Vista Basic Running Really Slow

I've got a 6 year Compaq old laptop running Vista Basic, 1.5 GB of RAM, most
WU's are current, MBAM, SAS, CA Security Suite with the FW shut off. Windows
Firewall, Windows Defender.

The system is very slow for file/program commands (Open, close, shutdowns,
etc.). For instance, if I right click on Start and select `Explore' it takes
4-6 seconds for Explore to open up, and when it does open up a green status
indication running across the path window just creeps along to the right
very slowly. Is this some sort of an indexing problem?

Same thing with Task Manager.

Internet browsing is ok speedwise, although when I run Brighthouse network's
Road Runner Speed test, the results are poor (3500 kbps downloading). If I
do this test on my Acer Desktop or laptop, the speed is over 9000 kbps).
Running Firefox (but it's chewing up about 150 MB of process space).

Other performance issues: Firefox takes almost 30 seconds to open. So does
opening MBAM. And even longer for SAS.

To be fair the only thing I haven't done so far is run a scan with MBAM or
SAS, because the laptop owner doesn't want to tie up the computer for those
stretches. Would running those scans turn up things that could be slowing
this computer?

Any suggestions would be great. Thank you in advance...............Paul C.

Thanks, Ken. I guess I'll bite the bullet and run MBAM and SAS
scans......Paul C.

"Ken Blake, MVP" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Sat, 8 May 2010 11:01:32 -0400, "Paul Calcagno"
> <> wrote:
>
>> I've got a 6 year Compaq old laptop running Vista Basic, 1.5 GB of RAM,
>> most
>> WU's are current, MBAM, SAS, CA Security Suite with the FW shut off.
>> Windows
>> Firewall, Windows Defender.
>>
>> The system is very slow for file/program commands (Open, close,
>> shutdowns,
>> etc.). For instance, if I right click on Start and select `Explore' it
>> takes
>> 4-6 seconds for Explore to open up, and when it does open up a green
>> status
>> indication running across the path window just creeps along to the right
>> very slowly. Is this some sort of an indexing problem?
>>
>> Same thing with Task Manager.
>>
>> Internet browsing is ok speedwise, although when I run Brighthouse
>> network's
>> Road Runner Speed test, the results are poor (3500 kbps downloading). If
>> I
>> do this test on my Acer Desktop or laptop, the speed is over 9000 kbps).
>> Running Firefox (but it's chewing up about 150 MB of process space).
>>
>> Other performance issues: Firefox takes almost 30 seconds to open. So
>> does
>> opening MBAM. And even longer for SAS.
>>
>> To be fair the only thing I haven't done so far is run a scan with MBAM
>> or
>> SAS, because the laptop owner doesn't want to tie up the computer for
>> those
>> stretches. Would running those scans turn up things that could be slowing
>> this computer?
>
>
> No guarantees, of course, but yes, that would be likely.
>
> --
> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
> Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Sat, 8 May 2010 11:01:32 -0400, "Paul Calcagno"
<> wrote:

> I've got a 6 year Compaq old laptop running Vista Basic, 1.5 GB of RAM, most
> WU's are current, MBAM, SAS, CA Security Suite with the FW shut off. Windows
> Firewall, Windows Defender.
>
> The system is very slow for file/program commands (Open, close, shutdowns,
> etc.). For instance, if I right click on Start and select `Explore' it takes
> 4-6 seconds for Explore to open up, and when it does open up a green status
> indication running across the path window just creeps along to the right
> very slowly. Is this some sort of an indexing problem?
>
> Same thing with Task Manager.
>
> Internet browsing is ok speedwise, although when I run Brighthouse network's
> Road Runner Speed test, the results are poor (3500 kbps downloading). If I
> do this test on my Acer Desktop or laptop, the speed is over 9000 kbps).
> Running Firefox (but it's chewing up about 150 MB of process space).
>
> Other performance issues: Firefox takes almost 30 seconds to open. So does
> opening MBAM. And even longer for SAS.
>
> To be fair the only thing I haven't done so far is run a scan with MBAM or
> SAS, because the laptop owner doesn't want to tie up the computer for those
> stretches. Would running those scans turn up things that could be slowing
> this computer?


No guarantees, of course, but yes, that would be likely.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

What I do when my computer gets slow:

1) msconfig - disable all startup and 3rd party services and exi
without restart

2) Schedule a Disk Error Check with only the 1st box checked.

3) enter Safe Mode and use the cmd - run as administrator and typ
"defrag c:"
enter.

Open msconfig and click "normal startup" apply and restart.

Then do a disk cleanup and delete all but the most recent restore point
on the more options section

--
Oziru

[image: http://www.sevenforums.com/signature...ic51688_7.gif]

On Sat, 8 May 2010 14:12:46 -0400, "Paul Calcagno"
<> wrote:

> Thanks, Ken. I guess I'll bite the bullet and run MBAM and SAS
> scans......Paul C.


You're welcome. Glad to help, and good luck.



> "Ken Blake, MVP" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > On Sat, 8 May 2010 11:01:32 -0400, "Paul Calcagno"
> > <> wrote:
> >
> >> I've got a 6 year Compaq old laptop running Vista Basic, 1.5 GB of RAM,
> >> most
> >> WU's are current, MBAM, SAS, CA Security Suite with the FW shut off.
> >> Windows
> >> Firewall, Windows Defender.
> >>
> >> The system is very slow for file/program commands (Open, close,
> >> shutdowns,
> >> etc.). For instance, if I right click on Start and select `Explore' it
> >> takes
> >> 4-6 seconds for Explore to open up, and when it does open up a green
> >> status
> >> indication running across the path window just creeps along to the right
> >> very slowly. Is this some sort of an indexing problem?
> >>
> >> Same thing with Task Manager.
> >>
> >> Internet browsing is ok speedwise, although when I run Brighthouse
> >> network's
> >> Road Runner Speed test, the results are poor (3500 kbps downloading). If
> >> I
> >> do this test on my Acer Desktop or laptop, the speed is over 9000 kbps).
> >> Running Firefox (but it's chewing up about 150 MB of process space).
> >>
> >> Other performance issues: Firefox takes almost 30 seconds to open. So
> >> does
> >> opening MBAM. And even longer for SAS.
> >>
> >> To be fair the only thing I haven't done so far is run a scan with MBAM
> >> or
> >> SAS, because the laptop owner doesn't want to tie up the computer for
> >> those
> >> stretches. Would running those scans turn up things that could be slowing
> >> this computer?
> >
> >
> > No guarantees, of course, but yes, that would be likely.
> >
> > --
> > Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
> > Please Reply to the Newsgroup

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

I think you should run the Defrag last.
Why run Defrag and then do a Disc Cleanup ?


"Ozirus" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> What I do when my computer gets slow:
>
> 1) msconfig - disable all startup and 3rd party services and exit
> without restart
>
> 2) Schedule a Disk Error Check with only the 1st box checked.
>
> 3) enter Safe Mode and use the cmd - run as administrator and type
> "defrag c:"
> enter.
>
> Open msconfig and click "normal startup" apply and restart.
>
> Then do a disk cleanup and delete all but the most recent restore point,
> on the more options section.
>
>
> --
> Ozirus
>
> [image: http://www.sevenforums.com/signature...ic51688_7.gif]