Novice Needs Advice (help!!!!!!!!)

G

Galley

Geek Trainee
Hopefully someone will be able to answer the following question for me.
Is it worth me changing the RAM memory chip in my laptop or should i get a new laptop?????

I currently have a low spec Toshiba Equium L100-186 (256Mb RAM)
I don't do any work on it or gaming. But it's soooooooooooooo slow that it's REALLY getting on my nerves :crash:
But i'm pretty much clueless as to what's what as i only bought my first computer 7 months ago!!!!!!!!!!

I don't need an all singing and dancing laptop just faster.

Any help/guidance would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hey!

Welcome to HWF, glad to hear about your problems :D


i take it u mean 256MB lol to answer your question if you don't do much on your laptop other than messin about and word processing etc then there is little reason to BUY a new laptop, to answer your query as to why it is slow there can be many causes why this is happening.

you have a 380mhz cpu which isnt exactly good for winxp, i'd suggest going into MSCONFIG (Start > Run > msconfig) and disabling all the stuff you dont need from your Startup tab, also try defragging your hdd, that will speed things up. but first...


press CTRL+ALT+DEL and then click the PERFORMANCE tab your CPU usage should be lower than 20% when idle (when your laptop isnt busy) your PF usage should be BELOW half way, if not then this is also a tempory problem, either of these defects WILL slow down your laptop, we need to take different steps to sort out each problem let us know and we'll do our best.
 
A ram upgrade will help you out loads. The cpu is kinda on the slow side if you are using windows xp but its still very useable if you just use the laptop for the net and email n stuff.

You could reduce the quality of the appearance of xp (im afraid I cant tell you how because I dont use xp) ie the pretty blue bits! This would surely speed up windows explorer and the start menu.
I think its the theme. Change it to classic by right clicking on the desktop and go to properties.
Run the defrag tool too. It makes all the difference on our slow pc.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I had already defragged my HD and try to make sure i don't store too many temp internet files. My biggest problem with how slow my laptop is especially when starting the thing up.
It can take anything up to 5 mins before i can go online or do anything like reload my iPod.
It's SERIOUSLY fustrating when all i want to do is either change some music on my iPod or send a quick e-mail.
All i want is to speed it up to something approaching acceptable.

So what size RAM upgrade should i be looking at?
Is 526Mb any good? Or should i go for 1024Mb?
I don't want waste money by going for too big an upgrade if the processor is'nt much kop.

Any advice???????
Ta.
 
Dwarfer said:
glad to hear about your problems
Click to expand...
masachist

but being serious, it soud like it could be tim to get a new laptop, or a clean install of XP would help speed things up
 
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