[Simulated (OP)]

Here's the stats.

Brand -- Dell Laditude C610
Processor -- Intel Pentium III Mobile CPU 1200 MHz (When I go into my computer and say view system info it also says 797 MHz becide it and I don't know why)
Memory -- 256 MB
OS -- Windows XP Home Edition

I think that'd be about it becides it runs really really really slow when it first starts, but after its been "warmed up" for about 20 minutes it moves at a decent speed. I do clear all the unneeded apps. It is an old computer, but everything still works on it, and we really don't want to go get a new one. We have found a place were we can get 1 GB (max the computer can take) for 55 dollars.

I think it would help, but I was talking to a friend about it a few days ago and they said there is something else wrong with it. I'm like yea I don't think so. So decided I better ask.

Thanks Sim  []

[RD]

I was talking to a friend about it a few days ago and they said there is something else wrong with it.

Your Dell may have an "automated scan" programme to self-diagnose any hardware faults.
I think this programme is on the same Dell menu where you got the system stats.
http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/search?ticket=KKVeM96Kao3p_-1&submitted=true&q=latitude+c610


If your computer has slowed since you first got it (new) then you should scan for virus after checking the hardware is ok.

[Poetic-Justice]

You may want to clean up your registry a bit, probably your BIOS as well.

It most probably is a good idea to get the new RAM, but if your unsure, I'd just go and ask one of your IT teachers at school. They would probrably be much more credible than your friend, and they would be in a much better position than me to advise you what to do.

Be careful putting it in! Good luck with it all.

edit: Yer, it would be useful to keep your anti-virus up to date, possibly consider the better option of Linux? It would be a fun project anyhow.

[Simulated (OP)]

Well, I run everything I now how to clean out like all the time. We have WindowsOne Care. It's just amazin. Does everything for you. And I can't wait for August to ask our teacher if it could use more RAM ha. And I already put 512 MB more RAM into the desktop a month ago.

We didn't get our computer new. We got it refurbished about 3 or 4 years ago. It was slow then, but not that bad. I went to run the typed in dxdiag to get my stats..

[DoctorBeaver]

To be honest, I'm surprised it works at all. Windows XP on a 256Mb machine? It must be swapping memory to disk and back all the time.

[Simulated (OP)]

Yeah, I know. It has like nothing at all. Two 128 MB. It is purdy much slow, but you beileve 1 GB would help it, alot?

[Poetic-Justice]

And I can't wait for August to ask our teacher if it could use more RAM ha.

Your on holiday already! Lucky guy!

[LeeE]

Increasing the RAM from 256MB will make quite a big difference.  Most of my systems are linux but one of them is dual boot, with WinXP so I can play some games, and while Linux is happy with 512MB, generally using about half of that for cache, WinXP needs to swap out about 280 MB straight from start-up.  With only 256MB RAM I'd estimate that you're probably swapping out around 500MB as soon as the system starts.  Windows swap handling is pretty poor too, compounding the problem, so increasing it to 1GB should make it much more usable.

It's common for laptop CPUs to run at a lower speed when running off the batteries.  Check the CPU speed when plugged into the mains supply and see if it's still just 797MHz.

[Simulated (OP)]

ok i will check that.