Korean Job Discussion Forums

whatthefunk · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Location: Dont have a clue

So Ive got an ancient laptop that I got in 1999 with very little memory. It runs very very very slowly. What can I do to CHEAPLY make my computer run a bit faster? Thanks

mithridates · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2005 8:25 am Post subject:

Can you give some more specifics as to what you have now?

thebum · Joined: 09 Jan 2005 Location: North Korea

drop it out a window and it will go pretty fast

whatthefunk · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Location: Dont have a clue

Ive got a Gateway laptop with a pentium 3 processor and 11 gb of hardrive. Windows XP. Thats all I know... Im think that thebum's recommendation would be best...

peppermint · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2005 3:09 pm Post subject:

-delete a lot of the programs that you don't use often.
-run disk clean up ( start-- programs-- acessories--system tools)
-run the defrag program ( same place as the disk clean up)
-virus scan and a spyware scan- http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ ( decent two in one that doesn't eat up memory because it's done online)

If it's still moving at a crawl after that, then toss it.

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Add RAM. Probably it has 64 or 128MB. Buy a stick of RAM (very cheap these days for older laptops) and boost it up to 256MB. Your head will spin. Then do What peppermint said....

Don't simply "delete" the programs, but uninstall them. I'm sure this is what peppermint meant, but simply "deleting" them will get you in trouble.

Also, follow some of the things laid out in this thread.

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

At the DOS prompt type:-

format c:\

and press enter.

This is wil give you the priceless opportunity to start completely from scratch installing only the software you really need and is guranateed to make the passing of Sunday a delight.

Seriously, it will speed things up, as would some additional memory.

mithridates · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2005 6:34 pm Post subject:

If you have McAffee or Norton as an anti-virus software you could get rid of that and use Avast instead, which is faster, and free.
If you have Microsoft Word and whatnot you could also replace them with Openoffice, which is also free...
Go to www.lavasoft.com and get Ad-aware, just in case you have spyware and so on mucking about and slowing things down.
You can also set your pc to do things when you're sleeping, like defragmenting every morning at 4am or something. Even if it takes a while as long as it's done while you're in bed, you don't really care.
And the memory, as Demophobe said.

whatthefunk · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Location: Dont have a clue

Alright. Got System Mechanic and freed up 1.5 gb with that. Defragmented my disk and that helped a bit. Got rid of Norton and put AVG on cause its much smaller.
About the extra RAM...is that a pc card? I know nothing about these kinds of things so if somebody could explain, that would be wonderful. Thanks.

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Turn the computer over and with a small philips, open the cover that will be near the middle of the machine.

When open, you will see the RAM, which is easily removed. Take this with you to Yongsan in order to get the right stuff. Afterwards, it will just slot it back in.

mithridates · Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 4:07 pm Post subject:

I have a Pentium Celeron 2.6 with 512 megs of ram...I wonder if I should get a new processor or buy more memory next? Memory's cheap.

itaewonguy · Joined: 25 Mar 2003

peemil · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Location: Koowoompa

It needs legs...

redbird · Joined: 07 Mar 2005

whatthefunk · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Location: Dont have a clue

Yeah, Gateway is crap. Ill never buy another one as long as i live...