

[wekslap]

Originally Posted by Remah

If you want to compare with other systems there are lots of ways to benchmark. If you run PC Wizard's (see http://www.techsupportalert.com/best...on-utility.htm) global benchmark then I can compare the results with my system which is similar.

Remah

I have downloaded and ran PC Wizard's global benchmark but I am unfamiiar with the program and not sure if i did it right.

I let it run and saved it as a text file.

this is what it came up with:
PC Wizard 2010 Version 1.961
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Professional 5.01.2600 Service Pack 3
Report Date: Saturday 14 January 2012at 19:48

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<<< Global Performance >>>

> Processor Global Performance : 103566.00 Marks

> Cache and Memory Global Performance : 65552.00 Marks

> Memory Global Performance : 5982.07 Marks

> Video Global Performance : 153.00 Marks

> Hard Disk Global Performance : 135.00 Marks

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***** End of report *****

[Remah]

Exactly what I wanted. It confirms that your hardware is performing as expected.

I've appended my figures on each line:
> Processor Global Performance : 103566.00 vs 106259
> Cache and Memory Global Performance : 65552.00 vs 66341
> Memory Global Performance : 5982.07 vs 4223
> Video Global Performance : 153.00 vs 337
> Hard Disk Global Performance : 135.00 vs 65

I have a slightly faster (2.5 vs your 2.4GHz)processor with more L1 cache.
My memory is much slower than yours probably because I'm using one of the first systemboards for these CPUs.
I have a dedicated low-end 256MB video card which is faster.
Your disk is much faster as mine is an old SATA (low RPM and smaller cache).

So now you know your hardware's OK, try cleaning and defragmenting the disk as we've suggested.

[wekslap]

Dear Remah,

Thanks for your help.

If I were to upgrade any hardware, on a budget, what would you recommend? Eg 2 x 2gb DDR ram paired, and maybe a cheap graphics card? Do you think that would make a noticeable difference? I do clean and defragment my hard disk frequently.

Thank you again,

Wekslap

[Remah]

Have you tried cleaning your system first? We've suggested CCleaner.

Slowdown is often installed software that is loaded at startup . Examples of stuff I disable are Adobe Speed Launcher, Java Quick Start (JQS), iTunes Bonjour and Application Support, and update programs for Java, Google, etc. To find these programs in CCleaner go to Tools then Startup and uncheck the ones you don't need. If you're unsure just list them here and we'll advise.

I'd leave hardware upgrades for now. I don't think that you're doing anything that requires a video card upgrade. More RAM probably won't make much difference for browsing and music unless you're running a lot of software at the same time.

[wekslap]

Thanks Remah

I do use CCleaner every day. Also defragment with Auslogics Disk Defrag almost daily.

In startup in CCleaner I have Avast, Networx, and Winpatrol, all free versions. Also in Winpatrol delayed startup I have ProcessTamer and PeerBlock, delayed by 30 seconds.

Thanks again

Wekslap

[Remah]

Sounds good. If you've gone through the resident software using Winpatrol then you should be OK there.

A few further things to look at:

Does ProcessTamer have the ability to boost foreground tasks? That might improve your responsiveness if it is a problem with other software.

Check that no program is polling the Registry. ProcMon, one of the Microsoft SysInternals suite, monitors activities including Registry access.

Look at performance tweaking.

[Anupam]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I read somewhere that daily defragmentation can have adverse effect on the system?

[Remah]

Originally Posted by Anupam

Correct me if I am wrong, but I read somewhere that daily defragmentation can have adverse effect on the system?

It can.

One reason for running it every day is that Windows optimizes itself and third-party defragmenters can reference some of its tuning data in the prefetch files. I'm not sure about Auslogics which doesn't perform very well in tests I've seen including: http://hofmannc.de/defragxp/index_en.html

[wekslap]

Originally Posted by Remah

Does ProcessTamer have the ability to boost foreground tasks? That might improve your responsiveness if it is a problem with other software.

Check that no program is polling the Registry. ProcMon, one of the Microsoft SysInternals suite, monitors activities including Registry access.

Look at performance tweaking.

Yes, ProcessTamer has the ability to boost foreground tasks.

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean in the second bit about ProcMon and polling the Registry.

Also, what do you mean by performance tweaking?

Sorry if I'm showing my ignorance.