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Mom's computer is slowing down?

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SkaarjMaster

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jan 31, 2002
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Here are the specs:

Win98SE
P3-500 CPU, 512MB PC100 SDRAM
standard HS/fan (Coolermaster)
Gigabyte GA-6BXC 440BX MB
ATI Rage Fury 32MB video card
Soundblaster LIVE! Value sound card
Western Digital 20GB HD 5400rpm
ISA ethernet card
300W PS

She says the Internet is a lot slower than last week and stuff takes forever to come up. The applications outside the Internet run really slow. The time on the clock is running down.......the difference between real time and the time shown keep getting larger. She says it shows 7:50pm when it is really around 11pm now! I was thinking a virus, but maybe the MB needs a new battery and it's finally running down after approx. five years of running (3 at my house and 2 at hers). If it is the battery, how do I replace it? Any ideas?

Don't worry, she IS getting a new computer in a couple months. I just built myself a new one and would like to get acquainted with XP first before I build her an XP computer.
 
Wouldn't worry too much about the time/batt issue of you are just replacing it in a couple months.

What I WOULD do though, go get adaware, scan for spyware/adware, make sure your virus defs are up to date and run a full system scan.
 
I plan on doing all that anyway (virusscan, ad-aware, scandisk, defrag, windows update, etc.)........the standard making sure everything is current/updated, but I was just wondering if it is the battery and if it can be replaced.

I'll be going over there this Sunday to try and fix it.
 
Most motherboard made at least within the past decade have a replaceable battery. I think almost all even use the same model number, but I can't remember what that is off the top of my head. I do recall it being a 3 volt battery for some reason though.

Anyhow, just look on the mobo, looks like a giant watch battery, can't miss it. Should take you all of 10 seconds to remove it, as in the standard setup it should just pop right out, or at the most, it will have a little metal arm which flips over the top of the battery.
 
it looks like those batterys found in the watchs. but bigger. the battery is on ur mobo
 
I know what it looks like and I know how to take it out, but do you guys think that IS the problem?
 
Run Disk Cleanup, Scandisk, and Disk Defragmenter.

Download and run AdAware and Spybot S&D.

Get rid of any un-needed applications in startup, etc.
 
Hey, if none of those above solutions/troubleshooting options turn anything up, let me just ask when the last reinstall of Win98 was. As I recall, a nasty detail about Win95/98 was that they tended to over time build up large extensive bloated registry's and ole linking systems which would literally lag the system as to run a program, windows would go into the OLE and/or registry and have to go down the entire list (wasting valuable clock cycles) just to find the correct registry/OLE entry that tells it how load or what to use to load a file/program --and thats not even accounting for bad registry entries or other problems that can lag the OS. Anyway, this site appears to have some more extensive discussion of the problems I spoke of above and also offers links to downloadable Freeware tools that are specifically designed to clean up the win98 registry/OLE subsystem.
 
the slowdown is definately NOT the mobo battery. Do the adaware/defrag etc. everyone is recommending, or just reinstall windows if you can. Win98 tends to get slower and slower as time goes on.
 
Switch Mom to decaf. She might not notice after that.


And quit overclocking Mom. It decreases her lifespan.
 
Not to beat a dead horse, but run ad-aware/spybot, delete temp files, run scandisk/defrag, remove excess programs from startup/machine, or reload the OS.
 
You have access to 2k? Reformat and upgrade to 2000. I have no idea why people continue to run 98. BTW, I run XP on a machine that slow at work, and it runs fine for normal business use, so its not like the machine wont handle it.

Anyway, I just finally upgraded from 2k to xp, and I cant say its a huge upgrade. However, when I moved from 98 to 2000 I did notice a HUGE difference. I think the best thing you could do for her is get that machine running a fresh install of a decent OS.
 
OK, for all the clueless people on this forum:

1. Yes, I am upgrading her in about 2-4 months (XP, new computer, the whole works)
2. Yes, I will run ad-aware, virusscan, delete temp, scandisk, defrag and all those goodies on Sunday.
3. refer to #1 and #2.

Anyway, right now I'm trying to confirm that it is the MB battery. Note: I can't actually go to her house until Sunday. After reading this thread and the link, do you think this is the problem?
 
Originally posted by SkaarjMaster
OK, for all the clueless people on this forum:

1. Yes, I am upgrading her in about 2-4 months (XP, new computer, the whole works)
2. Yes, I will run ad-aware, virusscan, delete temp, scandisk, defrag and all those goodies on Sunday.
3. refer to #1 and #2.
Click to expand...
Wow, biting the hand that's feeding you. You asked for help now you call US clueless? Well, I guess my help is better left for people who want it, in other threads. :rolleyes:

edit: You know what, if I was taking money for supporting you I would hand it back after that comment. The nerve of some people.
 
Originally posted by SkaarjMaster
OK, for all the clueless people on this forum:

1. Yes, I am upgrading her in about 2-4 months (XP, new computer, the whole works)
2. Yes, I will run ad-aware, virusscan, delete temp, scandisk, defrag and all those goodies on Sunday.
3. refer to #1 and #2.

Anyway, right now I'm trying to confirm that it is the MB battery. Note: I can't actually go to her house until Sunday. After reading this thread and the link, do you think this is the problem?
Click to expand...

Not "clueless" as much as "unable or unwilling to read through your posts before replying" :D

Anyway. No. The battery might very well be dying, but that has nothing to say on how it runs when it's on. What might have happened is that the bios data has been reset (because of the battery), and the clockspeed has fallen to some low, but safe, speed.
 
While I don't think application and internet slowdown is due to a bad battery, many times the clock problam is due to that. It can also cause BIOS settings to be reset and in some cases like with a batch of the early Asus A7N8x's can cause the system to not reboot. The battery probably isn't more than a few bucks at Walmart or something. I believe the model number is CR2032 although I'm not 100% sure. If I had the remote for my Pioneer head unit, I could check that since they use the same battery. Just crack open your case and look at the model number on your battery. This way you can go buy one before you go work on the system.
 
Yes, the only definite thing is there is a very good chance it is a CR2032 battery, but I can't find anything on the Internet to confirm that for sure. I may stop and get one of these on the way over to her house to save time and if not I'll just exchange it.

Sorry to be so harsh, but I'm getting some of same things at other forums when I clearly state at the beginning of the thread (my 2nd post that is) that I will do all the other ad-aware/defrag stuff anyway.

For those of you that helped, thank you!
 
Originally posted by SkaarjMaster
Sorry to be so harsh, but I'm getting some of same things at other forums when I clearly state at the beginning of the thread (my 2nd post that is) that I will do all the other ad-aware/defrag stuff anyway.

For those of you that helped, thank you!
Click to expand...
Sorry, I don't read that other forum you are talking about. And if you read a little better you will see that different people ADDED stuff in their list of stuff to do such as. "Get rid of any un-needed applications in startup, etc." and "As I recall, a nasty detail about Win95/98 was that they tended to over time build up large extensive bloated registry's" and "or just reinstall windows if you can." and finally "delete temp files". Gee no ad-aware or defrag comments there, yet each of their posts ALSO mentioned those other things...

Oh, since I'm even bothering to reply I'll give you this little gem. The item you missed in my post, deleting the temp files, is the #1 cause of your problem. Windows 9x shell has know memory leaks and problems with leaving temp files in that dir, which doesn't help. Clearing that directory and rebooting work wonders on 9x machines, but hey what the hell do I know. :rolleyes:

Get off your high horse with comments like "For those of you that helped." Everyone who replied tried to help, so your not thankful to the people tried to help? Damn those people who try help, damn them to hell. :rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by SkaarjMaster
OK, for all the clueless people on this forum:
Click to expand...
....normally, when I ask someone for help, even if they try and don't get much traction, I recommend "thank you" as a reply. Just a thought....

...per the rules:
Absolutely NO FLAMING OR NAME CALLING, this is grounds for immediate removal of your posting privileges.
Click to expand...
Shutting this one down before the real flames start to fly......

B.B.S.
 
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