I have an old laptop Samsung R530. It's a good one, but the last time it's slow. Should I upgrade my RAM?
There are many possible causes of a slow computer with RAM being just one of them. What version of Windows are you using, how much RAM do you have, when you open Task Manager what is percent of memory being used?
Depends on your cpu which by all accounts seems okay. You should max out your ram and cut out all the preinstalled rubbish etc. Regards Eck
What OS are you running on it? Is it fully updated? It looks like it came with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM - depending on exact model when purchased. 4GB is the max but with a 64-bit OS, you will be able to take full advantage of the all of it - a good thing especially with integrated graphics. So if not already at 4GB, I also agree to max it out. That said, the Intel T4500 is no speed demon so compared to today's systems, it was not very quick to begin with.
If I were you I would put Linux on it. There are a bunch of distros that would run fast and smooth on that laptop.
If it was OK before, most likely you just need to perform some maintenance/cleanup/defrag. https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/uninstalled-ccleaner-due-to-lost-trust-alternatives.396801
In addition to the above good suggestions, if you are just relying on Windows Defender for protection you might download and install the Free edition of Malwarebytes and run a scan!
FTR, Windows Defender is what I use on all my systems. But regardless your primary scanner of choice, I always recommend using a 2nd scanner for supplemental scanning, just to make sure you (the user and always weakest link) or your primary scanner did not let something by.
All good suggestions so far. I would add to make sure all of your hardware components show they are working and "online". Go to the Device Manager and look for any exclamation marks which indicate components that are not working. Also make sure all of your RAM is online. I have worked on several "suddenly show" systems and the problem turned out to be one of the RAM modules had slipped out of place.
I looked on the specifications page for the R530, you make the call but what from you're reporting, you currently have almost no headroom. Can you swap the 1GB module for a 2GB DDR3? I also see a BIOS update dating October 2010. https://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/notebook-windows-laptops-np-r530 Here's an idea of the cost via Crucial, here in US dollars. I'm sure Amazon and others have similar if not cheaper. http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/compatible-upgrade-for/Samsung/r530
@erskeys It maybe irrilevant with your situation, but check how much free space you have on the system partition. Yestreday, I checked remotely the laptop of a friend that complained it was running slow. His C: partition was allmost full, occupied 187gb from 200gb. A disk cleanup released only 4,3 GB. Then I checked a bit more and found that in the temp folders of the laptop accounts were 145 GB of log files created from "onedrive" this week. Uninstalled "onedrive", zapped the logs and the laptop is snappy again. -ps. Onedrive was uninstalled before, but Microsoft with their infinite wisdom reinstalled it in a recent update/upgrade. Panagiotis
Well, of course that depends on which programs are running. And Windows itself consumes RAM, as do your essential security apps. You might want to check to see what you have starting with Windows. It is not uncommon for several auto-update programs to get installed that are totally unnecessary since most programs can be set to check for updates when you manually start them. If there are programs set to start with Windows you don't use every computing session, I recommend you disable their auto-start option. You should scan for malware too. And I ask again, is your computer (Windows and security) fully updated? Windows Update will run in the background and when you, the user, are idle to minimize impacting performance. But if the computer is shut down immediately after use (instead of allowing it to sleep) those updates may be delayed. And if the computer is not used often, waiting essential updates will stack up and get further and further behind. This means Windows has to play catch-up which can affect performance - especially on a system low on resources. And 3GB of system RAM is not a lot - especially with integrated graphics. But catch up it must to keep you safe.
@plat1098 That's what I was thinking too. Maybe I should try that. @pandlouk That not the problem here. @Bill_Bright It is fully updated. I ran a program called DriverBooster. My antivirus is 360 Qihoo, and that program disabled a lot of start up programs.
maybe qihoo 360 is the culperate. the program tends to make computers slower after some time using it.
I say stick with Windows Defender and Windows Firewall. Then run manual supplemental scans with Malwarebytes.
Of course! Why would Microsoft include an anti-malware solution with their operating system if it was not good enough? That would only make them look stupid and cause the world to criticize Microsoft relentlessly and possibly open them up to costly litigation. It would be like Toyota putting brakes on their Corollas that are not "good enough" to stop the car. It would be extremely unsafe, irresponsible and stupid. As I said above, "Windows Defender is what I use on all my systems. But regardless your primary scanner of choice, I always recommend using a 2nd scanner for supplemental scanning, just to make sure you (the user and always weakest link) or your primary scanner did not let something by." For the record, I've used Malwarebytes for a supplemental scanner ever since 2009 when I migrated all our systems to Windows 7 and "Microsoft Security Essentials" (MSE is the precursor to "Windows Defender"), and with Windows 8 and Windows 10 with Windows Defender when we migrated to those operating systems. Malwarebytes has never found anything malicious MSE or Windows Defender (WD) let slip by. Again, the user is always the weakest link in security. If you are an irresponsible computer user and you don't keep your computer (OS and security programs) fully updated, if you regularly visit sites that deal with illegal activities, if you are "click-happy" on every unsolicited link, popup, download or attachment you see, then Windows Defender might not be "good enough" for you. But in that case, I don't believe any security program is. I like to say you don't need to drive around in an Abrams Tank to be safe. But you do need a fairly current model car, you need to keep it updated and properly maintained, and most importantly, you must drive defensively. And the good news is WD is already built into Windows 8 and Windows 10 and you can easily install MSE for Windows 7 if still using that OS. Once installed, Windows Update will keep WD fully updated for you. You don't need an extra update program consuming more system resources. I am NOT saying Windows Defender will definitely fix your slow laptop problem. But it is common for security programs to hog system resources and slow systems down. Uninstalling 3rd party security programs and running with Windows Defender will let you see if your current security solution is the problem while still keeping you safe and secure. You can always go back to your old solution if you prefer it.
windows defender is not as good as many think it is , in fact it runs heavy on windows 10 , when opening files and so on and so forth. detection is mediocre even with the pup registry hack on , it is still pure baseline protection. I guess everyone has their own preferencess...... what firewall are you using @erskeys?
Sadly, the above is totally misleading. Baseline is totally adequate. It is not near as heavy on resources as some alternatives and is the most thrifty when it comes to disk space (since it is already in Windows). As for detection, unlike commercial products that depend on high lab test scores for marketing purposes, Microsoft codes WD to protect you from today's genuine real world scenarios. Not simulated, artificial scenarios. Microsoft is not competing for your security software money. If MSE/WD were as bad as Crystal Lake Camper would like you to believe, 100s of millions of W7, W8, and W10 users would be totally infected right now. And that is just not the case. Yes. When you uninstall your aftermarket firewall, Windows Firewall enable itself again. Again, I am not saying Windows Defender is the best thing since sliced bread. I am saying you don't need the best security program to remain safe. That is all marketing hype.
ok! you could also go for comodo firewall with cruelsisters settings ( there is a tutorial video for that on youtube ). it produces virtually no popups this way and blocks threats silently. you can pair it up with windefender if you wish. I would not go for defender and win firewall alone if you are not a careful browser and do loads of torrenting and other risky stuff. but like I said before defender is not my cup of tea , I just prefer other security solutions. I bassically do not trust defender . no matter how hard people try to defend ( no pun intended ) it.