Horrible Computer

a reply to: _BoneZ_

A computer with 6 GB of memory shouldn't be using the disk too much, only to load the programs and files needed, that's why I think there's something else wrong with this computer.

a reply to: _BoneZ_
Bonez, you're a gem.

Good advice Semper, and from a real tech.

originally posted by: Moresby
Good advice ... if possible. Not all laptops are set up to switch out drives.

This isn't a laptop. It's a desktop. And even laptops that "can't" switch out hard drives can still be switched as long as they're SATA or PCIe card.

My HP Pavilion laptop that I just bought was claimed to have a hard drive that was not swappable. It now has an SSD in the hard drive's place.

originally posted by: ArMaP
A computer with 6 GB of memory shouldn't be using the disk too much, only to load the programs and files needed, that's why I think there's something else wrong with this computer.

It doesn't matter how much memory you have if the hard drive can't keep up with requests from the CPU.

If you have an antivirus running a scan on a slower hard drive with a slower CPU, you can attempt to run as many other programs as you want with a billion GB's of memory, but nothing will happen. The CPU (and you) will sit there and wait for that spinning hard drive to spit out a few bytes here and there in-between platter rotations to the CPU as the antivirus endlessly scans files.

That 6 GB or even a billion GB of memory can't get filled or used if the CPU is waiting for the hard drive to get data from.

On most computers, and mainly slower processor computers, you basically have two bottlenecks: the CPU and the hard drive. If the hard drive is slow, the CPU can't reach its full potential if it has to keep sitting and waiting for data from the hard drive. Replacing a mechanical hard drive with an SSD eliminates the hard drive bottleneck and puts it at the CPU, which is where you want it, allowing the CPU to max out its processing potential, regardless of how much memory is installed.

Hopefully that made some sense.

originally posted by: Klassified
Bonez, you're a gem.

Good advice Semper, and from a real tech.

Thank you, sir. Pleasure as always.

originally posted by: _BoneZ_

originally posted by: Moresby
Good advice ... if possible. Not all laptops are set up to switch out drives.

This isn't a laptop. It's a desktop.

A desktop with a three year old notebook CPU?!?

HP is crazy.

If it's a desktop I'd just replace the CPU. See what the motherboard can handle. Get out your thermal paste. And install something decent in that bad boy.

a reply to: semperfortis

I hate the HPs. All bundled with crap and fussy. Desktops full of unwanted shortcuts.

originally posted by: Kandinsky
I hate the HPs. All bundled with crap and fussy. Desktops full of unwanted shortcuts.

That's why any time I buy a new computer, be it laptop or desktop, it gets a new hard drive (SSD), and a fresh install of Windows (and Linux to dual-boot if need be).

originally posted by: _BoneZ_

originally posted by: Kandinsky
I hate the HPs. All bundled with crap and fussy. Desktops full of unwanted shortcuts.

That's why any time I buy a new computer, be it laptop or desktop, it gets a new hard drive (SSD), and a fresh install of Windows (and Linux to dual-boot if need be).

Amen on that

HP is a favoured brand at work and we have to live with them.

It's good to see you

Something that hasn't been mentioned... Depending upon what you're using it for, the APU might be bottlenecking due to graphics demands.

If you've got a spare video card laying around, toss it in and see if things speed up. Even a low end card should be enough to verify or negate this possibility.

a reply to: Kandinsky

I've never had a problem with HP. That's why I didn't hesitate (after doing some research for my next laptop) to buy an HP Pavilion laptop. The price was right and the performance is there.

a reply to: Hefficide

His on-chip graphics are comparable to Intel's on-chip HD 4000 graphics, which is actually pretty decent for light gaming, or excellent for other non-gaming activities, so that shouldn't be the problem.

Never hurts to try, though, for peace of mind.

originally posted by: _BoneZ_
If you have an antivirus running a scan on a slower hard drive with a slower CPU, you can attempt to run as many other programs as you want with a billion GB's of memory, but nothing will happen.

That's why I said that something else must be wrong, an antivirus isn't supposed to be scanning the disk all the time, so when the antivirus is working a slow disk will affect the whole computer, but if it's just running a program that is not using the disk all the time then it must be something else that is slowing it down.

But as we don't know if it was slow all the time or not (I blame Semperfortis for not saying it ), we can't really know where's the problem.

originally posted by: Moresby
If it's a desktop I'd just replace the CPU. See what the motherboard can handle. Get out your thermal paste. And install something decent in that bad boy.

From what I have seen, that motherboard is not supposed to accept any other CPU, which I find a little strange.

Edited to add that it's not that strange, as, according to this, the CPU is soldered on the board.

And seeing the specs, my advice is totally out of the window. No PCIE lane.

originally posted by: ArMaP
we can't really know where's the problem.

On that computer and all slower computers like it, the mechanical hard drive is the problem for slow-downs, every time. That's an absolute fact.

When eliminating bottlenecks, go with the easiest first and work your way up. The easiest is RAM modules. He has enough RAM. Next is the hard drive. It needs replaced with an SSD. Then next would be the CPU. It's not replaceable on this particular motherboard, so his only option to speed up the computer is to replace the hard drive.

Once you have 4 GB or more of RAM (which he does), the only bottlenecks left are the hard drive and CPU (not counting video-intensive activities).

It doesn't get any simpler than that.


I've built a lot of computers and replaced even more mechanical hard drives with SSD's. If you've never seen the performance boost from just replacing a slow mechanical hard drive with an SSD, you don't know what you're missing. It speeds up the computer 10-fold or more. Every time, 100% of the time. Not just some time or part of the time.

Every.
Time.

Bonez's solution is the last option left. It will help.

But, frankly, I'd sell that computer on ebay. Or give it to some kid. And start building something decent.

a reply to: semperfortis

Yeah, old processor, HP computer, probably junk for RAM... And 6GB of it? Glad you didn't spend much money, every aspect basically screams garbage. AMD isn't the issue, it's just a bad, underpowered computer, using commodity components on a crappy motherboard.

a reply to: dogstar23

I agree with bones, at work, we have 15pcs and instead of replacing with newer, we just cloned the mechanical drives and put new ssd drives in, BAM! 10x faster, like a new pc, I cant tell you how many laptops and desktops I have saved by just putting green a ssd drive in, 70$ for a decent ssd drive, we got 250gb samsung evo pro drives for the pc's at work, about 150$ each....saved us over 1200$ x15 instead of getting new pc's to build.

Listen to bonez, he knows what he is talking about, and I agree with him 100% on this particular issue.

Edit: I use a acronis clone cd (2010 version) or USB image if needed, or just plug the new drive and old drive in a desktop with enough sata ports, boot with cd, clone old drive onto new ssd, install new ssd into computer...takes about 1hr per 150gb of data to.clone....so cloning a brand new hard drive....half hour tops since there is nothing on there yet.

originally posted by: _BoneZ_
On that computer and all slower computers like it, the mechanical hard drive is the problem for slow-downs, every time. That's an absolute fact.

Unless there's something in the software that is slowing it down.

When eliminating bottlenecks, go with the easiest first and work your way up.

That's the difference, I was not thinking about eliminating a bottleneck, I was thinking about identifying it.

Edited to add that I forgot to say that I haven't seen one computer with an SSD, we poor people don't have enough money for things like that.

originally posted by: semperfortis
Worst Computer in a long time..

I traditionally favor Intel Processors but this was such a good deal on it's face, I took the chance. BAD MOVE

I have had AMD before and remember them being just fine, not this time..

HP Pavilion 400-224
Windows 10 64bit
AMD A4-5000 APU
Radeon HD 8330
6g RAM

It initially came with Win 8.1 which was horrible so I upgraded to Win 10 and while I can navigate it better, the performance is very poor.

I figured it being a "Quad Core" it would be screaming fast; however my i7 laptop beats it by a mile....

I did get it really cheaply at just over 200usds, but not sure I got a deal as it is frustratingly slow..

Oh well, just venting

Semper

I have a retired AMD powered Sleekbook. Terrible laptop, but now I'm a proud owner of a Defiance II.

originally posted by: ArMaP
Edited to add that I forgot to say that I haven't seen one computer with an SSD, we poor people don't have enough money for things like that.

There is that. SSDs ain't cheap.