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Offline franksolich

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does a computer ever get "tired"?
« on: January 26, 2009, 09:06:18 PM »
Okay, so I'm still using this old library computer--convenience and the weather and the condition of the roads and that I'm way out here in the middle of nowhere, has prevented the new unit from getting here. 

It's not a comfortable position, but it's tolerable.

Anyway.

I've noticed something.

When I first turn on the computer and come to conservativecave, everything works like clockwork, and fast too.

But as the hours wear on, the computer constantly kept on, conservativecave gets slower and slower to "refresh."

I've tracked this at various times, and it's way too random to be any problem with conservativecave; it has to be with this computer.

And I've seen it with other sites, too, this slowly-decreasing speed after a couple or three hours.

Is it possible for a computer to "wear down"?
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Offline Thor

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Re: does a computer ever get "tired"?
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2009, 09:14:47 PM »
What that is..... is one of the inherent problems with windows 98. The "memory" and pagefile gets "clogged up" after a while. It depends on what's being put into memory, how big your swap file is, etc etc etc.
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Offline franksolich

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Re: does a computer ever get "tired"?
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2009, 09:17:24 PM »
Quote from: Thor on January 26, 2009, 09:14:47 PM
What that is..... is one of the inherent problems with windows 98. The "memory" and pagefile gets "clogged up" after a while. It depends on what's being put into memory, how big your swap file is, etc etc etc.

Thank you, sir; I wondered, because there does seem a distinct pattern.

I thought this might be a reason, memory getting all clogged up, but wasn't sure.

And so now I'm figuring it would be good to shut down and restart about every three hours.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: does a computer ever get "tired"?
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2009, 09:26:32 PM »
Quote from: franksolich on January 26, 2009, 09:06:18 PM
Okay, so I'm still using this old library computer--convenience and the weather and the condition of the roads and that I'm way out here in the middle of nowhere, has prevented the new unit from getting here. 

It's not a comfortable position, but it's tolerable.

Anyway.

I've noticed something.

When I first turn on the computer and come to conservativecave, everything works like clockwork, and fast too.

But as the hours wear on, the computer constantly kept on, conservativecave gets slower and slower to "refresh."

I've tracked this at various times, and it's way too random to be any problem with conservativecave; it has to be with this computer.

And I've seen it with other sites, too, this slowly-decreasing speed after a couple or three hours.

Is it possible for a computer to "wear down"?

In a word: yes.  Heat over time makes sensitive circuits fail, hard disks fail (my $300 1/2 TB SATA drive failed a few months ago), things fail.

The Operating System starts to fail over time due to added "fixes" (I call them viruses) from Microsoft or Apple.

If you are REALLY good, you can make a computer last 4 years or so (based on the last 15 years of owning PCs -- YMMV).  But these days, expect it to last 3 years at the best.
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Offline Thor

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Re: does a computer ever get "tired"?
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2009, 09:32:54 PM »
Freedumb, I have one PC that was purchased in 1999 (laptop), another one I built in 2000, then converted to XP when it came out, and a third one that I built in 2001. ALL of them run like a top.
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"The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation."- IBID

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Offline Chris_

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Re: does a computer ever get "tired"?
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2009, 09:37:06 PM »
Quote from: Thor on January 26, 2009, 09:32:54 PM
Freedumb, I have one PC that was purchased in 1999 (laptop), another one I built in 2000, then converted to XP when it came out, and a third one that I built in 2001. ALL of them run like a top.

With Vista?  I have 2 old PCs that run like tops -- running Linux.  And an old lady that is still running XP where I have to spend 1/2 my time telling MS I don't want to update.

But my last PC just crapped out. After 4 years or so, it started just not working.

Circuitry ages.  Like us, only faster.
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Offline Thor

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Re: does a computer ever get "tired"?
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2009, 09:49:37 PM »
No, I'm running Windows XP on all of them. The Laptop came with ME, the first PC I built had 98 for about four months.
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"The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation."- IBID

I AM your General Ne'er Do Well, Troublemaker & All Around Meanie!!

"Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated."-Thomas Jefferson

Offline Chris_

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Re: does a computer ever get "tired"?
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2009, 09:52:12 PM »
Quote from: Thor on January 26, 2009, 09:49:37 PM
No, I'm running Windows XP on all of them. The Laptop came with ME, the first PC I built had 98 for about four months.

Not analogous.

Great, but it doesn't address the question.
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Offline Thor

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Re: does a computer ever get "tired"?
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2009, 10:05:28 PM »
Quote from: freedumb2003 on January 26, 2009, 09:37:06 PM
With Vista?  I have 2 old PCs that run like tops -- running Linux.  And an old lady that is still running XP where I have to spend 1/2 my time telling MS I don't want to update.

But my last PC just crapped out. After 4 years or so, it started just not working.

Circuitry ages.  Like us, only faster.

Have you tried XP Anti-Spy ?? http://www.xp-antispy.org/index.php/lang-en

It turns off a lot of crap that XP has to phone home & update.
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"The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation."- IBID

I AM your General Ne'er Do Well, Troublemaker & All Around Meanie!!

"Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated."-Thomas Jefferson

Offline Chris_

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Re: does a computer ever get "tired"?
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2009, 01:28:18 AM »
Quote from: Thor on January 26, 2009, 10:05:28 PM
Have you tried XP Anti-Spy ?? http://www.xp-antispy.org/index.php/lang-en

It turns off a lot of crap that XP has to phone home & update.

XP  != Vista

Or, if you like:
XP <> Vista

Or, we have:
XP ~= Vista

Or :
XP|Vista=0

Or:
~XP+Vista=true

Or:
[XP,Vista]=false
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