My father has a PC that is now approx 8yrs old and running so slow (was fine whne new) that he is thinking of buying a laptop. He only uses it for web browsing and web based e-mail. It has been rebuilt on a few occasions in the past as it became infected with all sorts of nasty things, but I fancy doing it myself rather than asking favours of others.
What I need to know is how easy it is to rebuild a PC ?
It is running window XP and it has a license key on the side of the device but we did not buy a disk with a copy of windows on it. Now I think it must have a copy on a partition, but what I need to know is how I check this and if so how do I reload this ?
Catering for the worst in that is does not have a copy of the OS on the hard disk, how would I get hold of one ?
Regard
BP
Last edited by: bottomlesspit on Sun 5 Jun 11 at 17:30
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It depends what is making it slow? How much RAM does it have? What anti virus software os on there etc etc.
Personally on a 8 year old computer I would forget XP, have a look at this, I use it on my Atom based netbook and it is staggeringly good. Very easy to install too.
lubuntu.net/
Uses about 130MB RAM at idle and is based on Ubuntu so is a very modern operating system underneath.
Very easy to use too if all you're doing is web surfing.
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Are you sure you REALLY need to re-build it? ( by re-build i take it you mean reformat and reload?). Why not try removing anything you don`t use, then give it a good clean up using programs such as:
ccleaner
superanti-spyware
malawrebytes
spybot s/d
followed by a defragging and see what that finds. It may well just do the trick and save you alot of time trouble and heartache!
If you haven`t got a Windows disk, you could borrow one, or beg, steal one, and use your own key, don`t forget you may probably need your motherboard drivers disc as well.
note down all your passwords also!
Last edited by: devonite on Sun 5 Jun 11 at 18:59
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Like Devonite I prefer to clean rather than slash and burn, but it comes down to how much time and effort is available.
What make is the machine? I'd expect the manufactuer's web
site to have copy of the user manual for download somewhere, which should tell you how to use the recovery partition (assuming it exists)
To find out if there is a recovery partition do the following:-
start > run
then type compmgmt.msc
press OK
then within the utility click on storage > disk management
This should show you what partitions are on the physical drive. if there's a fairly small partition that doesn't show up in file manager it's almost certainly a recovery partition.
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I prefer to slash and burn. No tools will ever come near the speed of a freshly built windows system.
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I agree - just done an annual re-install on our W7, 64 bit machine.
Easy enough if you back up important stuff on an external HD.
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>> I prefer to slash and burn. No tools will ever come near the speed of
>> a freshly built windows system.
>>
until you re-install all the Windows updates
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Its not the updates that slow it down.
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>> Its not the updates that slow it down.
>>
In principle I agree, but the last machine I did a slash and burn on booted XP in 45s seconds after a fresh install, I think it was SP1; after I'd brought it up to SP3 it was 2 minutes+.
No doubt machines do fill up with crap, if I was in a hurry/had better things to do I would slash and burn.
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The other reason I have suggested Linux is there will be no bother with drivers. I've installed Ubuntu on so many machines and it has always worked straight out of the box since 9.4.
The problem is windows updates can take hours to install and then there is all the faff in trying to find drivers for an 8 year old motherboard.
A agree that formatting can make the system run faster, and I like to it on my own system every couple of years but I find clients would rather I didn't reinstall windows if it can be helped.
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A couple of months ago I needed to do something on the DirectGov government portal.
It's not Mac compatible, so that was a non-starter.
I managed to get the job done OK on my old Vista laptop.
Would Linux or Ubuntu work on the government site?
The help page I found gave me the impression it was either Windows or nothing.
I concluded that much as I like the Mac, having access to a Windows machine is a good thing.
www.dwp.gov.uk/eservice/need.asp
Last edited by: Iffy on Sun 5 Jun 11 at 21:16
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Unless you need to install specific software I can't see why it won't work on a Mac or Linux.
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...Unless you need to install specific software I can't see why it won't work on a Mac or Linux...
Rats,
As per the link I posted.
You can browse the site with the Mac, and you can download forms to print and fill in on paper.
But it will not let you do the full Monty online form filling.
I know, I tried.
Last edited by: Iffy on Sun 5 Jun 11 at 21:25
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You can of course install Windows on your Mac (providing it has the Intel chip). Handy if you want to run some business software which only available on Windows.
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...You can of course install Windows on your Mac (providing it has the Intel chip)...
CG,
Good point, thanks.
I've no need to do that at present, but I might if the cranky old Vista laptop gives up the ghost.
I posted more for the OP lest he be left without access to certain sites if he bins Windows.
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iffy, I run VMWARE Fusion on my iMac. So when needed I can bring up a copy of Windows XP. I also use it for work. Combined with my work laptop I can have quite a number of systems running at home.
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>> iffy, I run VMWARE Fusion on my iMac.
Isn't 'Imac' a form of hair remover? ;-)
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To be honest as a Mac owner for 7 years I think the site in your link was the first I have ever seen that said it wouldn't work on a Mac.
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...I think the site in your link was the first I have ever seen that said it wouldn't work on a Mac...
That's the government for you - another IT project execution success.
Not having full access to DirectGov could be important to some people.
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I will get the machine spec, but it had XP on it when new and ran really well, but over time and various "mates" rebuilding it has seen it virtually die !
I am OK with a crash and burn approach as I can assure you my father will not have anything of significance on it, so nothing to really back up, yes updates will be needed but I can do that from my home as I have a fast web access.
I tried to check for a backup partition but it was not obvious ?
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7-8 years ago browsers didn't eat 200mb of RAM just to display a couple of pages, anti virus software did not eat 70mb of RAM and then XP itself was a lot lighter.
You cannot expect a none upgraded 8 year old PC to run as fast as it did 8 years ago with modern browsers and AV software.
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And there you have it. Your modern PC needs its superfast bits and oodles of memory to run the bloatware.
Last edited by: Slidingpillar on Mon 6 Jun 11 at 20:08
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It's an Aries PC (Watford electronics)
Itel Celeron
1.7Ghz
224m RAM
I checed the disk managment and it did not seem to show any partition that would have a backup OS loaded onto to it.
Running XP version 2002.
If I am being over optimistic then fair enough, but when I say slow, i mean launching IE will take about 3-5mins to actually dispaly ?
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Thats slow.
Much flashing of the hard disk light as well no doubt.
Get any windows xp disk from ebay and use your legitimate key to load it. Windows will find all the generic drivers for that PC.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 6 Jun 11 at 20:20
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Get some RAM for it, I have been paying £5 for brand new Samsung DDR 3200 512MB RAM from my supplier with trade discount. There really is no excuse :). It will make a massive massive difference to speed of your PC.
The only problem might be that a PC that age might use SDRAM and not DDR.
The processor is not a problem providing you're not too bothered about watching TV etc.
On a side note as well the PC is worthless in every sense of the word, you can get decent P4s with a legal copy of Windows and 512MB of RAM for £30-40.
The main issue with that PC is the RAM, my Firefox has two tabs open (both forums) and it using up 108MB of RAM. That is half the RAM your PC has just to display two simple web pages!
Even my now antique phone has 512MB of RAM.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 6 Jun 11 at 22:15
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Just put Linux Mint LXDE version on.
It will fly on that system.
No antivirus to worry about.
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Hi Again
Ok I will go for the memory as it is fairly cheap and painless.
If I can get is running at an acceptable speed then that will suffice, as my father is far from PC savvy (bit like me really), and only wants it to browse the web and use word etc.
Watch this space !!!!
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Forgot to ask how much memory would you recommend ?
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>> Forgot to ask how much memory would you recommend ?
>>
What spec memory? i.e PC100, PC133, PC400 240pin etc, I might have some you can have for the cost of the postage.
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>>
>> >> Forgot to ask how much memory would you recommend ?
>> >>
>>
>> What spec memory? i.e PC100, PC133, PC400 240pin etc, I might have some you can
>> have for the cost of the postage.
>>
>>
>>
If this is a circa 2003 PC, then it may be one of these:
"The motherboard is unusual as it has two memory slots for SDR memory and two slots for faster DDR memory. However, you can only use one memory type at a time.
Aries has chosen to fit a single 256MB module of the slower PC133 SDR memory to keep costs down. 32MB of this is used by the integrated S3 graphics chip, which leaves 224MB for system use.
While the motherboard gives very few options for upgrades, it does have a vacant AGP slot, so you could install a better graphics card .. "
Last edited by: John H on Tue 7 Jun 11 at 20:05
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Thanks Guy,
I will get the tower round to my house and check what has been suggested. Will let you know what I find.
"better graphics card" really when I say my father uses it for the basics, then a better graphics would be wasted, hence why try to get this one working resonably rather tham him waste money on a more powerfull machine which he will never use to it's ability.
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>> "better graphics card" really when I say my father uses it for the basics,
>> then a better graphics would be wasted, hence why try to get this one working
>> resonably rather tham him waste money on a more powerfull machine which he will never
>> use to it's ability.
>>
I am not advising you to go for a better graphics card. I was merely quoting a review which could help identify the specification of your particular PC (as you don't seem to have posted its model number).
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The crucial scan as has been suggested would be ideal:
www.crucial.com/uk/
Do the scan and post the memory specs, as I say I might have some you can have for the cost of a stamp.
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Hi All
Once again thanks for the comments, I will get the pc tomorrow and have a play, only way to learn !
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Hi Cheddar and all,
Well I run the crucial scan "eventually" and here are the results:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------
Your P4VMM2 System Specs
Scan Id: 83FB24FA31D926C3
Memory:DDR PC2700, DDR PC3200, SDRAM, PC133
Memory Type: DDR PC2700, DDR PC3200, SDRAM, PC133, DDR, SDRAM (non-ECC)
Maximum Memory: 2GB
Currently Installed Memory: 256MB
Total Memory Slots: 2
Available Memory Slots: 1
256MB
DDR PC2100 EMPTY
Each memory slot can hold DDR PC2700, DDR PC3200, SDRAM, PC133 with a maximum of 1GB per slot.*
*Not to exceed manufacturer supported memory.
Memory configurations for Windows 95/98/ME with greater than 256MB, require adjusting the Vcache settings as outlined by Microsoft article Q108079.
Memory or DRAM is the 'working' memory of the computer. It's used to store data for programs (sequences of instructions) on a temporary basis.
video - installing memory
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------
So there we have it.
Cheddar if you could help out then great, let me know, as I do not want to buy some memory and it does not cure the issue.
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Do a scan, using the special tool from Crucial.
It will tell you what sort of memory you need and how much you can add.
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I have a 10 year old 1GHz Pentium 3 that I can't bear to junk as a) it cost so much new and still looks brand new and b) I occasionally reinstall XP Pro on it to see how fast I can do it - sad I know. It runs IE 8 and things like Adobe Reader 9 and Office 2003 just fine. It seems to prefer Avast Free to Microsoft Security Essentials though. It's no different spec-wise from 10 years ago except the RAM is now 1GB instead of the supplied 128Meg! Just don't install the option in Windows Update for .NET Framework 4 for XP as it just kills the startup time and connections and Microsoft doesn't seem concerned about providing a fix.
Last edited by: Victorbox on Tue 7 Jun 11 at 14:34
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Help my PC needs a rebuild “I Think” - RattleandSmoke
