Problem, Slow typing on Dell Laptop

[Robbo]

Help someone please,

My PC is p!ssing me right off!

When I type, the screen is very slow to catch up.

The problem seems to occur on any program requiring textual input, eg Notepad,Internet Explorer, Email, whatever.

Its a Dell Inspiron 1501 Laptop with Windoze XP

Anyone had this problem and have a suggestion?

It has only started doing it recently.

Thanks

Robbo

[Topper]

I presume you are typing posts on the forum Robbo. If that is the case does your Internet security software e.g. Norton 360 not perform weekly conditioning of your PC?

Do you ever clear out the cached web pages?

What option is set in the browser concerning updating cached web pages?

click on system properties advanced tab visual effects there are four options

Looks like you use IE from your post so the new anti-phishing function tends to slow things down as lot, which is why I use Firefox.

On the browser there are internet options general browsing history settings which may be ticked to automatically update, and it will do in cycles thus eating up valuable resources when you are typing.

Whilst time consuming try doing a 5 stage volume repair by right clicking on the C: drive, properties, tool volume repair

Oh and defrag the disk as well, all that should help somewhat.
CTR Alt Del button will show the processes running, check to see if you have something undesireable running eating up system resources

[Robbo]

Thanks Topper, I will try your suggestions.

I have tried Firefox, it still does it.

I am using my old Laptop at the moment.

Robbo

[pgh13]

You may want to try Adaware and/or Spybot to check if there is stuff there consuming resources that shouldn't be.

[Robbo]

Finally cured the problem.

Rather drastically though.

I tried many of the various spybot removal, and cleanup tools and system restore to a previous date without success.

I then tried re-intalling a new copy of windows, problem still existed.

Then re-formatted the hard disk, re-installed windows, added the drivers from the original Dell recovery disk, problem still occurred.

Then finally problem resloved by disabling the video driver and installing the latest one from the Dell website- problem solved.

So the solution appears to be that the video driver was wrong, and loading the latest one from Dell solved it.

Least I have a nice clean Computer now, with plenty of disk space.

Robbo

[Topper]

I am glad you are sorted there Rob, what an odd scenario though I would not have expected a released driver installation to be so bad...

[Robbo]

I spoke too soon

It was all going fine until I decided to install the audio drivers, then it all went up the spout again. There is something fishy going on. This Laptop is going to end up in the Thames any time soon.

[jimbo]

Could be a memory problem I suppose?

[Topper]

Could be a memory problem I suppose?

If the laptops are like the desktops then there is a full set of diagnostics in a hidden partition you press F12 when booting then select full test.
There is also a website called _http://pccheckup.dellfix.com
but be aware that you have to download some active X to your pc for this to work, but it does tell you a lot about your pc/laptop, well worth it IMHO

[Robbo]

Thanks Topper, yes there is a FAT partition on the hard drive, I noticed it when I reformatted the NTFS partition that Windows was using. I will try some of the checks as suggested.

[Robbo]

Ok, I gave up with the stupid bl***dy thing since I last posted and have been using an older laptop.

But now finally I have fixed it.

It was down to a service called "ATI Hotkey Poller" running

which was intermittently slowing the keyboard typing down.

To disable it in Windows XP Home:-

I went to Start->>Run->>type "msconfig"->> click the "Services" tab->> uncheck Ati Hotkey Poller->> Then Ok, then Restart computer.

All working fine now, finally.

Robbo

[mhku]

_http://pccheckup.dellfix.com doesn't work on a bloody Latitude though

[Robbo]

_http://pccheckup.dellfix.com doesn't work on a bloody Latitude though

Did you have a similar problem then mhku?

I found the solution, well a hint of it, on the dell.com forums for my lappy.

[Topper]

Thanks for the heads up on that Robbo, I am sure many others will find that information useful as well

[petterrabbit]

Robbo nice find! was having the same issue and just finished reinstalling because of the same issue. your little trick worked perfectly.

thanks

[Robbo]

Robbo nice find! was having the same issue and just finished reinstalling because of the same issue. your little trick worked perfectly.

thanks

Glad it helped someone out, it had me baffled for weeks.

[salvator419]

Robbo71, you don't know how much you've helped me out by posting that solution. I can actually get back to work now, I work from home and the latency was killing me. Now it's working like a charm!!!!!!!! was about to reformat the whole thing, you are the man!!!!!

thanks again, truly

[Robbo]

Robbo71, you don't know how much you've helped me out by posting that solution.

No, problem. Glad it helped someone else out.

[PaulR]

Robbo71,

you are the man!!!!!

Careful now, he won't be able to get his head through the front door soon with all this adulation!

[Robbo]

No, that's right, I bumble my way through stuff as well as the next guy.

[Tridento]

First of all Robbo, You are my hero... I have redone my computer 3 times, I was about to give up, i had even already gone through msconfig but i didnt know about the ATI HotKey Poller needing taken off, thank you so much =)

[Robbo]

Another happy customer. Why did no-one have the solution when I wanted to know.

[tinako]

Turning off ATI HOTKEY POLLER does indeed solve my slow typing problem, but what do I do if I need this service?

I have a Dell Inspiron 1501. Without this service, the blue lettering function key combo Fn-F8(CRT/LCD) does not work. These keys toggle the external monitor presentation mode on and off. I can live without the convenient toggle except that I don't know any other way to turn on presentation mode. Anyone know?

I can "extend my Windows desktop" without the hotkey, but I want an exact copy of my monitor on the giant screen, not some extended empty space.

This slow typing problem came upon my year-and-a half old machine suddenly right after I had changed screen resolution a few times. I've done that lots of times before.

[Marion Weathers]

I hadeight errors in just trying to type in my name and password, and 4 errors so far in this sentence! I read over the MANY "fixes" recommended...and am INCREDULOUS that peoplethink it is normal to jump through so many hoops just to do completely normal stuff on a normal keyboard! I NEVER had ANY problem with my Mac like this...in fifteen years! I am regretting geting a Dell...(and yes, I typed two "tt's" inthat last word, and a space between tos wods, and "those" and "words"...you get the idea.... -MCW PS - Help!!!

[Topper]

Well that is all very well however this is a two year old thread to start with but the same still applies to this day over in Europe a MAC costs near to £1000 and is unaffordable for average Joe. In general terms this was a one off situation and 70% of the world use Microsoft operating systems for the same reasons, not that I am defending MS but Europe unlike the Americans never really had to choice to decide