How to speed up my computer

How to speed up my computer? Basic configuration is as below.
Intel Pentium Dual Core 2.5 GHz Processor
Ram: 2GB
HD: 350 GB
Mother Board: Giga Byte
OS: windows XP
I am using Office2007 in my PC. I have enable firewall. Can I disable it? If so, then how to protect my pc from virus attack?

There are a lot of different things you can do to speed up your PC.  First off, try to upgrade your ram,  You can Google your motherboard model to see how much and what kind it can hold.  Or go to www.crucial.com and run the analyzer that scans your system and tells you what kind and how much ram your PC can handle.  You can get ram dirt cheap these days especially if you order it online.
Next you should uninstall any unwanted or unused programs, there is a very good uninstaller called Revo uninstaller, it is free.  It removes programs and then scans for registry and other left over files from the PC.  Or you can just go to control panel---add or remove programs and do it from there.  And while your there you can go to add or remove windows components and disable anything that you don't use.
Click start click run the type "msconfig" (without the "") under the startup tab uncheck anything that is not necessary to run at startup.  This will make your PC boot faster.
If you go to  www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm  they have a complete guide to disabling unneeded services on a 32 bit windows XP PC.  There are a lot of services that you will never need or do not use.  Make sure you click on each service you are thinking about disabling and read what it is first.  You don't want to disable anything you need on accident.
I use CCleaner to clean, defrag and compress the registry.  There are other free and paid programs out there to tidy up your registry which gets a lot of errors and unnecessary entries in it every time you use your PC.
When you store a files on your PC they get fragmented and this slows your system down.  Again there are a lot of free programs to defrag your hard drive.  I use Ultimate Defrag.  With this program you can place your most used files(windows files etc) on the outer rows of your hard drive (fastest part) and the least used files or archive files on the inner rings.  It gives you many options to defrag as well as just simple defrag.
I would keep the firewall on or get a third party one.  I don't know what anti virus you use but there are numerous reviews and guides online as to which ones are the fastest and have the lightest footprint.  I use Esset, but there are a few good free ones also.  If you think you have a problem with a virus or malware download and run superantispyware pr malwarebytes, and use it alongside of your anti virus.
Go to your local bookstore and look at the PC magazines.  A lot of them have good tips to make your PC run faster and some come with free CDs that have a lot of freeware/shareware programs on them.
Hope this helps

Similar Messages

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    How would  speed up my computer. I done it once before but forgot how. I was able to chat with a tech. at that time but now my warranty ran out and unable to chat. thanks for your help

    Use the Msconfig command to disable memory resident programs...
    See here: http://netsquirrel.com/msconfig/index.html
    ** Please click 'Kudos!' if this was helpful **

  • How to speed up macbook pro?

    My computer is 4 years old and it has started to freeze alot. Also I am unable to connect to internet via ethernet cable. Any tips on how to speed up the computer and prevent freezes?

    When you next have the problem, note the exact time: hour, minute, second.
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  • How do I speed up my computer? Version OS X 10.8.5 Processor 2.66 GHZ Memory 2GB 20 inch 2009

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    The 2 places I’ve seen recommended most to buy reliable RAM are below. I have purchased RAM several times from Other World Computing and have always been very satisfied with the product and service. They also have on-line instructions on how to replace the RAM. OWC has also tested RAM above what Apple states is the minimum. I now have 6GB installed on a machine supposedly limited to 4 GB.
    Crucial
    Other World Computing
    Activity Monitor – Monitor Performance Problems  
    Performance Guide
    Why is my computer slow
    Why your Mac runs slower than it should
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  • My computer has slowed down, my computer has slowed down,any ideas on how to speed it up

    My MAC has slowed down,any ideas on how to speed it up?

    How much free disk space do you have?
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    3) Try a safe boot.
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          is being checked.
        http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1455
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         http://applejack.sourceforge.net/
    a lot more ways to fix your Mac.
    http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/faqs.html
    Look at what is happening with your Mac when you run Activity Monitor.
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    Do you need more cpu memory.
    Click on System Memory to get statistics on memory usage.  You should have some free memory.
    The number to look at is page outs.
    Mine is 13397. This means that some of my programs and data had to be written to disk because cpu memory filled up for a time.  It means my programs ran a little slower than they could have.  I could run fewer programs, deal with the slowness, or buy more memory. I'd say you want at least 512meg of memory for 10.4.
    If the entry for entry for Page ins/outs is:
    Page ins/outs: 29163/0
    Notice I have 0 pageouts which says that I am not using my harddrive for extra memory space.  Thus, I have enough memory.
    Activity Monitor has a neat feature where it can display a dynamic dock icon.  In Activity Monitor View > Dock icon > Show cpu history.
    "Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor :"
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107918
    Managing Memory
    See   Kappy
    http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=8025223#8025223
    Problems from insufficient RAM and free hard disk space
    http://thexlab.com/faqs/lackofram.html

  • How to speed up my lenovo startup?

    What Lenovo services can I disable to speed up my computer?
    I included a Hijackthis Log:
    Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
    Scan saved at 9:02:04 AM, on 9/9/2009
    Platform: Windows Vista SP2 (WinNT 6.00.1906)
    MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18813)
    Boot mode: Normal
    Running processes:
    C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
    C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
    C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
    C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe
    C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
    C:\Program Files\Lenovo\NPDIRECT\tpfnf7sp.exe
    C:\Windows\System32\TpShocks.exe
    C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Utilities\EZEJMNAP.EXE
    C:\Program Files\Lenovo\HOTKEY\TPOSDSVC.exe
    C:\Program Files\Lenovo\HOTKEY\tpfnf6r.exe
    C:\Program Files\Common Files\Lenovo\Scheduler\scheduler_proxy.exe
    C:\Program Files\ThinkVantage\PrdCtr\LPMGR.EXE
    C:\Program Files\ThinkVantage\PrdCtr\LPMLCHK.EXE
    C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe
    C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Client Security Solution\cssauth.exe
    C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Message Center Plus\MCPLaunch.exe
    C:\Program Files\Active Keys\akeys.exe
    C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Auto Update\RIMAutoUpdate.exe
    C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
    C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\MOM.exe
    C:\Windows\System32\igfxpers.exe
    C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe
    C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
    C:\Windows\ehome\ehtray.exe
    C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe
    C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService\ISUSPM.exe
    C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe
    C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmpnscfg.exe
    C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Bluetooth Software\BTTray.exe
    C:\Program Files\Digital Line Detect\DLG.exe
    C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\ONENOTEM.EXE
    C:\Windows\ehome\ehmsas.exe
    C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPLpr.exe
    C:\Program Files\Lenovo\HOTKEY\TPONSCR.exe
    C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Zoom\TpScrex.exe
    C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\CCC.exe
    C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Contacts\wlcomm.exe
    C:\Program Files\Skype\Plugin Manager\skypePM.exe
    C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\PWMUIAux.exe
    C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Shared\SkypeNames.exe
    C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
    C:\Program Files\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
    R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://lenovo.live.com
    R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://g.msn.com/0SEENUS/SAOS01?FORM=TOOLBR
    R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://g.msn.com/0SEENUS/SAOS01?FORM=TOOLBR
    R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
    R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
    R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
    R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
    R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
    R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
    R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = http://g.msn.com/0SEENUS/SAOS01?FORM=TOOLBR
    R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local
    R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
    O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
    O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
    O2 - BHO: (no name) - {5C255C8A-E604-49b4-9D64-90988571CECB} - (no file)
    O2 - BHO: Search Helper - {6EBF7485-159F-4bff-A14F-B9E3AAC4465B} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Search Helper\SEPsearchhelperie.dll
    O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
    O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Toolbar\GoogleToolbar_32.dll
    O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Notifier BHO - {AF69DE43-7D58-4638-B6FA-CE66B5AD205D} - C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\5.2.4204.1700\swg.dll
    O2 - BHO: Password Manager Browser Helper Object - {BF468356-BB7E-42D7-9F15-4F3B9BCFCED2} - C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Client Security Solution\tvtpwm_ie_com.dll
    O2 - BHO: Google Dictionary Compression sdch - {C84D72FE-E17D-4195-BB24-76C02E2E7C4E} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Toolbar\Component\fastsearch_B7C5AC242193BB3E.dll
    O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
    O2 - BHO: Windows Live Toolbar Helper - {E15A8DC0-8516-42A1-81EA-DC94EC1ACF10} - C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Toolbar\wltcore.dll
    O3 - Toolbar: &Windows Live Toolbar - {21FA44EF-376D-4D53-9B0F-8A89D3229068} - C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Toolbar\wltcore.dll
    O3 - Toolbar: Google Toolbar - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Toolbar\GoogleToolbar_32.dll
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe -hide
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [picon] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\Privacy Icon\PrivacyIconClient.exe" -startup
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TPFNF7] C:\Program Files\Lenovo\NPDIRECT\TPFNF7SP.exe /r
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TpShocks] TpShocks.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [EZEJMNAP] C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\EzEjMnAp.Exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TPHOTKEY] C:\Program Files\Lenovo\HOTKEY\TPOSDSVC.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LENOVO.TPFNF6R] C:\Program Files\Lenovo\HOTKEY\TPFNF6R.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TVT Scheduler Proxy] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Lenovo\Scheduler\scheduler_proxy.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LPManager] C:\PROGRA~1\THINKV~1\PrdCtr\LPMGR.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LPMailChecker] C:\PROGRA~1\THINKV~1\PrdCtr\LPMLCHK.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CameraApplicationLauncher] C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Camera Center\bin\CameraApplicationLaunchpadLauncher.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PWMTRV] rundll32 C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\PWMTR32V.DLL,PwrMgrBkGndMonitor
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BLOG] rundll32 C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\BTVLogEx.DLL,StartBattLog
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CreateLMBCShortCut] "C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Mobile Broadband Connect\UserShortcutCreator.exe"
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [cssauth] "C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Client Security Solution\cssauth.exe" silent
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Message Center Plus] C:\Program Files\LENOVO\Message Center Plus\MCPLaunch.exe /start
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ActiveKeys.AAB635BD7D054a37A576] C:\Program Files\Active Keys\akeys.exe -a
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [StartCCC] "C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\CLIStart.exe" MSRun
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TPKMAPHELPER] C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Utilities\TpKmapAp.exe -helper
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [tsnp2uvc] C:\Windows\tsnp2uvc.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BlackBerryAutoUpdate] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Auto Update\RIMAutoUpdate.exe /background
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Google Quick Search Box] "C:\Program Files\Google\Quick Search Box\GoogleQuickSearchBox.exe"  /autorun
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RoxWatchTray] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxWatchTray9.exe"
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Persistence] C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe
    O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe"
    O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sidebar] C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun
    O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [msnmsgr] "C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
    O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ehTray.exe] C:\Windows\ehome\ehTray.exe
    O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [swg] "C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe"
    O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ISUSPM] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService\ISUSPM.exe" -scheduler
    O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Skype] "C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /nosplash /minimized
    O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WMPNSCFG] C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\WMPNSCFG.exe
    O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
    O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
    O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
    O4 - Startup: OneNote 2007 Screen Clipper and Launcher.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\ONENOTEM.EXE
    O4 - Global Startup: Bluetooth.lnk = ?
    O4 - Global Startup: Digital Line Detect.lnk = C:\Program Files\Digital Line Detect\DLG.exe
    O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
    O8 - Extra context menu item: Send image to &Bluetooth Device... - C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie_ctx.htm
    O8 - Extra context menu item: Send page to &Bluetooth Device... - C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie.htm
    O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
    O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
    O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
    O9 - Extra button: @btrez.dll,-4015 - {CCA281CA-C863-46ef-9331-5C8D4460577F} - C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie.htm
    O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @btrez.dll,-12650 - {CCA281CA-C863-46ef-9331-5C8D4460577F} - C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie.htm
    O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {F4F55DC8-0B69-4DFE-BA94-CB677B88B2A3} - C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Client Security Solution\tvtpwm_ie_com.dll
    O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Lenovo Password Manager... - {F4F55DC8-0B69-4DFE-BA94-CB677B88B2A3} - C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Client Security Solution\tvtpwm_ie_com.dll
    O13 - Gopher Prefix:
    O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\Skype4COM.dll
    O23 - Service: Ac Profile Manager Service (AcPrfMgrSvc) - Lenovo - C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\ConnectUtilities\AcPrfMgrSvc.exe
    O23 - Service: Access Connections Main Service (AcSvc) - Lenovo - C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\ConnectUtilities\AcSvc.exe
    O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
    O23 - Service: Ati External Event Utility - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\Windows\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
    O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
    O23 - Service: Bluetooth Service (btwdins) - Broadcom Corporation. - C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Bluetooth Software\bin\btwdins.exe
    O23 - Service: dlbc_device -   - C:\Windows\system32\dlbccoms.exe
    O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiMAX Red Bend Device Management Service (DMAgent) - Red Bend Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Intel\WiMAX\Bin\DMAgent.exe
    O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Event Log (EvtEng) - Intel(R) Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin\EvtEng.exe
    O23 - Service: Google Software Updater (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
    O23 - Service: ThinkPad PM Service (IBMPMSVC) - Lenovo - C:\Windows\system32\ibmpmsvc.exe
    O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
    O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
    O23 - Service: IviRegMgr - InterVideo - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InterVideo\RegMgr\iviRegMgr.exe
    O23 - Service: Lenovo Microphone Mute (LENOVO.MICMUTE) - Lenovo Group Limited - C:\Program Files\LENOVO\HOTKEY\MICMUTE.exe
    O23 - Service: Intel(R) Active Management Technology Local Management Service (LMS) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\AMT\LMS.exe
    O23 - Service: Power Manager DBC Service - Lenovo - C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Utilities\PWMDBSVC.EXE
    O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Registry Service (RegSrvc) - Intel(R) Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon\RegSrvc.exe
    O23 - Service: Roxio UPnP Renderer 9 - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Roxio\Digital Home 9\RoxioUPnPRenderer9.exe
    O23 - Service: Roxio Upnp Server 9 - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Roxio\Digital Home 9\RoxioUpnpService9.exe
    O23 - Service: LiveShare P2P Server 9 (RoxLiveShare9) - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxLiveShare9.exe
    O23 - Service: RoxMediaDB10 - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\10.0\SharedCOM\RoxMediaDB10.exe
    O23 - Service: RoxMediaDB9 - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxMediaDB9.exe
    O23 - Service: Roxio Hard Drive Watcher 9 (RoxWatch9) - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxWatch9.exe
    O23 - Service: stllssvr - MicroVision Development, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SureThing Shared\stllssvr.exe
    O23 - Service: System Update (SUService) - Lenovo Group Limited - C:\Program Files\Lenovo\System Update\SUService.exe
    O23 - Service: ThinkVantage Registry Monitor Service - Lenovo Group Limited - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Lenovo\tvt_reg_monitor_svc.exe
    O23 - Service: ThinkPad HDD APS Logging Service (TPHDEXLGSVC) - Lenovo. - C:\Windows\System32\TPHDEXLG.exe
    O23 - Service: On Screen Display (TPHKSVC) - Lenovo Group Limited - C:\Program Files\LENOVO\HOTKEY\TPHKSVC.exe
    O23 - Service: TSS Core Service (TSSCoreService) - Lenovo - C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Client Security Solution\tvttcsd.exe
    O23 - Service: TVT Backup Protection Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Rescue and Recovery\rrpservice.exe
    O23 - Service: TVT Backup Service - Lenovo Group Limited - C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Rescue and Recovery\rrservice.exe
    O23 - Service: TVT Scheduler - Lenovo Group Limited - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Lenovo\Scheduler\tvtsched.exe
    O23 - Service: TVT Windows Update Monitor (TVT_UpdateMonitor) - Lenovo Group Limited - C:\Program Files\Lenovo\Rescue and Recovery\UpdateMonitor.exe
    O23 - Service: Intel(R) Active Management Technology User Notification Service (UNS) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\Privacy Icon\UNS\UNS.exe
    O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless WiMAX Service (WiMAXAppSrv) - Intel(R) Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\WiMAX\Bin\AppSrv.exe
    O23 - Service: XAudioService - Conexant Systems, Inc. - C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\xaudio.exe
    End of file - 15211 bytes
    Also I'm new to Vista, what is the best way to disable startup programs (any good third-party software?)
    Thanks!

    Hi  John,
    Please take a look at the reply from Wyck in the following thread.
    How to speed up for loop?
    His answer is very comprehensive.   Thanks.
    Best regards,
    kristin
    We are trying to better understand customer views on social support experience, so your participation in this interview project would be greatly appreciated if you have time. Thanks for helping make community forums a great place.
    Click
    HERE to participate the survey.

  • How to know if this computer can handle a certain monitor's resolution?

    I am looking to buy a new monitor, but I am at a loss as to how to know whether my computer can handle the monitor's resolution, will be compatible with it. I used to run two NEC Multisync FE991SB (CRT) monitors side by side, and one of them died. Their native resolution seems to be 1280x1024 per monitor. I am considering buying a DoubleSight DS-263N (LCD) monitor, which has a native resolution of 1920 x 1200, and running it alongside the NEC Multisync FE991SB that has not died. Here are the relevant vital statistics:
    Hardware Overview:
    Machine Name: Apple Power Mac G5
    Machine Model: PowerMac7,3
    CPU Type: PowerPC G5 (2.2)
    Number Of CPUs: 2
    CPU Speed: 1.8 GHz
    L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
    Memory: 4 GB
    Bus Speed: 900 MHz
    Boot ROM Version: 5.1.8f7
    Graphics/Displays:
    GeForce FX 5200:
    Chipset Model: GeForce FX 5200
    Type: Display
    Bus: AGP
    Slot: SLOT-1
    VRAM (Total): 64 MB
    Vendor: nVIDIA (0x10de)
    Device ID: 0x0321
    Revision ID: 0x00a2
    ROM Revision: 2060
    Displays:
    NEC FE991SB:
    Resolution: 1280 x 1024 @ 85 Hz
    Depth: 32-bit Color
    Core Image: Supported
    Mirror: On
    Mirror Status: Hardware Mirror
    Online: Yes
    Quartz Extreme: Supported
    DoubleSIght monitor specs (I might buy one of these):
    Display
    Viewable Area:550.08 x 343.8(H x V)Pixel Pitch:0.2865mm x 0.2865mmMax. Visible Angle:178' / 178'Response Time:5 ms (G T G)Brightness:500 cd/m typ.Aspect Ratio:16:10Contrast Ratio:800:1 typ.Recommended Resolution:1920 x 1200 max
    Monitor Stand
    Adjustable Monitor Stand:Tilt
    Video Signal
    Horizontal Frequency:31.5~ 82.3KHzVertical Frequency:56~76HzDigital Signal:HDCP Capable
    Interface
    Interface type:VGA 15-pin D-sub type/DVI-D type
    Power
    AC:Input: AC 110~220V, 50~60Hz; Output: DC+24V, 5.0APower Consumption:135W max., 2W Power Save Mode
    Characteristics
    Controls:Graphic OSD, Auto AdjustmentUSB:4 USB portsDimension:23.5in W x 18.0in H x 11.0in DWeight:23 lbs.Certification:FCCWarranty:Three year limited warranty (parts & labor)
    VESA
    VESA:100mm x 100mm
    Any advice on how i can learn about compatibility? And on what card i need to buy, if i do need to buy one? Thanks.

    Dear Discussion Folks,
    Thank you all so much for your help. I think I understand now, as a result of your comments and this reply from NVIDIA customer support:
    "I understand from your mail that you would like to know if GeForce FX 5200 Ultra supports your monitor that has a recommended digital resolution of 1920 x 1200.Please be informed that as per the NVIDIA records, the maximum digital resolution supported by this graphics card is 1600 x 1200 and the maximum analog resolution supported by this graphics card is 2048 x 1536. Since you have mentioned in your e-mail that the Apple's specs page says that the maximum digital resolution supported by this graphics card is 1920 x 1200, in this case, I request you to contact Apple Support over phone and get confirmed on this. The reason why I am requesting you to contact Apple is because, we at NVIDIA, manufacture only the basic chipsets for the graphics cards and sell them to Apple Computers. The Apple Computers produce the graphics cards using the NVIDIA chipsets."
    This reassured me that there's no reason to worry about the appearance of a contradiction between the Apple tech sheet and the NVIDIA tech sheet. I went ahead and ordered this monitor today: the DoubleSIght DS- 265W.
    (by the way, sorry about typing 1900x1200 when I meant 1920x1200).
    After it arrives in a week or two, I'll update this thread to confirm that its resolution is supported by the GeForce FX 5200 Ultra card.
    Thanks again,
    Mark

  • My Mac has gone really slow since upgrading to Mavericks. Any suggestions as to how to speed things up again?

    My Mac has gone really slow since upgrading to Mavericks. Any suggestions as to how to speed things up again?

    First, back up all data immediately unless you already have a current backup. If you can't back up, stop here. Do not take any of the steps below.
    Step 1
    This diagnostic procedure will query the log for messages that may indicate a system issue. It changes nothing, and therefore will not, in itself, solve your problem.
    If you have more than one user account, these instructions must be carried out as an administrator.
    Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:
    syslog -k Sender kernel -k Message CReq 'GPU |hfs: Ru|I/O e|find tok|n Cause: -|NVDA\(|pagin|timed? ?o' | tail | awk '/:/{$4=""; print}' | open -ef
    Copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C.
    Launch the Terminal application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Terminal in the icon grid.
    Paste into the Terminal window (command-V). I've tested these instructions only with the Safari web browser. If you use another browser, you may have to press the return key.
    The command may take a noticeable amount of time to run. Wait for a new line ending in a dollar sign (“$”) to appear.
    A TextEdit window will open with the output of the command. Normally the command will produce no output, and the window will be empty. If the TextEdit window (not the Terminal window) has anything in it, stop here and post it — the text, please, not a screenshot. The title of the TextEdit window doesn't matter, and you don't need to post that.
    Step 2
    There are a few other possible causes of generalized slow performance that you can rule out easily.
    Disconnect all non-essential wired peripherals and remove aftermarket expansion cards, if any.
    Reset the System Management Controller.
    Run Software Update. If there's a firmware update, install it.
    If you're booting from an aftermarket SSD, see whether there's a firmware update for it.
    If you have a portable computer, check the cycle count of the battery. It may be due for replacement.
    If you have many image or video files on the Desktop with preview icons, move them to another folder.
    If applicable, uncheck all boxes in the iCloud preference pane. See whether there's any change.
    Check your keychains in Keychain Access for excessively duplicated items.
    Boot into Recovery mode, launch Disk Utility, and run Repair Disk.
    If you have a MacBook Pro with dual graphics, disable automatic graphics switching in the Energy Saverpreference pane for better performance at the cost of shorter battery life.
    Step 3
    When you notice the problem, launch the Activity Monitor application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Activity Monitor in the icon grid.
    Select the CPU tab of the Activity Monitor window.
    Select All Processes from the View menu or the menu in the toolbar, if not already selected.
    Click the heading of the % CPU column in the process table to sort the entries by CPU usage. You may have to click it twice to get the highest value at the top. What is it, and what is the process? Also post the values for User, System, and Idle at the bottom of the window.
    Select the Memory tab. What value is shown in the bottom part of the window for Swap used?
    Next, select the Disk tab. Post the approximate values shown for Reads in/sec and Writes out/sec (not Reads in andWrites out.)
    Step 4
    If you have more than one user account, you must be logged in as an administrator to carry out this step.
    Launch the Console application in the same way you launched Activity Monitor. Make sure the title of the Console window is All Messages. If it isn't, select All Messages from the SYSTEM LOG QUERIES menu on the left. If you don't see that menu, select
    View ▹ Show Log List
    from the menu bar.
    Select the 50 or so most recent entries in the log. Copy them to the Clipboard by pressing the key combinationcommand-C. Paste into a reply to this message (command-V). You're looking for entries at the end of the log, not at the beginning.
    When posting a log extract, be selective. Don't post more than is requested.
    Please do not indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.
    Important: Some personal information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting. That should be easy to do if your extract is not too long.

  • How to speed MAC BOOK PRO

    starting Mac book pro become very slow about 4 minutes. How can I speed it?

    For disk repairs use Disk Utility.  For situations DU cannot handle the best third-party utility is: Disk Warrior;  DW only fixes problems with the disk directory, but most disk problems are caused by directory corruption. Drive Genius provides additional tools not found in Disk Warrior for defragmentation of older drives, disk repair, disk scans, formatting, partitioning, disk copy, and benchmarking.
    Four outstanding sources of information on Mac maintenance are:
    1. OS X Maintenance - MacAttorney.
    2. Mac maintenance Quick Assist
    3. Maintaining Mac OS X
    4. Mac Maintenance Guide
    Periodic Maintenance
    OS X performs certain maintenance functions that are scheduled to occur on a daily, weekly, or monthly period. The maintenance scripts run in the early AM only if the computer is turned on 24/7 (no sleep.) SeeMac OS X- About background maintenance tasks. If you are running Leopard or later these tasks are run automatically, so there is no need to use any third-party software to force running these tasks.
    If you are using a pre-Leopard version of OS X, then an excellent solution is to download and install a shareware utility such as Macaroni, JAW PseudoAnacron, or Anacron that will automate the maintenance activity regardless of whether the computer is turned off or asleep.  Dependence upon third-party utilities to run the periodic maintenance scripts was significantly reduced after Tiger.  (These utilities have limited or no functionality with Snow Leopard, Lion, or Mountain Lion and should not be installed.)
    Defragmentation
    OS X automatically defragments files less than 20 MBs in size, so unless you have a disk full of very large files there's little need for defragmenting the hard drive except when trying to install Boot Camp on a fragmented drive. But you don't need to buy third-party software. All you need is a spare external hard drive and Carbon Copy Cloner.
    Cheap and Easy Defragmentation
    You will have to backup your OS X partition to an external drive, boot from the external drive, use Disk Utility to repartition and reformat your hard drive back to a single volume, then restore your backup to the internal hard drive. You will use Carbon Copy Cloner to create the backup and to restore it.
      1. Get an empty external hard drive and clone your internal drive to the
           external one.
      2. Boot from the external hard drive.
      3. Erase the internal hard drive.
      4. Restore the external clone to the internal hard drive.
    Clone the internal drive to the external drive
      1. Open Carbon Copy Cloner.
      2. Select the Source volume from the left side dropdown menu.
      3. Select the Destination volume from the left side dropdown menu.
      4. Be sure the Block Copy button is not depressed or is ghosted.
      5. Click on the Clone button.
    Destination means the external backup drive. Source means the internal startup drive.
    Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager appears.  Select the icon for the external drive and click on the upward pointing arrow button.
    After startup do the following:
    Erase internal hard drive
      1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
      2. After DU loads select your internal hard drive (this is the entry with the
           mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the
           drive in DU's status area.  If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is
           failing or has failed and will need replacing.  SMART info will not be
           reported  on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the
           DU main window.
      3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the
           drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended
           (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to
           GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait
           until the process has completed.
    Restore the clone to the internal hard drive
      1. Open Carbon Copy Cloner.
      2. Select the Source volume from the left side dropdown menu.
      3. Select the Destination volume from the left side dropdown menu.
      4. Be sure the Block Copy button is not selected or is ghosted.
      5. Click on the Clone button.
    Destination means the internal hard drive. Source means the external startup drive.
    Note that the Source and Destination drives are swapped for this last procedure.
    Malware Protection
    As for malware protection there are few if any such animals affecting OS X. Starting with Lion Apple has included built-in malware protection that is automatically updated as necessary.
    Helpful Links Regarding Malware Protection:
    1. Mac Malware Guide.
    2. Detecting and avoiding malware and spyware
    3. Macintosh Virus Guide
    For general anti-virus protection I recommend only using ClamXav, but it is not necessary if you are keeping your computer's operating system software up to date. You should avoid any other third-party software advertised as providing anti-malware/virus protection. They are not required and could cause the performance of your computer to drop.
    Cache Clearing
    I recommend downloading a utility such as TinkerTool System, OnyX 2.4.3, or Cocktail 5.1.1 that you can use for periodic maintenance such as removing old log files and archives, clearing caches, etc. Corrupted cache files can cause slowness, kernel panics, and other issues. Although this is not a frequent nor a recurring problem, when it does happen there are tools such as those above to fix the problem.
    For emergency cleaning install the freeware utility Applejack.  If you cannot start up in OS X, you may be able to start in single-user mode from which you can run Applejack to do a whole set of repair and maintenance routines from the command line.  Note that AppleJack 1.5 is required for Leopard. AppleJack 1.6 is compatible with Snow Leopard. (AppleJack works with Snow Leopard or earlier.)
    Installing System Updates or Upgrades
    When you install any new system software or updates be sure to repair the hard drive and permissions beforehand. I also recommend booting into safe mode before doing system software updates.
    Backup and Restore
    Having a backup and restore strategy is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your computer. Get an external Firewire drive at least equal in size to the internal hard drive and make (and maintain) a bootable clone/backup. You can make a bootable clone using the Restore option of Disk Utility. You can also make and maintain clones with good backup software. My personal recommendations are (order is not significant):
      1. Carbon Copy Cloner.
      2. Deja Vu
      3. SuperDuper!
      4. Synk Pro
      5. Tri-Backup
    Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on maintenance and backup and restore.
    Always have a current backup before performing any system updates or upgrades.
    Be sure you have an adequate amount of RAM installed for the number of applications you run concurrently. Be sure you leave a minimum of 10% of the hard drive's capacity or 20 GBs, whichever is greater, as free space. Avoid installing utilities that rely on Haxies, SIMBL, or that alter the OS appearance, add features you will rarely if ever need, etc. The more extras you install the greater the probability of having problems. If you install software be sure you know how to uninstall it. Avoid installing multiple new software at the same time. Install one at a time and use it for a while to be sure it's compatible.
    Additional suggestions will be found in:   
    1. Mac OS X speed FAQ
    2. Speeding up Macs
    3. Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
    4. Essential Mac Maintenance: Get set up
    5. Essential Mac Maintenance: Rev up your routines
    6. Five Mac maintenance myths
    7. How to Speed up Macs
    8. Myths of required versus not required maintenance for Mac OS X

  • How to speed up early (January) 2008 Mac Pro

    Hello,
    Have just bought a s/hand Mac Pro whch I would like to speed up a little.   I have 8Gb RAM installed and can go to 16Gb, and could possibly replace my boot drive with SSd. 
    Can anyone tell me which is the better speed investment for using programmes like iMovie and PhotoShop? (not intensively, but regularly).
    I have read in a couple of places that SSd's favour 'read' over 'write' so wondered whether heavy writing programmes like PhotoShop would not fare well on such a drive?
    Thanks..BC

    There is only one way to make the computer truly run faster - faster CPUs and faster GPUs. SSDs only improve the speed of data I/O. If you don't do a lot, then SSDs only help with the speed of launching applications.
    More RAM doesn't make the computer faster it only enables the computers to run more applications concurrently or help applications that are very dependent on the use of physical RAM. See:
    About OS X Memory Management and Usage
    Using Activity Monitor to read System Memory & determine how much RAM is used
    Memory Management in Mac OS X
    Performance Guidelines- Memory Management in Mac OS X
    A detailed look at memory usage in OS X
    Understanding top output in the Terminal
    The amount of available RAM for applications is the sum of Free RAM and Inactive RAM. This will change as applications are opened and closed or change from active to inactive status. The Swap figure represents an estimate of the total amount of swap space required for VM if used, but does not necessarily indicate the actual size of the existing swap file. If you are really in need of more RAM that would be indicated by how frequently the system uses VM. If you open the Terminal and run the top command at the prompt you will find information reported on Pageins () and Pageouts (). Pageouts () is the important figure. If the value in the parentheses is 0 (zero) then OS X is not making instantaneous use of VM which means you have adequate physical RAM for the system with the applications you have loaded. If the figure in parentheses is running positive and your hard drive is constantly being used (thrashing) then you need more physical RAM.
    Adding RAM only makes it possible to run more programs concurrently.  It doesn't speed up the computer nor make games run faster.  What it can do is prevent the system from having to use disk-based VM when it runs out of RAM because you are trying to run too many applications concurrently or using applications that are extremely RAM dependent.  It will improve the performance of applications that run mostly in RAM or when loading programs.

  • How to speed up a mac

    How to speed up a Mac.

    More information is required to begin addressing your question, much more. What specific model Mac Pro are you using?  (Apple) menu > About This Mac...
    Whatever you do, do not download or install any product claiming to magically "clean up" or "speed up" or "optimize" your Mac. Without exception, they will do the opposite. If you already did, you found the problem. Fix it.
    If it is only Web browsing that seems to be slower than it used to, that is often the result of such sites becoming ever more demanding of hardware and bandwidth. Short of paying for faster Internet service, buying additional memory, or a faster Mac, there is little you can do to cope with such so-called progress.
    If you are experiencing general slowdowns or "freezes" unrelated to Internet activity, the problem may be related to your computer or the software you installed and is something you may be able to fix, or at least improve. Aside from hardware failures and software that you install, including OS upgrades, there is no reason that your computer should not work precisely the same as it did when it was new. 
    Without a more specific description it is difficult to provide specific guidance. Read the following to determine if something may apply to your concern:
    General Mac maintenance: Tips to keep your Mac in top form
    General purpose Mac troubleshooting guide: Isolating issues in Mac OS X
    Creating a temporary account to isolate user-specific problems: Isolating an issue by using another user account
    Memory limitations: Using Activity Monitor to read System Memory and determine how much RAM is being used
    Identifying resource hogs and other tips: Runaway applications can shorten battery runtime, affect performance, and increase heat and fan activity
    To identify potential hardware problems: Apple Hardware Test.
    To resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance, use Disk Utility.
    Safe Mode or "Safe Boot" is a troubleshooting mode that bypasses all third party system extensions and loads only required system components. Read about it: Starting up in Safe Mode

  • How to speed up booting process

    I was lucky the way I could try out different ways of instaling Solaris 10 together with XP Pro. However same thing always happend. I do not know why but Solaris booting manager is slow in my opinion. I can't find out how to speed up this process. Can somebody give some advice???

    Hey, I am new to solaris, but I think maybe you should try installing solaris alone, with out XP Pro on the machine at all. I also see what you mean about the long system loading. Think of it this way, Unix and Windows are different, Unix has a more stability, and better config options than windows, so load time is a small price to pay. I would say My node take about 3 minutes to login from the time i turn the power on. Windows booted the same computer in 1 minute 40 seconds. BUT, the windows machine started to lagg after a week or so, I've been able to run my solaris for 3 weeks with out shutdown. now there is 1 more problem, how am i going to pay my electricity bill?

  • New MBPs - how much speed do I need?

    I'm about to replace my ageing G4 with a new 15" MBP but need some help from you fine people on the best option. Only apps I use are iPhoto (30GB of photos and growing), iTunes (16GB incl some videos) and Safari. The only extra app I'm likely to use in future is Photoshop.
    I want at least 320GB which narrows the choice to 2 - the questions I'd love to have answered are:
    1. how much difference will the step from 2.66 to 2.8GHz make? And is it worth paying for the upgrade to 3GHz? (I've been given conflicting advice).
    2. Will the step up from Cache of 3MB (2.66 model) to 6MB (2.8 model) make a big difference?
    3. I'm happy to stay with 4GB RAM for now til prices come down - but keen to know will upgrading to 8GB in the future make a big difference to speed?
    Many thanks for your help
    Nathan

    Hi Nate,
    There are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a computer that I like to consider:
    *1.) What is my budget?*
    I typically have a "range" I want to shop in and normally that run will encompass two, sometimes three computers. One is usually right in the middle, one on the lower end and one either right on the top or a bit beyond. I'm not a big fan of stepping outside of my budget, simply because there usually other things I may want to get within the time frame I purchase the machine. I always allow for Applecare and will often times get some other accessories for the machine.
    *2.) How will I use the machine, right now*
    When I get it home, how will I use the computer over the next 3-8 months. Does the computer meet all of my needs and does it give me any room to expand at a later point in time? Or did get a machine that's "topped out" right off the bat.
    *3.) How will I use the machine, tomorrow*
    In a year or two from now, will my needs for the computer remain the same? Will the programs, games, or other hardware specific requirements I need allow me to grow and evolve with the machine? Or will I be using the machine in an environment where I do not need the latest and greatest and can happily enjoy the unit without ever upgrading.
    In your scenario it sounds like you've narrowed it down pretty well. The processor decision is definitely a tough one. Especially considering, unlike the HD and RAM options this choice is a final decision situation. I've never used my computer for anything that's so processor intensive that I've needed the fastest CPU available, so I can't exactly comment on how much of a difference you'd see between 2.66GHz and 3.0GHz (I'd imagine the difference up to the 2.8GHz would be even less noticeable unless your needs for the machine are specifically processor intensive).
    Regarding the L2 Cache debate, I think between 4GB of RAM and a 7200rpm you'll not see a difference in day-to-day processes. I know I stumbled across a ton of various benchmark discussions on ARS Technica and other "tech blogs" and of course the more... the merrier but in the day-to-day usage I really don't see the end user increasing productivity as a result of it.
    You can always upgrade the RAM at a later point in time when the 8GB option becomes more reasonable, as we all know it will. I'm sure if we revisit this conversation in 6 months from now we'll see a price shift.

  • How to speed up Mac OS X

    Very slow processing.  Any ideas of what to do?  Deleted cookies already.

    Get a faster model.
    If you can add more RAM, that's a start. Also, a faster hard drive if you can replace the hard drive. Then see:
    Kappy's Personal Suggestions About Mac Maintenance
    For disk repairs use Disk Utility.  For situations DU cannot handle the best third-party utility is: Disk Warrior;  DW only fixes problems with the disk directory, but most disk problems are caused by directory corruption. Drive Genius provides additional tools not found in Disk Warrior for defragmentation of older drives, disk repair, disk scans, formatting, partitioning, disk copy, and benchmarking. 
    Four outstanding sources of information on Mac maintenance are:
    1. OS X Maintenance - MacAttorney.
    2. Mac maintenance Quick Assist
    3. Maintaining Mac OS X
    4. Mac Maintenance Guide
    Periodic Maintenance
    OS X performs certain maintenance functions that are scheduled to occur on a daily, weekly, or monthly period. The maintenance scripts run in the early AM only if the computer is turned on 24/7 (no sleep.) See Mac OS X- About background maintenance tasks. If you are running Leopard or later these tasks are run automatically, so there is no need to use any third-party software to force running these tasks.
    If you are using a pre-Leopard version of OS X, then an excellent solution is to download and install a shareware utility such as Macaroni, JAW PseudoAnacron, or Anacron that will automate the maintenance activity regardless of whether the computer is turned off or asleep.  Dependence upon third-party utilities to run the periodic maintenance scripts was significantly reduced after Tiger.  (These utilities have limited or no functionality with Snow Leopard, Lion, or Mountain Lion and should not be installed.)
    Defragmentation
    OS X automatically defragments files less than 20 MBs in size, so unless you have a disk full of very large files there's little need for defragmenting the hard drive except when trying to install Boot Camp on a fragmented drive. But you don't need to buy third-party software. All you need is a spare external hard drive and Carbon Copy Cloner.
    Cheap and Easy Defragmentation
    You will have to backup your OS X partition to an external drive, boot from the external drive, use Disk Utility to repartition and reformat your hard drive back to a single volume, then restore your backup to the internal hard drive. You will use Carbon Copy Cloner to create the backup and to restore it.
      1. Get an empty external hard drive and clone your internal drive to the
           external one.
      2. Boot from the external hard drive.
      3. Erase the internal hard drive.
      4. Restore the external clone to the internal hard drive.
    Clone the internal drive to the external drive
      1. Open Carbon Copy Cloner.
      2. Select the Source volume from the left side dropdown menu.
      3. Select the Destination volume from the left side dropdown menu.
      4. Be sure the Block Copy button is not depressed or is ghosted.
      5. Click on the Clone button.
    Destination means the external backup drive. Source means the internal startup drive.
    Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager appears.  Select the icon for the external drive and click on the upward pointing arrow button.
    After startup do the following:
    Erase internal hard drive
      1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
      2. After DU loads select your internal hard drive (this is the entry with the
           mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the
           drive in DU's status area.  If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is
           failing or has failed and will need replacing.  SMART info will not be
           reported  on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the
           DU main window.
      3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the
           drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended
           (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to
           GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait
           until the process has completed.
    Restore the clone to the internal hard drive
      1. Open Carbon Copy Cloner.
      2. Select the Source volume from the left side dropdown menu.
      3. Select the Destination volume from the left side dropdown menu.
      4. Be sure the Block Copy button is not selected or is ghosted.
      5. Click on the Clone button.
    Destination means the internal hard drive. Source means the external startup drive.
    Note that the Source and Destination drives are swapped for this last procedure.
    Malware Protection
    As for malware protection there are few if any such animals affecting OS X. Starting with Lion, Apple has included built-in malware protection that is automatically updated as necessary. To assure proper protection, update your system software when Apple releases new OS X updates for your computer.
    Helpful Links Regarding Malware Protection:
    1. Mac Malware Guide.
    2. Detecting and avoiding malware and spyware
    3. Macintosh Virus Guide
    For general anti-virus protection I recommend only using ClamXav, but it is not necessary if you are keeping your computer's operating system software up to date. You should avoid any other third-party software advertised as providing anti-malware/virus protection. They are not required and could cause the performance of your computer to drop.
    Cache Clearing
    I recommend downloading a utility such as TinkerTool System, OnyX 2.4.3, Mountain Lion Cache Cleaner 7.0.9, Maintenance 1.6.8, or Cocktail 5.1.1 that you can use for periodic maintenance such as removing old log files and archives, clearing caches, etc. Corrupted cache files can cause slowness, kernel panics, and other issues. Although this is not a frequent nor a recurring problem, when it does happen there are tools such as those above to fix the problem.
    If you are using Snow Leopard or earlier, then for emergency cleaning install the freeware utility Applejack.  If you cannot start up in OS X, you may be able to start in single-user mode from which you can run Applejack to do a whole set of repair and maintenance routines from the command line.  Note that AppleJack 1.5 is required for Leopard. AppleJack 1.6 is compatible with Snow Leopard. (AppleJack works with Snow Leopard or earlier.)
    Installing System Updates or Upgrades
    Repair the hard drive and permissions beforehand.
    Update your backups in case an update goes bad.
    Backup and Restore
    Having a backup and restore strategy is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your computer. Get an external Firewire drive at least equal in size to the internal hard drive and make (and maintain) a bootable clone/backup. You can make a bootable clone using the Restore option of Disk Utility. You can also make and maintain clones with good backup software. You can never have too many backups. Don't rely on just one. Make several using different backup utilities. My personal recommendations are (order is not significant):
         1. Carbon Copy Cloner
         2. Get Backup
         3. Deja Vu
         4. SuperDuper!
         5. Synk Pro
         6. Tri-Backup
    Visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on maintenance and backup and restore.
    Always have a current backup before performing any system updates or upgrades.
    Final Suggestions
    Be sure you have an adequate amount of RAM installed for the number of applications you run concurrently. Be sure you leave a minimum of 10% of the hard drive's capacity or 20 GBs, whichever is greater, as free space. Avoid installing utilities that rely on Haxies, SIMBL, or that alter the OS appearance, add features you will rarely if ever need, etc. The more extras you install the greater the probability of having problems. If you install software be sure you know how to uninstall it. Avoid installing multiple new software at the same time. Install one at a time and use it for a while to be sure it's compatible.
    Additional reading may be found in:    
    1. Mac OS X speed FAQ
    2. Speeding up Macs
    3. Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
    4. Essential Mac Maintenance: Get set up
    5. Essential Mac Maintenance: Rev up your routines
    6. Five Mac maintenance myths
    7. How to Speed up Macs
    8. Myths of required versus not required maintenance for Mac OS X
    Referenced software can be found at CNet Downloads or MacUpdate.
    Most if not all maintenance is for troubleshooting problems. If your computer is running OK, then there isn't really a thing you need to do except repair the hard drive and permissions before installing any new system updates.

  • Speed at my computer

    I have to reset my Hub every day as the speed to my computer keeps dropping whilst the connection speed to my house remains a good constant speed.
    That is, it remains at about 39Mb while the download speed drops to around 4Mb and the upload speed is about 5Mb.
    After reset the connection speed remains at about 39Mb and the download speed goes up to about 38Mb with the upload speed stays at about 5MB.
    This happens at least twice a day. I have tried switching off various devices to see if there is any change, that is to see if any of my devices are affecting the hub, but nothing has any apparent effect.
    Is my Hub faulty? We did have some thunder storms recently, could this have affected the hub? it is surge protected.

    I suggest you try a factory reset of the hub
    http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11386/~/how-do-i-reset-my-bt-home-hub-to-its-factory-...
    Which hub is it? HH5?
    If you found this post helpful, please click on the star on the left
    If not, I'll try again

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