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Answer» Hey guys, this is to sort out some stuff at work, I just want to double check to see if I'm correct in thinking what I do but should undergoing the following help "speed up" a laptop?
The hardware (from memory) is:
A PC (XP Home(or so System says) SP2), 1GB RAM, 150GB HDD, 3.something gHz
The PC is physically connected to a BT Business Hub (DSL comes in with 4 Ethernet ports, 1 USB, and wireless) and also to a till (Which uses the ethernet NIC in the computer, so I've got the hub connected via USB)
Now the laptop is a Sony Viao...and that's all I know. Oh it's XP SP2, think it's Home. It connects to the network wirelessly.
Now, the laptop needs an extensivly good clean out. My boss (opinion withheld) used to use it at home, in a second business he was running, and this one...so it has tonnes of *censored* on it. So I'm thinking a good session with CCleaner will help speed things along, however...
He has a bunch of stuff stored on the laptop that he only uses when he is on site, so I'm thinking that transfering all the stuff he doesn't need to store on the laptops actual HDD could be stored on the PC's one instead, and he could access it as and when he needs it.
WOULD that help speed things up? I mean a good dose of CCleaner should help no-end, but if I also move all that *censored* off the laptop's HDD, surely that will help speed it up?
I'm also having trouble with the PC's connections to the Till and the Hub. The till is connected via ethernet and NIC, and it's called "Till", and the hub is connected via USB, and is called "Hub". Till was installed first, and then came Hub.
Now the problem is, we need the PC to communicate with the Till every night. Wasn't a problem until the Hub go put in...now, if the Hub is enabled, the program we use for stock control fails to connect to the till, it's as if it is going down the Hub connection, not the Till one. So as a fix, we just disable the hub connection every night, and it communicates fine, but I'm of the opinion we shouldn't have to do that.
Also, sorry guys, but I want to get this all right, the PC IP on the Till connection seems to change every Friday, even though it is manually configured, and again, this has only happened since the arrival of Hub. Now this is a problem because it stops our Stock Control software from speaking to the till, this I can fix, simply by changing the IP again, but any idea why it happens, and how I might stop it?
Just had a thought actually...do you think if I connected the Till to the Hub, and then the PC to the Hub (both Via ethernet) I would be able to have the PC and Till talk as they do? The thing is, the IP on the Till and the IP on the PC have to remain the same, or else I'll forever be re-configuring the Stock Control software. Where as the Hub AUTOMATICALLY assigns IP's to the network (which I don't mind manually configuring, seeing as it's only ever the PC and the one (rarely two) laptop(s).)
Sorry to unload a tonne of problems all at once, it's just I'd like to get the network as streamlined and running as smoothly as possible.
Any help to any of the problems is muchly appreciated.
It's a small family run company, and I'm the shop manager there, and as the one with the most computer know-how, I've unofficially become the IT Department. I'm not getting paid extra for it, but I'm using it as good experience, because I'm currently doing a COMP Tia A+ essentials, with the aim to becoming MICROSOFT Certified Systems Engineer qualified.
Thanks again guys for the help (in advance).Quote from: Sid on May 17, 2007, 11:35:57 AM Would that help speed things up? I mean a good dose of CCleaner should help no-end, but if I also move all that sh*t off the laptop's HDD, surely that will help speed it up?
I doubt... If you don't unload running programs, simply copying files frome one hard to another will not speed up the laptop.
Quote from: Sid on May 17, 2007, 11:35:57 AMI'm also having trouble with the PC's connections to the Till and the Hub. The till is connected via ethernet and NIC, and it's called "Till", and the hub is connected via USB, and is called "Hub". Till was installed first, and then came Hub.
Now the problem is, we need the PC to communicate with the Till every night. Wasn't a problem until the Hub go put in...now, if the Hub is enabled, the program we use for stock control fails to connect to the till, it's as if it is going down the Hub connection, not the Till one. So as a fix, we just disable the hub connection every night, and it communicates fine, but I'm of the opinion we shouldn't have to do that.
Maybe the command "route add" may help you.
Quote from: Sid on May 17, 2007, 11:35:57 AMAlso, sorry guys, but I want to get this all right, the PC IP on the Till connection seems to change every Friday, even though it is manually configured, and again, this has only happened since the arrival of Hub. Now this is a problem because it stops our Stock Control software from speaking to the till, this I can fix, simply by changing the IP again, but any idea why it happens, and how I might stop it?
I'm sorry, no idea. It's the first time I hear about that problem (ip manually assigned but that changes automatically).
The PC IP didn't change this week...
I don't have a clue as to why it changed in the very first place, or again on the last two weeks, but it didn't this week, so maybe it was just a blip?
Route add, in cmd? What's that gonna do. I don't wanna go *censored* this system up again.If now it is working, leave it alone.
If it makes troubles, then repair it.
What does "route add" in windows (or a similar command in other operating systems)?
2 options:
1) route /?
2) search on internet for better explanations.QuoteWould that help speed things up? I mean a good dose of CCleaner should help no-end, but if I also move all that sh*t off the laptop's HDD, surely that will help speed it up?
If your boss is a complete n00bie you should ask him for the recovery CDs. Less work, better results.
Be sure to make back-ups first, though!
QuoteI'm also having trouble with the PC's connections to the Till and the Hub. The till is connected via ethernet and NIC, and it's called "Till", and the hub is connected via USB, and is called "Hub". Till was installed first, and then came Hub.
This is a bit confusing. I know of no network device called a"Till"
But I can tell you that a "Hub" is a bad idea. It causes a lot of collisions and that could slow down any network with a lot of data transfer. Replacing the hub with a switch should increase network speed if you are having problems.
Since it's a very small company I'd just do a basic setup you'd have at home:
1. Modem -> Router ->4 PC's. The 4 ports on a router act as switches..
That's the cheapest, easiest and most reliable set-up you could create at home if there aren't any extra demands...? Quote from: Raptor on May 21, 2007, 10:42:08 AMQuoteWould that help speed things up? I mean a good dose of CCleaner should help no-end, but if I also move all that sh*t off the laptop's HDD, surely that will help speed it up?
If your boss is a complete n00bie you should ask him for the recovery CDs. Less work, better results.
Be sure to make back-ups first, though!
QuoteI'm also having trouble with the PC's connections to the Till and the Hub. The till is connected via ethernet and NIC, and it's called "Till", and the hub is connected via USB, and is called "Hub". Till was installed first, and then came Hub.
This is a bit confusing. I know of no network device called a"Till"
But I can tell you that a "Hub" is a bad idea. It causes a lot of collisions and that could slow down any network with a lot of data transfer. Replacing the hub with a switch should increase network speed if you are having problems.
Since it's a very small company I'd just do a basic setup you'd have at home:
1. Modem -> Router ->4 PC's. The 4 ports on a router act as switches..
That's the cheapest, easiest and most reliable set-up you could create at home if there aren't any extra demands...?
I meant I've named the connection "Till".
As far as I know it's a Hub...it came packaged as a "BT Business Hub"...it's got the DSL in, 4 ethernets, a USB (out) and 2 voice ports.
But yeah, I've adopted a NEW "if it aint broke, don't fix it" policy at work...
And the demands are minimal on the system...basic web browsing, simple document creation (publisher/word files for POS (point of sale)), and the stock control software.Well, on the subject of the changing IP:
Log in on your "Hub" (Assuming you can) and set it to a static IP (You'll have to set every PC to a static IP as well).
Subnetmask would most likely be 255.255.255.0 , Gateway IP is the routers IP.
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