Node sync-linux

I'm trying to get this thing synced, on day 2 or 3. I'm at around 37% block 276kish. First 30% went by super fast. Problem is that now if I don't shut down the app after an hour or so, it dramatically slows down and goes out to 12 weeks time to sync. I shut down the app properly, let it rest a minute and start it back up. It then cranks through the blocks like crazy, down to a day or two on the time frame. After a while, it gets slower and slower and then I have to reboot it again.

Running an old windows laptop with 4gb memory, 1.5mh dual processor, 500mg hard drive and storing the block on a 1TB Samsung SSD mounted to the computer. I've tried changing the dbcache setting, but I have no idea if it's taking that or not.

Pretty skill-limited when it comes to linux, I got it installed on this laptop and that's about the extent of my coding skills, so any advice besides just restarting the app every couple hours?