Compaq 2170US Questions

[Ravenquille]

My husband's Laptop (Compaq 2170US/WinXP Home SP1/704MB *(we doubled the RAM), 3Ghz Celeron CPU) has been problematic since purchase ( a little over a year ago ). Creepingly, crawlingly slow! Take forever to load Desktop, open a webpage, etc. Lockups, Windows errors/gotta close 'send error' stuff right and left, Outlook Express glitches, alot of 'can't find server/can't open page' stuff, MS Works WP glitches, and the list goes on.
Compaq sent me a 2nd set of Compaq Installation CDs; thinking the original might have been bad. Those weren't much better: different problems with every load ( I have reloaded everything 4x so far. )
OS is on the Compaq CD set; but he also has an OEM WinXP Home CD which Compaq also sent ( was supposed to have come with the Laptop, but was not in the box. )

1) Doubling the RAM made no change in speed or operation; other than we never get the 'not enough memory' message any more ( should not have before; but it was a common occurrance. )

2) I have not tried an OS install using just the WinXP Home OEM CD, without all the Compaq pre-installed stuff, yet.

??Has anyone experienced problems with this model?
IF so, is the Compaq CD the problem?
Might the OEM OS be ok; or does Compaq have its own drivers for everything sewed up in its Installation CDs?

Thanks,
Ravenquille

 

[micker377]

What's the warranty on this unit? May have to RMA it back to Compaq!

 

[Ravenquille]

Warranty for free repairs went off recently; but parts are still covered.
I'm thinking a send-in is the best bet at this point.
( My husband previously refused to do that, wanting to take it in to an Authorized Service Center instead; and there aren't any! )

Both of us, but especially me, at the moment, wind up using it alot to get Online. But, once I get one of my systems online at least, I think I will contact Compaq and see about doing that.


Ravenquille

 

[electronicsfreak]

Before sending it in, something you might want to check out. Go to start, run, then type msconfig and hit enter. Click the startup tab. Look up each of these items as most do not need to be checked and running. The only ones I would leave checked is antivirus and firewall, and maybe spyware stopper if you have an active one, the rest uncheck. Then hit apply and ok and restart the computer and see if that helps increase some speed.

Also run chkdsk and defrag if you havent.

Empty both of these temp folders

c, winnt or windows, temp (empty everything inside this folder, folders and files just do not delete the temp folder itself)

c, documents and setting, (account name), local settings, temp, ( once again delete everything inside this folder that you can , files and folders just do not delete the temp folder itself), do this for each account name and also hiddne files and folders must be showed to get to it.

After doing all this, run this scan. do a full system scan , must use either internet explorer or firefox

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

After doing all of that and the computer is still slow and crawling send it in for repair. Give these a try first. Might save you from sending it in.

 

[Ravenquille]

1) I have seen NO NEGLIGIBLE CHANGE in Desktop load speed/ general operation speed since initial install ( just Compaq Installation CD content: tested BEFORE adding any other Software, Favorites, Documents, Cookies and Temps )and current state ( with current other Software/Documents/Favorites/Cookies/Temps, etc. )
( The Desktop, Cookies and Temps are pretty minimal in size at the moment anyway. )

2) Always run Defrag after initial Install; and run it regularly.

3) HOUSECALL: Can't run this scan. Get this message:
"Unfortunately Housecall does not support Multibyte Character Sets yet. Check back for Undates."
What is that all about???

( I use Norton Internet Security, AdAware, and SpyBot; HiJackThis; and do regular scans. )

4) MSCONFIG: alot in Startup. Trying to leave just the Norton-related entries. Testing this.

?????*****Question on SERVICES:
I uncheck the following:
1) 'Automatic Updates' ( Windows: only do manual )
2) 'Wireless Zero Configuration' ( don't use )
3) 'Alerter'
4) 'Error Reporting'
Would like to uncheck all the entries related to 'Remote Access' ( Remote Access Connection, Remote Access Auto Connect, Remote Access Desktop Help ): do not use Remote Access and am not on a Network. Is it ok to uncheck all of these?
What about 'Remote Procedure Call' ( 2 entries ): are these related to the Remote Access, or are they used for something else?

Are there some others of these Services that could be unchecked?

Ravenquille

 

[electronicsfreak]

Ok im with the others, send that computer back asap.