Re: "search" slows down PC, how fix?

George wrote:
I'm using a WinXP-pro PC. I like using the Windows "search files and folders" (and I deliberately set it to search everything, every filetype, etc. not some light indexed stuff). PC has I think a 2 GHz processor, about 500MB RAM, and I think video card is middle of road or maybe a notch up.

But problem is...every "search" slows the whole PC down... other software loads very slow, and after clicking it takes a moment for things to happen. If I do two or three searches at same time, it gets 'really' slow, sometimes ends up with some type of error. I need searches to keep going in the background, but 'not' slow the PC down while I'm working on other things.

Questions are....

( )yes ( )no. Is this a function of the PROCESSOR speed, if so...how much more do I need?

( )yes ( )no. Is this a function of the RAM size, , if so...how much more do I need?

( )yes ( )no. Is this a function of the VIDEO card memory? if so...what more do I need?

Thanks,
George


Three suggestions:
Consider a third-party search application such as "Agent Ransack" instead of the Windows search engine.

Consider not searching "everything" when you perform your searches. Try to search only those folders where your results are likely to show up. If you are looking for something that you know is in a Word file, search only DOC files. I assume you are well-organized and have your DOC files located in one folder or a group of subfolders under "My Documents".

Run your searches while taking a coffee break, eating lunch, or otherwise not working directly with the computer.

Bill
.

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