astri13 | (no subject)

Current Mood: annoyed

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Sigh, the ventilation on my laptop turns itself on and runs for hours. And it`s freaking loud. Now I don`t think that`s normal, the running all the time that is. The noise seems to be a trademark of this model. Also my working speed - everything I try to do, opening files, programes, shifting files, running certain operations - everything takes a shitload of time suddenly. I freed up more space on the harddrive, more than enough really, still not much effect. I`m having the sneaking suspicion my compi runs programes it isn`t supposed to and slows me down that way but how can I figure this out? Any ideas? I could deal with the slowness but the neverending ventilation is unbearable.

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I'm no expert, but for the slowness, it sounds like maybe you need more memory. Can you add memory?

It also sounds like maybe the fan is just loud. I had that problem with my desktop and had to get new fans. (These fans started getting louder and seemed to run all the time. I think my fans actually do run all the time, but I never noticed until they got really loud.) Can you replace the fan on your computer?

To stop programs you don't need from running in the background on your computer you can do this:

Start>Run Then type in: msconfig

From there click on the "startup" tab.

You will get a list of all the programs that run in the background. I shut off stuff like Quicktime and every little thingamajig if I know what it is and know I don't need it to run on startup and stay running. If I don't know what it is, I leave it alone.

Have you used an anti-virus and anti-spyware program? You should probably have both of those checking out the machine if you don't already.

Also under Windows Defender(part of the security program that comes with Windows Vista) there is a way to turn off different programs that start up when you turn on your computer. Under the Tools menu, it's called Software Explorer. It should be on "StartUp Programs" when you go into it but if it isn't there is a drop down menu. At the bottom of the screen hit "Show for all Users"(even if you are the only user:), that way it will allow you to disable any software programs you don't want to start up when the computer starts(like there really isn't any reason to start up Adobe Reader, if you need it you can click on it when you have to read a pdf file, otherwise you don't need that stuff running in the background). I don't know if this would make a different but it might.

Using this works a little better than MSCONFIG on Windows Vista(if that is what you have) if only because you don't get an annoying message every time you turn on the computer saying "You are using selective startup..." I went from Windows ME to Windows Vista so I don't know how Windows XP worked.

Unless you are very cautious its hard to avoid picking up spyware. Websites that ask you for a confirmation, usually in the context of giving you something, install spyware. Its a good proactice to pick up a program like Spybot Search and Destroy, or any recognized spyware and scan your system. It will take a while and when its done you need to do it again. You keep doing it until it comes back and says it can't find anything.

Then you should run your antivirus. You want to be able to run one after the other and have them both say nothing found. It could take a while depending on how bad your system is. If you leave Spybot search and destroy in the background it recognizes known offenders and warns you. But nothing protects you from bad practices on your part. Whenever you are asked if something is ok be really careful. The borwser protects you and thats why they look for a way to get you to agree. Never say you agree to anything without confidence in the source.

On the upside spyware is non destructive unlike viruses. So once you get it cleaned up you should be good to go. If you have a lot of viruses you may need to reload the operating system. But cross that bridge when you come to it. I hope this helped.

Do control alt delete and bring up taksmanager and then google each thing you don't recognize. Also you can see whats using what and look into the big consumers of your system resources. You can always kill a process and if you kill something you shouldn't you will then need to kill the power and restart since killing a critical process may make it unresponsive. But no biggie, hold the power till it dies and turn it back on. Remember to research your suspicions before you act via google.

Thank you. I`ll see if that helps because seriously the noise is making me crazy. However the notebook is getting up there in years so it`s probably just signs of impending machine death. :/

I do have anti-virus and it gives me the thumbs up. Will try it with anti-spyware. Thanks.

Thanks for the advice, will try.

Hi there,

Mine does the same. I have to run Spyware regularly and also clean of my disks. Also have you defraged your system?

Try ADWARE they have a free spyware checker you can download and its good.

Hope this helps.

I second Spybot. I use that frequently.

ETA: You can download Spybot for free here.

I run it about once a week or so. I usually run my virus check and Spybot just before bed or I set both to run while I'm sleeping. The next night I do a disk check (set to run while I'm sleeping), and then the next night I do a disk defrag. (I do all of this about once a week, but sometimes about every two weeks.)

hehe I didn't even think of that. My advice was for Windows XP, just in case. After you shut off things in the background, sometimes the next time you startup, a window pops up reminding you that you've made changes, but you can uncheck it so it won't ever ask you again (until the next time you make changes).

Thank you, I did remove a boatload of spyware and it`s slightly better now.

My usual task manager will show me only the obviously run programes but I did install a Security Task Manager and apparently myriads of stupid programes run sneakily in the background, slowing my computer down to snail-pace. I halted them and speed is good again but the ventilation is still a problem. :/ However since my Windows is giving me all kinds of crap lately, I may need to reinstall anyway.

it sounds like your computer thinks it's over-heating - hence the fan constantly running... maybe it really is overheating and maybe you need a better fan? and/or - did you try opening it up and using a can of pressurized air to blow all the dust out? evil dust bunnies live between the circuits and the boards and the belts inside your computer's case, and they can make over-heating a problem... also, vacuum the filter... :)

...or it could be that your computer has a faulty sensor that keeps triggering the fan while no actual over-heating occurs...

maybe it really is overheating and maybe you need a better fan? and/or - did you try opening it up and using a can of pressurized air to blow all the dust out?

I`m always a bit apprehensive to do anything physical with then notebook because if I screw it up, I pretty much have no back-up. At least internet connection would be a bust. However I`m hoping to get a new computer (or rather older one from someone else) by next week so maybe then I can have a technical-savvy friend give the notebook a once-over. Le Sigh, it`s always something with this thing.

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PS:

Sounds Like Spyware

Another trick is to check the running processes

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Re: Sounds Like Spyware

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Re: Sounds Like Spyware

Re: PS:

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Re: Another trick is to check the running processes

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