Computer advice please

[Shadowfax]

Just to say that with the advice I have been given here my PC is now running well again.
It boots up much faster than I can ever remember and seems to be running smoothly when changing betwen applications. It had been getting rather sluggish.
I have got myself another hard drive and will probably install that this weekend.
Many thanks once again to you all.

SF

 

[Benchwayze]

Does anyone know of an effective anti-virus program that DOESN'T slow the PC to a crawl please?

Cheers

 

[Shadowfax]

John, if my recent experience is anything to go by then look at Avast!

My PC was really bogged down. It now flies and when I timed bootup just now it went from cold to ready to go in 70 seconds.

Avast! is free as well!

Cheers,

SF

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi SF,

Strange! I installed it this morning, but no difference I fear and the anti-virus seems very strange in its operation. Still, there are no viruses on the PC, but from cold I ahve to switch it on, then leave it to make a a cuppa, before it will be ready to go. I'm also getting a Windows Install pane coming up asking me for a disc that I don't have and I have to use the three-finger salute to cancel it! Pain!

If I leave the PC alone for an hour or so, when I return to it, there is a response time of anything up to 30 seconds, before I can use the programs. Transparent windows appear and I can't use the programs.

It's not too bad once it gets going, but the AOL browser is abominable. Even Firefox stutters and shudders before I can 'surf'. So I am thinking memory or processor problems. I wouldn't mind but the PC isn't a year old yet!

I must have reinstalled windows four times since I bought it, but as soon as I start putting on the programs I use, the thing grinds to a halt!
Somehow I think I bought a Friday afternooon motherboard? I think I am going to upgrade the board, processor and RAM (yet again).

Thanks for the advice though. ATM I am going through the programs to see if I can get rid of some stuff!

Cheers

 

[Shadowfax]

I guess you could try Process Explorer. Gidon mentioned it a few posts ago.
It certainly showed me what was hogging the CPU cycles in my machine.
Worth a try before you spend any more money, perhaps.
I hope you manage to sort it.
Good luck, anyway,

SF

 

[Benchwayze]

Obliged SF.. I think that's good advice. I'll investigate!

Cheers


Edit..

Oh well.... I am afraid that was as clear as mud and the readme is just a shade to techie for me! I can see what's ahppening, but it doesn't tell me how to clear it up!


I'm gonna get a new drive and reinstall I think. Skin this PC down to the bare essential programs and run the 'extras' on my old machine, off-line.

Cheers SF and Gidon!

 

[devonwoody]

Have you loaded a new software application and then started to get those problems?
Just a thought if you are going to start afresh, it would pay not to install that program.

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi DW,

Yes I did, but the problem of this unknown start-up 'flag' only appeared after I realised it wasn't any use and de-installed it. So much for a registry cleaner program!

I am going to go for a complete reinstall of Windows with a new hard-disc.

Thanks for the help..

 

[Sawdust]

I've always found XP has a working life of around 2 years after which a backup, format and fresh install would restore lost performance. Bit of a pain to do but worth the effort.

As to the CD key If you have a genuine windows COA sticker on the PC case then the serial number will work fine with burned disc with the right version of windows on it (home or pro) so you don't need to use the restore disc.

Given the low price of hard drives I'd buy a new hard drive and do the fresh install on that. Any problems and you can always plug the old one back in and be back where you started. A new drive will be faster too.

I absolutely agree agree with every word you have said except the working life. I'm lucky to get one year and honestly believe that a PC running windows needs an annual service that includes a reformat and reinstall.

To minimise the pain of doing this, I partition my disc so that all of my data is stored and drive D: and the OS is on drive C:. I keep a folder on D: with all the drivers and serial numbers and can do a rebuild in a couple of hours without losing any data.

I find that doing this means I have a nice clean machine again and ultimately saves time because I don't spend forever trying to fix the unfixable and keep it limping along.

Cheers
Mike

 

[Benchwayze]

I should be able to run Windows set-up, to do a refresh install, as you could in Win98 (Ahh.. those were the days!)

When I try to do a set-up 'over windows', the program suddenly stops and tells me I have A/virus software running. I disable the A/v, but Windows set-up still seems to find it and stops installing. I deinstall the A/v, but still the same result. So, I have to format and re-install, which is a right PIA because of the files I need to save and transfer to discs!

It's making me think about chucking the PC from the roof to be frank! :evil:

 

[devonwoody]

I read somewhere that you must also uninstall Internet expolorer 7 first before you uninstall windows otherwise 7 will not work without installing 6 first and getting 7.

Any truth on this statement. (and how do you get 6 if you cant get on the internet?)

 

[Benchwayze]

I don't rightly know DW..

If I reinstall Windows, I usually format whatever drive I am using and then upgrade from 6 to 7 afterwards. So maybe it's done on auto-pilot?
I use Firefox anyhow, so IE doesn't see much daylight except for updates that come down the pipe.

 

[Skipwill]

Just a couple of thoughts, SF

As was mentioned above, look at the task manager under the processes tab then sort by CPU utilization. Click the CPU header twice to display highest utilization to lowest. That should quickly show if a process is hogging the CPU. You can then type that process name into Google and usually get an answer as to what it is and what it is doing.

Also, check and see if indexing is turned on for your hard drives. This will slow down the pc somewhat.

My anti virus runs as a process in the background and my PC is dog slow when it is scanning the drives. You may want to make sure that something like this is not going on (see first paragraph above )

Good luck with it!

Skip

 

[RogerS]

......

My anti virus runs as a process in the background and my PC is dog slow when it is scanning the drives. You may want to make sure that something like this is not going on (see first paragraph above )

Good luck with it!

Skip

Good point. I can't think why anyone would want to have an anti-virus program scan their drives on a scheduled basis. Any av software should be scanning incoming emails for viruses. If you're daft enough to instal software of unproven provenance and get a virus that way then you deserve everything you get and should take your PC to be crushed. Drive by websites with dodgy stuff should be picked up by your browser. So therefore no need to run scheduled av scans of your hard drive. or maybe I'm missing something here ?

 

[Skipwill]

I agree to a point, Roger.

However others use the computers in my office and you can never be too careful. I have an automated scan once a week in the wee hours on Wedensday but it sometimes carries over through Thursday morning.

But...that being said, I still scan emails and have, hopefully, protection from the bad websites and weird software.

Cheers,

 

[Benchwayze]

I am told if you dump your modem and use a 'Rooter' (spelling to save confusion on the forum!) your PC doesn't even need a firewall as there is one built into the 'rooter'. True? I dunno.

I am thinking of a moving to Mac, if they are not subject to viruses. But, as more people change over, they soon will be I am sure.

 

[devonwoody]

Remember there is a lot of things you cannot do on a mac. My sister got sucked in and our mutual interest in keyboard music went down the tubes.
Also a lot of your imaging software will need replacing?
Lots of useful downloads are only available on this forum with windows.

 

[Benchwayze]

Strange about that DW. Mind you I am sorry to hear you lost out.
A contact of mine in Holland uses a Mac to make his YouTube Vids and he thinks they are great.

Have a look at 'Jazzguts', on the tube (You might not like Jazz, but you'll see that he manages well with his Mac!

Good Luck on that one my friend. Can't do without the music now can we?

Regards John