Laptop won't /takes forever to load web sites with photos.

17 years ago

This is the sticker on my son's laptop if it helps any.

Compaq Presario v4240US

Running XP Home

Wireless - Router - DSL

AOL / IE as Browser - Free

AVG 7.5 - Paid 2 Yr. Subscription

Ad-Aware 2007

Spybot S&D

CCleaner

Oh Boy, what have I done now?

I don't want to return my son's computer broken! *ack!*

For almost a week now, whenever I go to a web site that has lots of pictures the blue line at the bottom left of the screen starts loading and then stops dead center.

I've experimented --- I've waited as long as 3 minutes 48 seconds for the blue line to continue.

When the blue line loads, the page stays blank then another minute or two later the page finally shows up.

Other times I've gone and washed dishes, come back and the blue line is still stuck in the middle.

I end up X'ing out of the site, trying again with the same results so I just don't bother with that site.

( By doing that I know I'm missing out on a lot of valuable information regarding my little (budget) bathroom remodel.)

I've even hit 'Refresh' trying to hurry up the loading but nothing happens --- blue line stays where it is and page remains blank.

Happens on a lot of sites as I'm doing lots of bathroom remodel/ install research and looking at lots of web sites with photos.

I can come to this Computer board and it loads fast. The Home Decor and Bathroom Board also load fast.

But if I want to look at the Gallery side of the Home Decor or Bathroom Forum for more inspiration, I sit, I wait.

I've double and triple-checked the AVG settings.

I run the AVG automatically at 4:30 a.m. every single morning and I've had no problems --- virus or other.

Windows Firewall is turned off so as not to conflict with AVG.

I've cleared cache, removed unused files/photos.

Cleared history, cleared all cookies, cleared Temp Files.

I've defrag'd.

I've run Ad-Aware and Spybot.

I've run CCleaner.

After any cleaning/defrag process I shut down machine completely, wait 5 minutes and restart.

Can anyone think of anything else I can do or anyplace else on this machine I can check to get this computer back to the way it was before I started borrowing it from my son?

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Comments (6)

canibus
17 years ago
turn the firewall back on. It will not conflict with AVG.
genes
17 years ago
You might even want to consider getting a better free two way firewall instead of the one way with WinXP. Just curious, you never mentioned, do you update Adaware2007 and Spybot first before running them.
Just to make sure, google "online virus scans" and run the TrendMicro scan that you will see.
Other than that, looks like you have been doing eveything right
jemdandy
17 years ago
The label says it has 512 MB of memory. I'm not sure which memory this is referring to, but if it is the RAM on the motherboard, it could use an upgrade. Windows XP likes to have 2 Gigabyte (2 GB) or more.

You are using a wireless router on a DSL sevice. Make sure that your wireless router is secured so that someone else within range can't horn in and ride piggyback on your connection for free. The more computers using the connection, the slower it gets for any one computer.

The next potential bottle neck is the DSL service. If this is over a phone line, it may not be a large jump in speed over a standard dial-up service. A good connection does have marked improvement in speed, but a troublesome connection looses much speed advantge. Consider taking the computer to a shop or friend and try on their lines.

Another problem, if over a phone line, is a noisy line. Thw phone company can test your phone line for quality. Make sure that you tell the technicam that this line will be used for internet service.

If over a phone line, another bottleneck can be the phone company. It may not have installed equipemnt capable of high speed data transfer.

If you have a friend who has a high speed cable connection with a wireless router, you may want to try your computer on his connection.

Have the computer checked out at a computer shop to discover if it is the computer or the DSL service to your house.
genes
17 years ago
Quote" Windows XP likes to have 2 Gigabyte (2 GB) or more Quote". What exactly are you talking about. WinXP doesnt need 2GB's or better (maybe Vista but not XP) 512MB is ok for general surfing, emails etc maybe up to 1GB. But the lady said it was running great just a while ago but has since slowed down.
Amity; One other option if the restore disk is still around is to restore the laptop back to its original config then reload any software,AV programs, etc that are now on the machine
fruitjarfla
17 years ago
Any other ideas? A couple. The latest driver for the Intel graphics Media Accelerator 900 is PV14.25.50. Have you cleaned out unnecessary programs from the Startup list? You can see those in the startup list by: Start: Run: key in "msconfig" and enter: then check the Startup tab to see the checked items as startup programs. In your situation, you should have only the programs that are necessary to start and run the computer as startup programs. Unnecessary programs running in the background suck up the juice.
ladyamity
Original Author
17 years ago
You know the neatest, greatest thing about this Computer Forum for me?

1. No matter if it's me or someone I've referred to this forum, there are always great responses and at least one of them corrects whatever computer problem I/friend I sent here are having.

2. I am familiar with all of you--- well, ok, familiar with your names from here and some of you, from reading other GW forums so I feel very comfortable taking any of your tips and suggestions.

I am going to try each and every suggestion you've all offered because, well, coming from all of you I know it can't hurt my son's computer and I will report back with the results.

You all are fantastic for giving of your time and expertise so willingly --- Thank you All so very much !

Amity
P.S. I did turn off ALL pop-up blockers and it helped speed the loading a very little bit but at this point I'm so frustrated, every little bit helps.