SLOW computer (25 seconds to open firefox )!

windows 7 does use more memory than xp so it will be using the virtual memory a lot more so a slow hard drive will impact the system more than with xp.
i still think you should run the hdtune benchmark and post the results.
 
Boozebeard said:
This is a gross exaggeration. I have been running win 7 with just 2gb of ram (one kit in process of RMA) for about a month now and can even play bad company 2 on max settings with no problems at all. I was even running with just 1gb for a bit, web browsing etc was fine, maybe a bit slower but no where near 25 seconds to open fire fox.

I think people seriously over estimate how much ram a modern PC actually needs to run well.
Click to expand...


Firstly, compare his CPU to yours.
Then, you've got SSD too.
You're comparing DDR1 ram probably @ 333/400mhz to DDR 1200mhz.

And 1GB was running fine ? That's total BS.

I'm right now only having winamp, vlc, excel, msn and firefox open and it's using 1.8gb of RAM. I don't even have many tabs open.

----------
opening few youtube tabs on top already brings me to 2gb ram used now and ¬30% of CPU used.

If you tried to do this with 1GB ram and p4 you'll get freeze for the next 10min and it will take 30sec just to register cursor movement ( if you'll be able to move it at all ).
 
mattyrigby00 said:
The more memory you have installed, the more memory windows uses.
Click to expand...

Ah so if I've got only 1GB ram then the OS magically optimizes itself and uses only 300mb of RAM instead of 2GB.

Guess you can run it with 256MB too then since it will shrink itself down to using 100MB.

That's some good stuff I didn't know that.
 
Can... can... can you smell something?

EDIT: Sorry Mason, that wasn't directed at you. Your post beat me to Phoenix.

I actually agree with Mason, this was the feature that was very hyped pre-W7 launch.
 
OP:

I'd check you're HDD mate. See if you can download HD Tune and then post your benchmarks on here and we'll tell you if there's any issues.

Otherwise see if you can test a spare/friends HDD in your system and see if you get same results. It's more than likely you're HDD and the fail safe answer is your PSU.
 
From vista onwards having more memory does make windows use more of it. It caches programs you open a lot into memory. Windows 7 does this much better than Vista did from what I've read / experienced.

It doesn't use less magically if you have less, but it makes use of 'extra' memory space.

The cached memory is 'free' in a way, as if you open a program and suddenly need more windows will use that cached area.

Having said all that I don't believe that really has anything much to do with the OPs question.

I'd put the blame on HDD as a rough guess, thou it isn't like he has tons of spare ram either.

I can't help more myself as I have no 1st hand experience of 7 on older hardware.
 
PhoenixUK said:
Firstly, compare his CPU to yours.
Then, you've got SSD too.
You're comparing DDR1 ram probably @ 333/400mhz to DDR 1200mhz.

And 1GB was running fine ? That's total BS.

I'm right now only having winamp, vlc, excel, msn and firefox open and it's using 1.8gb of RAM. I don't even have many tabs open.

----------
opening few youtube tabs on top already brings me to 2gb ram used now and ¬30% of CPU used.

If you tried to do this with 1GB ram and p4 you'll get freeze for the next 10min and it will take 30sec just to register cursor movement ( if you'll be able to move it at all ).
Click to expand...

No it's not BS and unless you have tried running windows 7 on 1gb your self then you can't say otherwise. You really think ram speed will make much difference when running a web browser? What does my ssd have to do with it, in fact it has a lot to do with it because the problem is his most likely his hard drive and not his ram. Obviously some more ram will be usefull for running lots of application but it is clearly not the cause of his programs taking so long to start up.

Win 7 will store information from programs you open even after you clsoe them so they open quicker next time you need them. Obviously it will change how much information it stores and make space available depending on how much memory you've got free.

You accuse me of BS and then you start saying how it will perform with hard ware you clearly have never tried using it on. Don't accuse some one of talking BS who has actual experience of something and then start pulling "facts" out of your arse.
 
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Mason- said:
I have 1GB RAM

I'm running windows 7 with 3 chrome tabs open.

And only 55% Memory Usage.

So yes.
Click to expand...

And nothing else apart from that, pop VLC, winamp, excel, msn, some anti spyware shield, open another 15 tabs with some youtube, maybe something else in the background and see how that works for you.

If it's still flawless without any slowdown then fine.
I guess microsoft is more stupid than I thought and the OS requirments they put on their box are just there for the fun of it.
 
Boozebeard said:
No it's not BS and unless you have tried running windows 7 on 1gb your self then you can't say otherwise. You really think ram speed will make much difference when running a web browser? What does my ssd have to do with it, in fact it has a lot to do with it because the problem is his most likely his hard drive and not his ram.

Win 7 will store information from programs you open even after you clsoe them so they open quicker next time you need them. Obviously it will change how much information it stores and make space available depending on how much memory you've got free.

You accuse me of BS and then you start saying how it will perform with hard ware you clearly have never tried using it on. Don't accuse some one of talking BS who has actual experience of something and then start pulling facts out of your arse.
Click to expand...

Because if you're low on ram your OS will start using page file and SSD is a lot faster and doesn't have delay. When you use too much pagefile on normal hdd you'll notice slowdowns/freezes.

----
And yes I've ran PCs with this amount of RAM.
My mums rig is and old p4 with 1gb of mem and bloody hell it's slow !
If I tried to do webbrowsing the way I do it on my rig on that p4/1gb ram it would freeze and give me BSOD after 1min.

Luckily she cannot operate with more than 1tab open and only uses it for skype so it's alright !
 
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PhoenixUK said:
And nothing else apart from that, pop VLC, winamp, excel, msn, some anti spyware shield, open another 15 tabs with some youtube, maybe something else in the background and see how that works for you.

If it's still flawless without any slowdown then fine.
I guess microsoft is more stupid than I thought and the OS requirments they put on their box are just there for the fun of it.
Click to expand...

But why would I want to do that?

I don't see why people have 15 tabs open... I have a forum + facebook + overclockers shop page up.

I've had 6 tabs open before no problems.

I have antivirus always on in the background.
Plus why would you have music on + youtube at the same time lol.

People under estimate old computers. Sure my computer isn't an i7 with 6GB triple channel RAM. but for what I NEED it for and what the OP NEEDS his computer for is different. He says he watches films and downloads on it you do not need **** loads of RAM to have a torrent client open and a media player open at the same time.

Please try and keep conversation relevant.

Me and the OP have old machines, we run windows 7 just fine for what we NEED it for.
 
PhoenixUK said:
And nothing else apart from that, pop VLC, winamp, excel, msn, some anti spyware shield, open another 15 tabs with some youtube, maybe something else in the background and see how that works for you.

If it's still flawless without any slowdown then fine.
I guess microsoft is more stupid than I thought and the OS requirments they put on their box are just there for the fun of it.
Click to expand...

What kind of a thing is this to say? "Lets open up a huge number of applications and see if your ram limits you!" of course it will but what the hell has that got to do with someone just trying to open one tab of fire fox taking 25 seconds?
 
Well then, if you say that p4 with 1gb ram is fast enough for you then I've got a good news for you.

They go 2nd hand for around 40quid for the whole PC, why not save yourself trouble and just buy one of them? I think the one I bought for my mum costed like 35.
 
PhoenixUK said:
And nothing else apart from that, pop VLC, winamp, excel, msn, some anti spyware shield, open another 15 tabs with some youtube, maybe something else in the background and see how that works for you.

If it's still flawless without any slowdown then fine.
Click to expand...

You're miles away from the OP's point. Of course, if you want to do moderate multitasking, 1GB of RAM isn't good. But the OP is waiting ages just for the browser to open in the first place. That shouldn't happen even with 1GB.

wavid - with just Firefox open, on the 'performance' tab of Task Manager, how much memory is in use?
 
Mattus said:
You're miles away from the OP's point. Of course, if you want to do moderate multitasking, 1GB of RAM isn't good. But the OP is waiting ages just for the browser to open in the first place. That shouldn't happen even with 1GB.

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

That wasn't pointed at OP but the other guy stating how super fast p4 with 1gb ram is and how it perfectly deals with everything you throw at it.


Anyways, good call with the usage tab, might be worth having a look at the page file used as well. Also another thing that springs to mind, after you open it, how well does it work with multiple tabs? I mean, is only the start up slow and then it's fine or is slow all the way? Might be borked RAM as well.
 
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