Windows 7 SLOOWWWWWW please help

[pplnick]

Hi all, so ive been searching my butt off for the last few days on ho to fix this problem and ive tried many many things that people have done that fixed what seemed to be a similar issue but to no avail myself.

first heres my setup

HP dv2025nr
500gb hd
512MB ram (447MB useable)
AMD 64 X2 1.60GHz
Windows 7 pro 32 bit
(i think thats what u needed...)

First off im not computer savvy at all so please use stupid people terms cuz thats what i understand thanks

bare with me here its a long story...
thanks

So heres the problem, i bought the computer in 2006, had windows xp worked great for 3 years then i got a virus that fried my hard drive. So i got a new hard drive with 500GB and had an OEM Windows 7 disk installed, it never let me register it with the key that came with it im assuming because its an OEM disk. But it ran fine for a few months any way it just kept sayin "not a genuine copy please register" or whatever. Any way like i said it worked fine i had no problems with it at all and randomly one day i pull it out and turn it on and it takes about an hour and a half to get past the "Windows Starting" and "welcome" screens and to get to explorer, once it was up it took for ever to do anything. i click on "start" and it takes 25 seconds to pull up the menu, then i click on "control panel" and it takes another 25 seconds or so to open it up and show the contents, and this happens with every single program i click on or try to open. So i tried restarting it and again it took an hour to load up. so what i ended up doing was trying to reinstall windows 7, which i did, but still had the same issue, so i tried having a buddy come over and install a different 7 disk but it couldnt even get through the installation and kept cancelling, tried that 3 times, then we tried my disk again, did the same thing it couldnt install, so we loaded windows XP and it worked but then as i was installing drivers it came up with some blue screen "registry problem" i think and shut down, tried to restart and got the same message and it shut down. So i got my oem 7 disk again and tried one more time, it worked! it loaded up but was still just as slow!... so i tried using a different disk of xp and it loaded up just fine and was running smooth other than the fact that it didnt install any drivers and so i couldnt do ANYTHING with the computer, not even get online to download the drivers... so i once again reinstalled windows 7 and ever since ive been having the same problem. i mean the computer works, im using it rite now to write this on here but its just slow as all hell...

Any one have any ideas of why it might be running like this?... im completely at a loss.... i have no idea what to do...

 

[pplnick]

hmmmm i wonder if i just fond my problem whilst reading what i just posted... I said i have 512MB useable ram... however i just went on the HP website and looked at the specs for my comp and im supposed to have 1024MB ram... i wonder if one of the ram thingys came loose and thats why it runs like crap... all i gotta do is find a tiny screwdriver and ill let ya know how it goes.

Any other suggestions would be great too tho

 

[whs]

If you want to run Windows7 properly, you need a lot more RAM. Scan your system from this website (on the bottom of the big insert). It will tell you what the options are including prices.
But apart from that, your performance is extreme. Disable all the startups (in msconfig) except your AntiVirus and see whether that improves the situation.
If you have a really fast USB stick of 1 or 2 GB (test with HD Tune, let it run to the end and the access time should be 1ms or less). Use that stick for Ready Boost. Plug it in and go to "Use this device to improve performance". That will help a little in the interim, but ultimately you will need at least 2GB of RAM - especially since your CPU is not a barnstormer either.

PS: Just saw your last post. Even 1GB will not really make it fast.

 

[electrotune1200]

The other half of your ram could just be used by your video card. It wouldn't hurt to check your ram and make sure it's securely latched.


If there is no problem with your ram connection, what ram you do have available is really pushing it with Windows 7. I would suggest making sure you have at least a gig available for Windows for a smoother experience.

 

[pplnick]

ok checked the RAM, one of the cards was completely disconnected from its home so i put it back, now my computer reads that it has 1GB which is good. but its still running slow.

WHS i will try your suggestion thank you, ill let you know how it goes.

 

[karlsnooks]

pplnick,

Put as much ram into that computer as it will take!

Next if replacing the microprocessor is possible then you would benefit from a faster microprocessor. But most important, feed that poor starving computer ram and more ram.

 

[pplnick]

whats a microprocessor?

 

[karlsnooks]

cpu

 

[pplnick]

whats the cpu?

haha i told u im a ratard when it comes to comps... which part of the computer is that and hwo do u change it

 

[pplnick]

k i ran the HD Tune test... scared me, you said it should be 1ms or less... it was 56.9.... but i realized that was my Hard drive i accidentaly tested that instead. But is that bad? 56.9? im testing the usb as i write. but what should a HD be at?

 

[pplnick]

the USB test came out at 1.4ms but im only using 925MB with ready boost cuz theres files on the drive taking up the rest of the space.

 

[whs]

Don't worry about the CPU (central processing unit). In a laptop you cannot really change it anyhow - you have to be a real expert to do that.

PS, just looked up your specs. You can put 2GBs of 533 RAM into it.

 

[pplnick]

ah gotcha, im definitly not an expert... haha thanks tho. ill be putting some more ram in as soon as i get a chance tho

 

[karlsnooks]

whats the cpu?

haha i told u im a ratard when it comes to comps... which part of the computer is that and hwo do u change it

just google Definition CPU

marvelous way to get good answers.

 

[pplnick]

problem solved! welp i feel like a big dumb idiot because ive been trying to figure this out for EVER!!! and all it was was that my stupid RAM card thingamajig came out of place... oh well, im glad it was an easy fix. Definitly gong to add more RAM when i get a chance tho.

Thank you everyone for your replys they all helped

 

[karlsnooks]

pplnick,
Many thanks for getting back to us with the problem cause.

Personally, I've never made a stupid mistake (and I lie a lots)!

Come back when the next challenge arrives.

 

[pplnick]

welp i spoke too soon, i dont know what happened, it worked great for about an hour and then i restarted it and now its back to being slow as balls! i have no idea what could be wrong.

I know its not a hardware issue because when i put XP back on it ran just fine, speedy and every thing. So i cant figure out why in the hell my comp just randomly decided one day to be super duper slow. Even the boot up time is incredibly friggin slow. 831 seconds as calculated by that reboot time program.

Any one have any idea what might cause this please please please please please help


please

 

[karlsnooks]

pplnick,

You did create a System Restore point? If you didn't, then you have learned a lesson the hard way.

You did create a system image using Windows 7 Backup and Restore didn't you? If not, then is there any helping you?

Sometimes we must burn the fingers to learn not to put the hand in the fire.

Maybe you got lucky and the system created a system restore point for you.

WIN + Pause/Break key | in left-hand task pane System Protection |
System Restore button | If you get a dialog showing two different radio button choices, then choose "Choose a different restore point" |
Next button | choose the desired System Restore point | Next button | Finish button

 

[pplnick]

pplnick,

You did create a System Restore point? If you didn't, then you have learned a lesson the hard way.

You did create a system image using Windows 7 Backup and Restore didn't you? If not, then is there any helping you?

Sometimes we must burn the fingers to learn not to put the hand in the fire.

Maybe you got lucky and the system created a system restore point for you.

WIN + Pause/Break key | in left-hand task pane System Protection |
System Restore button | If you get a dialog showing two different radio button choices, then choose "Choose a different restore point" |
Next button | choose the desired System Restore point | Next button | Finish button

What does this do exactly and how could it be causing my problem? the issue just randomly started happening a couple months after installing windows 7 on a brand new hard drive.

 

[karlsnooks]

It's NOT causing your problem. A system restore or if need be, a system image restore could bring your system back to the state it was in when the system was functioning.

WIN + F1 | type System Restore in the Search box at the top of the help dialog | Enter key

then do the same thing except type in System Backup