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Bill V

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Our computer at home is an old, slow machine--in need of replacement, if the current finances allowed it. Over the past couple months, internet speeds via DSL from our phone company have slowed significantly.



However, I don't know how to tell if the problem is the DSL, the computer, or both.



Suggestions? I don't have another computer available to connect to the DSL to test it that way.
 


You can do an internet speed test of the DSL connection, they are free to see what speed the DSL is running...



Do you have a friends laptop you can borrow ??





Todd Z
 
If running Windows XP try any/all the following:



1) Defrag the hard drive



2) Bootup in Safe Mode with network connection and see browsing is any faster.



3) Create a new user, login as them, and see if the machine is faster.



4) Run a program like AdAware to remove spyware, trojans.



5) Don't run Google Desktop, Google IE bar, AIM; Yahoo IE bar; or any other IE toolbars for that matter; and if you can, run Firefox instead of IE.



6) Don't launch anything unncessary at startup (stuff in your task tray should be at a min).



7) Use Free AVG instead of McAffee or Nortons for AV.



Good luck.



Once you do all, most of those above you will have tuned your system, and if it is running better and on the Internet faster then you are good to go. If not, you may want to test your DSL speed (www.speedtest.net).



TJR
 
My brother-in-law was looking for a new desk-top and i found this deal at office max.. $359 shipped.. for a Intel dual core 2.66, 1 gig of ram, 320 gig hard drive, 18x dvd burner, and windows vista home premium..



http://www.officemax.com:80/omax/catalog/sku.jsp?skuId=21507745&searchString=&productId=prod440002
 
Here's a good link to get a speed test of your connection.

http://www.abeltronica.com/velocimetro/pt/?idioma=uk&newlang=uk



You might want to check into your original agreement with your DSL provider as to the minimum download & Upload speeds and be sure you are getting what you're paying for.



...Rich
 
You can have an old old old computer and the Internet should come across as fast on it as a brand new top of the line computer. The only difference is when you are running a program and YOUR computer is doing work. Then it might be the computer. The Internet is like a faucet. You turn it on and the hole allows so much water so fast to come through it. You can't make it go faster by changing anything but the hole. Now if a few hundred people get on that water line there isn't into be be enough water to feed everyone so the water will slow. I suspect that is what is happening to you. More people added and your at the end of the line so the data is slowed. go to www.dslreports.com and do a download test. If it isn't what you are paying for call the provider and tell him. Now there is a allowable amount that you have to let go. It's around 10 - 15%. So if your line is a 768 line you can expect to get about 650 - 690 download. Hope this helps.
 
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If it is feeling sluggish down load spybot search and destroy from www.downloads.com and run it, another good one is Adaware, same place. These will help if you are inundated with hidden programs running in the background.

 
Go to http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest?flash=1



and do a speed test to tell you where your speed is at, unless your pc is over 10 years old it wont make a difference on what it is. Network cards all do the same thing.
 
It's probably your computer if it's more than 4 or 5 years old. I had the same problem and just built me a new one and it's much faster all the way around.
 
They start getting creaky and slow after about 5 years. If you have Windows 95 or 98, hit CNTRL + ALT + DEL to get the list of running programs, then shut everything off except Explorer and Systray.

You should find a Disk Cleanup on your Tools or Accessories menu, run that and follow it with a Defrag. Defrag takes a while, I run it before I go to bed or at work when I'm leaving. If you have your original Windows CD you can take it to a shop or Geek Squad and have them wipe the hard drive and reinstall. In my experience, after about 5 years any computer is on borrowed time.
 

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