Overwhelmed - New Computer or upgrade.

OP: Your computer specs is orders of magnitude better than mine. I have a desktop (latest DPP) and laptop (Lightroom) which are 11yrs old. The desktop has new SSD, new RAM (8gb), and new windows 10 installed; $100 total all from eBay.

Regarding software alternatives in Linux. Firefox and Chrome are very mainstream alternatives. LibreOffice, although not capable in every aspect to MSOffice, for most users it's a perfectly fine substitute. PDF ... never had issues. Security ... immune to Windows viruses. Using Firefox with uBlock Origin adblock extension, and even the No Script extension, which does require some user attention, along with good common sense online practices should keep you secure.

A machine with your specs should not be this lethargic simply opening files. This makes me think there are some other issues. I don't know if simply adding a SSD will solve them.

texkam wrote in post #19000418
A machine with your specs should not be this lethargic simply opening files. This makes me think there are some other issues. I don't know if simply adding a SSD will solve them.

To the OP, don’t panic based on the quoted statement. Run the checkdsk command as suggested earlier, then seriously consider getting that SSD installed and up and running with Windows 10. Based on your original PC specs, you should be eligible for a free Windows 10 Pro and with the increased RAM most likely the 64-bit version.

How handy are you with a screwdriver and opening the case of your desktop. That is about the only tool you will need.

StarlingGirl wrote in post #19000372
MY GRAPHICS CARD IS Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600 . Wouldn't this slow things down significantly if it didn't meet the requirements? How can I tell?

The importance of graphics cards is highly overstated...they ARE important if you are a gamer, and/or you like to use Virtual Reality (VR) goggles. For something like photo editing and viewing, there is little that the program can make use of!...it cannot use texturing, or computer generated ground, or 3D simulation as you look about the computer generated room.

Photo editing software can use some functions, but not many. Note that while programs like Photoshop tout being able to use some graphic cards, they do not state a MINIMUM LEVEL of graphic card sophistication. If you shoot RAW or use Smart Sharpen, that seems about the only thing affected.

"If your graphics processor is unsupported or its driver is defective, the following Photoshop features won't work:

Perspective Warp (more information)
3D
Oil Paint
Render – Flame, Picture Frame, and Tree
Scrubby Zoom
Birds Eye View
Flick Panning
Smooth Brush Resizing

Features that require a GPU for acceleration

Artboards
Camera Raw (more information)
Image Size – Preserve Details
Select Focus
Blur Gallery - Field Blur, Iris Blur, Tilt-Shift, Path Blur, Spin Blur (OpenCL accelerated)
Smart Sharpen (Noise Reduction – OpenCL accelerated)
Select and Mask (OpenCL accelerated)"

Thanks! That's great to know. I'm pretty convinced that I should upgrade based on the help from this board. Excited I am not required to purchase a new computer and can now get on with learning how to use my camera.
thanks again.

Unless you are also considering video editing, then a dedicated graphics card won't do much. Looking at your base PC, it should be fine for general computing. An SSD will help speed up programs opening, but I'm wondering if perhaps you have some software issues slowing down your PC. Programs can leave extra cache files after you've removed, and you may have a fragmented registry. CCleaner is a pretty good program for optimizing your PC. They have a free version that doesn't monitor your computer (so you have to run it from time to time). Since you have the SSD, it can also help improve speed, and is pretty easy to mirror your current drive to it (and you can keep your current HD as a second drive).

CCleaner

davesrose wrote in post #19000678
CCleaner is a pretty good program for optimizing your PC. They have a free version that doesn't monitor your computer (so you have to run it from time to time). Since you have the SSD, it can also help improve speed, and is pretty easy to mirror your current drive to it (and you can keep your current HD as a second drive).

CCleaner is one of the last things I would recommend to someone that may have limited computer skills. Proper use of the CHKDSK command (as already mentioned) will clear up most if not all errors. See https://helpdeskgeek.c​om …aner-for-windows-anymore/ for a review of CCleaner and its limitations.

To the OP, and this is for a PC that is sluggish, not your original issue of not be able to open DPP; can you tell us how much of your hard drive is being used? Ideally, you don’t want to be above about 75% used. On another note, when is the last time you defragged the drive?

Swapping HDD to SSD is always a massive upgrade.
As davesrose said, there is probably a software issue causing DPP to be so slow opening file from HDD.
It should be fast from HDD, much faster from SSD.

John from PA wrote in post #19000702
CCleaner is one of the last things I would recommend to someone that may have limited computer skills. Proper use of the CHKDSK command (as already mentioned) will clear up most if not all errors. See https://helpdeskgeek.c​om …aner-for-windows-anymore/ for a review of CCleaner and its limitations.

To the OP, and this is for a PC that is sliuggish, not your original issue of not be able to open DPP; can you tell us how much of your hard drive is being used? Ideally, you don’t want to be above about 75% used. On another note, when is the last time you defragged the drive?

I don't see how command prompt commands with chkdsk to use special parameters is easier for a person with limited skills! It also doesn't address topics I raised. You're assuming there's disk corruption: I'm talking about optimizing the computer. I don't agree with your link: they claim broken entry registry entries are "just text". All software is "just text"....but a registry with a lot of broken entries is going to take time in booting and scanning the computer. It also tries to say that Windows 10 is adequate: but what about left over fragments from upgrading instead of a clean install? I am advanced enough to have edited the registry, and I've also used CCleaner regularly: I haven't seen it break the registry. With your link's argument that all you need is Windows uninstaller: that's assuming programs were developed well. There can be 3rd party apps that aren't setup properly and will not be completely removed by the uninstaller-I have seen this myself with Windows 10.

So, I am very skeptical with the claim that CCleaner is actually harmful....and I don't think it hurts to see if it improves performance.

I was experiencing slowness issues on my iMac. I ran a program that diagnosed a failing hard drive. Local computer repair shop changed out the old drive with a new 1TB SSD. Amazing difference. And I am running just 8 GB of RAM. I think the SSD upgrade is your best best, to start.

Your HD Graphics 4600 GPU is found internally in your Intel i5 processor.

Down the road if you purchase a mid-high level video graphics card you can get some boost in improvements. If you're running the latest Lightroom program you can enable the "GPU Acceleration" you can check mark the "use graphics processor". I did notice a nice bump in speed using my video card's processor. I am not a gamer but I purchased a mid level Nvidia Geforce GTX 1660ti and it was a pleasant surprise. Please do NOT use this option until you setup your new SSD and RAM.

I'd suggest calling up one of your techie friends to save some money. You can download "Macrium Reflect" FREE version. Macrium can image your "old" hard drive onto the new SSD drive. You can watch a youtube video to get you through.......

Please look at your existing RAM speed. Make sure you try to match the speed of with your new ram. The mother/mainboard manual will indicate the max speed ram you can install. Some cases you can update the latest motherboard firmware to use slightly faster ram depending on the age of the hardware. If you find out the max speed of the ram I'd suggest NOT to go faster or the computer may crash. Ideally you're better off removing your existing ram and replace it with 2x 8GB=16gb or a single 8gb ram module.

Bearing in mind how easy it is to add RAM to the average PC, I would fit the SSD first and see how it performs with the existing 8GB RAM. You might be pleasantly surprised and save yourself some money.

Wilt wrote in post #19000616
The importance of graphics cards is highly overstated...they ARE important if you are a gamer, and/or you like to use Virtual Reality (VR) goggles. For something like photo editing and viewing, there is little that the program can make use of!...it cannot use texturing, or computer generated ground, or 3D simulation as you look about the computer generated room.

Photo editing software can use some functions, but not many. Note that while programs like Photoshop tout being able to use some graphic cards, they do not state a MINIMUM LEVEL of graphic card sophistication. If you shoot RAW or use Smart Sharpen, that seems about the only thing affected.

"If your graphics processor is unsupported or its driver is defective, the following Photoshop features won't work:

Perspective Warp (more information)
3D
Oil Paint
Render – Flame, Picture Frame, and Tree
Scrubby Zoom
Birds Eye View
Flick Panning
Smooth Brush Resizing

Features that require a GPU for acceleration

Artboards
Camera Raw (more information)
Image Size – Preserve Details
Select Focus
Blur Gallery - Field Blur, Iris Blur, Tilt-Shift, Path Blur, Spin Blur (OpenCL accelerated)
Smart Sharpen (Noise Reduction – OpenCL accelerated)
Select and Mask (OpenCL accelerated)"

Hi Wilt,

Thank you so much for your time and input. I appreciate it.

It's good to know the graphics card isn't as important as I expected. With your and the others info., I feel confident that an upgrade (instead of a purchase) is the right answer for me. I am relieved about it too.
Re GPU and features of Photoshop, thank you. It's great to know. These features are well beyond anything that I would need or want.

You're the best,
Thanks again.

Hi Davesrose,

thanks for the insight and the Ccleaner link. I'm sure this will help with my old computer. Thanks for taking the time to look at my computer specs and providing me with such valuable feedback.

I am amazed at how so very helpful POTN has been whenever I ask a question. Humanity is alive.

As ever, thank you

StarlingGirl

AlanU wrote in post #19000811
Your HD Graphics 4600 GPU is found internally in your Intel i5 processor.

Down the road if you purchase a mid-high level video graphics card you can get some boost in improvements. If you're running the latest Lightroom program you can enable the "GPU Acceleration" you can check mark the "use graphics processor". I did notice a nice bump in speed using my video card's processor. I am not a gamer but I purchased a mid level Nvidia Geforce GTX 1660ti and it was a pleasant surprise. Please do NOT use this option until you setup your new SSD and RAM.

I'd suggest calling up one of your techie friends to save some money. You can download "Macrium Reflect" FREE version. Macrium can image your "old" hard drive onto the new SSD drive. You can watch a youtube video to get you through.......

Please look at your existing RAM speed. Make sure you try to match the speed of with your new ram. The mother/mainboard manual will indicate the max speed ram you can install. Some cases you can update the latest motherboard firmware to use slightly faster ram depending on the age of the hardware. If you find out the max speed of the ram I'd suggest NOT to go faster or the computer may crash. Ideally you're better off removing your existing ram and replace it with 2x 8GB=16gb or a single 8gb ram module.

Hi AlanU,
This is invaluable information for my upgrade or addition to SSD. I'll look into Macrium. From some preliminary research, I believe Acronis by Micron is similar in that I can clone my HDD. Acronis has lots of info in a PDF on how to do just that. I'll take a look at Macrium however; it may be a little easier to use - less intimidating. Also, I already purchased and installed 4GB of RAM increasing it to 8GB. I didn't realize the technical issues that I should consider; HOWEVER, Crucial has a little s/w app that looks at my computer HW and determines which is best for my application, so I bet I'll be fine in this case. This is why I was so overwhelmed, because of these little technical considerations that are related to one another. Being a novice it is easy to get lost even with the best of my notes.

Again,
thank you so much.