Computer running slow

[koberulz]

Well, I fixed the problem by uninstalling the driver, since it was freezing every 30 seconds or so forcing me to reboot. Downloaded the newest drivers (because nothing works, might as well be as up to date as possible), but it won't let me install them because it's insisting I don't have the right hardware.

What. The. Fuck.

[shadowgrin]

I have an Atom Netbook with relatively slow CPU and only 1GB Ram, and it came with XP installed. The computer is slow as hell and I only used it to take notes during the lecutre. One day, prof recommended me to get 7 on it as it might become bit faster to load and close programs. I still kept XP as I didn't want to deal with all the works to back up and stuff, but it seems general perception is 7 is much faster than XP in general for all PCs.

I hope that professor's teaching load don't have anything computer related.

Why the most recent drivers can't just work is beyond me; normally upgrading improves performance instead of preventing it.

Not always. Like the operating system discussion here, new software (drivers/programs) doesn't run as fast in old hardware. Similar with videocards. The newer drivers don't always maximize the performance of a not so recent videocard. That's why 'geeks' usually stick with the driver that makes their videocard work best even if it's an old driver.

[Patr1ck]

Recent drivers are mostly for new video cards and don't always provide improvements to older cards. I suggest you head over to the guru3d forums and search for your video card. Last time I checked they had threads for the best driver for each card.

[koberulz]

The newer drivers don't always maximize the performance of a not so recent videocard.

But the drivers are all specifically for my videocard, according to nVidia.

That's why 'geeks' usually stick with the driver that makes their videocard work best even if it's an old driver.

Which I was doing, until I had to reinstall Windows. There's no way possible that I haven't tried the driver I was last using, though, and it hasn't worked, so it would seem it's something else.

[benji]

To be honest. I can only conclude you're incompetent or your hardware is dying. I've never had any of the issues you've described in MY ENTIRE LIFE using computers.

Uninstall the drivers, maybe use Driver Sweeper to clear out anything that may remain (not always needed), install new drivers. Should work for good. If not, you have other issues.

[Patr1ck]

First thing I would do is make sure the motherboard drivers are installed properly. Windows uses standard drivers, but manufacturers like to use tricks to improve performance and require their drivers. If your videocard was working fine before some software upgrade, then it's most likely a software problem.

Quick google search and browse came up with this broad thread at nvidia.

http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?show ... l=nvlddmkm

[benji]

He's never said what motherboard he has. He hasn't said much of anything about what he has. He just demands solutions without first describing the situation.

[Patr1ck]

His solution is to update that grandma card to a real one.

[koberulz]

He's never said what motherboard he has.

If 'Intel DX58SO' is a valid answer to that, then that. If not, I've no idea.

He hasn't said much of anything about what he has.

I named the card. I don't know enough about what I'm doing to know what information is relevant.

[shadowgrin]

But the drivers are all specifically for my videocard, according to nVidia.

Sure, if nVidia says so.
You must be a salesman's dream customer.

[koberulz]

Uninstall the drivers, maybe use Driver Sweeper to clear out anything that may remain (not always needed), install new drivers. Should work for good. If not, you have other issues.

Tried that just now, updated to drivers from January of this year. Haven't had the 'display driver stopped responding' error yet, but the computer just froze. The cursor still worked perfectly, but nothing else moved. Hit the reset button, and the computer booted up with a resolution of 800x600, instead of the 1680x1050 it was when it crashed.

[koberulz]

Working over this problem with people at nVidia forum. Making little progress, though it definitely seems to be a hardware issue.

Unrelated, though: When I go to Start>All Programs, there's a folder called 'Programs', which is just a duplicate of 'All Programs'. No idea how it got there or where it came from. Every time I install something, it shows up both under 'All Programs' as well as in the 'Programs' folder. What on earth is going on?

[Patr1ck]

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... 7efeec9471

Fix for duplicate programs.

[koberulz]

That'll do the trick.

Binned the graphics card, got a GTS 450. Fingers crossed this actually works.

[benji]

why

[fumanchu]

i have winxp and it works fine....then while i was watching a movie, the computer hanged and i waited for ages for it to stop reading...and it did not so i pushed the reset button impatiently....then it will not go into windows...so i decided to reinstall my XP...now it's installed, its running uber slow....and i cant install my nba 2k11...it says, my system is not modified....suggestions?

[koberulz]

The new graphics card fixed the display driver problem. However, my computer is now, for some reason, running ridiculously slowly whenever I try to do anything with it (AVG scan, SpyBot scan, encoding with TMPGEnc or mkvExtract, etc). A good ten seconds between my mouse going off the bottom of the screen and the taskbar popping up. Twenty seconds between pressing the 'start' button and the menu coming up, and so on.

Programs will also spend a significant period of time 'Not Responding' whenever I try to get them to do something. Even something as simple as going back a page in Firefox. Premiere Pro and Encore are spontaneously closing, Premiere often refuses to reopen unless I reboot my computer. I'm trying to import an m2v file into Encore at the moment, and it locks up at 0% if I use an existing project file, but if I start from scratch it locks up at 90%. I think it's a filesize issue, based on the fact that I've had no trouble importing smaller files, even into the same project. A similar-length m2ts file causes the same issue. They're both HD; I've had no problem with SD m2v files.

EDIT: Went to open something from the System Tray, but it wasn't there. Had to reboot. This is ridiculous.

[Andrew]

i have winxp and it works fine....then while i was watching a movie, the computer hanged and i waited for ages for it to stop reading...and it did not so i pushed the reset button impatiently....then it will not go into windows...so i decided to reinstall my XP...now it's installed, its running uber slow....and i cant install my nba 2k11...it says, my system is not modified....suggestions?

Have you reinstalled Windows XP properly? That is to say, all required drivers have been installed and are up to date, you haven't done something like install two anti-virus programs, etc?

[Angelo]

I think you need to buy a new ram

[fumanchu]

i have winxp and it works fine....then while i was watching a movie, the computer hanged and i waited for ages for it to stop reading...and it did not so i pushed the reset button impatiently....then it will not go into windows...so i decided to reinstall my XP...now it's installed, its running uber slow....and i cant install my nba 2k11...it says, my system is not modified....suggestions?

Have you reinstalled Windows XP properly? That is to say, all required drivers have been installed and are up to date, you haven't done something like install two anti-virus programs, etc?

---i think youre right Andrew..it was a bad windows xp installation..i changed OS and installed my Win7 instead.. and I guess it was also a bad installation of my graphics driver...so all in all, nothing would have worked even if i tried...so now it's back to normal and i have to reinstall my 2k11 patches...which will be a hassle...

Thanks for the response...

[Stress Fracture]

Does 512MB of RAM contributes to slow computer run?

[Andrew]

If that's all the RAM you have then yes, that's less than ideal and would be holding your PC back somewhat.

[shadowgrin]

depends on how old your system is.

[Stress Fracture]

I use XP SP3. And it's so slow.

[Andrew]

Anything less than a gig isn't really going to get the job done. What kind of processor do you have?