[Virtualacorn-list] Slow computer response

[Alan Adams]

In message <50a4ea2ec6charles at charleshope.demon.co.uk>
          charles <charles at charleshope.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> On 03 Oct, Dr Peter Young <pnyoung at ormail.co.uk> wrote:
>> On 2 Oct 2009  Keith Pascall <klp at klpascall.plus.com> wrote:

>>> Hi all,

>>> I am getting a problem in Virtual RPC with typed letters being missed
>>> out. Not specific letters but random. It appears that occasional key
>>> presses are not being passed fast enough (or blocked by another
>>> operation) to Virtual RPS display before another one is pressed which
>>> is then displayed in its place (making my spelling look worse than it
>>> is) I do not have this problem if I work in Windows.

>>> Something seem to be halting/taking over the system. The disc drive
>>> light comes on briefly every few seconds, but no more than usual.

>> Just a thought, but could this:
>> http://www.virtualacorn.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=549&p=2141&hi
>> lit=priority

>> perhaps be relevant?

> another possible cause is a virus checker running on the underlying PC.  I
> installed Norton on my Alpha1 and found that was constantly interrupting my
> work on the RISC side.  when I removed it, all recovered.  AVG casued no
> such problems.

Was that norton Antivirus, or Norton Security Tools? I've found the 
latter, which includes antivirus, to cause quite a lot of such issues, 
and then be remarkably difficult to uninstall after its subscription 
has lapsed.

> Make sure you don't have any "auto-updates" turned on.  These, too, can
> slow evertything down, especially when they are accessing the internet.

I also avoid installing the print software supplied with HP printers - 
it installs a lot of unnecessary junk, including the HPupdate tool, 
which can hang when the computer is trying to shut down.

Instead connect the printer physically, then use the "have disc" 
option to install just the driver from the supplied software.

-- 
Alan Adams, from Northamptonshire
alan at adamshome.org.uk
http://www.nckc.org.uk/