[Closed] "New" laptop help - ridiculously slow

Is the HDD light jammed on? Find out why.

It may be that it needs to do a load of things as it's a new install. Are all updates etc downloaded and installed already or is it doing that sort of thing in the background?

I'd be inclined to do a clean install, probably quicker than all the checking and tweaking and with a more certain outcome.

Start task manager - run resource monitor - if nothing is showing as maxed out
and you cannot identify a rogue process - then it is likely a hardware fault.
Boot from a Linux bootable drive - usb stick/dvd drive or external hard drive
if it runs ok then its possibly the internal hard drive - put an ssd in.
Try to distinguish if it is a network driver/card/firmware fault.
Apply all the updates from Samsung for that model - driver and firmware.

Hang on for a week or two till windows 10 comes out then do a clean install

It's running through the Windows Update thing now. 164 updates and 1.2gb to download. It's been doing that since about 8pm last night, but at first it couldn't even check for updates - had to run a hotfix first. Still going, but again it's taking ages. Been "preparing to install..." for the last 45 minutes.

Send it back.

A machine with 6GB and an i3 processor should work at a decent pace.

If it's slow now it will only get slower (what with it being Windows PC!)

Annoying though it is, let it run through all of that then see.

resource monitor

Very tedious 🙁

Just realised its only showing 1.7gb total system memory, and it's using ~60%

Something not right here.

A machine with 6GB and an i3 processor should work at a decent pace.

Not my (limited) experience.. I won't recommend i3's, because as you say it'll only get even slower.
off-hand I would be to un-install avast and cc-cleaner, install MS defender & use TFC (from oldtimer) to clear up temp files but I'm not really sure that going to help over all performance 'that much' TBH

EDIT: is the graphic card using 'shared' memory? (what laptop model/spec)

If it's slow now it will only get slower (what with it being Windows PC!)

The 1990s are on the phone, they want their clichés back.

Just realised its only showing 1.7gb total system memory, and it's using ~60%

Has the other SODIMM popped loose, perhaps? Worth checking.

That's an odd figure though; where are you getting it from?

I would be to un-install avast and cc-cleaner, install MS defender & use TFC (from oldtimer) to clear up temp files

Defender should automatically activate if you remove Avast, but yes, that's what I'd do too.

Just had a look in the back and it's just 1x2gb memory module. Guess it's going back then...

Is there an empty slot also?

I don't know that particular model, but I've seen laptop motherboard layouts where there's two slots in different places. Eg, one easy-to-access "expansion" slot and the original pre-populated slot buried inside somewhere. It's a bloody stupid design but it happens.

If there's two slots visible then yeah, it looks like you've been missold.

installed Malwarebytes, Spybot S&D, CCleaner and Avast

I have avast AND windows defender on at the same time with my works I7 12gb ram PC at work and it killed it. Take one of those off and you'll likely fix the problem.

imho it's not going to play well Whilst downloading 1.2gig of updates - stick in a network cable and come back to it when it's finished.

+1 what Wozza said.

I ran defragementer a few times when i got a slow reconditioned laptop and it made a massive difference
Don't just rely on the scheduled defragment as it doesn't seem to do as good a job

True, but a relatively empty disk shouldn't be very fragmented.

Reboot before and after seems to help it as less files are locked.

If it's slow now it will only get slower (what with it being Windows PC!).

The 1990s are on the phone, they want their clichés back.

yeah the clock chip gets a bit tired unless you do a defrag and total OS reinstall. 🙄

hint: defrag shouldn't do jack. at least on the base OS install, unless windows just likes moving unchanged bits of disk about just for the fun of it.

1.7gig reported seems odd if it was sold at 6gig. might be reasonable for a reported available memory (but I have no idea how that OS reports free RAM).

I'd take it back.

True, but a relatively empty disk shouldn't be very fragmented.

If it's free it's worth trying 🙂

Can you go to control panel and then system and list the system details up on here :- processor, installed memory and operating system type - also do these tally with what you've been sold?

I'd rather have a virus than Norton. Start by getting rid if that.

Can you go to control panel and then system and list the system details up on here

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Everything is as described, other than the RAM. I bought this model over others specifically because of the extra RAM.

In the BIOS, it says there is nothing in memory slot 1 and 2GB in slot 2. I can only see one slot when I take the back off...

I don't think you'd be unreasonable to go back to the seller telling them exactly that. You paid for 6Gb, it's only got 2. If there's second hidden slot and the memory has come loose then they can either talk you through that or they should accept that they have to sort it.

Or they send you new memory (I'd be pushing for 8Gb...)

Oh, and 6 more updates just appeared. It's much better after those were installed.

I wish there was a resolution on these matters...!

I wish there was a resolution on these matters...!

I hope this puts your mind at rest.

I hope this puts your mind at rest.

I [b]bought [/b]2 x 4gb memory sticks off eBay and installed those. It works fine now.

What?! You paid [b]again [/b]for the RAM you were supposed to have paid for already?

Defragging on modern Win 8+ machines is not required. The OS does it for you. Also I'd be buying a laptop with an SSD drive now anyway. Laptop hard discs are still clunky and slow. SSDs are a massive difference (and you don't defrag them. You need Win 8 or newer for the OS to use an SSD properly). SSDs on a desktop are even well worth it. I've just done that on my main desktop. Moved the OS and apps to the SSD which makes launching apps amazingly fast, and then the existing hard disc has all the data.

The Flying Ox - Member
Clearly 2gb is not enough to run 64bit Windows 7 properly

Whatever the OS, 64bit will double a lot of memory requirements for programs. 2gb will rarely be enough. If you're limited to 2gb it's far better to run 32bit. My Dell tablet is such a device. It's a 64bit processor but comes 32bit. There are ways to hack it to install 64bit but I wouldn't do it as the physical limit is 2gb. 32bit Win 7, 8.1 and 10 in 2gb have all been fine. My desktop, 64bit - uses almost 4gb before it's even got the desktop loaded!

The RAM thing is a shocker! Yes, I'm sure you're still chasing the retailer, but you did the right thing in just getting it sorted so you can use it.

removed all the awful bloatware

installed Malwarebytes, Spybot S&D, CCleaner and Avast

Little bit of a contradiction. Avast especially, but also Spybot, etc, running in the background can slow things down. For antivirus just stick with the Microsoft Security Essentials. If you want the spyware stuff on top, just make sure you set it to only run it when you run it, no "teatimer" stuff to slow you down.

A clean install with an i3 and 8GB RAM on Windows 10 should run perfectly well.

As an upgrade down the line, look at an SSD drive. The prices are going through the floor, and it will keep your machine looking rapid in a year or twos time.

Good luck!