[MtnBikerChk]

and says "it's running really slow. can you fix it?"

Well she wrote me a note too. She's getting virus errors and something about Norton cleaning them or not - whatever.

I need an online scanner to run it through. Then I'll download ad aware and spy bot.

any other suggestions? (anything shy of reformatting and reinstalling - I don't want that kind of committment LOL)

 

[BadDNA]

housecall.trendmicro.com

 

[binary visions]

^ That's a good place, and I'd recommend asking if they paid for Norton and/or have any kind of emotional attachment to it, since that's probably a chief reason the computer is running slow.

If they don't mind, I'd probably install the free version of AVG.

http://free.grisoft.com/

 

[MtnBikerChk]

housecall.trendmicro.com

thanks!

It's running like a SNAIL!

 

[BadDNA]

Another for AVG.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

^ That's a good place, and I'd recommend asking if they paid for Norton and/or have any kind of emotional attachment to it, since that's probably a chief reason the computer is running slow.

If they don't mind, I'd probably install the free version of AVG.

http://free.grisoft.com/

you and I are on the same page! I'm an AVG user on my xp and Vista machines.

 

[H8R]

and says "it's running really slow. can you fix it?"

Well she wrote me a note too. She's getting virus errors and something about Norton cleaning them or not - whatever.

I need an online scanner to run it through. Then I'll download ad aware and spy bot.

any other suggestions? (anything shy of reformatting and reinstalling - I don't want that kind of committment LOL)

Windows...XP?


Run the Housecall online scan as posted above, then install AVG, then install Windows Defender.

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx


In Defender, after the first spyware scan, go to:
Tools > Software Explorer > Category > Startup Programs

Look for programs that are in the startup list here. You can disable some programs that don't always need to be running 24/7

Example: Quicktime, Adobe Reader, Picasa, auto update features of some software that you would manually update anyway, etc etc.

If you don't know what something is, or if disabling it will fark the computer, leave it on.


This should free up some memory/resources and make the boot up and login a little faster.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Thanks H8R. I've never used Defender - I will definitely do that!

She really doesn't have much in the way of programs on her computer so I'm thinking reinstalling wouldn't be that horrible. Then I can get a clean AVG install too.

Housecall is running now - I'll let you know!

 

[binary visions]

Jenn's dad's computer was running like a snail. It was appalling, almost unusable. I removed the TWO anti-virus programs that the idiots at Time Warner installed when he got Road Runner along with the incredibly intrusive firewall software, and installed AVG.

He thought I had performed a small miracle. Runs like a champ, now. What kind of stupid tech installs two anti virus programs, especially on a computer that's about 6 or 7 years old?

Defender is great, BTW. Least intrusive and low profile spyware program I've ever used. Microsoft nailed it - you only even see an icon when there's a problem or during a scan.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I've also used this to track down what was using resources - might help in the investigation & removal of the useless $hit:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/ProcessesAndThreads/ProcessExplorer.mspx

 

[H8R]

I've also used this to track down what was using resources - might help in the investigation & removal of the useless $hit:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/ProcessesAndThreads/ProcessExplorer.mspx

Coolness.


See what I miss going to Ubuntu?







(nothing!)

 

[SkaredShtles]

Coolness.


See what I miss going to Ubuntu?







(nothing!)

If this whole XP on VMware works out for my wife's work, I think I'm going to run Linux on the new machine and just let her have a couple XP sessions....