Memory Optimizer?

[Riptorn]

Hi, do you think it is a good idea to install a good memory optimizer for my laptop?
I still have 50gb hard drive, 4GB Ram, but it all seems slow, especially opening apps?
Can anyone help me, or, guide me in the right direction?

Regards
Riptorn

 

[Frostmourne]

Vista manages memory fine and you don't need a memory optimizer to sit in the background doing the same job. Try defragging your hard drive and making sure Vista does it automatically.

 

[truthkid]

Hi, do you think it is a good idea to install a good memory optimizer for my laptop?
I still have 50gb hard drive, 4GB Ram, but it all seems slow, especially opening apps?
Can anyone help me, or, guide me in the right direction?

Regards
Riptorn

I've never seen any noticeable performance increases with so called memory optimizers. Two things are worth trying, open MSCONFIG (win r and type msconfig) and go to the startup tab. How many entries are there? Hit Ctrl Shift Tab to open Task Manager. Do you have any processes that are constantly using a high % of your CPU? Any that have a high memory usage? You may need to disable some startup programs in the MSCONFIG prompt you had open earlier, as a lot of programs like to think they are important enough to start with the computer whether you like it or not. You may also have a spyware/virus infection. What programs are you using for protection?

 

[stew2]

Hi riptorn,

A memory optimizer is a bad idea, due to the way Vista handles RAM. If you click the link in my signature there are tweaks there you can apply to speed up your laptop. You can also download these apps:

Tune Up Utilities
PerfectDisk

Tune Up Utilities will clear out trash files, apply tweaks, select startup apps etc while PerfectDisk will defrag the hard drive plus boot files, page file etc

 

[truthkid]

+1 to PerfectDisk. Everyone is partial to their own programs. I also like to run CCleaner to clean up temp files and the registry.

 

[Riptorn]

Hi riptorn,

A memory optimizer is a bad idea, due to the way Vista handles RAM. If you click the link in my signature there are tweaks there you can apply to speed up your laptop. You can also download these apps:

Tune Up Utilities
PerfectDisk

Tune Up Utilities will clear out trash files, apply tweaks, select startup apps etc while PerfectDisk will defrag the hard drive plus boot files, page file etc

Great!.. Thanks so much for that!

 

[Riptorn]

Hi riptorn,

A memory optimizer is a bad idea, due to the way Vista handles RAM. If you click the link in my signature there are tweaks there you can apply to speed up your laptop. You can also download these apps:

Tune Up Utilities
PerfectDisk

Tune Up Utilities will clear out trash files, apply tweaks, select startup apps etc while PerfectDisk will defrag the hard drive plus boot files, page file etc

Hi Stew2
I deleted everything in the prefetch, but now everything is Sooooo slow?
Will it get back to normal??
Also I changed the folders to start in a new process?
I only have 1 processor on this laptop?
Can you please guide me?
Thanks
Phillip

 

[stew2]

Hi riptorn

Once you've deleted evrything in the prefetch Vista has to start rebuilding it. While its doing that it wil be a bit slower as there is nothing in the prefetch. Once you've used an application it will be added into the prefetch and its the same for your startup items. So use a few applications and reboot a few times and you should see it speed up.

For the folders to start in a seperate process increases the stability of Vista and is therefore a good thing However if you find that your laptop cant handle more processes being open then just undo it.

 

[Riptorn]

Hi riptorn

Once you've deleted evrything in the prefetch Vista has to start rebuilding it. While its doing that it wil be a bit slower as there is nothing in the prefetch. Once you've used an application it will be added into the prefetch and its the same for your startup items. So use a few applications and reboot a few times and you should see it speed up.

For the folders to start in a seperate process increases the stability of Vista and is therefore a good thing However if you find that your laptop cant handle more processes being open then just undo it.

Great!, thanks so much for that.

 

[archie123]

hold down ctrl and alt then hit delete once

select task manger

open the processes tab

put a check in the "show processes from all users" box

look at the bottom and tell us how many running processes you have

we can take it from there

 

[Riptorn]

hold down ctrl and alt then hit delete once

select task manger

open the processes tab

put a check in the "show processes from all users" box

look at the bottom and tell us how many running processes you have

we can take it from there

Ok, well, the only application I found that was hogging, was Microsoft Security Essentials, @ over 55,0000k??..hmmm..

 

[archie123]

hold down ctrl and alt then hit delete once

select task manger

open the processes tab

put a check in the "show processes from all users" box

look at the bottom and tell us how many running processes you have

we can take it from there

Ok, well, the only application I found that was hogging, was Microsoft Security Essentials, @ over 55,0000k??..hmmm..

no thats ok mate 55000 is fine but how many proesses do you ahve running? Im asking because we can look into yuor startup filder make sue you aint got stuff running at startup that doesnt need to be there hogging your memory or using cpu cycles

 

[Riptorn]

hold down ctrl and alt then hit delete once

select task manger

open the processes tab

put a check in the "show processes from all users" box

look at the bottom and tell us how many running processes you have

we can take it from there

Ok, well, the only application I found that was hogging, was Microsoft Security Essentials, @ over 55,0000k??..hmmm..

no thats ok mate 55000 is fine but how many proesses do you ahve running? Im asking because we can look into yuor startup filder make sue you aint got stuff running at startup that doesnt need to be there hogging your memory or using cpu cycles

Oh!!.. ok, the only thing starting up is:
1.BitDefender
2.Microsoft Security Essentials
3.Bluetooth

That's all.

 

[stew2]

If you use the Tune Up Utilities Startup Manager you will be able to make sure that is all thats starting up.

Heres a pic of my Task Manager:

View attachment 14023

In the lower left corner you can see iv got 36 processes running. What does yours say?

 

[Riptorn]

If you use the Tune Up Utilities Startup Manager you will be able to make sure that is all thats starting up.

Heres a pic of my Task Manager:

View attachment 14023

In the lower left corner you can see iv got 36 processes running. What does yours say?

OK, I got 68... is that bad?

 

[Riptorn]

Ok, well, the only application I found that was hogging, was Microsoft Security Essentials, @ over 55,0000k??..hmmm..

no thats ok mate 55000 is fine but how many proesses do you ahve running? Im asking because we can look into yuor startup filder make sue you aint got stuff running at startup that doesnt need to be there hogging your memory or using cpu cycles

Oh!!.. ok, the only thing starting up is:
1.BitDefender
2.Microsoft Security Essentials
3.Bluetooth

That's all.

I got 68??..eek

 

[stew2]

For a laptop id class 68 as too many. Really you want to get that number down to around 40.

Every process is using RAM and also CPU time. When your laptop is idle which means you've closed all open windows and are not using the pc, there is a process in Task Manager thats called System Idle Process that should read 99 under the CPU header which indicates that all system tasks are taking less than 1% off your cpu.

Use the tune up utilities and see if you can get rid of any startup items and then click the link in my signature and do Step 11. That step deals with Services running and if you are not comfortable changing settings there, then dont .

 

[Riptorn]

For a laptop id class 68 as too many. Really you want to get that number down to around 40.

Every process is using RAM and also CPU time. When your laptop is idle which means you've closed all open windows and are not using the pc, there is a process in Task Manager thats called System Idle Process that should read 99 under the CPU header which indicates that all system tasks are taking less than 1% off your cpu.

Use the tune up utilities and see if you can get rid of any startup items and then click the link in my signature and do Step 11. That step deals with Services running and if you are not comfortable changing settings there, then dont .

Hmm.. Well, I can see a few, like:
1. Quickbooks Company File Monitoring
2.Photoshop Elements File Agent
3.Site Advisor
4.Apple Mobile Device
What happens if I get rid of these?
I am unsure what to do?

 

[stew2]

Ok so you've got your Services window open and those items are showing as Automatic. Right Click on the Service name you want to change settings for and select Properties this will open a new small window where it says Startup Type with Automatic in a box next to it. Just change that box so it says Manual and then click Apply

Do the same for any other services you want. If you are unsure then just change one service, for example the Apple Mobile Device and then reboot your laptop. Then check that itunes etc still work the way you want.

When changing a service you will need to reboot for the changes to take effect.

 

[Riptorn]

Ok so you've got your Services window open and those items are showing as Automatic. Right Click on the Service name you want to change settings for and select Properties this will open a new small window where it says Startup Type with Automatic in a box next to it. Just change that box so it says Manual and then click Apply

Do the same for any other services you want. If you are unsure then just change one service, for example the Apple Mobile Device and then reboot your laptop. Then check that itunes etc still work the way you want.

When changing a service you will need to reboot for the changes to take effect.

Ok, thanks stew2, I will do that.
Will let you know what happens, ok
Thanks for your time!