RM Easimaths – troubleshooting performance issues
This document is designed to help you identify factors that may affect the smooth running of RM Easimaths. Where possible, solutions have been provided or indications of what the underlying issue may be.
In order for RM Easimaths to work properly, your computer requires:
· the ability to play sound
· a fast and constant internet connection (2Mb/s minimum connection)
· Adobe Flash Player - http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/flashplayer/tech-specs.html
If you experience performance issues when running RM Easimaths, the causes are likely to be related to your internet connection, computer or both. Although not exhaustive, the list below gives items be checked to identify (and hopefully fix) the underlying cause.
There are 5 key areas to consider when looking into Troubleshooting with RM Easimaths. Each of these is explained below in more detail with solutions where possible.
1. Old or corrupt version of Adobe Flash Player
2. Too many applications running
3. Lack of Internet speed and bandwidth
4. Device specification
5. Audio
In the following pages these are described in more detail. To quickly get to the section you want, click on the key area above.
Factors that can adversely affect RM Easimaths:
1. Old or corrupt version of Adobe Flash Player
Use this link to ensure the latest version of Flash Player is installed, and that it is working: http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/find-version-flash-player.html
2. Too many applications running
If your computer has a lot of programs and services running, this will reduce the memory and processing available for running RM Easimaths.
· Third party toolbars in your internet browser can slow the browser down. If you have installed browser helpers and other toolbars (they are often bundled with updates for existing applications that you have such as AVG, Java and Flash Player), please uninstall them via Uninstall a Program in the Control Panel.
· Similarly, too many 3rd party add-ons/plug-ins enabled in the browser will affect its performance. Add-ons can be disabled when not required. (RM Easimaths only requires Adobe Flash Player to be enabled.)
For Internet Explorer, see: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows7/how-to-manage-add-ons-in-internet-explorer-9 ;
For Google Chrome, see: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/142064?hl=en;
For Mozilla Firefox, see: http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/disable-or-remove-add-ons
· Many applications install processes that run in the background from when your computer starts up and check for updates for an application or driver that is installed on the PC; or are designed to speed up the start-up of an application. Some of these use a lot of your computer’s memory/CPU and can cause other applications to run slowly.
You can check which processes are running via Task Manager (hold CTRL + ALT and press Delete then select Start Task Manager) then select the Processes tab. A process can be stopped by clicking on its name then the End Process button. You should be careful to check whether a process is necessary for the running of your PC before ending it, by first searching the internet for the process name and checking its purpose. Restarting your PC will restart any processes ended via Task Manager.
Some common processes that use a lot of system resources are those for iTunes (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3960) and Spotify - Spotify.exe and SpotifyHelper.exe; also Skype.
If particular processes use a lot of system resource and are rarely used, then you may wish to disable them, or prevent them from automatically running when your PC starts up. This can be done by running MSCONFIG, then selecting the process(es) you wish to disable.
· Having multiple antivirus programs installed is not advisable as they will slow down your computer’s performance since the antivirus programs will not only be monitoring the internet activity, but each other. Select one antivirus program, and uninstall the others.
· Viruses and malware
If your computer is infected with viruses or malware, this will affect its performance in addition to possible security issues. Please ensure antivirus definitions are kept up-to-date and regularly perform a scan of all the files on your computer.
· If temporary files and cookies have built up on your computer, or there is corruption in your temporary files, this can slow down the browser. Clear all the cookies and temporary internet files from your computer.
For Internet Explorer, see: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows7/view-temporary-internet-files-in-internet-explorer-9
For Firefox, see: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=213414
For Chrome, see: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95582?hl=en
· Depending on your PC’s configuration, you may find that RM Easimaths runs better in one browser than another. If you experience performance issues in, say, Google Chrome, please try Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox instead.
3. Internet speed and bandwidth
When an RM Easimaths session is run, data is transferred back and forth between the Easimaths web servers and your computer using a secure internet connection (HTTPS). HTTPS connections can be much slower than HTTP because all the data is encrypted and because data integrity checks are more stringent in secure connections
If your internet connection is slow, or you have reduced bandwidth, or a high ping (jitter) rate, then this will affect the speed at which the RM Easimaths application runs. Most domestic internet connections are asymmetric, which means that the download speed is higher than the upload speed. If you have a poor upload speed, this will affect RM Easimaths, as it communicates in both directions while running.
This site explains broadband speed in a user-friendly and comprehensive way: http://broadband.about.com/od/speedissues/a/Broadband-Internet-Speeds-Explained.htm
To check the speed of your connection, go to http://www.speedtest.net/ and click Begin Test. Your connection needs to be at least:
Download: 2Mbps (Mbps = megabits per second)
Upload: 256kbps (kbps = kilobits per second)
If you experience performance issues with RM Easimaths and have done everything you can to speed up performance of your PC and internet connection, please check whether anyone else in the house is using the internet at the same time – on a computer/tablet, phone, gaming machine such as Xbox, etc. as you will be sharing the available bandwidth with them.
4. Minimum Specification
The minimum specification for Flash Player is here: http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/flashplayer/tech-specs.html but it must be borne in mind that ‘minimum’ here means that Flash Player will just run, and for the application to run well, the specification must be exceeded.
Graphics/Video card using memory
A computer's video memory is RAM dedicated to the task of processing graphics. Some computers have integrated ("onboard") video cards which do not have separate video memory, but rather use a portion the system's main RAM. Standalone, or dedicated video cards that plug into the motherboard have their own video memory. When checking your computer’s specification, it’s important to know whether/how much RAM is being used by your video card as there may be less RAM available to your application(s) than the maximum installed.
You may find this YouTube video helpful in checking what RAM is used by your PC’s video card: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOTgL6mxQdA
5. Audio
RM Easimaths cannot run on a machine that cannot output sound. If your PC does not output sound, or you are unsure whether it does, please follow this Microsoft tutorial to remedy this: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/no-sound-help#no-sound=windows-7&v1h=win8tab1&v2h=win7tab1&v3h=winvistatab1&v4h=winxptab1
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