Slow to load My Ancestors?

[Bryman]

I was about to go to bed when everything in Firefox started to run very slowly. I closed the browser down and reopened it to find that a new level (40.0.3) had been installed automatically. Might this be a reason for My Ancestor sorts to be very slow? Perhaps the browser runs slow if an update is being downloaded or is waiting to be activated?

 

[Tony]

A large bandwidth-hogging download of any sort happening in parallel would cause any other page to respond slowly. In my case, though, I checked my real-time router stats to ensure there was no other significant traffic occurring during my tests. I also checked for Firefox updates at the time and there were none. I agree that Firefox has updated to 40.0.3 since then.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I was about to go to bed when everything in Firefox started to run very slowly. I closed the browser down and reopened it to find that a new level (40.0.3) had been installed automatically. Might this be a reason for My Ancestor sorts to be very slow? Perhaps the browser runs slow if an update is being downloaded or is waiting to be activated?

Good advice (yes seriously) as you would be surprised how often something like this is the cause for erratic (usually meaning 'slow') behaviour, and not always a behind the scenes browser update installation. In fact any app installation or even the actions of an installed program can have the same effects. For example I have a favourite 'knock-em-for-six' (my words) program called 'Hitman Pro' which weeds out the nasty tracker cookies and other annoying 'PUPs' (potentially unwanted programs) . Its default was set to operate at start-up but I noticed it caused programs to hang or certainly slow down. I decided to override and gave it a time of 11.00am knowing I would likely be away from the machine. On my return I would find its quite comforting Report that it had found x number of miscreants and did I want to delete them or what?

After a while I forgot I had set an operating time and as it works unannounced entirely behind the scenes when my daily routine changed and I found myself working the computer either a little before or shortly after 11.00 I became quite agitated to find the PC working at snails pace. It was only when I did Ctrl-Alt-Del to bring up the Task Manager and discover Hitman Pro was in operation that I knew the reason for the slow down. Task Manager in its Applications tab shows tasks currently running and lets you end them safely. In my case I could elect to start HP at a time to suit or - more likely - just let it run next time.

Note TM offers other means to find out what is happening behind the scenes under its Processes and Services tabs but these can be off putting for some so stick with the Applications tab if in doubt.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

There is no magic to curing computer glitches and hang-ups; just Rules of Procedure.

My work colleagues would disagree. I've lost count of the number times they have had a problem and called me to fix it. I've gone to watch over their shoulder whilst they demonstrate the problem and magically it has gone away, leaving them most annoyed and convinced I must have done something. It can't just fix itself by me just watching it.

It's got to the stage one of my colleagues sometimes asks me to stand in the vicinity as her computer is playing up and that usually fixes it.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

A large bandwidth-hogging download of any sort happening in parallel would cause any other page to respond slowly. In my case, though, I checked my real-time router stats to ensure there was no other significant traffic occurring during my tests. I also checked for Firefox updates at the time and there were none. I agree that Firefox has updated to 40.0.3 since then.

Just a thought. Might your computer have started to download Windows 10 in the background and completed by the time the problem went away?

 

[Heather]

My work colleagues would disagree. I've lost count of the number times they have had a problem and called me to fix it. I've gone to watch over their shoulder whilst they demonstrate the problem and magically it has gone away, leaving them most annoyed and convinced I must have done something. It can't just fix itself by me just watching it. It's got to the stage one of my colleagues sometimes asks me to stand in the vicinity as her computer is playing up and that usually fixes it.

OOOOOWWWWW !! that's spooky Alexander

 

[Tony]

Just a thought. Might your computer have started to download Windows 10 in the background and completed by the time the problem went away?

That's a good timely idea, but I noticed it had completed downloading the day before my tests, and I had previously seen its effect in my router stats - it was quite a slow lengthy download, pottering along at around 300kbit/s at best, with long intervals at zero. Also, during my tests, I checked that other large pages were downloading quickly, and I used speedtest.net to confirm that my link was still able to download at its expected 4Mbit/s.

BTW, I still use an old version of PRTG Traffic Grapher (V6) to keep a record with a graphical interface of all my router traffic.

 

[trebor]

My work colleagues would disagree. I've lost count of the number times they have had a problem and called me to fix it. I've gone to watch over their shoulder whilst they demonstrate the problem and magically it has gone away, leaving them most annoyed and convinced I must have done something. It can't just fix itself by me just watching it.

I do a lot of technical support in my job and I often have the same effect but I can do it over the telephone.

 

[Bryman]

I've gone to watch over their shoulder whilst they demonstrate the problem and magically it has gone away, leaving them most annoyed and convinced I must have done something. It can't just fix itself by me just watching it.

That's not magic Alexander. 20+ years ago I (and others) noticed the same effect. When someone is watching and having a problem demonstrated and explained to them, the guide is much more careful about exactly what is being performed. Without a bystander, the actions are not always as rigorous and can lead to odd situations arising. With care and attention to detail, the problem miraculously disappears.

I don't laugh or publicly ridicule anyone in that situation because I have also been there. Now, if I 'find' a problem, I try to demonstrate and explain to an imaginary watcher before shouting and complaining . . . just in case.

 

[trebor]

That's not magic Alexander. 20+ years ago I (and others) noticed the same effect. When someone is watching and having a problem demonstrated and explained to them, the guide is much more careful about exactly what is being performed.

Probably true Bryman but my customers and colleagues would not agree and who am I to disillusion them. Plus it helps my reputation no end Perhaps Alexander would also back me up on this.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Probably true Bryman but my customers and colleagues would not agree and who am I to disillusion them. Plus it helps my reputation no end Perhaps Alexander would also back me up on this.

Absolutely. Part of the Scotty thinking, as he so wonderfully put it "How else can you maintain your reputation as a miracle worker!"

Bryman, my work colleagues have also taken to demonstrating a problem to each other before they call me so they have backup that it "definitely didn't work" before I turn up and see it working just fine.

 

[cressrt]

There is another option, get rid of Windows and move to a Linux OS, usually faster, much better security and best of all FREE.