I Need Some Help With My Speed

[Neeranam]

Could some of you experts suggest a way I could speed up my computer?

I know nothing about computer, a real luddite.

All I know is to defragment which I did to no avail.

My RAM is onlly 128, maybe I should increase this?

I have lots of photos and videos stored on it, would this affect the speed.

Sorry for the simple questions.

NN

[TizMe]

Give us some more information Neeranam. What CPU have you got, what Operating System R U runnin', what other software do you use?

[Neeranam]

CPU - Acer

Windows XP

Not much other software, the biggest in memory probably being the Kodak camera one.

[Thetyim]

Do you mean computer speed or do you mean internet speed ?

[triplegee]

You will notice a dramatic increase or improvement in your computers processing speed through the addition of more RAM.

Windows XP requires a minimum of 256mb RAM to function efficiently - 512mb is recommended.

Storing photo's & videos won't affect speed but videos do consume CPU to view.

A trip to Pantip is in order.

[wilson steer]

I am on XP and have 256, would an upgrade to 512 be noticable for internet use?

How much should I expect to pay in Pattaya, and could I trust the guys in the shop with all my personal info on my computer, financial etc. ?

Just a thought. Or should I back up on CD and delete bank stuff etc.

Sorry; neglected the thread and question; My experience is to speed up slow internet is to open several windows at once and make a brew while waiting.

Wilson Steer.

[sniffdog]

No, for Internet 512mb is not required. As browser take very little memory, you won't get a lot of speed improvement.

If you, however, use other programs together, like Photoshop/Dreamweaver etc. 512 mb won't hurt. Also games fare better in an ocean of memory ....

You better try to get ADSL ....

[Highwayman]

I recently upgraded from 256mb to 512mb using WinXP.

The noticable improvement is when you have a number of programs running at the same time. Everything is faster and no more freezing or crashing of programs.

When l purchased the extra stick of RAM the shop installed it right in front of me so if you can do it that way then l doubt you will have any security issues. It only takes a few minutes to install and most places aren't going to charge for that.

I'd suggest anyone wanting to upgrade do some research first if you don't want to be at the mercy of your computer shop. If you go to www.kingston.com you can enter the details of your computer and see what memory options (Kingston) are available. With so many similar part numbers it's useful to be able to print out what a memory manufacturer says is best. Kingston is a brand easily found in Thailand. Also check out some websites for other companies.

When l had the info for my computer l then got an idea of local pricing from www.pantipprice.com and www.famous.co.th. My upgrade cost 1900 baht but you need to know exactly what type of RAM, you can't just buy anything that is 256mb, that's why it's good to get the shop to fit it and see it all works. Put in the wrong one and your computer won't work. The options available to me ranged from 1900 to 4000 baht but as l couldn't see any great gain coming from the 4000 baht option l settled for the Kingston budget option, no complaints.

Btw, if anyone is worried about securing files etc. when putting their PC in for service, then there are plenty of freeware options to protect files. For passwords, KeePass is a great utility.

[Abandon]

Neeram - you never told us your cpu speed - pentium 4 2 gightz ?? amd 500 etc..

cpu speed is the main thing you should look at.

Next is the RAM speed, as well as the RAM size

Then there is your hard drive speed - if it's a laptop it might well be slower, but again you never told the details.

Then there is the hard drive formatting - formatting with the old FAT32 will give a big speed boost over the NTFS that most XP users use. But that's only advisable if you are not on a lan network

No one can help you much without knowing your computer details. For example in most machines windows 2000 is faster than XP. In newer machines it's not so different.

For internet if you are using firefox it will slow your whole machine considerably as firefox uses up a big chunk of your ram. This can be changed - there's a thread somewhere from about 2 months ago explaining how. If you are using IE or Maxthon (which is my first choice) that's not a problem.

Wilson - unless you are using firefox for the internet RAM will not really help you very much. But in general, more ram will help your general computer use, especially if you use ram heavy programs like photoshop. It takes 2 minutes to fit ram - but if you are unsure get the shop to do it for you. No security worry as you can watch as they plug it in.

[Neeranam]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I am afrraid that I know NOTHING about how a computer works. I got a friend to buy and set everything up, who is now no longer able to help.

Neeram - you never told us your cpu speed - pentium 4 2 gightz ?? amd 500 etc

Pentium 4

2 gighz, I don't know.

I guess 128 RAM is not enough.

It is my internet speed that is slow.

I have lots of programs but not sure what I can delete.

A friend, and some family downloaded somethings.

A trip to Pantip is in order.

I think you are right, however it was after a trip there that I lost MSN

[Firefoxx]

If it's your internet speed that's slow, then increasing your ram isn't going to help (not noticebly at least). You want more internet speed, you need a better (faster) line and/or ISP.

Of course, I'd still recommend increasing your ram. 128MB is way too low for windows XP. 256mb is bare minimum, or opening 1 program at a time. 512mb is good for typical use. 1gb (or more) is recommended for graphics, video editing and gaming.