Can hard drive slow down computer performance?

[Reckoning]

I upgraded everything in my computer except my hard drive and cd drive (which are both roughly 7 years old) I have a core 2 duo 2.33 gh processor, 3 gig ram, yet still it seems my computer has slow response time on most things. I always figured it was lack of ram but with the 3 gigs i have now im pretty sure that's not it. So my question is, could your hard drive actually slow down your computers response time? and anyway to check it with system tools?

I have antivirus, firewall, and spybot so I don't think it's software either..

 

[DjKraid]

Hi! I have just built a new computer and I tested it just for the fun...had a 200Gb IDE HDD and a 200Gb SATA HDD (@ 3Gb/s) and the SATA is faster atleast if you install windows on a sata drive!

try it, and say what you think about it

 

[Reckoning]

Hi! I have just built a new computer and I tested it just for the fun...had a 200Gb IDE HDD and a 200Gb SATA HDD (@ 3Gb/s) and the SATA is faster atleast if you install windows on a sata drive!

try it, and say what you think about it

I have a new drive as well that's sata, but have windows installed on the IDE. I will for sure try that!

 

[kimsland]

Can hard drive slow down computer performance?

Yes
Highly likely the ssue

 

[Dieunedort]

check the surface of your hard disk drive is all the clusters are good.bad clusters or sectors can also cause problem as such. if u try this and the problem continue then try eliminate executed programes in your registry.

 

[kimsland]

CheckDisk

Vista
http://www.maximumpcguides.com/how-to-use-check-disk-in-windows-vista/

Xp
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265

 

[Reckoning]

check the surface of your hard disk drive is all the clusters are good.bad clusters or sectors can also cause problem as such. if u try this and the problem continue then try eliminate executed programes in your registry.

I'm not too familiar with how to properly edit / delete from the registry and don't want to mess up something crucial, let alone i wouldn't know where exactly in the registry to look. Is there any good registry cleaners freeware?

CheckDisk

Vista
http://www.maximumpcguides.com/how-to-use-check-disk-in-windows-vista/

Xp
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265

k thanks!

 

[kimsland]

Is there any good registry cleaners freeware?

CCleaner also has a Registry repair button (button on left when CCleaner is open)