Work PC (XP) Faster than Home Desktop (Win 7 x64)

[abhiroopb]

...Nope, the apps are installed on the SSD, everything runs from the SSD... The thing is the difference between launch is about 1-2 s... I suspect (and this has been confirmed on other threads I posted this same question on) that the problem is my AV and anti-malware. I run Microsoft Security Essentials, Spybot S&D and MalwareBytes so these three may be scanning all my data and hence slowing things down.

I will also look into using a SSD toolkit to optimize performance.

I hate to use the word excessive, but perhaps it's all the scanning that's slowing you down and making it seem more sluggish? Are you loading MWB and SB at startup; are they scanning, literally, everything you touch?

Yes they do launch at startup.

I suspect that that is the cause, will remove and see if there is any change.

 

[MDR]

I run Microsoft Security Essentials, Spybot S&D and MalwareBytes so these three may be scanning all my data and hence slowing things down.

this is not even advisable..... it will cross each other out.... just choose MSE....

 

[Fumz]

Technically, since MWB and SB aren't anti-virus apps, you can run them at the the same time, along side an anti virus app. What's not advised is to run two anti virus apps concurrently. Not only will one scanner "knock" the other one out, but it will also result in system instability. However, most decent anti virus apps won't even let you install if it detects the presence of another AV.

You can set MWB and SB to scan on demand, so you don't have to lose them.

 

[abhiroopb]

If I set it to scan on demand I'll never remember to do it.

I'm not the type to go traipsing around the web so I think I'll just get rid of them and see if there is a speed benefit.

 

[madtownidiot]

Any program that you want to launch more quickly, pin it to the taskbar... also, comparing two different systems running different versions of windows is kind of like comparing apples to bowling balls..

Isn't it more like comparing a jet engine to a scooter?

That is, although the systems are different, do you think my Home PC should be running slower?

Yeah, it would be.. if the jet engine was pulling about 400 tons up a hill vs a scooter with one passenger.

Really, an xp system with those specs set up by a skilled IT person would probably give even faster systems than yours a run for the money when it comes to running the applications it was set up for.. unless you wipe your hdd and do a fresh install of windows to get rid of all the factory bloat.. if you eliminate all the unnecessary startup programs (most of them are unnecessary) disable autoplay, turn off action center and all balloon notifications, and keep all your media off the system drive you should see a noticeable decrease in boot time and if you follow my advice in my prior post, applications you use the most often will start faster. With the system in your specs, I would expect a restart time of about 40-45 seconds and apps like firefox or MS Word to start with almost no perceptible delay. SSDs are the way to go, but I've noticed that some of them have relatively slow write speeds. If you are running a pagefile, move it to your other HDD and set it from the start for about 1.5x your physical memory (but more than 8GB is probably overkill). Get rid of all the AV software. If you're not surfing for porn or downloading pirated software you probably don't need it.. I know there are some people who would disagree with that last one.. but I never get viruses and wouldn't really care if I did because it's so easy to reinstall windows or run the image backup if something goes haywire..

 

[Thorsen]

Get rid of all the AV software. If you're not surfing for porn or downloading pirated software you probably don't need it.. I know there are some people who would disagree with that last one.. but I never get viruses and wouldn't really care if I did because it's so easy to reinstall windows or run the image backup if something goes haywire..

:shock:

What? I will be the first to disagree. Run one as active scan on startup and the other on demand. have the on-demand one installed, but not started up so whenever you need it, its already on the comp. Keep both up to date. i would not suggest going online anywhere without it.

I have gotten a virus before while searching google images. you never know where a page will take you. In this case I was looking for screenshots from Linux Distro's and one page that loaded tried to load a virus. MSE caught it. And then I did full system scan with MSE and MBAM. you are only going to be safe if you dont ever surf. if you only use secure known websites and never download anything...

 

[severedsolo]

Get rid of all the AV software. If you're not surfing for porn or downloading pirated software you probably don't need it.. I know there are some people who would disagree with that last one.. but I never get viruses and wouldn't really care if I did because it's so easy to reinstall windows or run the image backup if something goes haywire..

and how do you know you don't have a virus? for all you know you could have spyware sending all sorts of information back about you and you will never know... not all malware makes its presence felt

 

[madtownidiot]

and how do you know you don't have a virus? for all you know you could have spyware sending all sorts of information back about you and you will never know... not all malware makes its presence felt

lol.. I knew someone would make a comment of that nature. It's a personal preference. If one's there and I don't notice it via a slowdown of my system or unauthorized internet connection (I do have a firewall which tells me which apps are connected to which IP addresses), I don't care. Viruses and spyware are nowhere near as prevalent as all the AV software manufacturers would have you believe. In the past 6 months I've fixed more than 100 infected computers, and all but one were infected because the user was an idiot.. porn, attachments to spam email, pirated software downloaded with limewire or uTorrent, drive-by downloads of the fake AV scam (which none of the free AVs or anti-malware apps seem to catch anyway) are the majority of the problem and completely avoidable if a little common sense is used. A fast system is more important to me than security, because I use my computer to fix others, and as a selling point for talking people into upgrading their systems. It takes me less than half an hour to reimage my HDDs... so why should I bother? I do recommend Comodo Internet Security if one has to have an AV. I use their firewall and any computer I set up for a customer gets CIS installed shortly after I install the OS

 

[pparks1]

I've never really felt that any of the AV's that I've run over the years have resulted in slowing down my PC to the point where I really notice it.

I wouldn't suggest disabling AV any more than I would suggest just leaving your house unlocked since nobody has broken in in the past. To each their own.

 

[severedsolo]

and how do you know you don't have a virus? for all you know you could have spyware sending all sorts of information back about you and you will never know... not all malware makes its presence felt

Viruses and spyware are nowhere near as prevalent as all the AV software manufacturers would have you believe.

I'm not disagreeing with you on that front.... I can count on 1 hand the number of time's i've been infected. and i dont need to count at all how many time's i've been infected in the last 3 years. of course safe computing is the answer. However, surely you are not actually recommending to the OP that he doesnt install a AV? Fair enough if you understand what you are doing and can cleanse the machine yourself then yes by all means do what your doing. It's not the way for me but thats a matter of personal choice. What i disagree with is you advising the OP to do the same. its just irresponsible advice IMO

 

[madtownidiot]

What i disagree with is you advising the OP to do the same. its just irresponsible advice IMO

good point.. if you're going to do anything random on the internet, by all means get a good internet security suite. CIS is by far the best of the free apps simply because it's configurable, light on the system and stops most of the malware out there before it even gets a start

I've never really felt that any of the AV's that I've run over the years have resulted in slowing down my PC to the point where I really notice it.

Never had a system running vista and norton internet security or McAfee (circa 2006 or 2007) with a celeron cpu and only 1 GB of RAM?

 

[abhiroopb]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions.

I was OK with the boot time, that is I don't mind a bunch of programmes launching at start.

I got rid of Malwarebytes and Spybot and it is a lot faster! Starting apps is now instantaneous. I guess it was the ASW that was slowing down my PC.

 

[Fumz]

Good stuff.

 

[windows7theme]

and how do you know you don't have a virus? for all you know you could have spyware sending all sorts of information back about you and you will never know... not all malware makes its presence felt

lol.. I knew someone would make a comment of that nature. It's a personal preference. If one's there and I don't notice it via a slowdown of my system or unauthorized internet connection (I do have a firewall which tells me which apps are connected to which IP addresses), I don't care. Viruses and spyware are nowhere near as prevalent as all the AV software manufacturers would have you believe. In the past 6 months I've fixed more than 100 infected computers, and all but one were infected because the user was an idiot.. porn, attachments to spam email, pirated software downloaded with limewire or uTorrent, drive-by downloads of the fake AV scam (which none of the free AVs or anti-malware apps seem to catch anyway) are the majority of the problem and completely avoidable if a little common sense is used. A fast system is more important to me than security, because I use my computer to fix others, and as a selling point for talking people into upgrading their systems. It takes me less than half an hour to reimage my HDDs... so why should I bother? I do recommend Comodo Internet Security if one has to have an AV. I use their firewall and any computer I set up for a customer gets CIS installed shortly after I install the OS

I personally like CIS too and used to use it for several years. But since the last year or so it was giving too many false alerts. I found MSE a lot better. MSE is a lot lighter than CIS too. And if user account control is kept activated then I dont think there is need of any extra firewall. Rest MSE takes care of the rest and Windows 7 is a lot more secure than the previous versions from what I have seen till now.

I also advise people to use noscript addon if they use firefox.