Hi, I have noticed that when I have a lot of files on my desktop the computer appears to run more slowly.

Is there any penalty for using the desktop to store files (apart from the clutter). I am not sure where files on the desktop physically reside in the machine. Are they on a separate sector on the hard drive or what - I have tried to find out where they are but people I ask are not very clear on this point (I don't think they know!).

Regards

Martin

Hi,
Files on your desktop are saved in: C:\Documents and Settings\<your user name>\Desktop

It may be a little slower to start up but after that, i cant see it affecting it.

How much memory (RAM) do you have?

How big is your HD?

And how big (in MB) is your 'Desktop' folder?

Mike

Thanks Mike,
I have a 3Ghz Dell laptop with 40GB HD plus a 120GB Lacie external (also my Desktop is an Athlon 4400 dual core with 2X 120 GB HD's.

The problem I had was that I also run Steganos with a secure safe on both machines. I think I had made the safe too large and the machine was stuggling to run applications. I reduced the size of the safe and it has regained speed.

Thanks

Martin

Glad you got it sorted,

Please let us know if we can help in the future

Mike

Hi Mike,

Seems that it was not the Secure drive that was the problem. It is Norton AV software, in trying lots of solutions to solve my problem I tried suppressing various bits of software. It now seems that simply by switching on Norton my computer slows by a huge factor - like two minutes to open MS Powerpoint rahter than virtually instantaneous with the AV software turned off.

Do you know if this is a problem with Norton and can it be solved?

i have heard quite a few people having problems with norton.

Do you have a paid subscription? if so, how long is left?

Hi Mike,

There is no time left on my laptop machine as I am changing to Steganos AV. However, my wife has a full subscribed current package on her computing and has been complaining that her computer is vslow. I switched off Norton on her machine and immediately it speeded up.

I have a current version of Norton on the desktop machine ant it seems fine.

Thank Martin

when her subscription runs out, i would sugest changing to a free AV, a popular one is Avast:
http://avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

it is activley scanning all incoming files and e-mails and lets you know if one of them is or contains a virus, it hten gives you options to delete, ignore etc...

and it doesnt slow down your pc!!

Thanks Mike,

I will give it a try. I have been suspicious of Norton for a while now.

Mike there is another problem causing me grief; I have a programme called Opus into which I want to load a video.

I have a large 48MB video that works perfectly and a smaller 11MB that refuses to load, both will play OK using a player.

Any idea where is best to get information on video formats and how to prepare different flavours so I can optimise the video fo rthis aprticlular application?