C.p.u

[Retlaw]

Can the central processor get tired and run slow, I've tried removing a lot of the photographs from the computer, sorted out what opens on startup, run defrag and registry clean up, but the dammed thing still runs slow.

Any answers to the problem.

Retlaw

[Studio25]

Intel CPUs "step down" their speed if they get too hot. It's possible that this is happening if it's a gradual decrease in performance during a computing session that recovers after an hour or so of switch-off.

More likely is that your hard drive has stepped down from DMA mode.

Start – Control Panel – System – Hardware (tab) – Device Manager

Select “IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers”

Select each of the primary and secondary IDE channels in turn (primary is the hard drive, secondary is the CD drive), and click on the “Advanced settings” tab when in there.

If the current transfer is PIO mode, you need to go into the registry editor to fix it. Let me know by PM if this is the case - I'm not posting public instructions on editing your registry considering the potential for royally messing up the PC.

[entwisi]

Or even Windows doing its usual slow down. Its also one of those natural things that things seeem to slow down when you are used to them

Teh first time I rode my first 400cc bike I thought it was amazingly quick, 2 months later I was convinced it was broken, a quick ride out with mate on back and he confirmed it wasn't! , same with my 600 and my 1000cc ones, we always seem to want MORE!

one way to test it is to download and install SiSoft Sandra. Its a benchmarking tool that will test your PC and give you comparisons to 'known' standards. e.g. it knows what an Intel 2.4Gig P4 CPU shoudl do so if thats what you have you know thats asomething is wrong if yours doesn't match up. its also good for testing Hard disks/CD/DVD/Memory etc.

The freeware version is slightly cut down but does enough to get a good idea if anything is wrong.

SiSoftware Zone

[Studio25]

[quote=entwisi;620906]Or even Windows doing its usual slow down. Its also one of those natural things that things seeem to slow down when you are used to them.../quote]
True, windows may appear to slow down with time, as you get used to it. Plus it may genuinely slow down as you add more programs to it.

It can also slow down gradually because of disk fragmentation. There are many reasons for a perceived gradual slowdown.

I assumed this was a big, noticeable drop in speed, though, because of Retlaw's description.

[Retlaw]

Hi Studio and Ian.

Now don't you two start arguing.
Last night I ran defrag 6 times and did notice an increase in speed afterwards.
I use as a comparison the computers in Accy Library, they are slow.

Its mainly when I am processing photographs, when the slow down becomes apparent.

I will try Studio's suggestion later today
Many thanks
Retlaw

[entwisi]

retlaw, you can't compare two PCs as the specs can be massively different.

if its only in processing images its likely that you don't have enough RAM installed or you are running some processing that is massively CPU intensive like unsharp masks etc. You can improve things by setting a fixed swap file of a suitable size, I would suggest 1 gig min and max as a starting point. Even better if you have multiple hard disks by putting teh swap file on a second disk on a secondary IDE controller.

[Retlaw]

Hi Ian and Studio25.

Checked device manager IDE ATA?ATAPI controllers

Device 0 DMA if available

Device 1 Auto Detection
DMA if available

I already have the swap file set to 1 gig min max.

Tried installing another 1/2 gig ram two years back around Easter, the dammed thing threw a wobbler, when PC world finlly re-opened, they said that windows had corrupted itself, when I took the memory chip out every thing was back to normal, think there might be a fault on the mother board. I've tried to find a 1gig chip to fit my board but they don't seem to make them.

Think I'll pull the thing to bits and give the cpu fan, and cooling fins a good clean.

Retlaw

[Retlaw]

Cleaned out the inside of the computer,and under the 3 French hens two Turtle doves, and Margarets Rothwells hair curlers, I found the fan on top of the CPU, took it off and you should have seen the dust and hairs, I'll kill that bloody dog, took the fan off and brushed it clean, blew all the dust out, will probably know later when I process some JPG files if its made a difference.

Retlaw.

[Studio25]

Originally Posted by Retlaw

Checked device manager IDE ATA?ATAPI controllers

Device 0 DMA if available

What does it say under "DMA if available"? The two settings you have ("PIO mode" and "DMA if available") are what you want - not necessarily what you're getting. That's indicated in a text box underneath the selection combo box.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Studio25

What does it say under "DMA if available"? The two settings you have ("PIO mode" and "DMA if available") are what you want - not necessarily what you're getting. That's indicated in a text box underneath the selection combo box.

Hi Studio25

The box that opens reads
-------------------------------------------
Device 0
Device type Auto detection (greyed out)
transfer mode DMA if available
transfer Mode Ulta DMA Mode 5
----------------------------------------

Device 1
Device Type Auto Detection.
transfer mode DMA if available
current transfer mode not applicable
------------------------------------------
Retlaw.

[Studio25]

That looks fine. It's not your hard drive transfer.

Is it a laptop or desktop machine?

[Retlaw]

Many thanks Studio25
Its a desktop.
I probably need more ram, but after the last episode of trying to add more, unless I can get 1 gig, in one strip of DDRSDRAM 184 pin DDR Dimm PC 2100 266mghz, I'm stuck.

Retlaw

Originally Posted by Studio25

That looks fine. It's not your hard drive transfer.

Is it a laptop or desktop machine?

[Studio25]

Aah - I was hoping it was a laptop so I could blame dust in the cooling fan ducts.

If you can see any dust patches in the vents, it might be worth removing the cover and having a hoover out in there, especially around the CPU. Make sure you don't touch anything with the hose: Usual disclaimers apply...

While the PC is booted up and logged in, press <Ctrl> <Alt> <Del> (the three keys together) and when the task manager comes up, click the "processes" tab. Then click the "User name" column heading to sort it by those entries. If it sorts so that all you can see is the SYSTEM user, click "User name" again to sort descending.

Then press <Alt> <PrtSC> together (might be labelled "Print Screen" or "Prnt Scrn" - it's at the top right of the keyboard near the function keys.) Close Task Manager normally, then open Paint (Start - All programs - Accessories - Paint). Go to Image - Attributes and change the dimensions to 5x5. OK that dialog to close it then press <Ctrl> <V>

Save the screen dump (JPEG is probably best) then reply in here, adding it as an attachment.

[entwisi]

one slightly alternative train of thought, how big is teh image you are playing with? Megabytes or pixels is fine.

what image software?

what other programs are running at teh same time?

what speed of processor is this we are talking about?

what type of edits are you making to them( i mentioned earlier about some processes being very slow even on high spec machines)

[Retlaw]

Hi Ian
Microsoft Digital Image Pro.

other programms none.

Supposed to be 2.13 Ghz

The images are down loaded documents from whats known as the burnt and unburnt documents, WWI British Service Records.
Whoever scanned these documents did it against a black background,

So I have to find a bit of the document thats white and then use that to erase all the unessesary black, can be up to 30% of whats on screen, sometimes sharpen the image as well, and alter the contrast.

Even when I've finished one document and saved it, it takes while to save and move to the next Document.

Retlaw.

Originally Posted by entwisi

one slightly alternative train of thought, how big is teh image you are playing with? Megabytes or pixels is fine.

what image software?

what other programs are running at teh same time?

what speed of processor is this we are talking about?

what type of edits are you making to them( i mentioned earlier about some processes being very slow even on high spec machines)