Need help cleaning up an old comp...

[JeffK91]

Hi, I just recovered an old 'Giga' computer and gave it to my dad to use as a secondary computer for his business. Anyways, the computer has been awfully slow at reacticing and constantly freezes and needs to be rebooted. I've done adaware check and recovered space from alot of junk on the comp but it's still running slower then I remember. One problem I figured after hitting Ctrl + Alt + Delete was there is ALOT of backround programs running, upwards of 40+. This comp always has only 4 or 5 running and is in top speed. The old comp is a Windows 98 and I can't remember to keyword under 'run' to open the startup window where it has several tabs and lets you choose what programs you want or dont want running in the backround and lets you do other things, if anyone can clarify that keyword that would be great.

I'm also open to any other suggestions in an attempt to get the computer running at it's best even though it's a pretty bad computer, it used to run fine but now it's not even half of what it was. I've been experiencing many random popups particularly even when I'm not on the web and they come from Internet Explorer and I am currently using Mozilla. Anyways, all help is appreciated as always.

 

[ITZBVAN005]

sounds like spyware to me

 

[Ste]

sounds like spyware to me

Though, Im not sure many spyware programs I would reccomend, are compatible with windows 98, I would see if i couldn't use bit torrent to download windows 98, burn it and reformat the drive and reinstall, that the easiest way to go.

Or you could reformat and install XP, but would need to find mobo model and download the drivers for it and anything else in the PC.

 

[pandahater]

Here's some help, this is what im good at as far as computers are concerned!

First of all if you are decideing to reformat the harddrive than you wont want to do what im giveing to you. But if you want to try to clean, stop running programs and see if you can get this computer cleaned up and running than follow these steps:

1. The command you are looking for is Start/Run/Type: MSCONFIG
Than click on the startup Tab and continue to uncheck the programs you feel are not needed. (Be careful and make sure that you dont need the programs that you are going to stop, i.e. yahoo messanger, real networks, aim, msn messanger etc.. you might want to stop these types of running programs)

2. Since you have run AdAware SE and I would recommend that you update and do a full system scan again for this threads purpose. Now I want you to download a software called Ewido at http://www.ewido.net/en/ if that link doesnt work go ahead and google it, obtain the 15 day free trial, check for the updates in the commands once you download and open up Ewido, than do a full system scan and choose to remove/delete for any things that pop up, this is a great program for eliminateing spyware and malware and any other vicious trojans or worms.

3. Now for a deep clean of the computer. Im sure you have tried to manually remove files etc... I know of a program that is a great clean up tool. Its called Cleanup4.0! Heres the website to download this program heres the direct download and website http://www.stevengould.org/downloads/cleanup/CleanUp40.exe
http://www.stevengould.org/software/cleanup/ once again if you have trouble google it and find it. Once you download it open it up and in the options I want you to first check the following: Empty recycle bins, delete newgroup cache, delete newsgroup subscriptions, delete cookies, delete prefectch files, and cleanup all user. Hit ok and than Cleanup! This will flush out a lot of files or ones you couldnt get to reboot when told on finish. Than do it again but this time go to options check everything but if you want to keep your favorites and bookmarks keep that unchecked press ok and cleanup than reboot on finish when told.

4. Now what you can do since I dont know the type of Operating system you are useing you would want to do a disk defragmentation. That can be found at Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Disk Defragmenter

If you need help with a Virus program etc... let me know, and if the computer still remains to act funny after these steps write me back and I will introduce you to a HiJack Log..Hope this helps
P.S. Make sure to check for OS updates too...

 

[dma11]

Check out this link from MS,
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-gb;835831#appliesto
I would also recommend you do the housecleaning as suggested by pandahater, a diskcleanup and defrag should help speed things up besides the scans for nasties.