Slow PC

[reflexboy]

My PC doesnt seem to be running as fast as it used to. Im running a Dell with 2Meg B/Band, on Windows XP Home...Any ideas? Some suggested 'Spyware' or 'Adware'......do you think this will help and where can I download it? Thanks

 

[glojo]

My PC doesnt seem to be running as fast as it used to. Im running a Dell with 2Meg B/Band, on Windows XP Home...Any ideas? Some suggested 'Spyware' or 'Adware'......do you think this will help and where can I download it? Thanks

Microsoft do a free Spyware option, (nip onto their home page and do a quick search)

How long have you had the PC?

Once worms, trojans, virus's are ruled out, I would perhaps consider a reformat. Over a period of time computers tend to get bogged down with all sorts of junk and a reformat solves an awful lot of problems.

Good luck,
John

I'll see if I can find the link on the Microsoft site

Edit: Yer tis!!

 

[grober]

spyware popups etc

AdAware from www.lavasoft.com and Spybot Search and Destroy from www.safer-networking.org. Great progs and simple to use but keep definition files up to date. You might want to use HijackThis for really persistent problems but exercise great care as its a powerful program.

 

[Ashley]

See PC forum double post from Reflexboy

 

[PJH]

Ad-aware can be found on Lavasoft or www.download.com and search for ad-aware.
I also have SpywareBlaster

Also check the number of processes you have running. Stuff like iTunes and realplayer don't need to be running all the time.
Run msconfig and un-check them in the start-up progs list.

 

[Ashley]

microsoft spyware i have been using it since came out and i like it.

Check start up in All Programs and delete any unneeded start up software in it.

Also run "msconfig" from the run box on start menu and stop all unneeded services and programs from running.

Also get into the Add/Remove Control Panel and take off any unneeded software.

Try using Easy Cleaner it a nice clean up software for the registry. Remember always to a manual save point in system restore before messing with the registry.

A good free virus software is AVG Free Edition

Defrag hard drive. Some say once a month I do it once a week it only takes about 4 mins (55gb) if you do it weekly.

I forgot to say Intel Application Accelerator it is a essential bit of software for some Intel chips, one of the best bits about it is if you run the software it will detect if it is needed.

PC Answers is a good site for getting advice on getting the most out of your PC

You can always start again. I do it every 6 months. Just take copies of anything you want to keep and stick the Windows disk in (it says dell in big writing and widows in small) and reformat drive.

How much memory are you running? very often the cheapest and biggest fix a PC can get. I run 2 GB on my dell. If you need I will let you know what ram to buy (different ram for different things) to make the biggest difference for how you use your PC.

I like playing a online war game (Blitzkrieg) that has high demend on the system so i have to keep my PC well tuned to be able to cope.

When i got XP one of the most annoying things for me was Windows Messenger.

This will get rid of it once and for all.

 

[Ashley]

Forgot to say in system properties (control panel > system) choose the “Advanced” tab and then click on Performance settings and on the first tab select adjust for “best system performance”.

Also your desktop picture can slow the pc down for best performances choose “None”.