Jump to content

Computer Problems - Help!


Elvish

Recommended Posts

Sorry to bother everyone with this, but it's driving me crazy and I know some of you are very handy with this type of thing.

I recently got a high speed cable modem, but my computer is painfully slow online. I checked with customer service and they told me the modem is fine - when the computer isn't connected to it, it pings like crazy. They're convinced there is a file sharing program or something else hogging up my bandwidth. I don't have anything like that installed, the computer was recently cleaned out and XP was reinstalled.

I have spybot, ad aware, and AVG antivirus. Right now I'm scanning with trend micro, but it (along with everything else) is soooooo slow.

Somebody help me before I drop this thing from a 10 story window!!! ::

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know much about computers, but have you tried going to

Start

Control Panel

Add/Remove Programs

That will show you the programs that are installed. If there's something in there you didn't put in there, remove it.

There used to be a way to get to start up, where you could check boxes of what you wanted automatically start running when you start up your computer, but since I got XP installed, I don't know where to find it.

Or, you could just call the computer geek in your family. That's what i'd do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

elvy call the computer geek in the family.when you start removing things, unless you really know what you are doing, you can remove stuff you need for optimum performance(wow, now that sounded good!). When I got dsl, things weren't running right, had the sbc techs out here 3 separate times. They kept saying that there was a powerful new virus going around. Sounded good to me. Then my son in law (he built and programmed the computer)came over and in about 10 minutes had the thing up and running perfectly. I'll loan him to you for 10 bucks! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In addition to the above mentioned programs, the other installed programs are

Emedia Blues Guitar Legends (shouldn't be connected to the internet at all, it's a guitar instruction program w/specific songs)

MSN Messenger & Toolbar (I'm gonna uninstall the toolbar)

Mozilla Firefox (an alternative to Internet Explorer, shouldn't be causing my problem)

Windows XP Hotfix KB840374 (I have no idea what this is. Could it be causing my problem?)

Thanks for the responses y'all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

in about 10 minutes had the thing up and running perfectly. I'll loan him to you for 10 bucks! ;)

Hell, I'll do better than 10 bucks - I'll pay give him gas money and the Rolling Rocks left in my fridge that I had in stock pre-pregnancy. ::

I'm hoping my little sister's bf can help me out - they're supposed to come over later. Fingers are crossed!

Not on AOL - thank God, Diggs!

And I'm not touching the XP thing. Too scary!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's what Colin told me too. That's why I got the sbc dsl. I was on AOL, and he would freak everytime he used my computer, at how slow everything was. I had also tried Kazaa, after the dsl, and it would never connect. I got winmx and that works great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There used to be a way to get to start up, where you could check boxes of what you wanted automatically start running when you start up your computer, but since I got XP installed, I don't know where to find it.

If you go to the "Start" button at the bottom left of your screen, select "Run...". When the screen opens up for what program to run, type "msconfig". This will bring up the System Configuration Utility. Click the tab labelled "Startup". This is where you will find all the programs that load during the initial start up of your PC. When you are surfing the Internet (and it doesn't really matter where you go), there are a lot of websites that will secretly install programs onto your PC without you knowing it. This is where you can disable those programs from running.

Windows XP Hotfix KB840374 (I have no idea what this is. Could it be causing my problem?)

This is very important as it fixes some of the security and other issues within Microsoft Windows. In fact, you should go to the Windows Update website and do a Windows XP update to fix any open issues with your copy of Windows XP. They have a program that will automatically search your version of Windows and inform you of any updates that are needed.

One of the things that can slow your Internet connection is the amount of files stored in your "Temporary Internet Folder".

From your desktop, double-click on "My Computer". Right-click on the "C:" drive and select "Properties" from the menu. This will bring up a window for "C: Properties". You will see a button labelled "Disk Cleanup". Click that button and (after a minute or so) and the "Disk Cleanup" window will open. Deselect (click on the box and make the check mark go away) everything EXCEPT "Temporary Internet Files". Click "OK" and this will remove the files kept in that folder. Do this every so often to keep your internet program running at top speed.

If this still doesn't fix the problem, you might want to try using "Internet Explorer" and finding out if you receive a faster connection. Sometimes the Internet programs are setup differently causing an unwelcomed response in connection speed.

I've never used Mozilla before so I can't tell you how to properly setup your connection so that you get the fastest speed possible.

I hope this helps!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I guess we know who the Songfacts family computer geek is.

And thanks, ATC. I've searched everywhere on this darn XP for that Startup thing. It used to be

Start

Programs

Accessories

System Tools

System Information

Tools

then System Configuration Utilities.

With XP, I'd get as far as System Information, and it wouldn't be in the tools. Rats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know this because I've had to find it for myself. I had some major computer problems a while back when I got my laptop because I wasn't being careful on the Internet. Had all sorts of s--t running around. It was an absolute mess. Then I found myself a good spyware/adware remover and a method of cleaning my computer (which I do regularly) and haven't had a problem since. The problem with the Internet these days is so many people have found ways to hack into your computer without you even knowing. It's quite scary actually.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the suggestions, Addicted. I did a disk clean up and now I'm defragmenting. I don't notice a speed difference between IE and Mozilla at this point, but it does seem like things are getting a bit faster. Still not as fast as they should be though - maybe the defrag will help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Defragmenting helps your computer to organize its files for faster location and easier access. In theory, it should put your computer closer to peak performance. Did you check your "Configuration Utility" for unwanted start-up programs? Those can often degrade the performance of any PC.

As a quick side note, the speed issue on your computer may not be caused by one thing. It could be a combination of things. One by one you may see some difference, but it could take quite a bit of time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In addition to the above mentioned programs, the other installed programs are

Emedia Blues Guitar Legends (shouldn't be connected to the internet at all, it's a guitar instruction program w/specific songs)

MSN Messenger & Toolbar (I'm gonna uninstall the toolbar)

Mozilla Firefox (an alternative to Internet Explorer, shouldn't be causing my problem)

Windows XP Hotfix KB840374 (I have no idea what this is. Could it be causing my problem?)

Thanks for the responses y'all.

HOLY S##T!!!!!!!!. DOWNLOADING TOOLBARS IS NOT GOOD AT ALL!!!!!!!!. GET RID OF IT NOW!!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel like a Martian... I have a mac, it´s running damn slow today and I´ll have to wait till I gt my ADSL connection to internet, at MY home, to have this problem solved... I know nothing about computers, I´m a journalist/translator...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you check your "Configuration Utility" for unwanted start-up programs? Those can often degrade the performance of any PC.

As a quick side note, the speed issue on your computer may not be caused by one thing. It could be a combination of things. One by one you may see some difference, but it could take quite a bit of time.

I did remove some of the start-up programs that weren't necessary. Everything in combination seems to have helped, but it's still not as fast as it should be. I'll keep tinkering with it.

Thanks for your help, Aaron - and everyone else. :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/Bandwidth_meter/7004-7254_7-0.html

and post the results back. Also some web pages will load slowly for many reasons, this one being one of them. You should really try downloading files from websites to really know. Go to snapfiles.com or linuxiso.org and start downloading a big file. See how fast it downloads. Or maybe you need to open port 80 on your NAT or router? None of the programs you mentioned will slow you down, btw.

I also have this program:

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/netmeter.html

that constantly draws a graph of any network and internet activity. If you have something d/l or uploading, it will show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...