New install of XP and running slow

[Booky]

I recently installed XP for the first time on a new HD. I preveiously ran WIN98SE. I also installed a second stick of 512MB PC2700 from crucial to make me have 1 GB of memory.

My problem is that my system seems slower. My new HD has a 8MB cache vs the 2MB that my other one had. Seti takes about 3 times as long to complete a work unit and none of my other programs seem to be the same either.

Any ideas on whay may be the problem? Im new to XP, Pro, but did have my 98SE tweaked pretty good I thought. I jsut wanted more memory.

Crap, all the good ones are already taken.

 

[Toejam31]

Have you installed the latest chipset drivers, and checked the DMA settings for the IDE controller channels? How about turning off unnecessary services?

Toey

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[Booky]

I have the latest chipset drivers. I have turned off everything I can think of. I will check the DMA settings, I didn't think of that.

Is it normal for XP to use a swap file whne there is still lots of memory unused? I have 1GB of PC2700 and the damn thing says it is increasing swap file when I only have a few things running. I am starting to think maybe my memory isn't working right.

Crap, all the good ones are already taken.

 

[Toejam31]

Did you do an upgrade, or a clean installation?

<A HREF="http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q316528" target="_new">"Your System Has No Paging File, or the Paging File Is Too Small" Error Message After Windows XP Upgrade</A>

You should probably also either clean out the hidden Windows/Prefetch folder, or disable it, by killing the Task Scheduler service.

The section on this page might also be of help:

<A HREF="http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm" target="_new">Problems with Virtual Memory</A>

Toey

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[Booky]

Thanks, Ill read through the site you linked. It was a clean install to a new HD, not an upgrade, just so you know.

Crap, all the good ones are already taken.

 

[timberwolf1]

Question ... what's your CPU and motherboard? XP Pro needs good CPUs and motherboards.


Gary Hendricks
<A HREF="http://www.digital-music-guide.com" target="_new">www.digital-music-guide.com</A>

 

[Booky]

I have a Barton 2500 (1.8GHz) and a Asus A7V333X. I think I may have figured out whats up. I ran Sandra and it is telling me taht my PCI is overclocked too much and that my chipset only supports 266MHz memory. My Motherboard says it supports 333 but I am going to talk to Asus to see whats going on here.

Is Sandra accurate in telling the Bus speeds, PCI speeds and max chipset speeds? I mean my Motherboard is V1.2 which specifically says it supports 333MHz CPU and memory but Sandra says it only supports 266.

Crap, all the good ones are already taken.

 

[tomc4t]

The VIA KT333 chipset doesn't really support 333Mhz system bus - so Sandra is right. VIA have a bad habit of naming their chipsets in a weird way - the KT400 supports this speed but not 400Mhz. Logic? They've heard of it no doubt.

 

[CapNjacK]

Sandra is wrong. The KT333 supports up to 333MHz FSB the problem however maybe in your bios. You should check to make sure you haven't underclocked the memory. Most Asus bios have the ability to set the memory speed at a different value then the FSB such as -33 or -66 or even +33 or +66 etc. Offhand I don't remember the value. Also what version of Sandra are you trying to use?
This was taken from www.via.com
The VIA Apollo KT333 is the first VIA chipset to feature DDR333 memory offering 25% more memory bandwidth to the CPU. Supporting DDR200/266/333 memory and a complete range of 200/266/333MHz Front Side Bus AMD Athlon™ XP and AMD Duron™ processors, the VIA Apollo KT333 provides lightning fast access to the faster system memory enabling stunning performance across the full application range.
Asus makes basically the same statement. The only chipset Via made that was screwy in that way was the original KT400 chipset (now considered 'mature') This was changed as soon as the KT400a came out and if memory serves me that wasn't very long after the release of the KT400.

 

[Booky]

Ok, I think your on to something with the BIOS. When I go to FSB speed it says something +66. I thought this was wrong but it is the default setting. If I change it to when there is no "extra" numbers then my cpu speed droms from 1.8 to 1.4GHz. I know my chip is rated at 1.8. It is a Barton 2500. I guess I will try running at slower speed, or underclocking I guess, and see what happens.

Oh and im useing Sandra 2004

Crap, all the good ones are already taken.

 

[alltaken]

may i ask if inside windows it is recognising the memory. etc... when right clicking on my computer it says that it is athlon 2500 (1.8Ghz) with 1 Gb memory.

i have 2x 512 Mb sticks of ram. i bough another stick of 512 and put it in but the computer didn't see any more than was there. so basicly i found out the third ram slot and second ram slot would be single sided if they were both used LOL.

Alltaken

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[Booky]

Ok, so the thing I was seeing in BIOS was by CPU FSB. It is reading 166/33 so I assume that means 33 for PCI bus?

If I show properties in system it says I ahve a 1.83GHz and 1GB of memory.

I am still totally lost. Wondering if maybe I should just format and reinstall again from scratch?

Crap, all the good ones are already taken.