a friend of mine called with a pc problem. he was given a computer, i believe a pentium 4, i haven't been over yet so i'm not sure exactly whats going on.evidently it was working fine but has been sitting for a while. he knows practically nothing about computers. the problem is all the junk that is on it. it has win xp, but he doesn't have any discs to reformat. i told him it would be best to wipe the harddrive clean and start over but how does he do that or clean up the existing mess. it appears hes got some spyware, bugs and junk because he says stuff keeps popping up, duplicating itself etc. he just had dsl installed through bell south and now he's kind of stuck so he called me. he lives 30 mjinutes away so i'd like to have some decent info before i drive over there. thanks.
starting over
- Thread starter rgray
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OK. You need to download Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder (http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=2612). This will retrieve his Windows key from his registry.
Once you have done that, you can format and reinstall Windows from any XP disk, and use his own key code.
If, however you choose to try to salvage the OS and all, go here:
http://techist.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=534983#post534983
and read the list. Download what if calls for and take it with you.
Once you get things cleaned up a little, go online and go to http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ with Internet Explorer. Do the free online scan.
Be sure to download and install a decent firewall on the computer, as well as antivirus.
Once you have done that, you can format and reinstall Windows from any XP disk, and use his own key code.
If, however you choose to try to salvage the OS and all, go here:
http://techist.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=534983#post534983
and read the list. Download what if calls for and take it with you.
Once you get things cleaned up a little, go online and go to http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ with Internet Explorer. Do the free online scan.
Be sure to download and install a decent firewall on the computer, as well as antivirus.
ATIRAGEPRO
Daemon Poster
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"SpAmually transmitted deseases..."
No CDs, DVDs, Floppies, restore tapes, or VHS.
If he goes to START> PROGRAMS> ACCESSORIES> SYSTEM TOOLS> REGEDIT> (if it's there,) he should be able to remove allot of junkware from his registry. That's all i can think of.
Usually when there's a spyware or virus problem, people here usually post some kind of HijackThis log, with a whole list of everything in the registry or something.
I don't know about it. I hope somone will jump in and reply with some info about this.
No CDs, DVDs, Floppies, restore tapes, or VHS.
If he goes to START> PROGRAMS> ACCESSORIES> SYSTEM TOOLS> REGEDIT> (if it's there,) he should be able to remove allot of junkware from his registry. That's all i can think of.
Usually when there's a spyware or virus problem, people here usually post some kind of HijackThis log, with a whole list of everything in the registry or something.
I don't know about it. I hope somone will jump in and reply with some info about this.
Sorry for buging in here.
But Trotter wrote that its posibel to use any XPcd to instal. and then use the pc's previus XPkey.
does this work if u got the XPkey to an old simens pc.
upgrade this to amd64. format the hd.
Then instal XP from another disk who has SP2 on it.
And then use the key who come with the simens pc?
XPHome on the pc from before same on the disk.
Some info about the pc:
Now
simens thingy.
AMD XP 1.4G
Mobo replaced to abit Asocket. (Dont remember the nr)
psu upgraded to 480W or 500W. (This two upgrades was done coz of a lightning strike)
1024 ram crucial 1 stick (he also might have the original 512 instaled)
40 G hd. (original from simens.
dvd (original from simens.
cdrw (original from simens.
simens case
and simens recovery cd. with xphome.
upgrade to:
asus Socket 939 A8N-E
probly
AMD Athlon 64 3700
And probly PowerColor Radeon X1600PRO 256MB DDRII, PCI-Express
Was thinking not to use the recovery cd.
gambling that xp finds drivers to dvd and cdrw
But Trotter wrote that its posibel to use any XPcd to instal. and then use the pc's previus XPkey.
does this work if u got the XPkey to an old simens pc.
upgrade this to amd64. format the hd.
Then instal XP from another disk who has SP2 on it.
And then use the key who come with the simens pc?
XPHome on the pc from before same on the disk.
Some info about the pc:
Now
simens thingy.
AMD XP 1.4G
Mobo replaced to abit Asocket. (Dont remember the nr)
psu upgraded to 480W or 500W. (This two upgrades was done coz of a lightning strike)
1024 ram crucial 1 stick (he also might have the original 512 instaled)
40 G hd. (original from simens.
dvd (original from simens.
cdrw (original from simens.
simens case
and simens recovery cd. with xphome.
upgrade to:
asus Socket 939 A8N-E
probly
AMD Athlon 64 3700
And probly PowerColor Radeon X1600PRO 256MB DDRII, PCI-Express
Was thinking not to use the recovery cd.
gambling that xp finds drivers to dvd and cdrw
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