SheikYerbuti Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 I have a dinosaur computer. . .it's a Dell Dimension 2400, about 4 years old. It's been getting slower and slower for the last 2 years. Yes, I purge old files. I run AdAware. I defrag. I run disc cleanup. I run CCleaner. It's still slow. I'm thinking about buying a bigger RAM card. It's currently got 256 MB. Looks like I can get a gig of RAM on E-bay for about $40. I'm not computer-smart. Please talk to me like it's computer 101 class. Am I barking up the right tree? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polksalet Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 I have a dinosaur computer. . .it's a Dell Dimension 2400, about 4 years old. It's been getting slower and slower for the last 2 years. Yes, I purge old files. I run AdAware. I defrag. I run disc cleanup. I run CCleaner. It's still slow. I'm thinking about buying a bigger RAM card. It's currently got 256 MB. Looks like I can get a gig of RAM on E-bay for about $40. I'm not computer-smart. Please talk to me like it's computer 101 class. Am I barking up the right tree? Aight, I'm not going into why Linux is better and why if you ran Linux you would never have this problem. There are come registry cleaners for free but I never had much benefit from any of the ones I tried. I have and old dell around the same age as yours and they might be identical. I bought half a gig of ram to help mine but you could barely even tell the difference I then dug out an ancient copy of system suite 5 and ran the registry cleaner. It cleaned over 5000 messed up entries and the thing run as well as when it was new. Now I have not tried it without ht e extra memory but I believe the extra memory made little difference for the most part. I would go to your local puter or box store and find something with a registry cleaner and buy it. I am totally satisfied with my product and it saved my old dell from the dumpster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Add the RAM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.lynch Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 I agree about Linux but I'll just say, that following both suggestions wouldn't hurt. A good registry utility can be had free from here: http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 (edited) Grab your important files off of it. You (or get someone) to slick your PC and do a clean install. Can be a lengthy process reloading everything, but many times you spend much more time fooling around with registry cleaners, and 20 other different programs that are supposed to "clean your files" and improve your performance. A clean install is best IMO...esp. after a few years on the current install....that's just Windows for ya. Also, adding the RAM is the cheapest, best way to upgrade and improve the performance of a PC, esp. an older one. Dell and others should not have even bothered tossing out PCs with only 256MB RAM with XP. Ridiculous. You are on the right track with adding RAM...but be sure you're getting the right type for your PC. 1 GB should do you just fine, and you should notice a big difference. Any more than that is probably just over-kill with a PC 4 yrs old. Not sure if you want to go with Ebay being that you're self described "not computer smart". Try crucial, newegg, zipzoomfly...somewhere like that. Good luck. Edited March 13, 2008 by Hitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Regardless of what people might tell you, Linux will NOT solve all problems, make the computer run faster or make you eggs and give you a hummer in the morning. It does what it does very well but I'm convinced that most people don't want it because they think it is too complicated (not necessarily true) or that it doesn't have as many apps for it (partially true). Anyway, the best thing to do is to buy the correct RAM for you computer, 1 Gig is a good place to start, and then do as Hitman suggests, wipe it all out and do a clean install of everything. I just recently did it for my home computer and it took me about 3 hours total to restore it back to the way it was before hand. Of course I have another networked computer to store working data files on so I didn't have to back everything up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBalata Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 R Linux will NOT solve all problems, make the computer run faster or make you eggs and give you a hummer in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSab Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Add ram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Over time, dust and debris can build up on the motherboard that will cause the processor to cycle more slowly. Get a soapy sponge and a medium bristled brush and give the computer a thorough washing inside and out. Make sure to give special attention to the hard drive. Remove the hex screws and really get in between the platters. Thats where the bugs and viruses hide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 add ram to your love life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted March 13, 2008 Author Share Posted March 13, 2008 Lots of good advice, thanks guys. I'll start with Atomic's ideas and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yukon Cornelius Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 (edited) u need new toobs Edited March 13, 2008 by Yukon Cornelius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted March 16, 2008 Author Share Posted March 16, 2008 So I just bought a GB of RAM, and I'm in the process of sending all my important files to the Shiekette's notebook (95% of which is music files of course. . .well over 1000 of them). I'll be cracking open the hard drive and trying to install the RAM myself. I did install a new CD-ROM myself about a year ago, so I'm filled with unjustified overconfidence. I also got a bottle of Top Job ready to suds up the insides of the computer when I open it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 So I just bought a GB of RAM, and I'm in the process of sending all my important files to the Shiekette's notebook (95% of which is music files of course. . .well over 1000 of them). I'll be cracking open the hard drive and trying to install the RAM myself. I did install a new CD-ROM myself about a year ago, so I'm filled with unjustified overconfidence. I also got a bottle of Top Job ready to suds up the insides of the computer when I open it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 RAM is the cheapest and yet most effective upgrade you can do to a PC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted March 16, 2008 Author Share Posted March 16, 2008 I agree. Is that not where it goes? I told you I suck at this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budlitebrad Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Is that not where it goes? I told you I suck at this. Sounds like me back in the 10th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chappy Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Sounds like me back in the 10th grade. You were still bad at that in the 10th grade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 RAM myself You're doing it wrong.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 You're doing it wrong.... Here's a good link, Sheik http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/syst...m_en/memory.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 not sure if this helps but good luck Computer Assistant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted March 16, 2008 Author Share Posted March 16, 2008 not sure if this helps but good luck Computer Assistant Oh, it helps. . . . :divingboard: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Oh, it helps. . . . :divingboard: Man I skipped the jokes! Did you even click on mine??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 Got 1 GB card in the mail today. . .installed it. OK, that was really idiot-proof. What a difference. . .much faster. I'll probably lazy out and put off the clean install for now because the extra RAM has taken me off alert. Thanks for the assist guys, and my dinosaur puter thanks you too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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