My computer is really slow

[Blasto121]

all you need is holographic memory though its not out yet.

very interesting stuff though -> http://computer.howstuffworks.com/holog ... memory.htm

 

[J-M v2.5.5]

By the way, Blasto:

to bad the BIOS update didn't help

How are you sure the BIOS update was actually successful? Apart from the new Pentium boot logo, I'm not noticing any changes whatsoever.

 

[Thothie]

It changed your boot logo - thus bios update successful. If it failed, it either just plain wouldn’t have taken hold, or your puter would not have rebooted. Whether or not this fuxed up your BIOS settings is another question - as on many (most) systems, the default BIOS settings are not optimal - or in some cases, plain don‘t work. Updating the BIOS usually restores the default settings.

If nothing’s changed in your BIOS, and the computer just suddenly started being slow one day, then the BIOS was unlikely the problem to begin with.

Top reasons for the puter being slow one day are: Virus, Spyware, Corrupt Registry. If virus/spy ware scans fail, and rollback fails, then you're down to the grand solution: Format C:

Partial hardware failure is also a possibility, but much rarer. If Format C: fails - then you are into hardware failure.

Since you had a harddrive failure recently, and already reinstalled , assuming you did actually format during reinstall, the problem is likely a faulty HD. You can try a 0 fill format, but most likely that'll simply recover bad sectors on the hard drive, only leading to you eventually finding them again (the hard way). You can do a 0 fill format, followed by a low-level disc scan (takes forever), and if it comes up okay, it maybe some other piece of hardware going bad in the system, or the HD controller. Easier and faster, however, maybe to simply replace the hard drive.

...as for the video card bit.

I *suspect* what that is, is that the OS is thinking your video card has an optimal refresh rate that your monitor cannot handle. XP likes to do this on some cards - and it's hard to get around without another monitor laying about. If your monitor does not support 60Hz, it can get real dicey. XP will use 60hz in Safemode, but you can't change the graphic driver's settings from there, and installing monitor drivers may or may not make a difference, if XP has already determined your optimal refresh rate. I've run into that a few times, and the only solution I've come up with is to plug it into an older CRT monitor that supports a wider range of refresh rates.

 

[Blasto121]

By the way, Blasto:

to bad the BIOS update didn't help

How are you sure the BIOS update was actually successful? Apart from the new Pentium boot logo, I'm not noticing any changes whatsoever.

see what thothie said, thats why.

Being your motherboard is OEM though the BIOS didn't look like it was going to change much. My MSI motherboard went through a fairly large update that changed not only boot logo but the look and feel of the BIOS. After the flash it also stabilized my system again.

I would also do what thothie said about that deep scan, though zero fill will report if it came across any damaged sectors on the HD if it does then its time for a new HD, or at least a new primary HD.

 

[J-M v2.5.5]

Alright so I didn't get around to doing a zero-fill (I've got so much stuff on my mind right now it isn't even funny) but because I'm still trying to figure out what the problem is, I'd like to know some things again:

You can do a 0 fill format, followed by a low-level disc scan

1. Is it useful for me to do a low-level scan right now, while not having formatted?
2. How exactly do I start a low-level scan? I've never done one before and I'm basically completely new to this, so can somebody explain me exactly how it works? Preferrably within the next seven hours... reason: I have a very long day at university tomorrow so I plan to run a low-level scan (if that's useful, see 1.) in the meantime. I'm going to bed right now and I wake up in seven hours. When I wake up tomorrow I'll just turn on my PC, hopefully read here if it's useful for me to perform a low-level scan and how to do it, and then I'll have a long, potentially boring day while my PC does something useful.
3. What exactly happens when the scan is finished? Will my computer reboot (bad) or will it show a screen with the scan results that will stay on-screen until I return (good)? I would like to know exactly what happens, and (if applicable) where to find the scan results.

Thanks in advance

 

[Blasto121]

it scans all sectors on the drive looking for anything bad and reports back to about that, it will attempt to fix if its just a messed up bit. However sometimes its non fixable damage it then gets marked as so.

It would be best to zero fill the drive before performing it, only for the fact the drives data would be raw and could perform the task faster, that and a zero fill performs roughly the same task, if a bit doesn't flip to zero it gets marked as broken thus basically doing the same tasks.

anyway, you already have to tools for this, there should be a scanner in the UBCD if you downloaded it. There is a reason its called the Ultimate Boot Disk, it has most everything you need to test your computer.

 

[Thothie]

You'd have to do a low-level scan after the 0-fill format. Blasto's Zero fill format software apparently includes a low-level scan. Whether it boots after its done, IDK. I don't do 0-fill formats myself. I find the standard format and a defrag works just fine, and worst case scenario, a BIOS based low-level format, if the MB supports it.

You can do a low-level disc scan from within windows by Right Clicking on the affected HD->Properties->[Tools Tab]->[Check Now Button], and check “Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors”. This may force a reboot. If so, the disk will scan as Windows comes back up, that process may also make the computer reboot again, if you are using NTFS.

Better, however, is to drop to cmd line and type

chkdsk /f /r

However, if it’s your primary drive, you won’t be able to scan without a reboot.

Now, Windows likes to re/boot before you can read the chkdsk readout. If you go to Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Event Viewer->Application - immediately after Chkdsk - you can find a winlogon event source, or just check all of the logs for the time you previously ran Chkdsk and it should give you a report in there, somewhere.

Normally, when Windows encounters a bad sector, it marks it as bad – a 0-fill format will undo that mark, so be sure to do a low-level scan of the HD afterwards, or as I said, you may find the bad sector again the hard way (ie. Mass loss of data).

Windows will not report sectors already marked as bad, but will tally them in the totals towards the bottom of any report. If ye have a lot - dump the HD or use it as volitile storage.

 

[dRkILL]

Have you actually run a real hard drive test yet? You can either get the generic SeaTools test and make a boot CD of it, or you could also get your manufacturer's disk exerciser for more accurate results. Check disk doesn't really report whether or not your hard drive is bad, it just reports corrupt sectors and tries to repair them. You really need to use a hard drive test to find out if your drive is failing or not.

If you cannot find your manufacturer's drive test, tell me the brand/model of the drive and I'll get it for you.

 

[Blasto121]

UBCD already has most hard drive brand test tools on it

 

[dRkILL]

He never stated if he used it or not though... or at least I can't find if he said he used it.