I'm trying to figure out why my computer is running so slow. It was faster with a clean install but not by a huge amount. I'm about to do a clean windows install on it (xp media center edition). Fyi I think it was a bit faster when I had xp home on it, but I have also changer hardware so that may be it. Fyi, I'm broke so I need to do this with hardware that I already own (for now anyway).

Here are the specs.

e6300
ecs p4m800-m pro v2 (I know its a pos but it was free).

ati built 128 bit 9550 with gpu overclocked to 170% speed and memory overclocked to 125% speed. I have faster cards but they are pci-e and this motherboard is agp (the 9550 is my fastest agp card when its overclocked like that).

single stick 1GB corsair xms memory, task manager shows me almost always having plenty of memory free, but it also have huge pf usage (800MB-1.5GB average). All my other sticks are 512MB sticks. The corsair is running 3-3-3-8 timings and 2T according to cpuz (I was kind of surprised that it defaulted to 2T). I have 2 (not matched in fact quite different) 512MB kingston pc3200 modules (might be in another computer right now). I have 1 512MB stick of ampx pc3500. I have 2 nanya 512MB pc3200 modules (most likely matched, working pull from an oem computer). The big problem with using a pci card is, my video card cooler blocks one slot, that would take a second, leaving only 1 pci slot for anything else.

I could give the nanya sticks a chance. Maybe I could get lucky and get dual channel, 1T timings.

I could use the corsair and the ampx so that I have 1.5GB memory (it couldn't possibly run worse timing that 3-3-3-8 2T). Fyi this board only has 2 ddr slots (and 2 ddr2 slots).

The current boot drive is an old 60GB 7200rpm maxtor diamond max plus 9 (not the fastest drive in the world). I have a 160 GB hitachi deskstar that is blank and ready to use. With a bit of work, I could free up a seagate 300GB 7200.8. I could move the contents of a full seagate 160GB 7200.7 to the hitachi and use the seagate as the boot. I could raid 0 two of the maxtor 60GB drives. I would either have to use a pci raid card (I already have a siig one), or use pata-sata converters (I already have some if I can find them) and use the via sata raid on the motherboard.

I'm not sure what else would matter hardware wise for general system speed. I have several optical's I could use. Psu is an antec 430W true power (I have a 460 watt enermax if I need a bit more power but it can be a bit flaky about starting sometimes).

Anyone got any suggestions? I'm really limited on time (it will probably take most of the week to rebuild it as it is, so trying multiple configs and benchmarking is probably out).

Do you have Automatic Update enabled?
If so try disable and reboot. Microsoft never got this turd to work properly.

Can you post a full screenshot of Task Manager?

Are you talking about system resources or running processes?
The weird thing about system resources is that cpu usage can be below 20% and available physical memory can be about 500MB and it still sometimes bogs down like an old celeron. There has to be something slowing it down. Anyway, I'm about to start working on it and have decided to raid the 2 60 gig drives, go with 1.5GB of memory (a 1GB and a 512MB), and reinstall windows. If anyone has any recommendations though I can still read the forums on my htpc while this one is down. Worse case senereo, I can try to change what I try mid process (I dobt I'll get it all done tonight).

ripit,
do you always have so many processes and running applications?
62 seems a bit much, but maybe it's just me that thinks that.

HOLLY COW 62 SERVICES AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhh.

Definitly add more ram, realize you cannot use both DDR and DDR2, only one of them.

When you've installed a second HDD, move the PF to that drive, and disable it on the boot drive, that will help quite a bit.

DON'T BOTHER WITH RAID, raid is only good for people running servers, its been proven to be a total waste of resorces for 99 percent of users. Only in benchmarks are there improvments not in the real world. Same thing for NCQ, its only good for servers and actually slows down regular computers.

If your not using nero index services you can shut that off, go to run, type services.msc look down the list for neroindexservices or somthing like that double click it, stop the service, and disable it. There are a whole bunch of other services that can be disabled, but don't go crazy, like remoteregistry can be disabled. I shutdown quite a bit of them but I don't have a list for you.

defrag your drives, I use Auslogics disc defrag, its free works better.

Yea I know I can only add one type, which is why I'm limited to 1.5GB (with the ram I currently have). I only have 1 1GB stick and the rest are all 512MB sticks, and its only got 2 ddr slots. I already have 3 drives in that computer so moving the page file shouldn't be a problem.

I have had really bad luck when stopping services and or editing the registry so they never start, but seeing that I need to reinstall most of the programs that are on it, I might try again. I just wish there was an easy way to have the programs run only when you need them and not all the time. There are some things that I only need occasionally but I do need. My scanner software is one example (I know its a resource hog). I'll probably google to find ways to reduce running processes this time. As its a clean install, if I mess it up I can just do it again. I'll probably even do an image to make it faster.

Fyi I do defrag but not near as often as I should (I'm currently using system mechanic 6 with the firewall and antivirus disabled to defrag and do other optimizations).

When you mix ram, be sure to run memtest86+, to make sure your stable, and adjust timmings and voltage to stabilizie it.

I personally don't install tea timer and the other crap that comes with Ad-aware/

I'd say that its your motherboard that's the main issue, VIA doesnt make good chipsets for the Intel platform (at all) and having DDR1 with a C2D doesnt help either. Your HDDs probably slow overall performance too.
FWIW I have 49 processes running on XP and that includes Firefox, a buch of notepads, IE, Miranda....
//Danne

It takes a bit of time and resources to load and sustain 62 processes as evident in the amount of RAM being used by the system. It's not surprising the system performance has taken a hit.

876MB is a bit excessive in my book, especially when you are running 1GB.

Truthfully, I've never seen a computer running that many processes and if one comes across my bench with anything close to that I immediately begin to terminate unnecessary startup applications.

Below is a typical process list on my system. I simply don't need every program I install on my system to run at startup.

Does anyone know what windows processes I can kill after a clean install (or where to find lists other than just install and start googleing each process)? Beyond that I'll just have to try to not select for programs to run at startup during install.

Anyone have any thoughts on software that insists on running at startup (how to stop that but still make it usable when I need it)?

@DiiZzY, I always knew the MB was a pos. If was a frys freebie though (cpu and motherboard was 30$ cheaper than anyone had the cpu alone). I would like to get a better one but the wife is out of work right now. ddr2 might be doable at some point soon but would it do any good over ddr with that motherboard? It will run ddr 400 but only ddr2 533. I figured it would be slower due to the much higher timings of ddr2 but not much more speed?

What are your temps at ripit? If it's getting hot the cpu may be throttling down to keep it @ a safe temp.

I think there's a decent list for XP by someone called Black Viper. Try Googling it as I don't have a list offhand

The amount of services I have running in Vista is insane, but my system doesn't seem slow

Use this list with extreme caution, and please review all recommendations for applicability before making any changes.

Generally you want to do a backup before adopting any changes.

Black Viper has upadated his Service Configurations to include Service Pack 3.

Windows XP x86 (32-bit) Service Pack 3 Service Configurations

Be careful with "Standard" or "Default" Windows processes as these are usually not the problem. With the exception of "Remote Registry" I usually make very few changes to default startups.

There are absolutely very few third party software that require a startup entry, yet all the manufacturers insist in these applications running at startup.

The resources consumed by startup processes is what contributes to adverse effects on a system, not the amount of startup items.
You may have ten instances of Notepad running with virtually no adverse effect on the system, on the other hand I can guarantee that McAfee Security Center will tax your system extremely heavily.

I just find it more manageble and easier to troubleshoot issues when you remove unnecessary variables.

Vista typically has a high startup count by default.

The 2 cores are running 40c and 41c with video playing and several programs running. Its not the best (might be time to reapply artic silver) but I wouldn't think that would be hot enough to make the cpu throttle back.

Thanks for the advice and link. I have to work today so I'll have to put it on hold, but I have mon and tue off so I can get back to it then. It will be a clean install so no big deal if I mess it up. I can just reinstall.

Those temps seem about normal under moderate use, should be ok.

If I recall right I have gotten it to run a bit cooler in the past (it has a big tower heatsink on it). I just installed a large passive heatsink that wraps around the back with heatpipes on the vid card though, and its heatsink is almost touching the cpu coolers fan, so that might be effecting it. If I have time, a new aplication of artic silver won't hurt (and might help a little).

I hope I'm not over complicating thing for myself, but I found a program that strips things out of the windows install before it even installs. I might have to dig around and see if there is anything I don't need that would speed things up?

http://www.nliteos.com/index.html

ripit,
That's a right useful program (nLite). Be sure to read the nLite Help and also read the info in BlackViper's site before using it. If you get everything right, Your clean install will be lean and mean.

nLite is a great tool, I use it to compile customized Windows installation DVDs, along with RyanVM Integrator, DriverPacks Intergrator and Signet's WMP11 Slipstreamer.

Unfortunately, your issues are not created by standard Windows components. Third party applications are what appear to be choking your system.

I'm fully aware that it is primarily installed programs, not windows that is choking my system. I'm going to do everything I can to minimize programs that run all the time when I reinstall. I just figure, while I'm at it, I might as well go all out. I did find a good site that describes all the common windows services and helps determine which can be disabled (not very many), and which can be set to manual so they don't run all the time (several). The link is on my other computer though. I guess I'm the kind of person that likes to go overboard (just my personality I guess).

One of my problems with reinstalling is finding software/drivers. I'm also going to the trouble to create a folder with drivers/manuals/software for most of my hardware, and many common programs that don't need to install from a disk like filzip, dvd decryptor etc. I'll then burn them to a disk (it might not have everything but at least most of it will be there). I might even try to make iso's of my driver disks.

I do have a question about nLite that I haven't found an answer to though. With addons, I gather that means that I can get programs to install automatically with windows. So do I just need to download some of the premade addons off their forum (like dvd decryptor), and nlite will let me incorporate them when creating the custom windows install disk?

Ripit,

Rarely do I install Windows and need to search for drivers, unless they are specialty drivers for unusual hardware.

I use Bâshrat The Sneaky's DriverPacks to integrate all drivers into the installation disc. This capacity will then be too large for a CD installation, so I simply burn to an installation DVD.

Required would be the DriverPacks Base (no installation required) and the current DriverPacks (these are updated periodically).

Current DriverPacks include:

* DriverPack Chipset
* DriverPack CPU
* DriverPack Graphics A
* DriverPack Graphics B
* DriverPack Graphics C
* DriverPack LAN
* DriverPack MassStorage
* DriverPack Sound A
* DriverPack Sound B
* DriverPack WLAN


DriverPacks can be found HERE

A tutorial can be found HERE

All can be downloaded and integrated into the Windows XP disc so they are installed during the Windows installation. A DVD offers plenty of room to integrate ALL drivers.

The addon option in nLite has varied applicability. It can be applied to drivers, runonce files etc.,

If you would like to integrate programs into the Windows installation disc, you could use Switchless Installers with an Integrator.

I use the RyanVM Integrator created by Signet Software to integrate Windows Service Packs, Windows Hotfixes and Updates, as well as other addons and Switchless Installers created by the supporting community.

Update Pack AddOns can be found HERE.
Switchless Installer Releases created by the community can be found HERE.

HERE you can access the main RyamVM page where you can find the message boards with all the above posted links, FAQs and more.

My routine then affords me to slipstream Windows Media Player 11 into the installation disc, then top it off with nLite and the desired customizations, auto add CD Key and create an ISO which I then burn to a DVD.

As a system builder, I create a new installation DVD every month, coinciding with the release of new Microsoft Updates.

@ ripit
No, DDR2 wouldnt give you much boost since the chipset is really bad :/

As for driver integration, apart from running into compatibility issues you still need update since you see a new driver release in general 1-2 months for chipset, video, sound etc which makes it kinda pointless. All you need is SATA/AHCI drivers since you'll need 'em to install XP using SATA/AHCI/Native mode on the SATA controller. Download the rest from the manufacturers site. Same goes for software (3rd party), it gets old fast (apart from hotfixes/service packs) although installing SP3 gives you pretty much all patches you need.
//Danne

I'm running behind schedule (quite normal for me with 2 young children keeping me from working) but I have mad some decent progress. I got my new windows image ready to go. I removed half a dozen components (things like outlook express that I never use). I killed maybe 8 or 9 services and set quite a few to manual (I used the black viper site as a guide but also use 2 other sites for additional reference, and spent a couple of hours reading and deciding which services to alter). I set it up for unintended install and integrated the driver packs plus one specific raid driver.
I also used installed programs on both computers as a guide, and created a folder with just about every program I use, all in one place ready for reinstall, instead of spending days hunting down software like I have in the past. I created iso's of some of my original software disks for it too (I still need to creates some text files with serial numbers though). I have that folder on another computer that is not being worked on and I think I'll burn a set of dvd's with the files on it.

Hopefully all will go well when I get the time to continue. I am working with a clean drive, so if I run into problems (like I stripped to much out of windows), I can just temporarily swap back to the old drive and installation).

I did run into one problem though that set me back (took quite a while to find the problem). nlite kept crashing with a run time error (turns out it doesn't like having a floppy disk as the source for one of the drivers to include). IT took a while to figure out the problem (it worked fine after copying the driver to the hard drive first).

We'll see how it goes....

What's a floppy?

Oh!..... it's that little thing I use for BIOS flashing.
Just kidding..........

It takes me about 20 minutes to create an ISO with all drivers, customizations, etc, with nLite, DriverPacks and RyanVM Integrator.
I undertake this process for all system builds and repairs. The only difference is the CD Key auto inserted, dependent on the original disc.

With some variations, it takes approximately a hour and a half to two hours downloading drivers and customizing and tweaking an system after the installation of the Operating System.

I never do integrated programs as often the installation path is not the C: drive.

This is a no brainer, once you become familiar with the process.

Good luck Ripit !