Need computer help

[Gunther]

I was updating the wife's laptop and ran a de-frag. After that, the thing has been running slower than molasses in January. We have Norton anti-virus & registry cleaner, and I usually clean all her history & cookies on weekly basis. But I can't find out why this thing just slowed down overnight.

[DrenalinJunkie]

no expert but I have been told that de-fragging is the worst thing you could do to a laptop. If it is true or not, I don't know.

Hang tight and the guru's will chime in soon.

[JHT]

Did you compress the drive after you defrag'd?

[Sully]

Don't know what your problem is but if it is really lagging, you may want to go into start>programs>system tools>restore and restore the computer to a date before yesterday. I have resolved the same issue on my wife's laptop before by using this method. Maybe something went wrong with the defrag and your computer misplaced or screwed up some files when moving them.

Not to mention that Norton Antivirus is a system hog and can be part of the problem

Just noticed that you said you were updating your wife's computer before you defragged. By chance did you install updates and not restart the computer before starting the defrag?

[Gunther]

Did you compress the drive after you defrag'd?

Please explain, I was not aware of such a step....and I forgot to mention it is running XP home edition

[Gunther]

Don't know what your problem is but if it is really lagging, you may want to go into start>programs>system tools>restore and restore the computer to a date before yesterday. I have resolved the same issue on my wife's laptop before by using this method. Maybe something went wrong with the defrag and your computer misplaced or screwed up some files when moving them.

Not to mention that Norton Antivirus is a system hog and can be part of the problem

Just noticed that you said you were updating your wife's computer before you defragged. By chance did you install updates and not restart the computer before starting the defrag?

Concerning updates, I was referring to cleaning out the history, cookies & running a virus scan. I will try to restore...thanks

[Tommyh]

try to download all the patches from MS, run ad aware 2008 from download.com. never heard of defrag making a laptop sluggish before.

[Gunther]

try to download all the patches from MS, run ad aware 2008 from download.com. never heard of defrag making a laptop sluggish before.

After I try the system restore I will take your advice.

I run a windows/microsoft update weekly I an effort to fend off security weaknesses.

It was a little slow before the defrag, but just went into creep mode afterward

[Ohio Darin]

De-fragmenting hard drive is just a feel good useless utility IMO. It takes more time to de-frag than any perceivable gains you receive in return. Don't take this the wrong way but I think its for those that don't know much about computers but need to "do something" to feel like they are "computing". If it ain't broke don't fix it.

System restore and go from there

[Gunther]

De-fragmenting hard drive is just a feel good useless utility IMO. It takes more time to de-frag than any perceivable gains you receive in return. Don't take this the wrong way but I think its for those that don't know much about computers but need to "do something" to feel like they are "computing". If it ain't broke don't fix it.

System restore and go from there

I was told by the knothead in my IT dept to do it

[Jon-Paul]

I was told by the knothead in my IT dept to do it

Thats becuase its friday and he didnt want to deal with you.

[rossn2]

Have you tried clearing your logs?
Right Click on My Computer on your desktop >Select Manage (Computer Management gui appears) > Select Event Viewer ( Application, Internet Explorer, Security, System appear) . Individually Select Application, Internet Explorer, and System, then right click and Select Clear All Events. System will ask if you want to store them, just say NO.

DO NOT clear the Security logs unless you believe you haven't had any security related intrusions.

Good luck...

[Tbar]

Norton is just awful..........I will never use it again.

FWIW.............do you have updates of any kind in the tool bar waiting to be loaded? If so this will slow things down.

Also, have you run disc clean up? Ad-Aware or similar spyware clean up. Some spyware will slow the machine down also.


Tbar

[tx07]

Defragging isn't going to cause a slow down.
As far as it being usless, well it isn't useless but to the users eye.
Nortons is a resource hog for one and that could be the culprit.

To find out what is using up resource do this.
1. Ctrl + alt + del
2. Look at the process's tab
3. Now click on the to where it says memory usage to get it in order from greatest to least.
4. Look at the top process's using up memory.
5. Write them down and look them up on google and you will see what software is causing the problem and can find something to fix it.

System updates will slow the machine as well.


Defragging helps the process of the of by finding what it needs to a little faster.
Example: if you had a football field with all kinds of breeds of rabbits in it you would have trouble finding any certain one.
If they was all in catagories and rows you could walk right to the rabbit.
This is an example of how and what defragmentation is good for.

Not visible to the human eye.

[tx07]

Another thing to do is.

Put your windows or restore disc in.
Cancel the autorun if it runs or close the installation.
Go to start and click run.
Type sfc /scannow
Let it run to completetion.