i think my computer is dying

S

sammyS

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hi

i have an acer travelmate and its been practically growling at me lately, and is as slow as as a granny crossing the road. is this a problem that i can fix or does it mean that my dear laptop has reached its expiery date?
 
Before chucking it away try a fresh OS install. Can do wonders for a old system.
 
Format and disable startup options,also look into running minimum services on the laptop.Disable as much as you can and then get freeramxpro
 
ok so if i do a new o s installation that means i will have to back everything up on my computer? also i have avg and anti spyware installed could it be these programes that are causing the issue? what is freeramxpro? and can i download it form the internet?
 
highly doubt its AVG which is causing your computer to snail... I have been using AVG for YEARS and have never had any issues with it
 
Check ur CD-ROM drive isn't in PIO Mode. Whenever my CD-ROM runs in PIO mode, the whole PC drags.

Device Manager -> IDE/ATAPI Controllers and select the IDE Channel ur CD-ROM is on.
 
thanks for the tip Lord Spaceman but it wasnt on PIO Mode.......but is still pretty slow, i changed the settings on the programs that run when my computer opens to not automatically open as dablakmark8 suggested and it has helped in the slightest but there is still something that its not happy with, im really starting to think that Larry is dying on me:(:(:(:(
 
hahahah so thats a big blusher right there, yes i did i was very excited when i got it and decided it needed a name, so maybe now you can understand why i am so desperate to get it working properly again........not keen on taking it into the computer shop because they usually just tell you to buy a new laptop
 
I agree with the Fresh OS Install.

Back all your important stuff to your computer and then format and install XP again.
Trust me, Larry will be eternally grateful for that.
 
ok i will give it a try.......here's to hoping that it will solve the problem. thanks for the help guys
 
ok so i tried re installing windows on my computer, but my hard drive still sounds like it it struggling, like maybe there is too much information or something, but i dont have that much stuff on my computer because i delete stuff all the time when i no longer have a use for it. if it wasnt the operating system could it be something else? or maybe just a gremlin?
 
sammyS said:
ok so i tried re installing windows on my computer, but my hard drive still sounds like it it struggling, like maybe there is too much information or something, but i dont have that much stuff on my computer because i delete stuff all the time when i no longer have a use for it. if it wasnt the operating system could it be something else? or maybe just a gremlin?
Click to expand...

The 'fresh install' suggestors took absolutuley no notice of your number 1 symptom - the noise.

Care to describe the noise a little better?

Is it 'tikking' (not as in getting high:rolleyes:) as in making a 'tick-tick' sound constantly?
-this could be the arm resetting time after time thus making a noise and slowing down file access.

How old is your machine?
-many people are not aware that a laptop drive only has a projected lifespan of around 4 years, maybe your guy has completed his period of service?
Replacing the drive would be a very small cost compared to replacing the entire laptop.

Of course the very firtst thing that you should have been asked was: "Is it under warranty? If so use it!"
 
SlinkyMike said:
The 'fresh install' suggestors took absolutuley no notice of your number 1 symptom - the noise.

Care to describe the noise a little better?

Is it 'tikking' (not as in getting high:rolleyes:) as in making a 'tick-tick' sound constantly?
-this could be the arm resetting time after time thus making a noise and slowing down file access.

How old is your machine?
-many people are not aware that a laptop drive only has a projected lifespan of around 4 years, maybe your guy has completed his period of service?
Replacing the drive would be a very small cost compared to replacing the entire laptop.

Of course the very firtst thing that you should have been asked was: "Is it under warranty? If so use it!"
Click to expand...

Good advice. It may be a HD and software problem combined.

Copy all off the things you need, including registration info for
all your legal software, all your downloads, email, documents,
etc - BACKUP as soon as possible.

Then buy a new HD for your laptop. Use your recovery CD to reinstall
Windows onto that new HD. I'm assuming here you have an old computer
with a drive which may be failing. A new larger HD will do wonders.
You can remove the old one, and take it to the shop after
you've copied all your valuable things off it, let them advise you
what larger capacity drives they have for the given connector
and form factor.
 
It may be a HD problem, but has anyone considered this?
Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete. check if any programs are using way too much CPU resources.

I have seen svchost or spoolsv (can't remember) use 99% cpu - it's not a virus, but your printer trying to spool corrupted printing files.... MAJOR slowdown!

delete them in windows directory (google to see where) and problem is sorted!
 
hi SlinkyMike

my computer is not under warantee coz i bought it second hand, so not sure how old it is but i have had it for about 2years now, the hard drive sound is like a sruggling sound (dont know how else to describe it) like its working too hard, there is some ticking like tick tick tick, but not all the time, mosly only the struggling sound, oh and another thing is that it takes about 3mins to open up internet explorer, while other programs take about a min to 2 mins to open up! its realy puzzling coz it never used to do this.
 
sammyS said:
hi SlinkyMike

my computer is not under warantee coz i bought it second hand, so not sure how old it is but i have had it for about 2years now, the hard drive sound is like a sruggling sound (dont know how else to describe it) like its working too hard, there is some ticking like tick tick tick, but not all the time, mosly only the struggling sound, oh and another thing is that it takes about 3mins to open up internet explorer, while other programs take about a min to 2 mins to open up! its realy puzzling coz it never used to do this.
Click to expand...

Hi dude - bummer no warranty but again: it shlouldn't be too costly to rectify.

PeterCH suggested the most logical course of action: back up and get a new drive...

If you are able to just buy a drive and install it yourself then reinstall windows I think you'll be golden and depending one the size of the drive you could keep costs under R1000 by doing this.
Tip: Take either your notebook or the drive itself with you when you buy the new drive so that you get the right one.

If you (or a mate) has no experience installing laptop drive I'd stronlgy suggest you take it in to your local computer shop and ask a tech to replace the drive for you, its really a simple process but you dont want uncertainty clouding your mind given that you are already experiencing some hassles.
 
hi slinkymikei posted a reply but dont think it wen through its not showing up........i ont know how to describe it other than its a stuggling sound, like its working too hard, also there is the tick tick tick sound but not all te time, i bought it second hand so not sure how old it is (which means no warranty :(( ), but its definitly not four years old, think it might be round 2years or so
 
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