Windows 7 ULTIMATE LAG

[darkownage]

I currently have a Dell inspiron laptop (I'm not sure what the model is because I'm not home right now) however specs include: 4GB Ram, 500GB HARD DRIVE, 2.10 GHZ processor, Intel core i5. My laptop had been just lagging constantly, taking over 10 minutes to just open the start button so I decided to restore it to factory settings to see if that would make a difference. After a factory reset, with no programs on the laptop, windows is still ULTIMATELY laggy. It took about 15 minutes to just open the start menu so I could shut down the computer, not being able to do anything else. Prior to having this lag my laptop would just get random lag spikes during gaming etc.
Much and urgent help would be so appreciated. Thank you.

 

[remm]

A few thoughts:

1. The hard drive might be having errors. I'd test it with a utility. Or you can use the Windows "chk disk" command. Right-click on C drive -> Properties -> Tools tab -> Check Now button. It will reboot the machine to check the C drive.

2. Run cmd.exe as admin and type: sfc /scannow ...hit enter and let it check the integrity of the windows files.

3. Could also be a RAM problem. Might start by trying the easiest thing: re-seating it.

4. Might also be a virus but not likely since you restored to factory, though you never know. Maybe a rootkit could survive. Can download and run gmer to look for a rootkit, and then run a full scan with your AV of choice.

I'd probably do #3 first to eliminate it and b/c it's easiest... then #1, #2 and #4.

PS... until you get this worked out, if you have nothing open and just want to shut down, rather than waiting 15min for the start menu, just do a hard shut down... hold down the power button for 15 sec's or so and the machine should shut down. Good luck and let us know what happens. Also others might have more suggestions.

 

[lehnerus2000]

You should backup your important files as soon as possible (e.g. create a backup HDD image).

When you run Check Disk, you might need to also select the "Repair bad sectors" option.
This option takes a lot longer to finish.

 

[remm]

You should backup your important files as soon as possible (e.g. create a backup HDD image).

When you run Check Disk, you might need to also select the "Repair bad sectors" option.
This option takes a lot longer to finish.

In my experience if the drive needs the 'repair bad sectors' enabled b/c there are actually bad sectors, the drive needs to be replaced anyway. Bad sectors are simply marked to be avoided, but once this occurs, the drive just keeps getting worse, and this option can take over 12 hrs on a machine that's working properly. I'd opt for the regular chk dsk to save time and either rule in or out the drive as being the problem. If it finds errors it can't fix, the drive needs to be replaced... if it doesn't find any errors, the drive isn't the problem. JMO.

 

[gregrocker]

In addition work through the Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7
to go over your install thoroughly and isolate the problem.

 

[darkownage]

A few thoughts:

1. The hard drive might be having errors. I'd test it with a utility. Or you can use the Windows "chk disk" command. Right-click on C drive -> Properties -> Tools tab -> Check Now button. It will reboot the machine to check the C drive.

2. Run cmd.exe as admin and type: sfc /scannow ...hit enter and let it check the integrity of the windows files.

3. Could also be a RAM problem. Might start by trying the easiest thing: re-seating it.

4. Might also be a virus but not likely since you restored to factory, though you never know. Maybe a rootkit could survive. Can download and run gmer to look for a rootkit, and then run a full scan with your AV of choice.

I'd probably do #3 first to eliminate it and b/c it's easiest... then #1, #2 and #4.

PS... until you get this worked out, if you have nothing open and just want to shut down, rather than waiting 15min for the start menu, just do a hard shut down... hold down the power button for 15 sec's or so and the machine should shut down. Good luck and let us know what happens. Also others might have more suggestions.

How is #3 done?

 

[darkownage]

You should backup your important files as soon as possible (e.g. create a backup HDD image).

When you run Check Disk, you might need to also select the "Repair bad sectors" option.
This option takes a lot longer to finish.

In my experience if the drive needs the 'repair bad sectors' enabled b/c there are actually bad sectors, the drive needs to be replaced anyway. Bad sectors are simply marked to be avoided, but once this occurs, the drive just keeps getting worse, and this option can take over 12 hrs on a machine that's working properly. I'd opt for the regular chk dsk to save time and either rule in or out the drive as being the problem. If it finds errors it can't fix, the drive needs to be replaced... if it doesn't find any errors, the drive isn't the problem. JMO.

Well now the laptop isnt even able to reach the screen where I can type in my password so what do I do now?

 

[RoasterMen]

Re-install windows. Backup your files first.

 

[darkownage]

Re-install windows. Backup your files first.

i just did a fresh install of windows and i have no files to even backup

 

[darkownage]

UPDATE: after doing another brand new installation of windows 7 everything seemed to be working fine, no lag nothing. So i downloaded all the drivers necessary and started to install them (Dell insprion N5110 and did them in recomended order) after restarting after one of the installations, windows doesnt function properly anymore and boots up straight into repair mode.

 

[darkownage]

 

[gregrocker]

You need to carefully follow the steps in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 since you apparently think this is XP and not Win7. Win7 is a driver-complete OS which provides all of the drivers via the installer and then when you get online via Windows Update.

The steps for drivers are printed in red in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 so you can't miss them. I would start over and follow that tutorial which has helped over a million consumers get a perfect install.

Be sure to delete all partitions during the booted install to get it cleanest.

Apparently your files are gone so you can skip the first steps which would have reminded you of everything not to forget to backup. :huh:

 

[darkownage]

You need to carefully follow the steps in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 since you apparently think this is XP and not Win7. Win7 is a driver-complete OS which provides all of the drivers via the installer and then when you get online via Windows Update.

The steps for drivers are printed in red in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 so you can't miss them. I would start over and follow that tutorial which has helped over a million consumers get a perfect install.

Be sure to delete all partitions during the booted install to get it cleanest.

Apparently your files are gone so you can skip the first steps which would have reminded you of everything not to forget to backup. :huh:

Okay I did a clean install of windows again and installed only the ethernet driver to get internet access. Windows update is doing the rest of the work now so we'll see where it goes from here

 

[gregrocker]

That you say you did this in 23 minutes makes me wonder what steps were skipped. Did you in fact delete all partitions to get it cleanest?

Please read over the steps in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 and then if necessary redo the install, since this would take more than 23 minutes.

 

[darkownage]

That you say you did this in 23 minutes makes me wonder what steps were skipped. Did you in fact delete all partitions to get it cleanest?

Please read over the steps in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 and then if necessary redo the install, since this would take more than 23 minutes.

I had the windows 7 clean install already done hours ago. I was just waiting for someone to reply so that I could know what to do with the drivers after it had failed the first time

 

[darkownage]

That you say you did this in 23 minutes makes me wonder what steps were skipped. Did you in fact delete all partitions to get it cleanest?

Please read over the steps in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 and then if necessary redo the install, since this would take more than 23 minutes.

Alright well this didnt work again. after windows update it would just launch into system repair again because it couldn't boot. I'm currently running diagnostics test to see, theres an 'X' on hard drive 0

 

[gregrocker]

Use the maker's bootable HD Diagnostic CD scan, followed by a full Disk Check from the install disk Command Line in System Recovery Options.

Create a full disk partition from the installer Command Line using step 6 in Troubleshoot Windows 7 Installation Failures - Windows 7 Help Forums for the Disk check

 

[darkownage]

Use the maker's bootable HD Diagnostic CD scan, followed by a full Disk Check from the install disk Command Line in System Recovery Options.

Create a full disk partition from the installer Command Line using step 6 in Troubleshoot Windows 7 Installation Failures - Windows 7 Help Forums for the Disk check

Do i have to get a clean install of windows again and then do all that before installing any drivers?

 

[gregrocker]

Yes, I showed in Troubleshoot Windows 7 Installation Failures above how to create a full disk partition to run Disk Check after the HD Diagnostic CD scan, which will wipe the hard drive and create a full disk Active partition which after Disk Check can be used to reinstall, or you can delete it and create partitions as you wish during install. Wiping the hard drive will also be therapeutic since it overcomes most installation failures by removing old boot code that remains unless wiped.

 

[lehnerus2000]

In my experience if the drive needs the 'repair bad sectors' enabled b/c there are actually bad sectors, the drive needs to be replaced anyway. Bad sectors are simply marked to be avoided, but once this occurs, the drive just keeps getting worse, and this option can take over 12 hrs on a machine that's working properly. I'd opt for the regular chk dsk to save time and either rule in or out the drive as being the problem. If it finds errors it can't fix, the drive needs to be replaced... if it doesn't find any errors, the drive isn't the problem. JMO.

If an HDD is suffering from bad sectors it is not long for this world.

My Check Disk experience is different from yours.
I've found regular Check Disk to be mostly useless.

One of my 2 TB HDDs became dodgy this time last year, so I copied as much data as I could off of it.
I found that regular Check Disk said nothing useful about my dodgy HDD.
I don't even think it reported any bad sectors and it reported that the file system was OK (which it wasn't).

So I ran Check Disk with the repair option selected.
It found a bunch of bad sectors, attempted repairs and afterwards I was able to copy extra data off of the HDD.

It took a lot of time though.