Laptop Memory Problems

[A-AvantGarde]

So before I start faffing with the computer, is the general consensus for me to just buy a new laptop, or at least something a bit newer?

No, for what you're using it for it should be okay.

It may be worth adding more RAM to it to help it run better and wouldn't be too expensive. However it's also worth checking some of the other things, e.g. free disk space.

 

[This is Pete]

Agreed. Max out the ram (will most probably cost less than £20) and your lappy will get a new lease of life.

If you're still not happy with the performance, then you can get something else without losing a whole lot.

 

[John]

So before I start faffing with the computer, is the general consensus for me to just buy a new laptop, or at least something a bit newer?

No, it is possible to fix your issue for free - assuming it is hard disk space (ideally you need to go into Task Manager and look at the bottom of the PROCESSES tab and see what the percentage memory use is, and then go into COMPUTER and investigate how much disk space you have left - and post all that up here).

What I am saying is - by all means try and fix it, but if you have to spend money on a replacement larger hard disk, which is what I think the issue is still, then rather than spending money on a disk, and then increasing the memory (RAM) and upgrading to Windows 7 while you are at it (both of which will improve it undoubtedly), consider the cost of a new laptop vs. all those bits that you would otherwise have done.

It wont be the same cost (you could just spend £20 on a larger hard disk worse-case) but if you are going to spend say £100 to £150 on your current one doing the memory and Windows 7 to improve it further, it is dead money and the laptop is circa 5 years old.

If you can buy a new one with a much better spec for £300, you might want to consider it...

 

[Deleted member 37751]

It does sound like you are running out of hard disk space (aka memory but not to be confused with physical memory - that which is used when programs etc. are running).

If Windows recommends you to clean up, it's to free up hard disk space rather than memory.

If it was memory, it would advise you that it needs to increase your Virtual Memory.

My guess is you have a lot of iTunes media filling it up.

One way to see what your biggest disk fillers are is to go into START > MY COMPUTER, and at the top right you will see a search box - just type the following in there and hit enter:

*.*

It will then look for every file on your hard disk (it might not include hidden files but these wont be big anyway).

Once it is finished, you can order stuff by clicking on the SIZE column.

What is / are the largest files you have?

Then click on the TYPE heading and order everything into file type - then see which group of files occur the most.

My guess is your iTunes is filling up your disk, and you need to think about moving it to an external hard disk, or re-locating it to another computer with a bigger disk if desired.

I'm up to this bit ^^

What am I looking for now?

 

[balge]

Hi
to check how much space is left on your hard drive just right click on 'C -local drive' icon in 'My Computer' that will give size and free space - may even come up if you hover the mouse over it. Less than 10% free space is bad.

cheers

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Hi
to check how much space is left on your hard drive just right click on 'C -local drive' icon in 'My Computer' that will give size and free space - may even come up if you hover the mouse over it. Less than 10% free space is bad.

cheers

+1

Do this and let us know the free space & total space figures

Cheers

 

[Deleted member 37751]

At the risk of sounding a bit thick, I can't see that 'C-Local drive' icon.

Here's a photo

 

[Deleted member 37751]

This is what crucial dot com came back with;


Memory Type: DDR2 PC2-6400, DDR2 (non-ECC)
Maximum Memory: 4GB
Currently Installed Memory: 1GB
Total Memory Slots: 2
Available Memory Slots: 1
1GB
DDR PC2-6400

EMPTY




Each memory slot can hold DDR2 PC2-6400 with a maximum of 2GB per slot.*
*Not to exceed manufacturer supported memory.

 

[A-AvantGarde]

At the risk of sounding a bit thick, I can't see that 'C-Local drive' icon.

Here's a photo

To the left hand side of that view you have a list of folders. Typically the hard drive is called C: but it may have a different drive letter depending on the setup. I can just make out something that says C: as well as an E: Drive too

In your picture look at the left hand pane where the other folders are and you'll see C:

 

[A-AvantGarde]

This is what crucial dot com came back with;


Memory Type: DDR2 PC2-6400, DDR2 (non-ECC)
Maximum Memory: 4GB
Currently Installed Memory: 1GB
Total Memory Slots: 2
Available Memory Slots: 1
1GB
DDR PC2-6400

EMPTY

Each memory slot can hold DDR2 PC2-6400 with a maximum of 2GB per slot.*
*Not to exceed manufacturer supported memory.

That's positive, it shows that you have one free memory slot and that your laptop can have a maximum of 4GB RAM.

Depending upon what we find out in terms of disk space it may be worth buying a 1GB module to give you 2GB in total.

You could also upgrade the memory in both slots with 2 x 2GB modules.

 

[John]

At the risk of sounding a bit thick, I can't see that 'C-Local drive' icon.

Here's a photo

In that screenshot photo, around halfway down, you can just about make out:

C :

Which will be:

(C : )

...with some writing before it - usually "Hard Disk (C"

You can write click on this and choose PROPERTIES to give you the size and used values.

However, your hard disk may not be one partition, you might have more than one partition.

So, click on the start menu and on the right, there is the word COMPUTER - right click on this and choose MANAGE.

Once in there, choose the STORAGE link on the left and then DISK MANAGEMENT.

It will look like this:

http://www.partition-tool.com/images/resource/windows-7-disk-management2-b.gif

Take a picture of that and post it up!

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Is this it?

 

[John]

I'm up to this bit ^^

What am I looking for now?

I don't think you need to do this now because I am fairly sure it will be your iTunes filling up the disk if that is the issue.

If you weren't using iTunes, it would be a little unusual to fill up 120GB, even with Windows 7...

 

[balge]

At the risk of sounding a bit thick, I can't see that 'C-Local drive' icon.

Here's a photo

too far down? Might be in the left hand column in that window - yes I see your 'C' and 'E'

Just click the 'computer' icon on the desktop, or 'computer' in the Start menu, should see the attachment, just right click or hover should bring up properties


Originally Posted by sweetpea
This is what crucial dot com came back with;


Memory Type: DDR2 PC2-6400, DDR2 (non-ECC)
Maximum Memory: 4GB
Currently Installed Memory: 1GB
Total Memory Slots: 2
Available Memory Slots: 1
1GB
DDR PC2-6400

EMPTY

Each memory slot can hold DDR2 PC2-6400 with a maximum of 2GB per slot.*
*Not to exceed manufacturer supported memory."

Another 2Gb stick of that would certainly help, 3Gb total will be fine

 

[John]

Is this it?

Bingo!

Full hard disk.

However, your hard disk has more than one partition. One partition is C:, which contains your operating system and all your data.

That should mean you have at least another usuable partition which should be D: I would have thought.

Do the same thing for D: (unless it is an optical drive, in which case try E : ) and post that up.

 

[Merc Owner 2B]

JohnEBoy, do you think he's storing his data (music ect) files on the OS partition? I'm assuming there's also a seperate data partition and that he really doesn't have a 60GB disk. Perhaps he has given the age of the machine?

Might be best to off load the itunes etc to an external drive (also protects against failure of this "old" drive.) Machine might then be OK especially with a memory upgrade


just my two penny worth

EDIT: Looks like this was established before i had time to post!

 

[John]

JohnEBoy, do you think he's storing his data (music ect) files on the OS partition?

Almost certainly yes... We know already it is 120GB disk from the sticky label photo he posted up.

He should be able to move his iTunes library to D: or E:, depending on what drive letter, and wont need to change anything for the foreseeable I would have thought...

 

[Deleted member 37751]

This?

 

[balge]

Is this it?

Hmm, your label said 120Gb, that is a very full 56Gb partition, presumably the missing bit is your 'D' drive.
Looks like you need to move some stuff from 'C' to 'D'...how much room do you have on 'D'?

 

[Merc Owner 2B]

Can we also see the one for the "E" drive sweetpea