Horrible Computer

Worst Computer in a long time..

I traditionally favor Intel Processors but this was such a good deal on it's face, I took the chance. BAD MOVE

I have had AMD before and remember them being just fine, not this time..

HP Pavilion 400-224
Windows 10 64bit
AMD A4-5000 APU
Radeon HD 8330
6g RAM

It initially came with Win 8.1 which was horrible so I upgraded to Win 10 and while I can navigate it better, the performance is very poor.

I figured it being a "Quad Core" it would be screaming fast; however my i7 laptop beats it by a mile....

I did get it really cheaply at just over 200usds, but not sure I got a deal as it is frustratingly slow..

Oh well, just venting

Semper

That's an old processor that wasn't very good when it was new.

At best, it's on a par with a low end i3. Of course, an i7 smokes it.

I'm not a huge fan of CPUs from AMD. But you really can't blame AMD here. An Intel CPU that old, with these specs, would be smoked by an i7 as well.

originally posted by: semperfortis
Worst Computer in a long time..

I traditionally favor Intel Processors but this was such a good deal on it's face, I took the chance. BAD MOVE

I have had AMD before and remember them being just fine, not this time..

HP Pavilion 400-224
Windows 10 64bit
AMD A4-5000 APU
Radeon HD 8330
6g RAM

It initially came with Win 8.1 which was horrible so I upgraded to Win 10 and while I can navigate it better, the performance is very poor.

I figured it being a "Quad Core" it would be screaming fast; however my i7 laptop beats it by a mile....

I did get it really cheaply at just over 200usds, but not sure I got a deal as it is frustratingly slow..

Oh well, just venting

Semper

I think Windows 10 requires 6GB RAM minimum, I could be wrong.

This may or may not help, but have you tried using the microsoft USB Readyboost option?
Basically what you do is put a USB flash drive (those little USB memory things - I am not sure if there is a maximum size) into your computer. Put it in a USB3.0 if you have it, if not a USB 2.0 slot.
Use the windows readyboost option with the USB flash drive to turn it into Virtual RAM.
You won't be able to use the USB stick while it's in this mode, just leave it plugged in.

This may or may not help you. I know that a friend of mine had problems with some games due to ram issues and this helped him out and he was so happy after. Try it maybe?

a reply to: semperfortis

For what it's worth: I think you just bought a really nice "chromebook" sort of thing. I would put either Debian or Arch on it with KDE. Then it'll fly.



P.S. Ah, I see, it's a little small form factor box; so it's a "chromebox". Honestly, you got your money's worth, it's the OS that's the problem. If you're not dying for W10 then you just availed yourself of some weekend fun-with-Linux.

a reply to: semperfortis


I think your problem is you bought an HP. I've had 3 over the years and had nothing but problems with them.


Last year I bought laptop Lenovo's with AMD a8 quad core, 8 gigs ram,1 terabyte hd and upgraded to win 10 both are screaming fast and I think are the best machines I've ever had. I really like the touch screen options. I paid right around 200 bucks for each give or take a few bucks for tax and such.


They had win 10 drivers available almost as soon as win 10 was out.

a reply to: DumpMaster

Readyboost should only be used on systems with so little RAM that you actually need some more. Using a USB is much slower than actual RAM so it might in fact slow the computer down, as files are kept in Readyboost rather than in actual RAM. Windows 10 requires 2gb for 64 bit and 1 gb for 32 bit.

originally posted by: DumpMaster

originally posted by: semperfortis
Worst Computer in a long time..

I traditionally favor Intel Processors but this was such a good deal on it's face, I took the chance. BAD MOVE

I have had AMD before and remember them being just fine, not this time..

HP Pavilion 400-224
Windows 10 64bit
AMD A4-5000 APU
Radeon HD 8330
6g RAM

It initially came with Win 8.1 which was horrible so I upgraded to Win 10 and while I can navigate it better, the performance is very poor.

I figured it being a "Quad Core" it would be screaming fast; however my i7 laptop beats it by a mile....

I did get it really cheaply at just over 200usds, but not sure I got a deal as it is frustratingly slow..

Oh well, just venting

Semper

I think Windows 10 requires 6GB RAM minimum, I could be wrong.

You would be wrong. Minimum is 2GB RAM for 64 bit version. But 4GB is recommended. Windows 10 does run okay with 2GB. You will notice some bottlenecking upon occasion. But it functions. 4GB feels very smooth. And things only get better above that.

The processor is his problem. Not the RAM.

Thanks everyone!!!!

I may just give this to some needy family and move on...

a reply to: DumpMaster

I'm running Win10 on an ASUS Transformer T100-TAM with a mere 2GB of RAM, and while it is nowhere near as fast as my i5 desktop, it is plenty snappy with most of what I throw at it. Granted, I'm not doing any 3D modeling or animation/rendering, and usually only have 1 or 2 applications running, but still, 2GB should be sufficient for the 32-bit version of Win10 as a minimum specification.

I find that most of the slowdowns that people experience are due to excessive and un-needed/un-wanted 'background' applications. Cleaning up the processes that begin automatically generally improves ANY system.

That being said, PC prices are outstanding and you can get a very nice system for only a couple hundred bucks.

a reply to: Moresby

C'mon, it's not the processor. That processor was meant to compete with a celeron processor.

It's where they put it: they put a netbook processor in a box.

That's cool. But the box suggests more than a 10" netbook. I think it's a map/territory problem: Windows 10: one won't be able to get there from what is suggested by the box.

This is a job for Linux.

It's the OS.

a reply to: semperfortis

I may just give this to some needy family and move on...

That's an interesting way to deal with your disappointment. You'll just be pushing your problems on to folks that er less equipped to deal with them then you are.

Don't give up on it. You adopted it.

Try putting Linux on it - I have an old 2.8GHz dual-core laptop from 2004. Still runs Linux perfectly well (Ubuntu 10.04), but it's impossible to install a new OS on it (doesn't do USB booting and it's a bit choosy about the DVD's it will read).

a reply to: stormcell

That's a good idea. If you wanted a dankweb browsing machine, install Tails on a liveusb and good to go.

Dedicated darkweb machine...LOL

originally posted by: Bybyots
a reply to: Moresby

C'mon, it's not the processor. That processor was meant to compete with a celeron processor.

It's where they put it: they put a netbook processor in a box.

That's cool. But the box suggests more than a 10" netbook. I think it's a map/territory problem: Windows 10: one won't be able to get there from what is suggested by the box.

This is a job for Linux.

It's the OS.

It's definitely the processor. That thing was designed for netbooks three years ago. And they probably tossed in that 6gb of RAM hoping it would hide the processor's weaknesses. Clearly, it didn't.

a reply to: Moresby

I get where you are coming from in terms of consumer satisfaction.

But in terms of the processor?

It's not being leveraged correctly.

Yes, it wasn't worth 200$, but Linux can fix that.

It's about leveraging cores and RAM; that box has that.

I would be happy to own it.

originally posted by: semperfortis
Thanks everyone!!!!

I may just give this to some needy family and move on...

Me! Me! Me! I need a notebook to program radios in the field and at hamfests. Linux will save the day! (and the notebook)

NF

Nevermind, my dyslexia kicked in and I didn't read it as a desktop, thanks, though.

originally posted by: Moresby

originally posted by: DumpMaster

originally posted by: semperfortis
Worst Computer in a long time..

I traditionally favor Intel Processors but this was such a good deal on it's face, I took the chance. BAD MOVE

I have had AMD before and remember them being just fine, not this time..

HP Pavilion 400-224
Windows 10 64bit
AMD A4-5000 APU
Radeon HD 8330
6g RAM

It initially came with Win 8.1 which was horrible so I upgraded to Win 10 and while I can navigate it better, the performance is very poor.

I figured it being a "Quad Core" it would be screaming fast; however my i7 laptop beats it by a mile....

I did get it really cheaply at just over 200usds, but not sure I got a deal as it is frustratingly slow..

Oh well, just venting

Semper

I think Windows 10 requires 6GB RAM minimum, I could be wrong.

You would be wrong. Minimum is 2GB RAM for 64 bit version. But 4GB is recommended. Windows 10 does run okay with 2GB. You will notice some bottlenecking upon occasion. But it functions. 4GB feels very smooth. And things only get better above that.

The processor is his problem. Not the RAM.

Cool thanks for pointing this out, I thought the requirements were higher, also not very familiar with AMD's.

Anyways, I know it's not as good it's virtual RAM but I just thought I'd mention that as it helped out my pal, he's playing all his games again.

At work I upgraded a Windows 7 computer to Windows 10 and, although it has an even slower processor (Intel Pentium E2200 @ 2.20GHz) and 3 GB of memory it worked without any problems until I had to use it for a different system from a computer that got motherboard problems after a power failure and that I need to use every day.

I think the problem may be something else besides the CPU.

originally posted by: semperfortis
I have had AMD before and remember them being just fine, not this time..

AMD is just fine for basic computer needs.

originally posted by: semperfortis
I figured it being a "Quad Core" it would be screaming fast; however my i7 laptop beats it by a mile....

Of course the i7 will beat it. i7's are top-of-the-line Intel CPU's. Not to mention i7's are quad-core with hyper-threading, meaning technically 8-cores.


The problem here (and almost all computers) is the slow mechanical hard drives. Especially if it's the low-end hard drive at 5400 RPM's. Most every computer will bottleneck at the hard drive. The problem is more prevalent with slower computers (like this one).

When there's an antivirus doing a scan on a slower hard drive, the computer becomes virtually unusable.

Solution:

Your best bet to bring that thing up to its highest potential is to purchase a Solid State Drive (SSD) to replace the hard drive. An SSD will eliminate the hard drive bottleneck, and put the bottleneck at the CPU/GPU (which is where you want it).

Since there are only two (2) SATA slots on that motherboard (which are being taken up by a hard drive and CD/DVD drive), you can do one of two things:

- You can buy an SSD and swap it with the hard drive, and then use an external USB hard drive for more storage (unless you get a larger-capacity SSD).

or

- You can unplug the CD/DVD drive from the motherboard (if you don't need or plan on using it) and use a smaller SSD as the boot drive (Windows install) and use the mechanical drive for everything else (pictures, videos, games, etc.).


An SSD absolutely will bring any computer/laptop up to it's fullest potential and make the CPU work at its highest speed instead of only working intermittently in-between hard drive reads/writes on mechanical drives.

originally posted by: _BoneZ_

originally posted by: semperfortis
I have had AMD before and remember them being just fine, not this time..

AMD is just fine for basic computer needs.

originally posted by: semperfortis
I figured it being a "Quad Core" it would be screaming fast; however my i7 laptop beats it by a mile....

Of course the i7 will beat it. i7's are top-of-the-line Intel CPU's. Not to mention i7's are quad-core with hyper-threading, meaning technically 8-cores.


The problem here (and almost all computers) is the slow mechanical hard drives. Especially if it's the low-end hard drive at 5400 RPM's. Most every computer will bottleneck at the hard drive. The problem is more prevalent with slower computers (like this one).

When there's an antivirus doing a scan on a slower hard drive, the computer becomes virtually unusable.

Solution:

Your best bet to bring that thing up to its highest potential is to purchase a Solid State Drive (SSD) to replace the hard drive. An SSD will eliminate the hard drive bottleneck, and put the bottleneck at the CPU/GPU (which is where you want it).

Since there are only two (2) SATA slots on that motherboard (which are being taken up by a hard drive and CD/DVD drive), you can do one of two things:

- You can buy an SSD and swap it with the hard drive, and then use an external USB hard drive for more storage (unless you get a larger-capacity SSD).

or

- You can unplug the CD/DVD drive from the motherboard (if you don't need or plan on using it) and use a smaller SSD as the boot drive (Windows install) and use the mechanical drive for everything else (pictures, videos, games, etc.).


An SSD absolutely will bring any computer/laptop up to it's fullest potential and make the CPU work at its highest speed instead of only working intermittently in-between hard drive reads/writes on mechanical drives.

Good advice ... if possible. Not all laptops are set up to switch out drives.