COMPUTER TROUBLE !!!

[stationmaster]

Well I hate to say it but I think my electronic friend is on the way out. The last couple weeks have been very difficult for us. I am not much of a technician but things don't seem right here. Slow start-up and shut-down, slow opening files and slow internet connection. I tried de-frag but that didn't change much. I still have a lot of space on drives though. Hope it's not some weird fatal virus. What could be happening here?

[Borderstone]

S.M.!!! My PC has done that for months but it's back on track for the most part. I think you may need a new modem if you have dial up. ..but if it's Broadband,I have no idea. Again,in dial up,it could also be your program. Maybe you need to upgrade.

Do a system check if possible for people trying to hack through with spyware. That was part of my trouble. Hope I helped,good luck!

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"A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." - Borderstone

[TheWatchman]

Sounds like your computer is saturated with spyware. Slow start-up usually means you have too many programs loading during start-up. You will need to get a program to find the spyware and remove it. I have Aluria and it works fine.

Run "msconfig" and go to the start-up menu and uncheck all the programs that you don't use a lot. Some things will not work (like scanners)if they are unchecked. If your not sure what should be loaded on start-up and not, don't mess with it. Usually when you buy your computer, everything is checked to start when you turn your computer on and they shouldn't be because they really use up a lot of space.

Try this, right click "my computer" and go "properties" and then to "performance". Do this right after your computer boots from a shut-down or restart. Your system resources should be at least 80%. If it's less then that, you have too many programs loading on start-up. Some of these programs could be spyware because some get into your start-up menu and you probably will not recognize what they are.

You probably have some viruses too. Get Norton Anti-Virus. If you already have a program like this then do an update to get all the latest definitions and do a full scan on your computer. No virus is fatal, they just need to be taken care of. A virus cannot ruin your computer hardware. Worse case scenario is you get a nasty virus and you have to restore your pc and you lose everything saved on it.

At any rate, slow start-ups and shut-downs are usually because of spyware on your computer(which you can get by viewing and clicking on certain webpages) and or too many programs being loaded on your start-up menu.

[Auburn Annie]

Have you run your anitvirus software regularly? We use Norton. We have some nasty parasite (not virus) take over one of our computers a couple of weeks back and called in the local Computer Doc. She ended up reformatting the hard drive (but did manage to save nearly all our data files). She recommended Spy Sweeper by Webroot - you can download a free version but if you want updates you need to subscribe for about $30 a year. We've also used Spybot Search & Destroy, basic version free online, and Ad-Aware which alos offers a free version. I run them once a day (twice if my kids have been online a lot) and they're good at finding and removing trojans, spyware, unauthorized programs that have snuck onto your system, etc. For a quick check of what parasites may be on your computer, go to http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/

There's lots of information here, on the bugs and removal methods. Hope this helps!

It's probably that darn dial-up . I hate it with a passion . The Internet is oh so slow out here in the country, sometimes it really makes my blood boil.

[LSH]

I run Spyware Stormer once or twice a day also. Make my son run it whenever he's been online. He does a lot of IM and chatrooms. It has made a world of difference. HUGE difference. I have cable, and couldn't believe how slow my computer was getting and all the pop-ups that plagued me. Give it a shot SM and see if it helps...

I use spy sweeper too. Great program. Beware however of some of the free versions of other spy programs. Some of the free versions will locate, but not remove spyware unless you buy the software. And I also discovered that some more unscrupulous spyware programs will install their own spyware. Cute trick.


quote:Originally posted by Auburn Annie:
Have you run your anitvirus software regularly? We use Norton. We have some nasty parasite (not virus) take over one of our computers a couple of weeks back and called in the local Computer Doc. She ended up reformatting the hard drive (but did manage to save nearly all our data files). She recommended Spy Sweeper by Webroot - you can download a free version but if you want updates you need to subscribe for about $30 a year. We've also used Spybot Search & Destroy, basic version free online, and Ad-Aware which alos offers a free version.

[stationmaster]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I will check into the SPYWARE issue. I may need some new anti-virus / firewall software. Hey "B" I am using hi-speed cable but it is acting like a very slow dial-up connection.

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"The station is for travelers even you must ride someday"

[Borderstone]

Hey Douglas! You live in the country? Heck,I'll trade you your country living for my Phoenix,Arizona red hot desert living anyday! Slow net or not!

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"A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." - Borderstone

[TheWatchman]

From what you said, it does not sound like it has anything to do with dial-up vs. cable or DSL. Slow start-ups, shut-downs and slow opening files have nothing to do with your internet connection. Web pages that open slowly are most likely a result of spyware. There is not much difference loading webpages using dial-up or cable. Where you will really see a difference is when you are downloading a large file, .mp3 etc. I use both and there is hardly a difference when viewing most sites.

[johnfowles]

quote:Originally posted by Auburn Annie:
We've also used Spybot Search & Destroy, basic version free online, and Ad-Aware which alos offers a free version. ]


I had simlar problems in fact a couple of weeks ago I got so exasperated with stupid pop-ups and home page hijacking
(a very annoying outfit called outhost kept insisting I would be more interested in searching for casinos rather than see my desired Google News page)
so I tried to carry out a full system recovery but that introduced its own problem as my laptop's built-in CD-ROM Drive
proved unwilling to read more than 9% of the recovery CD which was enough to completely cock-up a huge pile of files rendering W98 useless damn and blast it!!
anyone know how to set up booting from an external USB drive???
I eventually succeeded in reloading Windows98 from the hard drive cabinet files. within few days back on-line the pop-ups
again became unbearable so I used both Ad-Aware and SpybotSD to initial good effect.Until yet another asinine site (680180.net)found me. A modicum of Googling led to a recommendation to use an extremely small freeware program(me) called
Hijack This
and although it warns you that it is apparently easy to delete too many of its suspicious results I deleted a batch called BTO I think they were and 680180 has given up thank heavens.
The friggin' idiots/drug users who do this are almost as bad as the virus writers in my book. But that is another topic!!

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My Gordon Lightfoot webring
starts at
http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/lightfoot

[This message has been edited by johnfowles (edited August 11, 2004).]

[LSH]

Woohoo! That's right John, let it all out. You'll feel better for it...

[SilverHeels]

I am joining the rest of you re 'parasites' in the computer!
Have spent the last 48hours searching out a safe (free) site (is there such a thing?) with which to destroy them. I have installed and uninstalled SO many, my head is reeling!
So now I shall try Spyware/ S&D/Aluria, in fact all the ones mentioned above.

I discovered that all my cute smilies are in fact Spyware! *sobbing uncontrollably*

bfn.