Dimension 4600 very sluggish in XP

Question

I just bought this desktop about three months ago. About a month after I started using the internet (I have dial-up through NetZero), the computer got very slow on the net- to the point where the server would time out while a page was loading. I am now using Mozilla Firefox, which is operating at normal speed. Since then, however, the rest of the computer has gotten really sluggish. It starts up and shuts down fine, but it has a delayed reaction to everything I ask it to do. I just tried a new game I bought- it took about six minutes to load (once installed) only to self-close after the intro. It's really bugging me that my new Dell is slower than my 4.5-year old eMachine. I have Norton and Spybot Search and Destroy.

So, what I'm really wondering is, why is my pc running so slowly when it doesn't have a virus or any error messages? I'd really appreciate any help.

100mph · Answer

Please see Spyware/Virus Removal and Prevention: http://www.fixyourwindows.com/windowsxpsolutions.htm (Links to online virus scans on the same page) And the second link in my signature.

ironman502 · Answer

Thank you. I'll try that.

ironman502 · Answer

Well, I've made it through about half the pages on the fixyourwindows site, and it seems to be doing more harm than good. It could be coincidental, but now all games I install, even if they are four years old, must be run at the lowest possible graphics settings to be playable at normal speed. Also, I can't install the latest drivers for my Intel integrated graphics card because 'a file necessary for installation is missing or corrupted.' I tried reinstalling the driver from the Dell CD and got the same message. I am aware that games, especially those using DirectX, tend to cause problems, but I have been running these same games for 4 years on my emachine with no problems of this kind. I'm thinking of trying system restore- is there anything I should know about this?   Thanks again.

ironman502 · Answer

Thanks for the reply. I have a P4 2.8G processor. I've learned my lesson- I don't buy Celeron processors any more. I've been trying to download SP2, but with dialup that's kinda like trying to melt Antarctica with a candle. I ordered a CD which should come in a month or so. I'll check on patches, though. It's just frustrating that the processor is almost always at 100% usage and the computer doesn't recognize any problems. I've always heard that windows Me is the worst ever, but I've had worse experience with XP in two and a half months than with Me in four and a half years.

d.g.g · Answer

Do you have a Celeron processor?  Do you have Win XP SP2?  If so download the patch from Dell.  Else go to the earliest restore point (when you first setup the system) and see if it restores.  Games can sometimes be real tough unless  you have gobs of memory and a fast drive.  Good luck!

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Dimension 4600 very sluggish in XP

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