Hi, I have counter strike condition zero. An absolutly awsome game, My Favourite. The thing is i have also got, the sims 2, Race driver 2, Battlefeild, vice city and Half life: blue shift. All games run perferct on my Dell notebook, no hastle or drop outs. I have a dell inspiron 8600 notebook, Centrino 1.7ghz Equal to a Pentium 4 2.6ghz, 512 pc2700 ram, 60GB 5400Rpm HD 15.4 Screen, and 24/24/24/8 CDRW/DVD Drive and an ATI 9600 Turbo Pro 128mb Graphics. The problem is that every time i finish a game and go back to windows, programs are slower to access than before i got into the game. But once i have accessed them atleast once, they open at normal speed again. What is causing this, do i need to upgrade ram, or a faster hd or somthing. But then, there are some games like vice city and Blue shift that dont do this when i exit them to windows. With them, my computer loads programs at normal speed, but after playing games like Counter strike: condiiton zero and Battlefeild 1942, it loads very slow, even when opening control panel, i get the torch, but once its opened, its fine after that if i open it again. Please help, im angry cause i paid $3,000 Grand Australian for this. Thanks heaps, Granto

Sound like you need to update ram. Anything dealing with programs opening slow/fast thats a ram issue. Maybe buy a 128 stick or 256 stick.

thanks mate. I thought that would be the problem. But programs like counter strike zero only need 128mb ram in recommended specs. Why cant my 512mb handle it. I have gone into system information, and it says i have 512mb phisical memory installed , and i have 266mb physical memory free. I have 2x256mb sticks installed.

Not likley a ram problem as you have enough.. More likely a hard drive RPM problem.. As most laptops only come with a 5400rpm and some a 4800rpm.. But after you play a game your system has to put the page file back to where it was and return memory all kinds of stuff after laying an intensive game.. Just give it a minute after you play and quit to let it bounce back..Hard drives for laptops have now come into 7200rpm but are still a little pricey...

take a screen shot of running proccesses and I will tell you what you can disable this way you can have more ram..

thanks mate, helped heaps, i knew it was one of the two memory or hd. I wished id gone for the dell 60gb 7200rpm, i had the option to, but it was 120 bucks more. I was on a set price lol. I can always upgrade anyways. Also in windows xp, am i able to upgrade the hd and install my windows xp oem version on thatnew hd without problems, or will i have to call microsoft.. Thanks, Granto :-D

No you will have alot of problems if you buy a OEM disc.... The disc you have now has all the drivers on it for your pc.. Although it is possible to slipstream drivers on an XP cd.. If your up to it let me know I can take you step by step.

Soz mate, i didnt explain my self properly. Can i install my windows xp cd i have isnatelled on my lapttop now on a new Hardrive that i will put in my laptop by taking out the old one. So in other words using the same xp now, but installing it on a new hd on my laptop. Thanks, Granto :-)