Computer running slow but can't tell why!

[boulder38]

Hi,

I had a computer come in that was running unbelievably slow after a reinstall.

After waiting quite a while for start-up (bearing in mind it was a clean install) i could see nothing obvious causing the problem and put it down to a bad install so thought Id do a re-install.

HA! that didnt happen, setup loaded files got to setup screen selected HDD and started copying files over!

About an hour later, and yes an hour, it had only 9% completed.

so shut it down and started trying different bits to no avail, including memory, processor, HD, Disk Drive, cables, even the motherboard.


Its a Dell Dimension 3000 pc running a P4 2.8, 512mb HD (2x256) onboard graphics, 80gb hard drive.


Do you think the power supply could cause this problem?
Thanks for any suggestions

Luke

 

[ifix1]

i've already had crappy running machines after a fresh install, i thought it was only me.. i just started useing killdisk (it writes 0's to hd) a free download. killdisk make the hd like it came of the store shelf..every computer i do a fresh install on i killdisk first..i never liked the though of just formatting, everything is still there, nothing is erased, it's just able to write over the data

hope this helps

 

[roland63]

This Dell may be impacted by the BAD CAPACITORS issue - I'd be inspencting inside the box and a sign of burst or swollen or leaky ones...

 

[boulder38]

Hi guys,
thanks for replys but ive already tried a different hard drive (just formatting has never given me a problem) and i have had that problem before with a board but that usually renders it useless as where this one and the new still fires up just runs reallllly slow!

Luke

 

[Freestone]

Any unusual noises or clicks coming from the hard drive? A weak power supply can kill a hard drive.

Have you tried the hard drive is another healthy system?

Did you try a different CD-ROM drive, or at least isolate it from the IDE interface?

Did you look in BIOS? Reset BIOS to default settings?

Inspect the capacitors as suggested. Bad capacitors don't always render a system totally useless.

My guess is the IDE interface is in a slow PIO mode rather than DMA, hence the CD-ROM drive and BIOS suggestions.