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