[SOLVED] Newly Cloned HDD Very slow

[ComputerProVA]

Ok guys I'm stumped on this one.

Here is the situation:

-Customer has a Win 7 machine giving hard drive error warnings and wants to clone the drive to save programs.

-I clone the old 7200 WD Black 320GB to a new 5400 500GB WD Blue (I normally match the drive exactly, but the customer was in a rush and this is all best buy had at the time) using DDRESCUE. A few errors were recorded 4 I believe, but the drive booted up just fine minus the slowness.

-I saw Norton was being used and automatically assumed a virus clean up / tune up was needed, got the approval form the customer and began.

-So after a rather long tune up process the machine is still slow. CPU and Mem are within range, its an i5 machine with 4GB of ram.

The guy mainly has about 100GB of pictures on the PC and opening even a small folder of pictures takes about a minute just for the previews to load! Clicking around in general takes seconds rather than being instant as well. It seems to speed up once everything is opened for the first time, like maybe its still indexing or something?

I have checked that the driver is up to date for the new HDD in Dev Mg
I have run WD's allignment tool to check for issues there -Ok
I have run HD Tune to check the drive for errors -All ok
The only other thing I can think of is a defrag, which I am running now.

I'm hoping some of you more experienced guys can help!

Thanks in advance!

 

[OaksLabs]

The RAM and CPU specs would be nice for reference. However, if I had to take a shot in the dark, I'd say that Norton is probably your issue. The residential Norton products are not an effective defense (my opinion), and I have seen them cause performance issues.

 

[ComputerProVA]

-So after a rather long tune up process the machine is still slow. CPU and Mem are within range, its an i5 machine with 4GB of ram.

Thanks for the reply @OaksLabs, I have noticed that as well with Norton, but not to this extent. I guess I'll temporarily remove Norton and see after the degrag.

 

[OaksLabs]

I'd also do all the Windows updates before installing an anti-virus; the latest patches normally fix known software performance issues.

 

[Porthos]

-I clone the old 7200 WD Black 320GB to a new 5400 500GB WD Blue

That is a big issue on top of Norton. I would do a sfc /scannow as well.

 

[HFultzjr]

Did you say "7200 WD Black 320GB to a new 5400 500GB WD Blue"
That's a pretty big step "backwards".
5400 rpm ???????
Why did you not opt for an SSD. THAT would really speed things up.

 

[Larry Sabo]

+1 re. Norton, and I would suggest running the removal tool, too. Make/model? CPU temps? How does a Linux live CD run (although they run faster than Win in most cases anyway, so doesn't always prove helpful)? Have you done an offline scan for rootkits, etc? I've seen an i5 laptop that was a pig and never could get to the bottom of it, so good luck!

 

[ComputerProVA]

Did you say "7200 WD Black 320GB to a new 5400 500GB WD Blue"
That's a pretty big step "backwards".
5400 rpm ???????
Why did you not opt for an SSD. THAT would really speed things up.

I know, I know, but it should not have caused this big of a slow down!

That is a big issue on top of Norton. I would do a sfc /scannow as well.

I forgot to add I did preform a Chkdsk as well as SFC /Scannow both completed successfully.

I'd also do all the Windows updates before installing an anti-virus; the latest patches normally fix known software performance issues.

That was part of my Tune Up.

 

[ComputerProVA]

+1 re. Norton, and I would suggest running the removal tool, too. Make/model? CPU temps? How does a Linux live CD run (although they run faster than Win in most cases anyway, so doesn't always prove helpful)? Have you done an offline scan for rootkits, etc? I've seen an i5 laptop that was a pig and never could get to the bottom of it, so good luck!

It's a Lenovo T510 i5 4GB Ram - I will check the cpu temp and the Linux live cd shortly. I haven't run any offline scans just yet since the intial scans came back relativity clean. UGH spent way to much time on this one already!

 

[allanc]

I know, I know, but it should not have caused this big of a slow down!



I forgot to add I did preform a Chkdsk as well as SFC /Scannow both completed successfully.



That was part of my Tune Up.

Is Intel RST running?
If so, make sure that it is the current version.

 

[ComputerProVA]

Is Intel RST running?
If so, make sure that it is the current version.

It's not, no.

 

[OaksLabs]

While I think this is probably part of your tune-up process (not trying to ask too basic of a question here...), did you blow the dust out of the cooling fan? If so, is the PC running hot? -- that might point to a thermal paste issue.

 

[ComputerProVA]

While I think this is probably part of your tune-up process (not trying to ask too basic of a question here...), did you blow the dust out of the cooling fan? If so, is the PC running hot? -- that might point to a thermal paste issue.

Temps appear to be in range, HD tune reports the HD is at 37 degrees, its cool to the touch and been on all morning. I hit it with the DataVac yesterday.

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Think I would try to upgrade the client to an SSD. Case in point, guy brought me a laptop, nice toshiba, i7, 8gb of ram I think. But a 2TB mechanical drive. Computer even after upgrade to Windows 10 and those specs boots up slow. I'm thinking that an SSD would really perk that system up.

 

[ComputerProVA]

Think I would try to upgrade the client to an SSD. Case in point, guy brought me a laptop, nice toshiba, i7, 8gb of ram I think. But a 2TB mechanical drive. Computer even after upgrade to Windows 10 and those specs boots up slow. I'm thinking that an SSD would really perk that system up.

Well of course I agree there, but I just cant believe this machine would be so slow simply because of a 5400 rpm HDD. Maybe I have no other choice. I wont make this mistake again, but I just can't believe it.

 

[Porthos]

When I have issues like these I my spare known working HD and clean install from one of my images and see if it acts the same. That I can rule out a bad clone.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

where the benchmarks at?

 

[ComputerProVA]

When I have issues like these I my spare known working HD and clean install from one of my images and see if it acts the same. That I can rule out a bad clone.

Good idea.

 

[Markverhyden]

7200>5400 is a 25% drop in spindle speed on top of everything else. In addition to removing Norton I'd run tweaking.com's AIO tool.

 

[ComputerProVA]

where the benchmarks at?

I'll add it to the list!