SLOW computer (25 seconds to open firefox )!

[wavid]

I dont understand why my computer is running so slow...back on xp it used to be scary fast!...i remember i never had any problems...instant folder opening...instant firefox opening....now(on win7) it takes sometimes up to 25 seconds to open firefox...and 20 for chrome..most of the time actually....nothing is really running in my task manager...
i turned the aero theme and it did not help...
my specs are...
7800GTX
amd64 3700+ 2.21 GHz
1GB RAM
x2 19" monitors

...i know its not the best but it still should run a lot faster because the downstairs computer is a lot weaker and runs 3 times as fast.....
ive done anti virus scans and registry cleaning etc....i dont know what it could be....it cannot be just becuase of 1GB ram so is there even point in buying extra? the downstairs one has 1GB and works fast.....

and btw my computer is pretty much empty...just backups of photos/movies....and only a game or 2 installed......

please help me...its horrible

(btw i dont have any money for upgrades (100 pounds or so) so i cannot buy a new computer for a while

 

[wavid]

wow i didnt think my computer was so outdated lol...the one downstairs also has 1gb and runs fine...i guess maybe cos we only watch movies and pictures on it..i dono....so no point upgrading my ram? maybe il switch back to xp then

ill see if i can save up so more money this month...im shocked tbh

oh btw its windows 7 32bit

 

[wavid]

thanks mason..i did not think it was THAT outdated to struggle so bad with windows 7....il try to reformat AGAIN (5-6 time this year)...and hope itl clean everything up....how fast does your "My Computer" open? sometimes it takes about 10-20 seconds for me...its crazy...i used to be able to play bioshock on high on this computer..now i doubt it would even handle halflife 1..could it be the dual screen setup? i doubt thats whats making it slow

and thanks phoenix..il think about upgrading if i save up abit...prob option 2 or better

 

[wavid]

well i have 2 HDDs....1 for windows which has been formatted many times...and 1 that stores my backup which hasnt been formated for years....could that be it? i doubt it tho..wouldnt make firefox slow. il try the HD Tune test tomorrow and post it up...gdnight all, thanks for taking the interest in helping me!

EDIT: wow sorry didnt notice a page 2...been out all day just got to check out the thread...tommorow morning il have a good look....thanks again

 

[wavid]

HD sounds like a good candidate. Or you computer is overrun with adwares, spuwares and such. If you don't have an antivirus / spyware remover, I'd start with that, and do a full system scan. A defrag as well. You can also try Google Chrome, it's nippy.

i have avast and adaware and ive done full scans so shouldnt be that....also i have tried chrome and it also takes around 15 seconds...plus after a while of using it....my task manager is FULL of about 30 chrome processes and they sometimes freeze my computer to 1 min waits....i tihnk i prefer to use firefox tbh...ive never done a defrag...so il try that...which hdd do i need to focus on...the backup one should have no relation to the problem right?

EDIT: in abit im gonna look thru the thread and answer some of the questions......atm im making pancakes lol

 

[wavid]

Double check startup programs, Thats normally the first cause for slow computers

only avast running on startup

I updated Firefox to the latest and it speeded up no end. check to see if you're up to date.

Have you checked the router, firewall and windows network settings? Unlike M$ to bork Firefox, but you never know. Does IE boot quicker?

yup fully updated...IE just as slow...its not so much my internet thats the problem but starting up aplications or folders

i think your hard drive is the problem myself, download hdtune 2.55 and run the benchmark and post a screenshot with the results please.
if your hard drive is as old as the rest of your machine it will be slow as even the raptors from a few years ago are slower than modern hard drives.

Actually the windows hdd is a rapture.
I now have HD tune installed...what is the best way to do the benchmark..cant really figure out if i need to start doing stuff when its started? or leave it to do its own testing?
EDIT: i tried the test here are the results..i dont know if i did it right
but it shows in the first part firefox loading....regular browsing in the middle...closing in middle end and then file browsing at the end of test

first 2 squares...i was doing nothing.....then i turned on firefox....and 5.5 squares later it had finally loaded....then i just surfed for abit...and opened 4 tabs...3 squares later i closed firefox....and then left it for a bit...and at the end thats me opening files...

1.) I install a fresh copy of Windows
2.) Install all the programs required
3.) Apply all the tweaks and settings
4.) Take an image of the HDD using Acronis True Image

Then if I ever get even a slight slow down, I save a few things (bookmarks, files on desktop, game saves, etc) run Acronis True Image and literally FIFTEEN MINUTES later I've got Windows running fresh as the morning sunrise.

i could give this a try...sounds like a lot of work switching everytime back to an old image....

@ trentlad, the op has already stated that he has tried formatting and doing a full reinstall 5-6 times.

actually i should have mentioned that 4-5 of that were different reasons but its needed formatting way to many times imo...but still this current hdd is still pretty fresh from its last format....

My bad, he did say that. I missed it between the twenty ellipses in his paragraph/sentence.

LOL sorry bad habit

wavid - with just Firefox open, on the 'performance' tab of Task Manager, how much memory is in use?

atm with firefox open and 7 tabs...firefox.exe is using 104,900K ...in total physical memory 56%
i dont think this is too bad and actually once its up its not too bad....but starting anything is a nightmare....sometimes i can wait up to a minute.....i dont even browse my files anymore cos its tiring. ive compltly stopped using my comp for what i used to use it for....photoshop...making music...games...hd movies....and now just stick to browsing the internet...




EDIT: actualy i need to add a important note.....
after firefox has fully loaded...and i do whatever i do on it....when i close it...then open it again right after...its got a much faster startup...but i cannot leave firefox on all day...because after a while of it being open it starts to slow down my whole comp...to the point were i cant even swtich between tabs

 

[wavid]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
thanks guys...you were right...it was the HDD!!!!!!!!!!...i tried out a spare raptor my dad had...reinstalled windows....works like lightning, .....i opened 10 firefox windows in about 5 seconds......when before 1 would take 20 seconds.......and closed them all in 1 second...when before it would take about 8............

for some reason i never would have thought the HDD would be the cause.

thanks so much guys....this computer is more than enough the handle windows 7...sorry phoenix but u dont know wat ur talking about...people with 1gb ram that have experienced windows 7 see that its more than ok....il still upgrade the ram but its fine atm.......
but thanks for trying to help anyway, i really appreciate it....
and thanks to everyone else....finally i can enjoy my COMPUTER!!