Post: #1

My Vista laptop (purchased December 2008) runs slow. It has 3Gb ram and the specs are below. Windows Exp index says 3.7 and i have 35 gb free on my hard drive, have defragged, stopped unnecessary programs, etc.

I've never done a clean install, the only program i'd need to reinstall is MS Office XP. I only use MS Word and i don't think that i can find the old XP discs. Anyway i can find MS Word at a reduced cost?

Is it slow because a clean windows install would remove all the "junk" that's accumulated over the years, or is my laptop too old and outdated?

If i were to simply buy a new laptop for $400-$650, would i see a huge improvement in performance? Or would the improvement not be all that great unless i spend over $1K on a laptop.

Thanks.

CPU Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz .
Number of Cores Dual-Core .
Cache L2 cache - 2.0 MB .
64-bit Computing Yes .
Front Side Bus 667.0 MHz .
Chipset Mobile Intel GM45 Express .

Memory
RAM 3.0 GB .
Max RAM Supported 4.0 GB .
Technology DDR2 SDRAM .
Speed 667.0 MHz .
Form Factor SO DIMM 200-pin .
Slots Qty 2 .
Empty Slots 0.0 .

Storage
Floppy Drive None .
Hard Drive 320.0 GB HDD / 5400.0 rpm .
Interface Serial ATA-150 .
Storage Removable None .
Optical Drive DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM .
Read Speed 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD) .
Write Speed 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD±R) / 4x (DVD±R DL) .
Rewrite Speed 16x (CD) / 6x (DVD-RW) / 8x (DVD+RW) / 5x (DVD-RAM) .
Optical Drive (2nd) None .
Hard drive type Portable

Post: #2

Is there a way to reset the laptop to factory settings? most brands have that feature and it will reset everything to the exact settings and speed you enjoyed when you first used the computer. acer, HP etc all allow for this. just make sure you get all your data saved on a thumb drive before... I personally despise windows 8. you literally need to relearn everything, I could not even close a window at first (no "x" in corners anymore). google your exact laptop model and the phrase "reset to factory settings" and you should be on your way without having to spend a cent.

Post: #3

I know my Windows 7 installation was much more satisfactory and quicker than Vista so I believe Windows 8 should be the same. I think the Windows 7 operated of the same platform as XP. The architects can correct me on this, I haven't used Windows 8 as of yet.

Post: #4

Don't use Windows 8, well, try it (go to a computer store and try on of the laptops on display), but if you don't like it, just use Windows 7, the learning is almost straight if you come from Vista, and uses like half the resources Vista does.

I tried Windows 8, and felt like I was using a big-ass phone, not an useful computer.
Windows 7 is the way to go, and you'll probably find it very cheap now that W8 is out (or torrent it :wink).
There are tons of tutorials out there on how to install it, and you can even use a usb stick, no need for dvds.
You can PM me if you need help

Post: #5

another question: how much faster would a $500 laptop be than my current laptop? Worth the upgrade?

My primary thing is that i like to keep like 40 windows open sometimes.

Post: #6

Windows 8 is the new Vista, it is really only good for tablets. I'd say get windows 7 instead. If there is a trial version try that though

Post: #7

go to your task manager and see how much cpu you are using when everything is close. Doing this after a reboot would be ideal.
under task manager go to performance. Your cpu usage should be very low. If you see it spiking up and down it means you have a virus which is casing the slow down.

Also go under processes tab check out the cpu to see what if anything is killing your pc. 00 is good but you see apps that flash 99 or 100 for a second and disappear means its a virus/malware.

Post: #8

I downloaded Windows 8 the other day for $39. I do enjoy it so far. As someone mentioned, the interface of the new Metro UI is a replica of the new Windows-based smartphones, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm rather enjoying it as a kind of up to the second 'data-hub'. My computer seems faster, shuts down/updates quicker, and has thus far been an improvement. It's true that this new update will benefit tablets more, and the Metro UI feature isn't for everyone. Though you can actually download a program to revert some of the 8 features back to more of a Windows 7 interface, while still maintaining 8's speediness. Just based on smoothness and low cost I'm glad I made the purchase. I don't necessarily think it will be a hit amongst the masses, though. As a side note, I'm running Windows 8 on a really cheap Compaq laptop (CQ-60) and the installation went flawlessly. So don't let having an older/cheap computer keep you from making the upgrade if you really want to.

Post: #9

(11-01-2012 05:26 PM)CMan0928 Wrote:  I downloaded Windows 8 the other day for $39. I do enjoy it so far. As someone mentioned, the interface of the new Metro UI is a replica of the new Windows-based smartphones, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm rather enjoying it as a kind of up to the second 'data-hub'. My computer seems faster, shuts down/updates quicker, and has thus far been an improvement. It's true that this new update will benefit tablets more, and the Metro UI feature isn't for everyone. Though you can actually download a program to revert some of the 8 features back to more of a Windows 7 interface, while still maintaining 8's speediness. Just based on smoothness and low cost I'm glad I made the purchase. I don't necessarily think it will be a hit amongst the masses, though. As a side note, I'm running Windows 8 on a really cheap Compaq laptop (CQ-60) and the installation went flawlessly. So don't let having an older/cheap computer keep you from making the upgrade if you really want to.

How did you get it for 39$?

Post: #10

...from Microsoft, probably. That's how much the upgrade is until 31 Jan: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windo...e_FPP_Null

Post: #11

Short answer: Nope

If you want to speed up your system, switch to Linux:
/thread-17653.html

Check out some Youtube videos on Linux first if you have any doubts

Post: #12

No. Linux tip is golden. Ubuntu f.ex.

Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.

Napoleon Hill

Post: #13

(04-25-2013 12:54 AM)Staros Wrote:  No. Linux tip is golden. Ubuntu f.ex.

Lubuntu

Post: #14

Vista is huge memory hog and should have never been released. I don't like the Tiles thing of Windows 8. I've been using Windows 7 on my PCs with no performance issues. I say go for it. It has to run better than Vista.

Post: #15

I'd run a dual boot Lubuntu/Windows XP
Windows for when you need windows only programs, lubuntu for browsing/movies/music.

Also, you can get a used laptop for 200 bucks that will last you for 4-5 years if all you do is internet and movies/music.

Frankly, since Windows 95, nothing major has appeared. Surf the web, watch a movie, listen to music....

Post: #16

There's a lot of chopped down versions of windows operating systems available on torrent sites. Like windows xp rev09, I used that back in the day and it's blazing fast compared to regular windows xp. The same guys who make the chopped down operating systems released a new one for windows 7.

http://www.buildpcs.com/threads/tiny-7-t...puter.377/

There's a few cons to using it but it's not bad.

Post: #17

(04-25-2013 09:54 AM)Hades Wrote:  There's a lot of chopped down versions of windows operating systems available on torrent sites. Like windows xp rev09, I used that back in the day and it's blazing fast compared to regular windows xp. The same guys who make the chopped down operating systems released a new one for windows 7.

http://www.buildpcs.com/threads/tiny-7-t...puter.377/

There's a few cons to using it but it's not bad.

Thank you for that info. Is there a Tiny version of Windows 8?

Post: #18

NO! Stick to Windows 7, Windows 8 is one of the biggest fails ever.

Post: #19

I don't like windows 8.