increase performance tips, tools, software?

[Larry K]

hello

so a few months ago, my existing PC was messing up and having issues, so instead of trying to upgrade or fix it... i just went for it... bought more computer than i typically would buy --- ( I know, its not much compared to some of your techies )

so i bought a dell vostro:
vostro 400
intel core 2 quad - Q6600 @2.4ghz
3gb ram ddr2 sdram 800mhz
nvidia geforce 8800 GT
samsung 320 HD Serial ATA 3.0 Gbps interface 16 mb buffer

so.... i'm thinking.. this system is going to be smoken fast...
well, its not slow, BUT by all means, its not smoken???

i'm thinking 4 CPUs -- multitasking is going to be easy.

now, i realize software is not taking advantage of 4 cpus... but anyway.

1) i'm surprised that it bogs down sometimes
2) some video stuff slow it down, some big processing stuff slows it down
3) to some degree on certain things, its just as fast as my old machines -- which were NOT nearly as powerful as this machine.

my system is pretty clean--- i'm pretty sure its not span/spyware/malware, etc. etc. that's slowly it down.

i run virus and ccleaner, etc.

so what tests or things can i run to see how fast it is?
where it compares to others?

or what tips can you offer so i can speed it up?

i don't want to do any OCing that requires physically doing stuff...
or software stuff that can make it unstable.
or things that take a lot of time -- got a zillion things to do as it is.

thanks!!!

PS. hope you all like the performance of TF -- i would say the new server increased the speed by 30-60%

 

[Trotter]

Use MSCONFIG and uncheck anything you do not have to have start with Windows (keep your AV and such). Click Apply, OK, and reboot. If you had several things checked, your computer should start faster and run faster because it isn't loading all that other crap.

Defrag. Grab a good defrag program, such as O&O or DiskKeeper and have it keep your disk(s) defragged for you. I swear by O&O, myself.

Put your other programs (besides your OS) on a separate hard drive. This allows your computer to access both your OS and programs on separate channels, speeding up communication.

Clean up your registry. CCleaner has an option for this. Let it do its thing.

Defrag your registry. Just like your hard drive, basically. Use |MG| Quicksys RegDefrag 2.0 or |MG| Auslogics Registry Defrag 4.1.12.105

That's all I got for now.

 

[dmbphan041]

Use MSCONFIG and uncheck anything you do not have to have start with Windows (keep your AV and such). Click Apply, OK, and reboot. If you had several things checked, your computer should start faster and run faster because it isn't loading all that other crap.

Defrag. Grab a good defrag program, such as O&O or DiskKeeper and have it keep your disk(s) defragged for you. I swear by O&O, myself.

Put your other programs (besides your OS) on a separate hard drive. This allows your computer to access both your OS and programs on separate channels, speeding up communication.

Clean up your registry. CCleaner has an option for this. Let it do its thing.

Defrag your registry. Just like your hard drive, basically. Use |MG| Quicksys RegDefrag 2.0 or |MG| Auslogics Registry Defrag 4.1.12.105

That's all I got for now.

for Defraging, what does something like O&O do that the regular Windows defrag program doesn't?

I just downloaded CCleaner and holy crap I can't believe how fast my system is running.

I [heart] this thread.

 

[lastshot]

for Defraging, what does something like O&O do that the regular Windows defrag program doesn't?

I just downloaded CCleaner and holy crap I can't believe how fast my system is running.

I [heart] this thread.

We just made another Ccleaner Addict!!!

 

[SirCyber]

ccleaner is the bomb.... what os are you running? *shudders at the thought of another vista system running around* and as for your old system, lol, I've been using a tualatin core for about 2 years now.... still uses DDR memory, onoard graphics onboard sound.... I tweaked and tweaked until it's nearly just as fast as a computer with 2GB memory, only video's and gaming kills it.

 

[Trotter]

The Windows Defrag tool will get your hard drive to about 10-15% fragmentation, sometimes down to 5%. O&O, as well as Diskkeeper, can take it to 0%. Both can also be set to keep your drive(s) defragged automatically... you never even know it is doing it.

What's not to like?

It's nor free, though.

 

[Drizzt]

I also love ccleaner. I believe I heard about it through tech forums at first. Probably in the spyware removal section or something.

Yea Larry, TF is ALOT faster.

 

[hickfarm]

Man i haven't ran Crap Cleaner in a while. Cleaned up 14 gigs of temporary stuff. ALso like cleaned up like 150 some thing in my registry.

 

[Larry K]

my system running xp pro --- i know better than to install vista

so, true story -- back when i first starting consulting. using the company laptops, we always tweaked as good as we could --- this was in 1995.
I ran the windows defrag program --- completely hosed my system -- it frozen and when i finally got it back to boot -- it was dead.

SO i have NEVER, NEVER -- not even thought about running a defrag program since then.

OKAY... so maybe I should change my ways.
I've seen the ads about disk keeper a lot??

so O&O defra pro 10 = 50 bucks?

uhm.. that will be a start?
yes, ccleaner -- the first time you run it... AHhhhhhhhh --- clean

i think ports, IRA, etc, config issues, or software might be confusing itself
sometimes?? anything to test that?

thanks

PS. but surely... i should have a VERY fast system right?
or to truely get a fast system - you need to config and build a custom system?

 

[Trotter]

|MG| O&O Defrag Professional Edition 10.0.1634

30 day trial, $44.95 to buy. Says they also make a server version.