# Please don't throw things -- I need computer help. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 8, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-throw-things-i-need-computer-help/444456 "2008-04-08T14:45:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2008, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-throw-things-i-need-computer-help/444456/21 "2008-04-09T08:57:23Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] My personal feeling is anti-virus software is the major cause of system slowdowns and random problems. Everything is filtered thru these inefficient programs. Get rid of 'em. [/QUOTE] Some of them are, without question, enormous resource hogs. Others less so. ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-throw-things-i-need-computer-help/444456/22 "2008-04-09T12:17:29Z")
[QUOTE=Myglaren] Some of them are, without question, enormous resource hogs. Others less so. [/QUOTE] So how does McAfee rate in that regard? ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-throw-things-i-need-computer-help/444456/23 "2008-04-09T13:19:12Z")
[QUOTE=Licentious Ectomorph] So how does McAfee rate in that regard? [/QUOTE] Hog, from what I’ve heard. I always uninstall it when I get a machine with it preloaded. By the way, the OP has a machine with enough fire power (3ghz with 1g Ram) to not have issues with petty programs running. I’m betting that we’re looking at a small or filled up and fragged hard drive issue. Also, the video drivers may not be up to date or you may have a video card that doesn’t excite your computer experience, so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2008, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-throw-things-i-need-computer-help/444456/24 "2008-04-09T13:34:40Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] Using My Computer, select drive C: and right-click. Select properties. [/QUOTE] Here’s what it shows: Used: 27.5 GB Free: 121 GB ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2008, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-throw-things-i-need-computer-help/444456/25 "2008-04-09T13:47:09Z")
[QUOTE=Licentious Ectomorph] Here’s what it shows: Used: 27.5 GB Free: 121 GB [/QUOTE] You certainly don’t have a space issue, must be other things. You run file sharing programs like Kazaa or Limewire or Napster? How long have you had the machine? You might want to defrag the hard drive at some point, that will speed it up a little more or a lot more. Open up “my computer” find the hard drive icon (prolly C) and right click, select “properties” and then when the properties window opens up click the “tools” tab. You will see a “defragment now” bar. Click that and start the process. Wait, it could take anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-throw-things-i-need-computer-help/444456/26 "2008-04-09T14:08:11Z")
[QUOTE=Uncommon Sense] You certainly don’t have a space issue, must be other things. You run file sharing programs like Kazaa or Limewire or Napster? [/quote] I don’t think so. Is that like iTunes? 'Cause I do have that. > [@](#): > > How long have you had the machine? You might want to defrag the hard drive at some point, that will speed it up a little more or a lot more. > > Open up “my computer” > find the hard drive icon (prolly C) and right click, > select “properties” and then when the properties window opens up click the “tools” tab. > You will see a “defragment now” bar. Click that and start the process. > Wait, it could take anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours. I think I’ve had it three or four years. I did recently run the Diskeeper defragging program, but I’ll try that. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-throw-things-i-need-computer-help/444456/27 "2008-04-09T18:35:37Z")
[QUOTE=Licentious Ectomorph] I don’t think so. Is that like iTunes? 'Cause I do have that. I think I’ve had it three or four years. I did recently run the Diskeeper defragging program, but I’ll try that. [/QUOTE] The Windows defrag program is designed by Diskeeper, but Diskeeper does a better job. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-throw-things-i-need-computer-help/444456/28 "2008-04-09T18:46:22Z")
If there is a suspected Virus/spyware problem the first gun we draw here in our shop. [www.superantispyware.com](http://www.superantispyware.com) picks up alot of stuff the big boys miss, there is a free version. Macaffee itself could very well be a hefty chunk of your problem. It is a huge resource hog and a recent scanning engine update may have made it more so. You are also borderline on ram for Wow, as updates come in its gonna get chubbier and demand more memory and such, same with COH. If it offers you the option, try shutting off macaffee and seeing if it makes much of a difference. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-dont-throw-things-i-need-computer-help/444456.md?page=1)