Your computer specs are fine. 2.4GHz Intel Celeron is plenty of processing power for browsing, word processing, music, etc. 40GB hard drive is good enough. You just need to upgrade your RAM to 1GB because that's why you are getting low virtual memory messages, and everything is loading slow including web browsing. Buying more RAM will help speed up your computer, RAM doesn't slow it down, apps will run better and you can multitask without slow down problems. While you are waiting for your RAM modules to come, try these things to make your computer run a little better:
[Msconfig]
1. Click Start.
2. Click Run.
3. Type in Msconfig.
4. Msconfig will open then click on the Startup tab.
5. Uncheck apps you don't want booting up.
Disabling apps will speed up boot time and give you more RAM to run things. Don't disable anti virus, spyware, or whatever. Leave them enabled but you could disable Quicktime Player, Realplayer, IM, P2P, etc.
[Check Disk]
1. Double click on My Computer.
2. Right click on your hard drive which is C:
3. Click Properties.
4. Click the Tools tab.
5. Click the "Check Now.." option.
6. Check Disk for Local drive should load up.
7. Make sure "Automatically Fix System File Errors" and "Scan and attempt recovery of bad sectors" are checked. Click Start then reboot your machine. These
two options will take a while but to make sure you don't have bad sectors or system file errors which will slow down your machine. You only need to run both options once a month. You should run the
"Automatically Fix System File Errors" once a week like a Saturday night. System file errors will slow down your computer. If you got too many bad sectors,
or your hard drive is making a noise, replace the drive.
[Disk Cleanup]
1. Click Start.
2. Click Run.
3. Type in cleanmgr.
4. This will analyze your hard drive for files that need to be removed.
5. Check everything.
6. Click OK.
7. Click Yes.
8. Disk Cleanup will then remove files.
[Remove cookies, temp, and &Temp% files]
1. Click Start.
2. Click Run.
3. Type in Cookies, Temp, or %Temp%.
4. Go to Edit.
5. Click Select All.
6. Go to Files and Click Delete.
7. Right click on your Recycle Bin and click "Empty Recycle Bin" to delete files.
[Disk Defragmenter]
1. Click Start.
2. Click Programs.
3. Click Accessories.
4. Click System Tools.
5. Click Disk Defragmenter.
6. Disk Defragmenter will load on your screen, click
Analyze. If it says you need to defrag this volume, click Defragment. If it says you don't need to defrag this volume, still click Defragment. Make sure all applications are closed. Right click on your anti virus app icon and choose Exit, Quit, or Close before defragging. After defragging your HD, reboot your machine. You only need to defrag your hard drive when your PC starts running slow.
[Scan for spyware and other nasties]
1. Get Windows Defender from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=435BFCE7-DA2B-4A6A-AFA4-F7F14E605A0D&displaylang=en&mg_id=10134.
2. Click Continue to Validate Windows.
3. Click Download to download Windows Defender.
4. Click the first option.
5. Go through the prompts.
6. Windows Defender automatically download up to date definitions.
7. Go to Start, Programs, and click Windows Defender, click Scan at the top and choose Full Scan.
You might have to run Windows Defender in Safe Mode to find any nasties.
[Viruses and other things]
1. Go to http://free.grisoft.com and download AVG Free Edition 7.5 for Windows.
2. Install
3. Double click on the icon.
4. Click Update and choose Internet to download up to date virus definitions.
5. Click Scan Computer to scan your whole hard drive
for viruses to delete.
6. Also, click on Scan Selected Areas and check folders, hard drive, etc. then click Scan to start
scanning and deleting viruses.
You might have to run AVG in Safe Mode. To get to Safe Mode to run AVG and Windows Defender, reboot your machine, keep clicking F8, click enter on your
OS, click Safe Mode. Don't not click on Safe Mode Networking since you don't want to go online. You want to scan for spyware and viruses that can't be
found at Windows bootup. After you are done with Safe Mode, click Restart to return to Windows
mode.
[Uninstall apps]
1. Click Start.
2. Double click Control Panel.
3. Click Add/Remove Programs.
4. Go through Add/Remove Programs list and click Remove to uninstall apps you don't use anymore like old utilities, games, etc. Don't disable Windows Defender, AVG, etc. Right after you are done, you might have to reboot your machine, go ahead do it, then defrag your computer again.
[Slow Internet Page Loads]
You might need to tweak your registry. That's why pages are loading slow. The default settings for broadband isn't good and fast enough. Try this:
1. Download TCP Optimizer to your desktop by going
to http://wwww.speedguide.net/files/TCPOptimizer.exe
and click Save, choose Desktop icon.
2. Double click on TCP Optimizer which is an icon with a screw driver and wrench on it.
3. You should be in General Settings with a bunch of
settings all grayed out.
4. Call your ISP tech support to find out what you
are capped at, e.g. 7Mbps, 6Mbps, 5Mbps, 8Mbps, etc.
5. For the connection slider, click 3000Kbps, 6000Kbps, 7000Kbps, or whatever your download is, click Optimal Settings then Apply Changes, Yes to backup the registry files, then this app will automatically reboot your machine.
6. See if webpages are loading faster.
You need to run TCP Optimizer once to tweak your registry. Leave it alone because it helps speed up your page loads.
---- Scan for spyware and viruses everyday. Make sure defintions for both Windows Defender and AVG are kept up to date.
--- I do these things I listed on my ten month old Windows MCE 2005 PC and it really made a difference in page and apps loads. Do NOT buy one of those apps
that promise to speed up your computer. It doesn't work. But, doing the things I'm telling you works and it's free. You can print them out if you want.