aspire one w/ windows getting "sluggish"

Hey all, I currently use an acer aspire one for my main machine (I'm broke, stay at my gf's, and have no place to really set up my desktop, so this machine works perfectly for what I do. Not to mention my monitor is on "xbox duty.")

I have the model w/ 150GB hd and 1GB of ram. It runs windows XP. It seems like it's been slowing down lately. I semi-regularly run ccleaner, avira antivir, and spybot search and destroy. I also defrag my harddrive from safe mode every couple of weeks. I just use the machine for browsing the internet and don't frequent any seedy sites. I ran antivir and spybot over the last two days and no infections were found.

I know a lot of people subscribe to the theory that windows needs to be regularly reinstalled to keep running well but I really don't want to go down that route if I don't have to. Does anyone have any ideas as to what I could do to clean it up a bit and maybe restore my laptop to its original speed.

I use debianeeepc (+lxde) on my eeepc and a friend of mine has installed ubuntu netbook remix on his Aspire one. Both are much faster than a XP, specially on such machines. (and you don't need S&D, ccleaner and others. AV is also not needed but you could use the lighter avast).

Run MSoffice in that machines or even only outlook is a bad idea. They become noticeably slow.

If you really need windows, try with a second GB of ram.

I thought about switching to linux but never made the move. I've heard that the wirless card in the aspire one can be a pain in the ass when using Linux. I also wish to keep the function of my video camera for video chats. I've yet to find an application that will let me video chat in Linux except for skype but my girlfriend uses AIM. If it weren't for those two reasons I would already have ubuntu or some other distribution installed lol.

Edit: Though I suppose if I could get wireless to function properly I could just tell my lady friend that she is SOL unless she wants to make a skype account. It's just nice to be able to see each other when I'm away.

Check the last versión of Ubuntu network. As far as i know, no problems with Wifi card are given on One.
mmm... also check gnomemeeting for videochat (as you can guess a netmeeting alike tool). Also checj: Amsn, Ekiga, Kopete and skype. Maybe one of them will be useful to you.

After that, you can run some windows apps using wine (a compatibility layer to run natively win apps)

Thanks for the input, I might try putting the live CD on a flash drive and seeing how well the networking works out w/ my wifi chip. I didn't even think about wine, If it came down to that, I would bet that AIM probably works under wine.

LOL!!!

Lol, I remeber seeing that on tv. I always lol at stuff like this. I feel bad for people that get tricked in to paying for junk though.

Yeah. Ubuntu 9.04 is amazing with wireless. :] Try it out.

Just thought I'd throw this in here.

I downloaded the Windows 7 RC and have been using it for about a month now. When I switched back to my HDD that has Windows XP installed on it. Holy. Cow. It. Is. Slow. Yes, slow enough to type like an annoying 8th grader. lol. But man, they really cut out a lot of the bloat with this one. That and I suppose it could also be do to not having broken it in as much as I have with the XP drive, but its still pretty fast I think.

Then I booted up Ubuntu, not even the latest version, and I swear I almost switched at that point. lol. Fast, reliable, non-buggy... if it wasn't for the sweet aesthetics of Win 7 and the fact that its Windows so I don't have to deal with program supportive issues that Ubuntu can sometimes have, I just might of switched over. I'm still considering it, actually. Its not like I use a whole lot of Windows specific/non-supported programs.

Anyways, thats my two cents. I'd say either get Win7 or Ubuntu to speed things up.

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Originally Posted by Zephik

Just thought I'd throw this in here.

I downloaded the Windows 7 RC and have been using it for about a month now. When I switched back to my HDD that has Windows XP installed on it. Holy. Cow. It. Is. Slow. Yes, slow enough to type like an annoying 8th grader. lol. But man, they really cut out a lot of the bloat with this one. That and I suppose it could also be do to not having broken it in as much as I have with the XP drive, but its still pretty fast I think.

Then I booted up Ubuntu, not even the latest version, and I swear I almost switched at that point. lol. Fast, reliable, non-buggy... if it wasn't for the sweet aesthetics of Win 7 and the fact that its Windows so I don't have to deal with program supportive issues that Ubuntu can sometimes have, I just might of switched over. I'm still considering it, actually. Its not like I use a whole lot of Windows specific/non-supported programs.

Anyways, thats my two cents. I'd say either get Win7 or Ubuntu to speed things up.

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Win seven speeds things up on a netbook? That suprises me. I was thinking about trying it out on here but didn't think it would run that great. Maybe I'll give that a shot. It's a toss up I suppose. I do enjoy using Ubuntu but get frustrated sometimes w/ getting everything up and running. Win 7 is pretty but eventually i'll just get bored.

My hdd is 150GB so maybe I can try a dual boot? Then I'll have win 7 when I need it and Ubuntu for Fun.

The latest ubuntu release should cover the wireless chipset in your AAO out of the box, I know it will cover the chipset in my EEE 1000HD, and iirc they're the same chipset.

That solves that problem.

As far as video chat goes, I've got nothing. maybe see if there are linux drivers for your model webcam? or is the cam built in?

As far as getting more speed out of windows, short of what you're already doing, all I can suggest is a re-install of the OS, then very carefully watch what programs you put on the rig. I try not to give my Eee too much data to sift through to do anything and I have no speed problems (hell, I even use it at LAN parties to play WC3)

-Mike

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Originally Posted by Kumo

...Check the last versión of Ubuntu network...

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I mean Ubuntu Network Remix, not full Ubuntu

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Originally Posted by Kumo

I mean Ubuntu Network Remix, not full Ubuntu

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I thought about it but wasn't sure If I wanted the netbook remix or Regular Ubuntu. Id have to look in to the differences between the two.

Maybe the core is tweaked, but main differences at first glance are the new panel/desktop organization and icons; and smaller footprint on SSD.

If you finally install it, tell us about it.

I prefer regular Ubuntu over UNR because it seems to hold up better. If you are wanting to maximize your SSD life, then just manually partition it to Ext2 or Ext4 (Ext3 has far more writes than do the other filesystems).

i'm not using an SSD so I'll probalby go w/ full ubuntu. I like having a full desktop.

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm not sure when I'll get around to this. have to read up on dual booting. Can anyone comment on how hard it is? I know how to partition my drive, and I know I need to install windows first.

If I partition my drive and install windows, and then tell ubuntu to install in the second partition will it take care of everything else for me or will I have to mess w/ the MBR and the GRUB by hand to get it working properly? Anyone know how difficult it is?

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Originally Posted by luciusad2004

i'm not using an SSD so I'll probalby go w/ full ubuntu. I like having a full desktop.

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm not sure when I'll get around to this. have to read up on dual booting. Can anyone comment on how hard it is? I know how to partition my drive, and I know I need to install windows first.

If I partition my drive and install windows, and then tell ubuntu to install in the second partition will it take care of everything else for me or will I have to mess w/ the MBR and the GRUB by hand to get it working properly? Anyone know how difficult it is?

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It's extremely easy. You can set the partition of Windows in the Install section of Ubuntu. It automatically configures GRUB as well.

thanks, Maybe I'll download Ubuntu's latest release tonight and install sometime in the next couple days. (I'm probably gonna put it off because installing windows from a flash drive is a pain in the butt lol)