Brand new PC

Am I missing something?

[giggle]

I just bought a brand new PC

Spec:
Pentium 4
256mb RAM
40G Harddisk
Windows XP

The trouble is my old Compaq laptop running at 850mz/Win2000k is faster. The PC periodically pauses, won't let me change focus to another program if it is busy.

I know that 256mb RAM is a bit small, but I thought that the machine would run sufficiently fast anyway.

I live in Thailand and the PC isn't a badged one. Have I been ripped off?

Any ideas?

[mack]

Maybee take a look inside to make sure the computer is of the specification you asked for.

[kevinpate]

Iffin i were a bettin man, I'd wager it has a lot to do with the XP op system you now have

[mahlon]

On startup, F2 and check the specs, it will show you whats inside the machine. Or if all else fails, think about reformatting the hardrive and reinstalling XP.

[digitalghost]

Before I started poking around inside the machine or started reformatting I'd crtl alt del and see how many programs are running in the background. New PCs are sometimes loaded up with so many default proggies that run on startup that they can't perform well.

[lawman]

Sometimes the Intel Application Accelerator becomes corrupted, especially if you've installed xp pro over xp home.

Go HERE [support.intel.com] to download the accelerator.

Note that the accelerator only works on certain chip sets. If you don't know which chip set is in you computer, the site has a utility to determine which you have.

How do I know this? I installed pro over home. I immediately noticed a severe degradation in boot performance and application loading. I also lost my paging (swap) file and couldn't make the darn thing work using traditional methods. Reinstallation of the accelerator cleared up all my problems.

Hope this helps.

lawman

[digitalghost]

Lawman, I think the keywords here are: "I just bought a brand new PC". Good point about the accelerator though, I know a number of people that installed Pro over the Home version that had problems.

[lawman]

BTW, if you have a lot of applications running at the same time, you might need to increase the size of your swap file.

<added>
Directions to increase paging (swap) file:

In Start Menu, right click on My Computer
Click on Properties
Click Advanced tab at top
Click Settings in Performance box
Click Advanced tab
Click Change under Virtual Memory
</added>

[giggle]

As usual with WebMaster World contributers great answers. A lot of knowledge out there.

I'm downloading the Accelerator now, thanks.

Swap File: Does that refer to the Virtual Memory? If so, System Managed Size is selected. Is that correct?

[lawman]

Swap file is virtual memory. You can allow the system to manage it or set it yourself.

[msr986]

> Iffin i were a bettin man, I'd wager it has a lot to do with the XP op system you now have

I wouldn't take that bet. A lot of people around here have xp installed and say it's very usable and stable. I doubt that a clean xp install could cause this problem.

[giggle]

Arrgh.

When you mentioned the Windows XP I took a look at the set of CD's and there is no WindowsXP CD.

I tried to download patches using the Windows Update feature and it reported that the version of Windows XP is not licenced! (quite common here in Thailand unfortunately).

I guess that this might have something to do with it?

[digitalghost]

If you don't activate the XP OS in 30 days, your PC won't function at all.

[Visit Thailand]

digitalhost - that only applies for originals I am told. I have also been told that you can get updates with non licensed but not SP2 pack. That is of course all hearsay.

Giggle, best thing to do is take it back to the shop and see what they say. I have had problems with made to order comps but it tends to be a simple electric connection is not very good.

Also as you have said 256 is not very much, I would definitely look at upping to minimum of 512 (is that right? 512!)