Computer Related > PC slowing down Computing Issues
Thread Author: bathtub tom Replies: 17
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 16:27 
 PC slowing down - bathtub tom
I downloaded around 2 Gb of photo's from my camera and the PC slowed down. It takes a couple of seconds to respond to a mouse click or enter button. I removed the photo's and it didn't improve. I've done a defrag (I've also got it scheduled weekly) and a disc check (I assume that's OK as I didn't see any messages).

The system's: Packard Bell imedia B2218, Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU, E1400 @ 2.00 GHz, 3.0 GB RAM (it came with one and I fitted two more), 32 bit operating sytem.

I usually put it to 'sleep' each evening and that slows it up if I don't to re-boot it every few days.

I'm getting around 4Meg broadband.

Any suggestions?

Edit. I'm using 55 GB of 136 GB C drive.
Last edited by: bathtub tom on Fri 20 Jan 12 at 16:30
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 16:34 
 PC slowing down - Bromptonaut
Ctrl/Alt/del and see what's running for starters.

Is AV doing something in background?
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 16:47 
 PC slowing down - rtj70
You don't say what version of Windows you're running - and I assume it's Windows.

I'd do what Brompt suggests but check what process(es) are hogging the system by starting task manager, selecting the processes tab and sorting on CPU use.
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 17:22 
 PC slowing down - bathtub tom
Sorry.

It's windows Vista home basic IIRC (how do I find out other than start-up?).

Task manager processes says 73 processes, CPU usage jumping from 5 to 74%, but mainly below 30%, physical memory 68%.

I'd add I've got a dozen tabs open in Firefox and SWMBO's got three in IE. It means we can both have our mail open simultaneously and it's never seemed to affect it before.
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 17:20 
 PC slowing down - John H
>> Ctrl/Alt/del and see what's running for starters. >>

Ctrl/Alt/del for XP.

Ctrl/Shift/Esc for Vista & 7.
Last edited by: John H on Fri 20 Jan 12 at 17:21
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 17:23 
 PC slowing down - Pat
I'm going to be brave here and take a deep breath.....

JohnH, I just used Ctrl/Alt/del and it worked for me in Windows 7, so could you be wrong:)

Pat
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 17:42 
 PC slowing down - John H
>> JohnH, I just used Ctrl/Alt/del and it worked for me in Windows 7, so could you be wrong)

Yes. I am always willing to learn. ;-)

You can also right click an empty spot on the task bar and click "Start Task Manager".

another tip:
An easy way to disable/enable "start-up" items is to use the facility within CCleaner.

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New Fri 20 Jan 12 17:43 
 PC slowing down - rtj70
>> An easy way to disable/enable "start-up" items is to use the facility within CCleaner.

Just run MSCONFIG.EXE.
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 17:42 
 PC slowing down - rtj70
CTR-ALT-DEL will bring up a screen/selection for Task Manager. You can also right click on the Task Bar.

So of the processes using CPU - what were they. You say the CPU isn't always being hogged.
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 18:04 
 PC slowing down - spamcan61
>> I'm going to be brave here and take a deep breath.....
>>
>> JohnH, I just used Ctrl/Alt/del and it worked for me in Windows 7, so could
>> you be wrong:)
>>
>> Pat
>>

On Vista and Win7 Home Premium, on my machines at least, Ctrl/Alt/del brings up a menu on which 'start task manager' is one of the options, rather than going straight to Task Mangler, like what XP Home does. So everyone's right ;-)
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 18:15 
 PC slowing down - Zero
Have you rebooted it?
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 19:28 
 PC slowing down - bathtub tom
>> Have you rebooted it?

Yup.

As stated in my OP: I usually put it to 'sleep' each evening and that slows it up if I don't to re-boot it every few days.
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 19:33 
 PC slowing down - John H
>> On Vista and Win7 Home Premium, on my machines at least, >>

Anything for peace of mind, especially to avoid getting a piece of Pat's mind.

>> Just run MSCONFIG.EXE. >>
That is fine too, but IMO CCleaner is easier for non-geeks.
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 20:02 
 PC slowing down - Focusless
Disk indexing all the new files?
Last edited by: Focus on Fri 20 Jan 12 at 20:02
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New Fri 20 Jan 12 20:14 
 PC slowing down - spamcan61
If they've been imported using Picasa and the face recognition is turned on it'll take bloomin' ages analysing each photo, slowing down the PC a treat.
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New Sat 21 Jan 12 11:47 
 PC slowing down - bathtub tom
I think there was something 'funny' about those photo's.

There was nearly two gig of them, but after I copied them to a memory stick there's only 350 meg and they all seem to be there.

I downloaded and run CC cleaner last night and put the photo's back on the hard drive. Everything's running nicely.

I didn't use Picasa, or anything similar, the photo's were copied direct from the camera to the hard drive initially.
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New Sat 21 Jan 12 12:54 
 PC slowing down - Bromptonaut
You say 'copied direct from the camera to the hard drive initially'. Did you do something else next? I'm thinking along the lines of photo management software that might have been compressing the files.

If they're still on the camera's card check a few and see if files are still original size.
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New Sat 21 Jan 12 14:56 
 PC slowing down - bathtub tom
They're no longer in the camera. The point of loading them onto the PC was to free up space in the camera and also copy them elsewhere so they were 'saved'.
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