Laptop Speed turned into a snail's pace

[Benchwayze]

My Toshiba Laptop is about 7-8 months old. Windows 7 was quite fast at first but it's slowed to a snailpace.
I notice there are two progran file folders and the main drive has been partitioned. In use the functions are quite fast, but starting up takes ablout ten minutes!

The main drive is half full, but most of the content is Toshiba oriented stuff that insists on loading at switch on. Also there are free programs included such as nero and other software, I never use. I know I can remove the programs, but how much is the partitioned drive slowing me down?

Can I safely remove the Toshiba guff, without lousing up the installation? ( I am prepared to buy a Windows Seven disc, to completely clean-up, but I am worried about setting up the internet connection again. )

Also I just had to re install Firefox. It says it's installed, but it hasn't. No shortcuts, no sign of it in the uninstall list. So I can't deinstall if it's hiding! When I installed, Real Player kept popping up saying it was installing!!! Ridiculous!

I have a 'cleaner program' installed, and run it every day. So I believe the junk and broken registry stuff is removed.
I notice it's worsened since I allowed my grand-daughter to set up her own acccount on the laptop. I'm wondering if she's choked it up with teenie stuff?
Any ideas please?

TIA

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

where abouts is it slow at boot?

During POST (All the white text on black BG)
During System Boot (Windows logo on black BG)
Windows Startup (Welcome/Login screen the blue BG with "waves")
User loading (after you have clicked/entered password and your looking at your desktop maybe with our without icons)

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi Hud,

It's painfully slow to boot, and getting to the log-on screen. Even then it takes an age before the whole thing settles down and is usable. Just won't respond to mouse clicks until Toshiba has finished loading its guff, then it asks you to visit the Toshiba site, because 'There's a new message'! When you open the site there's nothing of the sort.

I think it's a come on by Toshiba trying to sell anti virus etc, etc.

Just hoped I could uninstall all that rubbish!
Ta!

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

You can get rid of most of the "crapware" that comes with any computer. Even if you uninstall a driver it will normally find it again on the net its self after a reboot.

Have you defragged the hard drive resently?

If you have a partitioned HDD (other then the 100mb that should be hidden for windows 7) an you have windows on one and other programes that may start with windows than this can slow the PC down.

Also hold down the windows key and press R then type msconfig then goto startup tab and untick any thing you wish not to start as windows does, if your unsure what it is google its name or use sysinfo.org to find out.

You may also need to defrag whats called your pagingfile, your sysfiles, registry and boot which normally isn't possible while in windows and with windows default defrag.

I use
CCleaner
PC Tuneup
Paragon Hard Drive Manager to do all these tasks

 

[Blister]

I love my Mac :mrgreen:

hat coat door :lol:

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks Hud,
The defrag is automatic every day So I am told!

I just downloaded PC Tuneup (The AVG one?) Found hundreds of problems but they wanted more money! Not that I am mean, but it makes me wonder if they speak with forked tongue.

 

[Benchwayze]

I love my Mac :mrgreen:

hat coat door :lol:

Helpful... Not! :lol:

 

[Chems]

Did you get a proper copy of windows with it, like a Mircosoft branded disc not a toshiba one? I can send you a copy if you don't know anyone, I have professional x64 and x84 you should be able to use your own key on it if its the same version. If not can you borrow the correct version from someone and just wipe it and install a clean version of windows with out all the Toshiba bloatware. The great thing about windows 7 is handles finding drivers very well so you'll be back operating quickly.

 

[JMcK]

I use the free version of this: http://www.winpatrol.com/compare.html

It allows you to see and remove programmes from your startup and also tells you if a programme you are adding is trying to put itself on the startup list.

It is non-intrusive and I find it is easy to use and works well for keeping the system manageable.

 

[Dibs-h]

Or type

msconfig

in the run box and hit return. Click on the Startup tab and it will tell you what gets started up. Post up a screen shot of that tab, if you want advice of what you can untick, etc.

HIH

Dibs

p.s. Don't install more software - it's not a fix, just a bandaid.

 

[gus3049]

I love my Mac :mrgreen:

hat coat door :lol:

Helpful... Not! :lol:

Might not be helpful but you know it makes sense

I love mine too. Just switch it on, use it, kiss it goodnight and switch it off.

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks folks..

Dibs: I'll sort out how to post a screen shot.
How big it will be I dunno!

Chems: PM sent. In case my recovery disc won't work!


Blister:

I wouldn't kiss my PC. I might catch a virus! :lol:
(I'm told by Number One Son that hackers are beginning to look at Macs, as they become more popular. So it isn't a case of 'You're safe with a Mac; rather you're just a bit ';behind-hand' with a Mac.)! :twisted:

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Thanks Hud,
The defrag is automatic every day So I am told!

I just downloaded PC Tuneup (The AVG one?) Found hundreds of problems but they wanted more money! Not that I am mean, but it makes me wonder if they speak with forked tongue.

No not the AVG one this one http://download.cnet.com/PC-Tune-Up/300 ... 45371.html not sure if its free though but use the trail (if not free) to see if it helps fix. I get software free often, always legally and I have had this one for many years.

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

(I'm told by Number One Son that hackers are beginning to look at Macs, as they become more popular. So it isn't a case of 'You're safe with a Mac; rather you're just a bit ';behind-hand' with a Mac.)! :twisted:

It was always going to happen, have been saying this for years. Smart phones, tablets etc will all be next. I have never ran a mac without a VC.

It was only a few month back that I downloaded a new Keyboard app for my phone and it warned me that every keystroke is recorded. I have mobile banking so that keyboard app got deleted.

 

[Chems]

All the hype about macs being un-hackable, the iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and Android have all been susceptible to the same amount of hacking, if that mac thing was true the iPhone would never ever be compromised, but it has been. I think the true strength of Mac lies on the underlying unix framework, it has a more robust framework than todays Microsoft systems.

 

[mailee]

Hmm, this is interesting as I have a Toshiba laptop although a much older one and it is performing exactly the same. I can go and make a cup of coffee and make a round of toast while mine boots up! I did remove all of the Toshiba guff that comes with it but had to install another version of Windows XP to accomplish it.

 

[nev]

A rare foray into the non turning world for me here!
I had a similar problem soooo slooooow with a dell laptop.
Cleaned up all the rubbish. no different!
defraged etc - no different!
formatted disk, fresh (legit!) install of windows. still slow!
memory check - no issues.
format again install ubuntu o/s instead of windows - still slow!
about to consign it to bin and then remembered reading something about batteries.
removed battery and VOILA! sorted!
run on mains with no battery in - super!
install battery - back to snailspeed!
new battery - like a new pc.
Why? no idea, but it fixed mine

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks Nev.
I'll give it a try.
First though, I need to find out why Firefox tells me it is installed but I can't find a shortcut; I can't find it in the programs list to make a shortcut, and I can't find it in the list of programs to uninstall, so I can start again.

Every time I try to install Firefox, over itself (which is possible in Win XP) Real Player pops up to tell me it is installing! Weird....

 

[Dibs-h]

Thanks Nev.
I'll give it a try.
First though, I need to find out why Firefox tells me it is installed but I can't find a shortcut; I can't find it in the programs list to make a shortcut, and I can't find it in the list of programs to uninstall, so I can start again.

Every time I try to install Firefox, over itself (which is possible in Win XP) Real Player pops up to tell me it is installing! Weird....

I used to use Firefox - now use Chrome almost exclusively. Give it a go - use Adblock as well - makes life so much easier.

Dibs

 

[Dibs-h]

Thanks folks..

Dibs: I'll sort out how to post a screen shot.
How big it will be I dunno!

Go to

http://download.cnet.com/Trend-Micro-Hi ... 27353.html

download it and install. If I want to get to the bottom of performance issues on PC's and figure out what's running, etc. I use this a lot. Install it and run it - this does not run in the background so it doesn't contribute to the problems.

Execute the program - click on "Do a system scan and save a logfile" - it'll take about 60s and then present you with a textfile displayed in Notepad. Cut and paste the results in a message and post it up.

Cheers

Dibs