OS and Software > Broadband Tweaks > [Tweak Test] My computer only is slow

reply to Irish Shark

Re: [Tweak Test] My computer only is slow

• OK, I thought that I found the bad guy.

• Above, you said that you tested another computer on the same network. Are you saying that you used YOUR connection with another computer?

Well.if I read what you posted, I'll get the answer to my question.

• So this this localized to just this box. Have you scanned for visuses?

• Check all your connections to/from the router to the NIC.

• Is there a filter on this line? If so, replace it.

• Open a Command Prompt and type
ping 127.0.0.1 -n 20

Copy and paste the results at the bottom and not the whole ping.

• Check you NIC properties and make sure the it is set to Auto. If not try 100/Full.

Let's digest that first and then we can move on.

Yes. I plugged the other computer into this drop on my network (which only has 4 lines, so not a huge network). And I plugged my computer into that other person's line. Same results.

Also, I just now plugged into another network at another company, and did my speed tests. From North Carolina, Here are the results:

Speakeasy California: 187 download, 983 upload

Netaccess New Jersey: 483 download, 875 upload.

So again, different network, but this same computer.

I think this means it has to be the computer, not the network, right?

Steve

reply to Irish Shark
I've scanned the box for viruses several times in recent months. And AVG anti-virus was running continously until I uninstalled it to run tests today (I reinstalled it later). So probably not a virus.

I get the same speed running on several different networks, at completely different facilities, and in different states! (from my office, from a client office, from a hotel). My speeds are about the same everywhere I go. So not a router issue, or a wire/connection issue.

This also is about the same if I use wireless or wired connections.

I made sure the NICs are both on Auto, and it made no difference.

The ping test looks fine. Here are the results:

Ping Statistics for 127.0.0.1:
Packets sent = 20, received = 20, lost =0 (0% loss)
Approximate Round trip: Min 0ms, Max 0ms, Avg 0ms

So still it looks like something in this machine, but something that is the same using either wireless or wired connections.

OK. Let's move on to some more possible issues. I am assuming that the box is not a laptop.

• Did you ever get decent speeds with this box? If so how long ago? What changed?

• Overheating. Check the computer's cooling fan; it may be clogged or malfunctioning which may lead to overheating of the processor. Check for obstruction of fan and ventilation slots.

• Bad RAM. Check if the RAM chips are overheating. If it is scalding hot, you may have a problem.

• Run scandsk or chkdsk and check for bad sectors. If there are bad sectors, backup your data and have a replacement hard disk ready to take over.

• Look at what programs are starting up. Run msconfig. See what programs (non MS) are in the boot stream. Anything there that you don't recognize?

• On the general tab (first one) select Diagnostic Startup. Exit and reboot. Speed back?

I appreciate you staying with me on this. Frustrating for sure!

This is a laptop. And it has always run hot. But I just ran a test with it cold, just powered up, and still the same. And I've had it 4 years and it hasn't burned out yet or really done anything wrong but this slow internet.

I really started testing the speed about a year ago when I was back on the road, and it's been pretty consistently slow since then.

I run a diagnostic test every week, and it checks for bad sectors, so it's ok.

I don't know how to check for bad Ram. My diagnostic suite may check for it, and it's reporting the right amount of ram (around 2gb).

I tried to start in diagnostic mode, but I didn't have an internet connection at all in that mode. So I did start in "Safe Mode with Network", which should be the same thing, the speed was still around 300 download, and about 300 upload.

Oh, and it is the same speed whether I plug into the lan card with a wired internet, or use the wireless.

AHA! Here is an interesting finding. I did a lot of speed tests on a very fast network, so any limits should be my machine, not the network. Here are the results. For reference, I am physically in North Carolina:

Speakeasy, not through DSLReports, native (not Java or Flash):
San Fransisco 382 dl/666 ul
Washington DC 3260 dl / 5184 ul
New York City 2112 dl / 703 ul
Dallas 814 dl / 1305 ul

The tests below are throgh DSLReports, either Java or Flash:
NetAccess Parsippinay NJ (Java) 680 dl / 1175 ul
Netaccess Parsippany NJ (Flash) 762 dl / 843 ul

MegaPath San Fransisco (Java) 109 dl / 359 ul
Megaptah San Fransisco (Flash) 213 dl / 209 ul

Linkline Los Angeles (Java) 181 dl / 798 ul
Linkline Los Angeles (Flash) 121 dl / 2411 ul

Comcast Washington DC (Flash) 1334 dl / 3879 ul

What does it all mean?

Looks like Netaccess is just a slow connection? Because all the other east coast tests show really good speed (and New York is farther from here than NJ.

Looks like the closer connections are WAYYY faster than the distant ones!

Doesn't look like Flash, Java, or Native test makes much difference.

What do you make of all this?

Steve

reply to sptent
• Did you see any startup programs that you did not recognize?

• What is troubling to me is that there was no Internet connection in the diagnostic mode. Could be a SW or HW issue. Even in Safe Mode, you did not see any joy.

• Read this on Winsock issues and try the repair method.
»windowsxp.mvps.org/winsock.htm

• Check Task Manager to see if any program/services is eating your CPU and RAM.

• Run a Hijack This and see if there is anything odd there. If you want You can zip it up and post it.

• I think the next step to see if it is a SW or HW issue is to reformat the drive and install XP again. Yes, I know that this is a real PITA, but it should narrow the root cause. It is also a lot cheaper than swapping out parts.
--
"You can observe a lot by watching". Yogi Berra

Well, I did get an internet connection in Safe mode, just slow. And I go through the startup programs fairly regularly and nothing sticks out.

Do you think there is anything to the fact that most of the tests show good speed for closer (say within 800 miles or so) connections, but it goes WAYY down for more distant ones?

And I'll try the winsock repair and see how that goes.

If your laptop is 4 years old you probably have too little memory. I suggest at least 2 GBytes for Windows, life gets good at 4 GByte.

The machine will get slower over time as you install more services and they use more memory (anti-virus...). Regardless of how you tweak TCP, Windows will use VERY small buffers if it's trying to conserve memory.

Small buffers mean you will only get good throughput from low ping-time (nearby) sites. And geographically close does not guarantee low ping time. I've seen Internet traceroutes get from central NJ to DC via NYC, Chicago, Atlanta and finally DC.

You can get 4 GByte DDR2 laptop memory for under $50. It could change your life for the better.

It has 2GB of memory now.

reply to sptent
My post got lost.

In all this stuff did you swap out the CAT5 to the router? I know that the wireless is also slow, but it is just one more thing to checkoff the list.

• We know three things: it is the computer; it could be SW, or it could be HW.

• I would take easiest and no cost method first. Format that drive and do a clean install of XP (no SP). If the speed come back, we know that it is SW problem. Then add one thing at a time and see what breaks the system. If that does not do it, it is a HW issue.

• Most costly is to start swapping parts. High cost and takes time. I would just junk it and buy a new laptop.
--
"You can observe a lot by watching". Yogi Berra