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Great computer running awful all of a sudden

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  • Computers
  • Build
  • Components
Last response: in Components
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August 31, 2013 4:01:16 PM

Hi all, I have a hopefully easy to solve question. I had a friend help me custom build a computer 2 years ago and it was a beast. It could run everything on the highest settings no problem, fast and smooth, could open tons of processes at once with relatively no lag. Now within the last few months its been getting slower and slower and it's gotten to the point to where every time I try to open an application I have to wait 20-30 seconds just for the window to pop up. If I hit ctrl+alt+del it takes minutes to respond.... I checked my system specs and from what I've gathered my computer is still pretty great despite its age. So what do I need to change? I'm willing to spend money if I need to replace a component. I just have no clue what component to replace since this computer was built for me by a friend. Thanks. Here are the specs:
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit SP2

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 630 38 °C Propus 45nm Technology

RAM: 6.00GB Dual-Channel DDR2 @ 334MHz (5-5-5-15)

Motherboard: ASUSTeK Computer INC. M4A785-M (AM2) 42 °C

Graphics: H243H (1920x1080@60Hz) 1024MB ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series (XFX Pine Group) 38 °C

Hard Drives: 466GB Western Digital WDC WD5000AAKS-00V1A0 ATA Device (SATA) 39 °C

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August 31, 2013 4:13:20 PM

It shouldn't take 20 seconds to pop up a windows, your pc might be infected with a virus or a trojan, update and run a full scan with your antivirus and also with Malwarebytes (http://www.malwarebytes.org/)
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August 31, 2013 4:17:20 PM

Upgrading to Windows 7 64-bit would benefit you, using 32-bit means that you are limited to 4gb RAM meaning that's 3gb for Windows and programs you run and 1gb for the OS to address the GPU's memory. You may have 6gb RAM, but a 32-bit OS can't use it. A fresh install of the OS usually leads to a nice performance bump as Windows tends to slow a bit as time passes and programs come and go.

Also, what Antivirus are you running? You might consider running TrendMicro's Housecall:
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
to make sure its clean.

That and make sure your drivers and Vista are up-to-date.
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