Improving laptop performance...

[Neo_VR]

Hi...
ive just got a new laptop for work... reasonable spec:
dell D610
1.73 centreeeeno
1gig ddr2 533 mem
and the usual other trimmings..

now using it so far is nice but seems "sluggish" compared to my old desktop..

if i replaced the hdd with a 7200rpm version, will i get my general performance back?

are there noticeable benifits from using a 7200hdd over a 4200/5400 model?

ta

[stud]

Yes, you would notice a performance increase with a faster drive, but also more noise, and a hotter drive will impact sound levels.

I was going to say at least 512MB of ram, but you're all fine with 1GB. Is there some software running that is slowing it down considerably?

[Funkstar]

My HP Pavilion feels much nippier after replacing the old drive with a 7200rpm Hitachi and upping the RAM to 2gig max (from 512)

[Neo_VR]

My HP Pavilion feels much nippier after replacing the old drive with a 7200rpm Hitachi and upping the RAM to 2gig max (from 512)

thats just the answer i wanted to hear!

im not running that many apps on it...couple of instances of putty, remote desktop and outlook

[Funkstar]

for me outlook is much better, especially when moving large quantities of mail from one .pst to another (archives of mailing list mail). it is a bit louder, but not too bad, actually it's probably just a different pitch tbh

[chilled]

The HD will help as it's the bottleneck on mopst laptops aand you've got enough ram

[PeteB_2000]

if you know what youre doing then there is normally quite a bit of chaff loaded through the registry, in the "RUN" hive.

Also if its running step down , the process of slowing the cpu down to gain more battery life, try turning that off if it exists.

Pete