computer is lagging on program run

[pcvrx660]

Pentium 4 1.8ghz
WIndows XP Pro, SP1

when i boot up my computer, it seems to lag. When i want to run programs such as AIM, photoshop, whatever, there is a lag time.
WHen the programs actually gets to run then it runs all at once.

I want to know how i can resolve of this issue.

[LooseChippings]

Check your system for malicious code using an up to date Anti Virus program.

Check your system for spyware and adware using a checker such as Spybot.

Remove unwanted files and applications by running Disk Cleanup.

Check your Hard Disk for errors using Check Disk.

Defrag your Hard Drive.

Download the latest patches for the applications / games.

Download and install the latest drivers for your system video and sound cards.

Add more RAM to your system

[pcvrx660]

my computer still lags when a program is loading

[jmatt]

Application Slow-Downs in Windows XP
http://www.scotsnewsletter.com/47.htm
Control Panel > Network Connections > Right-click your main network connection , choose
Properties > Double-click "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" > Click Advanced
button > Select WINS tab .

The solution I've seen recommended and posted in various places is to
remove the check mark beside "Enable LMHOSTS lookup" on the WINS tab
and/or "Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP." People report that the
application slow-downs go away .

====================================

Disable Indexing Services
http://www.tweakxp.com/tweakxp/display.asp?id=1335
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/OptimizeXP.html
Indexing services is a small program that hogs HUGE amounts of RAM and can often make a computer endlessly loud and noisy. This system process indexing and updates lists of the files on your system, so you can search for them quickly, but it's completley unnessesary.

To disable it, go to the Control Panel and click Add/Remove Programs. Click the Add/Remove Window Components. Simply unclick the Indexing services and click next!

[LudwigDrummer15]

Originally Posted by LooseChippings

Check your system for malicious code using an up to date Anti Virus program.

Check your system for spyware and adware using a checker such as Spybot.

Remove unwanted files and applications by running Disk Cleanup.

Check your Hard Disk for errors using Check Disk.

Defrag your Hard Drive.

Download the latest patches for the applications / games.

Download and install the latest drivers for your system video and sound cards.

Add more RAM to your system

Where can u find "Check Disk"?
And could u explain what more RAM would do?

[42penguins]

More RAM would make things speedier.

Pretend the CPU is you, and its speed is how fast you can work.
How much RAM you have is how big your workbench is. Bigger workbench means you can work on more things at once.

Oh, and "check disk" can be accessed through the command prompt by running "chkdsk" or right-click on the drive letter, go to properties, to the tools tab, and error-checking.

[LudwigDrummer15]

Originally Posted by 42penguins

More RAM would make things speedier.

Pretend the CPU is you, and its speed is how fast you can work.
How much RAM you have is how big your workbench is. Bigger workbench means you can work on more things at once.

so it would cost me $100 bucks to buy more RAM?

[LudwigDrummer15]

Originally Posted by LudwigDrummer15

so it would cost me $100 bucks to buy more RAM?

or how much would it cost? approx

[42penguins]

Originally Posted by LudwigDrummer15

so it would cost me $100 bucks to buy more RAM?

You can get different amounts of RAM for different $. You can go to some memory company like OCZ, Kingston, or Mushkin and most of them will help you find which memory will fit your motherboard.

As far as your system is described, you should be ok with about 512MB total. So, to find a good amount, subtract what you already have from 512, and tada!

This is, of course, only if the other alternatives fail and fixing this problem is worth $$ to you.

[hillda01]

Good evening.

Not sure whether you have sorted your problem out yet but I thought to suggest this...

Once your pc has started up - have you run the msconfig utility - you can basically see what is actually starting up and stop it starting by ticking the things you dont want to start up - then reboot your pc.

It saves you having to go diving head first into the registry.

Hope this helps

Regards

Dave

[LudwigDrummer15]

well i did the CHKDSK thing...what does that do

[LudwigDrummer15]

oh and what is normal for CPU performance and stuff mine is usually around anywhere from 10-40 and PF usage is around 302 MB u think u would be able to tell me whats normal for totals? all this is found in the performance tab when u click CTRL+ALT+DELETE so u know where im lookin

[hillda01]

It basically lists and corrects any errors on your hard disk - it is a good thing to run it - if your pc is running slowly it may be down to a load of other stuff starting up in RAM - id check out msconfig

[LudwigDrummer15]

if your pc is running slowly it may be down to a load of other stuff starting up in RAM

dont really get what ya mean there

[hillda01]

Basicall when your pc starts up - it loads executables into RAM - if you load task manager you will see all the processes listed.

There is an area in the registry

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

This area may have a list of executables in it. This list get's loaded or "RUN" when the pc has finished booting - when you install software sometimes executables get put into this list when you dont want them to be and basically slows down your pc as these are one of the first things that get loaded - so when you try to load the programs you actually want there isnt as much available RAM to use.

Regards

Dave