My laptop is slowly coming to a halt...

[Ricesnaps]

Just managed to log on this time and ask for help.

I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro Laptop, about 5 years old now and it is starting to do very odd things:

1. I now get a message saying "Your system has no paging file or the paging file is too small" everytime I log on (and I have followed the advice and increased the size).

2. I am regularly getting "your virtual memoey file is too small"

3. Programs close without warning during use, while others won't run.

Initially I thought it was because I had way too much stored on the hard drive, so I have deleted loads, although now have 4.5Gb free, which may not be a lot?

Any ideas what is happening? Does anyone know of any good free diagnostic tools I can use - have been running chkdsk lots and it always finds loads of faults. Or do I need to take the poorly chap to someone for repair - and if I do, will they be able to save the programs I have on here - as many were downloaded and I am sure I have lost set up files and passwords...

Failing that do you think this is likely to be a throw it away and buy a new one? If so, that will almost certainly mean a desktop and an end to any digital DJing I have been doing. In that case, how easy will it be to transfer my programmes accross?

Any help greatfully recieved

[CRAZY K]

Just managed to log on this time and ask for help.

I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro Laptop, about 5 years old now and it is starting to do very odd things:

1. I now get a message saying "Your system has no paging file or the paging file is too small" everytime I log on (and I have followed the advice and increased the size).

2. I am regularly getting "your virtual memoey file is too small"

3. Programs close without warning during use, while others won't run.

Initially I thought it was because I had way too much stored on the hard drive, so I have deleted loads, although now have 4.5Gb free, which may not be a lot?

Any ideas what is happening? Does anyone know of any good free diagnostic tools I can use - have been running chkdsk lots and it always finds loads of faults. Or do I need to take the poorly chap to someone for repair - and if I do, will they be able to save the programs I have on here - as many were downloaded and I am sure I have lost set up files and passwords...

Failing that do you think this is likely to be a throw it away and buy a new one? If so, that will almost certainly mean a desktop and an end to any digital DJing I have been doing. In that case, how easy will it be to transfer my programmes accross?

Any help greatfully recieved


Hi Rice, I would think it would be worth investing a few pounds in some pro help at a Computer shop--rapidly.

I would put everything of importance on to an independent hard drive asap if you can before the laptop blows up--about £80 for 250 gigs in Comets--- just in case--you might also be able to use that for future digital DJ work with either the Denon or the Cortex (which I just bought) or a new laptop
(just bought for the wife--well thats what she thinks :D )

Then theres the digital licence :eek:

As long as the hard drive on your laptop doesnt go west I think you should be able to retrieve all the data--or the experts can anyway:)

regards

CRAZY K

[Stormin' Si]

Get some more RAM, that's why your getting page file errors, out of RAM. Might be worth getting some more HDD space if poss.

In my experience, laptops always start to run slowly, I have reinstalled numerous laptops and they are always running slow shortly after :(

[soundlad]

do a re-install of the os and upgrade your hardware!!

[spin mobile disco]

try downloading a program like adaware it can remove hidden programs that may be taking up runtime. There is probably not a hardware problem with the system just a software one. Link to adaware is http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php
I would recomend backing up your music, software and personal info and reinstalling to factory settings. Then reinstall back to drive. The problem isnt memory it is called an addressing error. It is usually caused by the registry being corupted or to many programs being installed and interfearing with each other.
Hope it helps if not give me a ring on 01604 406500 and ill try to talk you through.

[gillo]

i use avast program when you get it the next time you reboot it takes bout an hour scans all files and gets rid of any crap viruses etc

[BeerFunk]

I agree with Spin and Gillo, it's almost certainly spyware and adware! Cant be HDD space, as 4.5GB free is plenty, and you've always had the same RAM, so.... logic dictates :)

[gillo]

also check your system processes and see what it gulping your ram up if not perform a sytem scan and maybe beef up yoour ram as upgrading your ram will have a dramtic effect on laptop speed of runnig and opening files

[gillo]

also try a sytem disc clean up if it is adware then it wont complete the cleanup it will get stuck on the compressing old files section :)

[Creature]

also stop all the unwanted processes from running - most programs these days seem to add bits so they auto start on boot up - slowing machines down and cripling performance

but as above - quickest way would be to reformat and re-install - but if too much stuf fyou aint got backed up - then time to consider before doing anything drastic

[colinm345]

2. I am regularly getting "your virtual memory file is too small"

As mentioned before for a start you need more RAM as some DJ software is power hungry

Also there maybe a heat sink problem ,as this was a Toshiba manufacturing fault on the Satellite Pro
To run a laptop for some time its a good idea to get a 3 fan cooling plate that sits under the computer and is usb powered and can be obtained from Maplins for around the £29 mark

This free program may prove useful also http://www.sharewareconnection.com/speed-it-up-ram-booster-.htm

[Ricesnaps]

OK guys, thanks for the many responses and advice. Could those of you who suggested some practical fixes please treat me like an idiot and explain what I need to do in simple terms.

So far I have managed to run chkdsk and nothing else. My spyware software won't run properly - starts the check and stops with an error, my virus scanner doesn't seem to run through the whole hard drive and defrag is a waste of time!

There was also a comment about the tosh overheating. It's actually been doing that for a while now - simply switches off (like flicking a light switch). Usually a good suck with the dyson on the fan mesh does the trick, but what is the thing your suggesting? Can you send me a link.

Would also be interested to know how you upgrade memory on a laptop and is it also possible to upgrade the hard drive (or easier just to buy an external one?)

Thanks again

[colinm345]

Heres the one from Maplins(the fan) http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=48976&criteria=LAPTOP%20FANS&doy=8m1

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Rice

Buy an external drive anyway and bung everything on it.

The laptop is probably getting hot because as they get older the components get hotter and also you'll probably find a **** good clean will help matters.

The cooling mat Colin mentioned is also a good idea.

Personally, I would do a fresh install. Do you have the O/S discs?

Ram is pretty easy to install too. Look on the underside of your lappy and you'll find compartments for the hard drive, battery and RAM.

THe RAM literally clicks into place. Have a look here and you can find out how much RAM your machine takes and how much to upgrade it. http://www.offtek.co.uk/laptopmem.php?maincat=1&subcat=1

Also, have you de-fragged your machine recently?

[BeerFunk]

The laptop is probably getting hot because as they get older the components get hotter and also you'll probably find a **** good clean will help matters.
Seconded, but I do not think buying more RAM will help at all..

[Ricesnaps]

Rice

Buy an external drive anyway and bung everything on it.

Personally, I would do a fresh install. Do you have the O/S discs?

Ram is pretty easy to install too. Look on the underside of your lappy and you'll find compartments for the hard drive, battery and RAM.

THe RAM literally clicks into place. Have a look here and you can find out how much RAM your machine takes and how much to upgrade it. http://www.offtek.co.uk/laptopmem.php?maincat=1&subcat=1

Also, have you de-fragged your machine recently?
I have tried to defrag and it gives me an error and won't go any further :bang:

Any suggestions on a dirt cheap external HD?

No, Don't have the orginal O/S disks

Any software that will do diognostics for me?

[Jiggles]

herea a good website www.ariabeta.co.uk for ANYthing PCish

[gillo]

to be honest yes you will be better sticking all of your music on an external drive then the laptop wont have to work as hars but install a new antivirus that will scan all of your music files before you transfer them to see if there is any adware, trojan horses, viruses, adwar etc

[CRAZY K]

I have tried to defrag and it gives me an error and won't go any further :bang:

Any suggestions on a dirt cheap external HD?



Dont know about cheap= but I bought this from the Holiday Camp and its going fine 320 gig for £90, THEY DONT SEEM TO DO SMALL ONES:D

http://www.maplin.co.uk/

CRAZY K

[KrazyKaz]

Rice, pity you are not just down the road anymore. Trev would have checked it all out for you.(I know thats not very helpful - sorry)

but like some of the others said, invest in an external hard drive to store all your music on.

[pagan_flame]

Sounds like the poor old Tosh is on its last legs - get yer music on an external HD - QUICK! :eek:

Smallest external drive I could find was a Crossfire 250 gig @ £70 from Staples... which I use to back up my main external HD... :rolleyes:

Get yerself a separate laptop for DJing - I run a Toshiba Portege (another dodgy antique) but it has XP, OTSDJ - and that's it. Strip off all the Microshaft cr4p, anti-virus / anti-spyware, don't connect it to the Net, ever - and the thing just does not crash. (So far!)

Shop around now while (a) the sales are on, (b) lots of people are selling their old ones on Ebay 'cos they got new ones for Xmas, (c) the Xmas season money is in the bank. Will cost you about one outing with the fountain, I'll bet! :beer1:

[pulsemobiledisco]

I work as an IT Technical Analyst as my day job. Sounds to me like your laptops hardware is OK apart from the overheating, but this is common in older laptops. You say the laptop is about 5 years old, has the hard drive ever been wiped clean and everything reinsatalled during this time? If not then this is what you really need to do. Over time crap builds up on your harddrive and as you install more and more software it sets more and more software to run in the background, as you are having virtual memory and page files problem it sounds like you have so many progrmas running in the background that it is using all the available system RAM. As has also been said you have probably got some spyware etc and maybe even a virus.

The only sensible thing to do with this is to backup any documents, music etc onto external HDD and reinstall all software. If you can not do this yourself it may be worth taking to a computer shop who will be able to do this for you. Your laptop will be restored to a useable machine once again.

As for transfering the existing software, this can be very tricky, you really need the original setup files.

Hope this helps and PM me if you want any further advice.

Sam

[DK Karaoke]

Hi,

I run some maintenance each day, just before I shut down my pc, and my computer is always kept in peak condition. Am sure it works just the same for laptops.

First I need to recommend some programmes I use as follows:

Registry Mechanic, and Spyware Doctor.

The first 'registry mechanic' fixes your registry, which gets messed up after programmes load several times, and when you delete files/programmes etc., the index registry keys stay in the pc, which means the oerating system keeps looking for the registry link each time, but the programme is no longer there etc.

Second 'spyware doctor', looks for and deletes malware, spyware, bad cookies etc. You have to pay for these programmes, with an annual subscription, but they are good and cheap. By the way, Norton Antivirus does not like these programmes, but does not cause any interferance if you have them or use them on your machine. I suspect its because they are competators etc.

Both can be obtained from http://www.pctools.com/

The other programme I use which is free and very good, is Spybot-Search and destroy. this programme, does the same as spyware doctor, but more efficiently. It also removes files and programmes that are kept in your temporary folder, that are not deleted when you close the programme. It can be obtained from: http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/downloads/2128856/spybot-search-destroy

The maintenance I do is as follows:
After closing down all programmes, with just the desktop showing.

1. Open Internet Options, then Network and Internet connections, then Internet Options.
2. Open the 'delete files', under the general tab of internet options, check the 'delete all offline files', and click ok.
3. Open the 'Settings' tab under the general tab of internet options, and delete all cookes that you do not know. Be careful not to delete your bank, private, or Mobile disco directory cookies.
4. Click the 'clear history' tab under the general tab of internet options. This clears all your link history - web pages you visited etc.
5. When at the desktop click Start, and then click run. Type in %temp% and click ok, be sure to type the $percent sign before and after temp. This brings up all the files and programmes etc., in your temp folder. Click edit at the top of the screen and them click select all. When selected all press the 'Delete' key on your keyboard, select yes to the 'yes or no' window.
6. Open your recycle bin and empty the bin, by selecting 'empty bin.

If you do the above, after each use, before you switch off for the day/night. Your pc will be be top shape. I would suggest you do 1 to 6 first, then run the programmes recommended, with Registry mechanic last, as this will detect all the registry keys left by the temporary files you have just deleted.

I hope the above advice is usefull to all. It certainly works for me.

Cheers;)