Computer help

[bmrider]

Easy to do Lee...

I'd be willing to help you out with that...

It might also be loaded with Spyware. I have tons of software here at my place that will clean it out for you. (Maybe save you from having to wipe it out...)

--Brad

[TheIglu]

Originally posted by Leebo
My computer is running slow as shit. How big of deal is it to wipe the drive and restore it with the disk from the MFG???
Lee

Depends on the brand. Dell, HP, Comcrap, all the big names load your machine with shit right from the factory. I wipe all our new Dell's here at work the day they get there. Put on AVG Free, Windows defender and any other programs you need and you won't have to worry about shit for a long time.

People who pay for antivirus and antispyware are throwing their money away.

[Degsy]

+1 on AVG free and windows defender. I NEVER get spyware or viruses.

derek

[benVFR]

Definitely do Clayton's NUKE AND BURN method.

I hope you have a genuine "clean" Windows CD direct from MS though.. otherwise you just load all the manufacturer's bundled crap right back on.

This is one advantage to getting a "white box" computer from the local mom & pop store.. they give you an OEM CD straight from MS, as opposed to one they hacked up.

Basically when you get a Dell, HP, etc.. you get the computer cheap because AOL and all the other companies actually pay to be able to pre-install crap on your computer. (Among other reasons)

[Ducrappy]

I too could give you a hand Lee. I've gone through quite a few computers here at work as well as on employees' home computers (as well as my own) and most of the time I can clean up a computer w/o formatting and reinstalling a new OS.

Which operating system are you running?

[bump909]

fdisk

[TheIglu]

Originally posted by bump909
fdisk

ShaZAM!

Without formatting, you can uninstall all your Antivirus and antispyware software. Uninstall and remove ALL web browser toolbars (even google, no use for it other than the search box, popup blocker is built into IE these days), update from windowsupdate.microsoft.com until there are no critical updates remaining, then see how your machine runs. Also get rid of ANY programs that start up with windows. Basically the more icons you have down by your clock the slower your machine will be.

Better to wipe and start fresh but if you don't want to there are options.

[benVFR]

Another good tip is to run task manager, figure out what all the processes are, and figure out what each one is and whether or not you can shut it down.

There are a bunch of sites that specialize in just listing out every windows program and telling you what it is, so you can just google "resourcehawga.exe" and something will come up telling you what it is.

To view them right click on the taskbar, select task manager, then select the processes tab.

If you're on a corporate network that can have a lot to do with it.. we have so much crap we are forced to run that my machine is about 2x as fast at home connected to my network as it is in the office. Now isn't that productivity! Since we are an arch enemy of MS you would think eventually they'd get around to letting us run without Windows.