Can i
check the drives somehow?
Im just installing some software onto my new dell PC, and i noticed the other day when i was putting the printer software on that when it came to taking the info off the disc, it took ages, which i thought strange for a new comp. Ive come to put a much bigger programme on tonight, and when i put the dics in it asks me what i want to do with it, but says "searching for content" with a green bar across the top of the box. This never seems to complete no matter how long ive left it, so i click on explore files which brings up a blank screen then eventually the 5 folders on the disc appear again with a green bar progressing across the address bar(?name?) at the top. I havent yet got one of the folders open, it just goes into not responding mode after a while when you double click on them. What could be causing this and any ideas how i can fix it to install the software. Ive tried it in both drives on this pc, yet on 2 other pc's ive tried it on it opens up perfectly, so i guess its not the disc?? Can anybody help please?
nackered Drive or low on RAM i reckon.
Its 4gb ram and does it on both drives. You cant use up the RAM can you?? It must have loads more than the old one, thats why i bought it Can i
check the drives somehow?
You cant permanently use up the RAM but you can fill the RAM as it uses it for applications.
As it's a new machine Windows Vista may be stealing much of that RAM so forcing it to slow down. It may also be loaded with so much JUNK (yes I
know - it's a new PC) but the fact is they are so full of sh*t these days that it may already be performing well below it's best.
Try to delete any programs you are not using / or will use - stop them running in the background etc
If it's a HP - it will be loaded with crap that you will probably never use - take it to someone who knows about stuff like this and ask them to
delete the bloatware...
If you live closeby - I'll do it for you...
Steve
EDIT: you dont live too far away - if you need help just U2U me.
[Edited on 24-2-09 by Hellfire]
Have you checked to see if the drives are correctly configured in the bios? If they are then ring Dell and ask them why it's so slow? You paid
for the support when you bought it and it may be a hardware issue.
I can't see that a new PC would have so much stuff bogging it down that a CD cannot be opened reliably so I'd not bother with trying to
remove any bloatware until you know you aren't going to be sending it back.
This is nearly always down to the driver running in PIO mode rather than DMA. Check the settings of the appropriate IDE channel in Windows Device Mangler, sorry Manager.
Surely as a new PC - shouldn't this be set at the factory to suit the PC Drives?
*My error forgot that you had previously said it's a DELL - still full of CR*P though...
Keep us informed....
Steve
quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
This is nearly always down to the driver running in PIO mode rather than DMA. Check the settings of the appropriate IDE channel in Windows Device Mangler, sorry Manager.
Hi, thanks for the replies guys, unfortunately i dont know how to do any of the above 
(apart from knowing where devic manager is) could you
possibly give me some pointers, doesnt have to be completely step by step, just dumbed down a bit 
Im away from home now until friday so ill try
everything then. Thanks. Just onee thing ive remembered, mcafee was already on it but its run out now, can i remove this and use avg or similar
instead?
oh and thanks for the offer steve, ill let you know if it comes to that.
Well if ive checked it right, DMA is enabled on both channels of the drives, does that mean anything anyone??
Should look something like this (I guess you have Vista so may be slight differences). The important bit is the "Current Transfer Mode".
Make sure you are selecting the correct IDE channel for your drive.
XP DMA information
[Edited on 28/2/09 by MikeRJ]
This is how i found it
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but there seems to be 2x channel 0's and 2x channel 1's under the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers heading, could that have anything to do with it
or is that normal. You can just see what i mean in the background. I spent an hour on the phone with Dell tech help yesterday, and she was working
the computer remotely, think she put a new driver on, but its still no better, she said i needed to speak to the software department, but suprise
suprise, therd be a charge.
Rescued attachment screen 4.jpg
quote:
Originally posted by Jubal
Have you checked to see if the drives are correctly configured in the bios? If they are then ring Dell and ask them why it's so slow? You paid for the support when you bought it and it may be a hardware issue.