So, I'll do whatever you suggest when I get back.
Thank you for helping me.....
Posted on 06/10/2005 1:09:43 PM PDT by texasflower
I sure could use some help for a couple of problems I'm running into. My dad died a few months ago and I'm trying to make sure my mother's computer stays updated.
What I am finding is that everything new programs install very slowly. Last night she bought a new HP all in one scanner, printer etc.
Last night, I tried to install it and in 12 hours now it has only 31 percent installed. It is still trying to install, but it is just so slow.
I would take it out and start over, but the install screen has no cancel or X button. I've tried to shut down the computer but it won't shut down while this is in progress.
Other minor things seem to install, like virus updates etc., but they also run slowly. Not this slowly of course.
What can I do about this?
I have run all of the virus scan and spyware scans I have available.
Spybot Search and Destroy
Ad-Adware
Norton Anti-virus
AVG anti-virus.
Spyware Doctor
Zonealarm is the firewall.
I'm thinking this must be an installer driver or something like that but I don't know anything substantial about computers.
Also I would love to get rid of a dead program on here called pc-cillin, but the add and remove program thing won't let me do it. Any ideas?
So, if you have an answer or suggestion, you probably should baby talk me through it.
The computer is a SonyViao running Windows XP.
Oops. One more thing, for some reason there is an external zip drive attached to this computer. Shouldn't the computer be able to unzip regular files?
The disk wants to have it's driver installed before XP gos looking and finds one that might not work (then again it might find one that does work).
freepmail to you
I'm following some of the suggestions that have been offered, including yours.
I'm not hearing any weird noises. None at all in fact.
Also, my computer language is very elementary, so some of what you are saying, I didn't quite understand.
I would have to say backup important files, and wipe clean. Unless its adware running in the background (usually Ad-aware or MS Antispyware beta will take care of that) it is prob. something hosed inside the registry. It could also be a memory issue or a hard drive space issue? It also could be fragmented files on the hard drive. (That would explain "slowness" on the install) With that in mind, no defrag in the world is going to fix it if it’s that noticeable of a problem. As stated before, your best bet is to backup, wipe clean, reinstall.
On a personal note, I do this every 6 months or so, just because of the speed. After about 6 months, it gets "sluggish".
Thank you for the advice. I just might have to do that.
I've got to run a quick errand. So I can't respond for about half an hour.
So, I'll do whatever you suggest when I get back.
Thank you for helping me.....
I think your about at the OS reinstall point. Any specific issues I can clarify?
msconfig is 9x IIRC.
Ping me when you have time to continue.
First I know it's a Sony Viao but is it a laptop or desktop (there are both) and due you know the model number... that way we can look up the specs as it was cofig (cpu, mem, disk size) And what model HP AIO printer and what cable/ interface are you you using... USB or Paralell, Network?
as for the HP AIO driver install... just want to confirm you installing the drivers from a CD the came with the AIO and not downloading drivers files via the internet (the full HP AIO drivers files are massive and can be very slow download to the point that HP suggest not to download the full file
Next assuming you are running the install from the CD did you ever get to the point when the install program requested you connect the printer to the computer? (HP normally want you to only connect the printer to the computer when the HP driver install program request... if you connect the printer early XP own Plug and play will try to install and it can get it twisted up when running the HP software (HP printer driver be a major pain some times i've done alot of them...just best to do them by HP numbers)...
OK that being said we we are going to start fresh... because no way does a driver take 12 hours to install... take the CD out, make sure the printer is not connect to the computer and shut down the system... if you have to just hold the power button down till the system powers off
(Im going to take you over a basic disk cleanup here because even if it not the problem if it hasn't been done for a while... it probably needs it)
Power the system back up and let it come up completely do not open anything or start any process just let the sysmen come up and finish everything it wants to start... now when you first start the computer and its booting up you will hear the disk access (the "thrashing" sound some spoke of) the thing is you should not hear alot of this oncer your system is up stable and just sitting there... if you still heard the disk getting alot... you can be, to many background apps starting/running/ not enough memory/not enough disk space/ disk fragmented/ disk cash full....The deal is this ever app takes memory to run and as you use the computer alot of little garbage app started getting being install and use up mem space... note that while there in sitting in Mem then do not nessalely use the CPU that much... but they effectually rob mem from you... so the next step the system does when you low on system memory is roll out to the disk in the arey not being used for files and used that as virtual memory... the way you tell is if yo hear the disk alway being access all the time... is does not show up in the used disk space... bottom line if you XP is up to date with service pack 2 I say you want atleast 256 of men (512 would be much better) purge all you disk cash space (Go to "Start", "Program", "Accesorry", "System Tools", "Disk Cleanup"...run disk clean up...it cak tack some time
Next you want to run Defrag..it next to "Disk Cleanup" but is best to run that from safe mode (reboot and start tapping the "F8" key at the very start of the boot hopefully this will get you to a promp asking you if you want a safe boot...you do...boot up in safe mode and dont be surprised if you get a bad look screen that normal... run the defrag app...(that can take hours even overnight) when done shutdown and reboot as normal
Next we want to check in installed hardware "Start , Setting, Control Panel, System, Device Manger... see if you have any hardware that not working (yellow x's)...if so you can delete the "not working" hardware and reboot to let the system refined it if it still there also from "Control Panel" check to see if the system think it already installed the HP AIO printer... if it did deleted it also and reboot
After all this again reboot (HP AIO no connected yet) the sys let the sys come up on its own and stabilize (you hear no disk activity)... go down by the clock lower right and see all the little icon right click and kill as many as you can... then start the HP AIO cd and follow the prompts... connect the printer only when it tells you...and if still problem... you might want a tech type to take a look
HUH ?
It is'nt part of NT 4.0 or 2000 (the best OS MS has made). If they added it back to XP good, I'm wrong. But I don't recall it being their last time I used XP.
it's on my XP machine & all the other Xp machines I've tinkered w/
"BTW, since you are worried about he registry, did you ever do a registry backup(?)
Yes, I know about registry back-ups and do one if I feel the need. Have you ever heard of system.da0 and system.da1? Its a little more complicated in XP, just like everything else in XP, but registry recovery is pretty simple(as long as you don't keep rebooting).
It seems that I'm trying to help someone but semi-qualified guys are ripping me. I DO know more than you, and while I respect your knowledge, I don't understand why you're challenging me rather than taking the opportunity to learn.
Diskkeeper is a great defrag prog to use when you want to defrag, but I'm inclined to blame the actual drivers and installation software this time. A lot of ppl have had problems like this and some worse ones trying to get that installed.
I also think the basic idea behind what someone mentioned earlier about putting programs on D and only your OS and related stuff on C is a good one, but I disagree somewhat with the listed division.
Files of all sorts meant to be stored, and the installers for programs you've downloaded and installed should go on D, along with programs that aren't too picky about having things like registry entries in order. Winamp is a good example of this, as even after being moved around or having just the folder with the program stuck somewhere that it was never properly installed, it can be gotten back in order with a few settings changes made within the program. Reinstalling Windows won't phase it a bit.
OTOH, a lot of other programs won't work right after Windows is reinstalled until they are also, since they rely on files and registry entries that would be overwritten. I'd say it makes a lot more sense to keep those on C, room permitting of course, since they'd be effectively lost anyway. That leaves more room on D for storing files, and wastes less room on C that's simply sitting idle and being useless.
Also. get *RID* of Norton! AVG does a better job, for free, and uses far less system resources. I've never seen it cause problems like Norton does, nor miss viruses. Updates are always free and are provided almost every day. All you do is tell it when you'd like it to check for updates and it'll quietly connect to their server, download and install the updates, and prompt you for a response if anything more needs to be done, like a reboot. Very easy, and runs like the wind on my ancient machine.
My experience is that in the real world people don't want to make the decision to delete files - and in the real world they actually don't have to do so. In the present instance, the computer belonged to a recently deceased dad, and the son probably would just as soon keep everything his dad put on it.I am settled on the brute force approach. Unless the installed HD was pretty expensive, by the time it's full you'll find that you can afford a new one with four times the capacity for a reasonable price. You just buy a new hard drive and copy (the HD will have the utility and instructions for that, and for installing the new hard drive) everything over to the new drive. Make the new drive the master (using the BIOS options) so you're booting from the new disk and viola! , gobs of free disk space and probably a faster system as well.
Do that once, and if you're at all like me you'll never run out of disk space again until you're ready to replace the whole machine with something faster.
Sorry I wasn't trying to rip you. But most people miss backin it up.
And I'm not semi-qualified. I've worked with Microsoft on their internals. And can back that up with 35 years of experience in software.
FWIW - "I DO know more than you" - you better know the person you say that to, before you say it.
Are you logged on an administrator account? If not, the installer gets to about 90% and sits there.
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