Computer Help
Your PC is suddenly much slower than it should be.
There are different things to look at to speed up performance. Start by eliminating any obvious security problems:
1) firewall + 2) anti-virus + 3) spyware/adware detection.
1) Firewall. Ensure that a firewall is in place regardless of your connection type but absolutely, positively when you have a broad-band connection and are apt to leave your computer online for more than a few minutes.
Separate Software:
* I like ZoneAlarm (free, very visible operating functions). Don’t bother purchasing any of their paid versions. Find, download and install the free version.
* Other free options
* Quick & easy (on Windows XP only): Windows Firewall - make sure it’s on (but only if you don’t have another firewall program turned on…they’d conflict). Not considered as secure as some others.
* Many paid options, e.g. with Symantec Security System (though why pay and overload your PC’s resources?)
****I would ideally perform the following Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware scans in Safe Mode after making sure that the necessary software is installed and up-to-date on my computer. In Safe mode, many Windows device drivers are disabled and the standard VGA display driver is used so it won’t look pretty but it will work.
To start your computer in Safe mode (Windows Me), press and hold down the CTRL key while you restart your computer, and then choose Safe Mode on the Windows Me Startup menu. If you have a Safe Mode with Internet Access choice, take that one if you plan to do the Panda ActiveScan (online virus scan).
2) Anti-Virus. Scan your computer for possible viruses using the most up-to-date virus definitions available. Use your installed virus protection but also use an online scan from time to time…to double-check and get items your on-board software might miss (they don’t all search out the same threats).
Online scan (i.e. no software to download and install and the definitions are always fully up-to-date)
E.g. Panda ActiveScan which also scans for spyware.
Software installed on your PC (e.g. Norton AntiVirus, AVG, multitudes of others).
Make sure the virus definitions are up-to-date first!
E.g. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition
****If your Virus scan found spyware on your computer and the performance has improved after you reboot, you may decide not to do the following additional scan in the short-term. However, different spyware scanners have different results and you might find more. Having and regularly using the below software (or something else that provides the same functionality) is a very good idea.
3. Spyware/Adware. Perform a scan using the most up-to-date definitions available.
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Once you’re convinced that the computer is free of malware, there are other things that can be fine-tuned, e.g. too many unnecessary programs loading automatically and running in the background; too many temp files; disk fragmentation; registry full of un-needed references. Your PC (or free downloads) typically provide the tools necessary to perform related clean-up and fine-tuning of these and other problems. And there are a lot of websites out there providing how-to’s (e.g. this one for tuning and optimizing XP) and great, free software.
