PC on a Go Slow
 

A question for those whose computer knowledge exceeds mine which is ZERO.

For some time my PC has been getting slower (a bit like me).

I have 348 gb of photos of one sort or another on my C drive ~62,000 pics in 183 folders.

It has been suggested that if I take a large slice/all of these pics off my C drive and put them onto an external hard drive that this might speed things up for everyday use?

Anyone have any comments or suggestions, please?

Geoff

There are too many factors to give a simple answer. Firstly how big is your hard disc and, more importantly, how much free space remains. The age of the PC and the processor always work against you; with my five year old laptop sometimes it gets like walking through a muddy field! And the inevitable Windows updates add to the bloat. Back to point one; I think 15% free space comes into it somewhere; probably with a defrag program - I use one when I remember, sometimes it helps sort a cluttered HDD. You need answers from someone with more up to date PC know-how. I was OK with the old 386/486 computers with DOS !!!!!

Hi Y.M. i have no answers for you but in your 62,000 photos would you have a photo of H.M.S. BARKIS my Dad did his n.s. in her late 40s i think.

What is the spec of your PC?
Processor, RAM, Hard drive, separate video card? Operating system.
Windows bloat does tend to fill the HD but the way it slows things is by running stuff you don’t need in the background rather than clogging the drive itself.
Windows tools does include some clean-up programs, it might be worth trying them first.

Do you mean this one >

Thank you for your help spot on.

And another one from the IWM website..

Hi Mal what is I.W.M? and thank you i have never seen these photos before. That could be Dad on deck, i wonder what the flags are saying.

Brief story about my Dad, at the end of WW2 dad aged around 14 went to sea on Hull trawlers (J Marr & son) some of the trips he went on the fish was landed in Norway as they were starving and Norway had very few fishing boats left. In the late 40s he was doing well and earning big money fishing, but when he arrived home his mum used to say the police are looking for you (national service) but he still went back fishing and ignored the warning, the next trip Marr sacked him and told him when you have done your service come back and see me, he did his service in (HMS BARKIS) and when served he went back to see Marr and got his old job back, he made chief in 1953 and stayed with them for over 47 years and retierd in 1995. and what a great man he was. All 47 years were spent at sea with J Marr & son Hull. you can see his fishing records on the Hull Stand website just look for KEN RUDD. in fishermens records

Imperial War Museum - Plenty material on there and free to download for use of open sites like this one.

Maybe you should start another thread for your old Dad.

Geoff,

How old is your computer? I had an old work laptop that showed the same signs. I bought a (is it) Lanix chip and it soldiered on for a while. Then I bit the bullet and bought a new HP laptop and I have never looked back. When daughter No.2 came home for the birth of grandson number 1, I took one look (cracked screen, SLOW to fire up, broken hinge, keyboard didn't work) and I bought her a new one, same as mine. She is over the moon too. Checking, her old laptop was TEN years old!

My advice - Buy a new one! I wasn't too fussy and mine (Hewlett Packard, Pentium Silver, 256 GB solid state drive, 8GB memory, Windows 12) cost about USD325. BTW, W12 comes with a free Cloud drive for backup, etc., as part of the licence. I paid about USD17 for the Office 365 packet, well worth it.

Rgds.
Dave

My Toshiba Satellite Pro runs ok for about 10 months and gradually slows down to a crawl. Not knowing a disc de-frag from programmes running in the background I bring the beast to Charlies Computer Clinic for a wash and brush-up. Cost 40 Euros and a couple of pints in the Mill House on the way home and bugger Bill Gates.

Dave, W12 when did that go on general release? It passed me by.

Hi Y.M. sorry to post about my dad in the middle of your thread i never thought, rgds rustytrawler.

Any story about Hull or trawlermen is much more enlivening than PC's in the outback. Has YM checked if there is any electricity or a wi-fi signal? Oz is a funny old place.

My Dad was from Oz, and he had a terrific sense of humour. He sailed in and out of Hull a few times, but steered clear of trawlers.

Sorry, brain fog after driving nearly 900 Kms. back from Monterrey!

It is Windows 11 that I have on the personal laptop. I was confused because it is quite different to what I have on my work laptop.

Rgds.
Dave

EYUP DARTSKIPPER......your dad would of loved the true story of DEAD BOD look it up on the net it's a great true story about pongo who was on Hull trawlers who tried to mend a broken birds wings with lolly sticks and his painting of DEAD BOD on the wearhouse on the Humber...LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. you can even buy a dead bod t shirt... i wore one of the t shirts on holiday in Florida ans a bloke came up to me and said i bet you are from Hull...... try looking up the ballad of dead bod.

Many thanks shipmate, I'll look that one up.

Cheers!

Do you think they will make a xxxxl t shirt for varley

4 XL will show his nipples and cause ladies of a certain age to need smelling salts.

Idont think they do a 5 XL, there must be a porko mans shop in I.O.M. BUT THEY WILL NOT SELL A DEAD BOD T SHIRT, the ladies love them, heading to ballinamore three weeks fishing if the poles have not eaten them.

When I was in American Samoa looking at souvenirs, I was amazed to see 7XL tee shirs - Defo Samoan size!

I wonder how Geoff is getting on with his compu? Ey-up, YM?

Rgds.
Dave

But would varley be able to get it over his head?

With a 7 XL our hero could enter a Sumo Wrestling competition although I'm not sure about the yards of cloth between his thighs. Perhaps the canvas roof of a Yurt would suffice.

With this weather a few pints in the street outside Smyths or the Commercial Hotel would be welcome, Cead Mille Failte.

Geoff, If you want you can PM me with the details and I will see what I can advise which might help.

You're not getting anywhere here.

EYUP ES Smyths i think has been closed and up for sale for around two years we sometimes go into Mcgirl's. Best pub was when we used to stay in Carrick, Burkes bar.

Thanks All for your advice re my PC.

As has been suggested it might be just age and Windows updates over the years. There seems to be plenty of space on C drive if that is relevant. I have decided, wisely I hope, to leave it well alone on the premise that 'if it ain't broke don't try and fix it'!. While it continues to work 'reasonably' I will put up with it.
I am OK if I can see the big ends going round but these innate things that just sit there where one doesn't know if it is working or not are beyond me.
I will therefor quit whilst I am not too far behind ............. :o

Thanks again.
Geoff

Geoff,

BUY A NEW ONE!!! You will never look back! BTW, my personal laptop came with 1 Terabyte of "cloud" storage free.

Cheers,
Dave

Bear in mind that Geoff has 'only just' updated from a Babbage engine, coal fired of course.

Probably treadle powered, Malcolm! Sorry, Geoff!

Thanks Comrades Malcolm and Dave.

I have already considered upgrading from pedal power for the PC along with the wireless and TV to a coal fired TE up and down driven generator. Like so many of the things that I consider nothing eventuates which is probably for the better.

Overall there is little doubt that you are both right - the PC clearly needs a bigger and higher pressure boiler.

I am considering an electric bike to power the pedal generator whilst continuing my work on perpetual motion and it seems that a Babbage might be the answer in the meantime.

The existence of Babbage and his machines is one thing that I have learnt form this escapade.

Geoff :wave:

Perhaps it is not a new Babbage that is required but a new Lovelace. What are you using now, Ada 87 ? If so this was much like Windows 3.1 or Windows Yuck as the experts called it. You could go back to BOS for Ada unless you really need a GUI in which case Countess Lovelace 1.0 would do the trick. Don't go for Ada 1835, didn't live up to expectations.

Has varley now taken over st Judes job as the patron st of desperate cases?

One marvels that Wi-Fi has reached South Leitrim. I was hoping for 3 weeks of tranquillity.

Vive la difference engine!

Wot 4 euro for 1 pint of maggots, hear in gods own they are £1 a pint no wonder the locals in ballyconnel take the mick. I will need at least 40 pints for three weeks....EYUP E.S. IF YOU HAVE A BIG GARDEN YOU NEED TO START GROWING WORMS 40 EURO A KILO IN BALLYCONNEL

Didn't Heath Robinson take out a patent for worm powered calculating and communicating devices?

An earthworm? The Cruelty'll be after him.