Duo core os full

roeetha

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Apr 9, 2011
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I have a 6 month old ASUS 1 GB laptop with Intel duocore. Its been getting slower on bootup and in general. I'm getting messages saying OS full. I did a bit of forum research (being not esp pooter-savvy) and after exploring "diskmgmt.msc" find that drive D is almost empty and only has data I imported on it, which I can delete easily. I have disabled some stuff I don't need/use from "services.misc". I'm the only user and I only use it for web surfing, banking, ebay, emails and small stuff, not a gamer. What can I do to optimise the obviously unused drive?
 
Puttin in more RAM will give you the majority of the performance gain. But you can get a little more.

I guess you also have one physical drive partitioned into two logical drive? If your c:\ is full, it will slow your system due to increase seek.

Definitly defrag.

Try to empty c:\. A big chunk of space you can save is to delete the old restore points (Right click computer, property, system protection, configure, delete.).

Move your pagefile to d:\. Right click computer, property, advance system setting, advanced, settings under "performance", Advance, Change and make your selection.

Also turn off the cosmetics
Right click computer, property, advance system setting, advanced, settings under "performance".
Play around with visual effect settings to get the best performance (This is your choice, you may not want to change the look because I know some people absolutely refuse to give up cosmetics for performance like my GF, my trendy brother and mom, LOL!).

If you still can't manage to empty c:\ enough to see performance gain, merge the empty partition d:\ with c:\.
 

roeetha

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Apr 9, 2011
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Thanks, I'll try what you suggest. I did defrag after analysing and changing performance settings( took 2 days!!!) and that freed up a bit of space. Is a duo core just one partitioned? That should be a good place to start... I don't have the windows 7 and drivers software to reinstall or I'd get rid of the partition altogether and nuke the hard drive and start from scratch! Did that successfully on a pc I had a few years ago when I had all the software! Hmmm I'll see if I can merge... Thanks again. If I don't have any joy I'll be baaaaccckkkk
 

roeetha

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OK I have misled you, I have total of 4 gig on drive C and D (together). The 1 GB is the NVIDIA. Changing the "cosmetics" looks wierd! (how can you even suggest that! LOL) but still I think I can compromise a bit...

I can shrink and expand Drive D (DATA), drive C OS is 97% used space and that won't expand and clearly nothing to shrink, so how do I get rid of the partion creating D? Can't find any merge option. Is this the duo core thing?
 
I also have a Asus laptop and it came with a full version of window 7. They call it a recovery disc or something similar. However, I think a reinstallation is the last option.

I want to clear up some misunderstanding. No, the Core2Duo is the name for you processor, it has nothing to do with your harddrive.

Your laptop's raw performance is determined by these hardware of a CPU, RAM, harddisk and graphic card.

CPU and RAM
I don't think the cpu will have anything to do with your slow down. I think your processor will run what you are doing just fine. I think 4gig of RAM should be enough for what you do too. But just on the safe side, check the amount of RAM, right click computer>property and check how much is installed and how much is available. Then right click on blank of window task bar>start task manager and in process tab click show all process from all users and report any high CPU usage on the list above. Also in performance tab, see if the RAM is use up (The green energy bar with memory as title).

Harddisk
I think the 4gig you refer to is the RAM. If only 4gig is left in your harddrive, then you either have a very small harddrive or you put too much stuff into it and you should store your movies and pictures and file that you don't always access in an external drive.

Graphics card
Only applicable when transcoding video with hardware acceleration or gaming. I will ignore it for now.

Ok to the software optimisation:

Scan for melware/virus

Also, I read what you wrote again and you mentioned that you disable some service. Did you also disable some startup service, because startup service is what really bog sown the system at bootup. Type in msconfig at the start search bar, startup and disable some program that you can live with without them poping up the first thing you turn on a computer.

You can try to merge the harddive partition using a program call partition magic. However, you should make a back up image for for laptop before merging partition because although error is rare, it can happen.

Also, I think you can turn on the fancy cosmetic, from your correction on the laptop specification, your laptop seems to be able to handle them.

Ok, I think all I can do now is to wait for you report on those status and also can you tell me the model of laptop so that I can make better diagnostic.
 

roeetha

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Apr 9, 2011
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Thanks, to all, I have backed-up to external hard drive, deleted restore points and trash bin is empty. My docs doesn't have much in it. I've moved files from C drive to D (tho just as easily could move to ext hard drive) and all that has freed up a bit of space, but not that much. Sync 9 and Nokia (mob phone) use lots of memory and run automatically. Can't find where to stop them running when I don't need them often. I go into Task Manager when I boot up but there must be an easier way. In the settings (advanced bit via control panel) I have disabled/paused or manual set programs I don't need to run at start-up (Nokia &Sync9 are not listed) and that's helped boot-up time. I don't have any movies but I do have music (aforementioned moved files). I don't think I have programs installed that I don't use but I'll check...
What I don't get is why have this super-dooper Duo core when its not used by any programs , and obviously Windows 7 doesn't utilise it, so clearly there's no doubling of processing.. What-the...? I'd really like to get rid of the partition and just have one C drive. I'm not given the option to expand drive C even when D is totally empty. Any solutions to this ?
 

roeetha

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Apr 9, 2011
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I've found a good few background processes that are pointless, like smart card reader etc so I've disabled those and shuffled around files into storage on ext drive. Thats made a big difference to bootup time and running speed. Haven't had the courage to mess with the C & D deleting thing, I'll back-up first again then spend a few more hours with it and see what gives. Immediate problem resolved, thanks to all who answered my cry for help. I feel a lot more confident and have found a whole city living behind the front pages of windows!