PC noise

[anonymous-user]

Dizeee said:

I have passed the unit onto a local geek who has cloned the existing 320gb drive and replaced it with a terra byte drive, so no more noise. Annoyingly it has not sped up the computer which still takes an age to kick into life and get going, as well as opening programs etc.

That's because he has cloned the drive. Its simply whatever you had on before but in a bigger drive.
You could try checking to remove unwanted programmes and removing items from start up menu that you don't actually need in there. The best way is to do a fresh install of windows so its like new and a bare bones windows at that. Put simply a lot of manafacturers come bundled with unnecessary programmes and add on s called bloatware and acers are no exception.
Have you got several anti virus programmes running at once ? If so they slow things down. Again you can get assistance on here.
Another at to speed things up is to increase the Ram memory in the machine if possible and the ultimate would be to maximise the Ram memory install an SSD for the operating system and put a new install of windows in it. You would then use the SSD to boot the PC and the 1TB hard drive to store all your data on it

[loudlashadjuster]

Dizeee said:

I have passed the unit onto a local geek who has cloned the existing 320gb drive and replaced it with a terra byte drive, so no more noise. Annoyingly it has not sped up the computer which still takes an age to kick into life and get going, as well as opening programs etc.

loudlashadjuster said:

Good excuse to get an SSD.

That's what you needed.

[Dizeee]

Ssd?

[weeboot]

Solid State Disk

Massively faster than the disk you have in there right now.
Not a big cost in upgrade terms either. You can keep the 1Tb HDD for storage and install Windows on the SSD. Boot speed is improved MASSIVELY.

[loudlashadjuster]

I also suggested NOT cloning the drive as this only transfers all the old accumulated Windows crud that can slow an older PC down.

[Dizeee]

Is there a way of cleaning or de fragging I can do?

[RobCrezz]

Honestly, just get them to put you a SSD in as your boot drive / windows. Will be so much faster than it ever was.

[chris285]

No way to 'tidy' the existing OS, as stated the drive was cloned to a bigger drive so performance will be the same and defragging and removing unused stuff is v unklikely to get you what you need

SSD would be the best bet, however you may find compatibility issues as i did on some older hardware. Basically couldn't use an SSD with an existing HDD as it wouldn't recognise it when both were connected, boot priority etc made no difference so bought new parts and upgraded. Hopefully would be a simply buy SSD connect and set as primary boot device and install windows, but depending on age of the computer you may have more challenges

[Dizeee]

That will involve taking it all apart and back to the geek and more money etc so I am going to have to make do.

[Edwin Strohacker]

Taking it apart for a desktop involves undoing two screws & unplugging the drive. You're being given very good advice here, I would take it if it were me- it will be substatntially to your benefit.

[Dizeee]

It means taking the computer to a guy 8 miles away... being without it for a few nights and paying even more money for the privelage. I couldn't afford the 100 pounds he charged to clone the drive so I have no choice but to make so I'm afraid.