[salsa]

Bearing in mind you are dealing with a complete idiot here - how do I create a backup XP disk? Despite cleaning the hard drive and removing virtually all but the most essential software my PC operates at half glacial speed. Read a recent article that claimed a reinstall of XP would fix it - but I have no backup disk ......

[Madxgraphics]

Do you not have the original OS disk that came with your computer..?
Also what is the specification of your computer..? This might help figure why its running a half glacial..Have you done any checks for spayware/adware/viruses etc..? Do all of these before going as far as reformatting..

[salsa]

'fraid not. Don't even remember getting one - Packard Bell from PC World

[Madxgraphics]

You should of got one, you payed for the licence they should provide it..Try running superantispyware and spybot on your comp first and see what happens.

[salsa]

AVG virus checker up to date, Checked for Spyware - everything OK

[Madxgraphics]

Originally Posted by salsa

AVG virus checker up to date, Checked for Spyware - everything OK

ARGHHHHHH!!!!!!! go download the 2 I suggested, also if you are going to go for free stuff go for Avast rather than AVG, AVG is how should we say, erm cr*p
Also can you let us know your machine specs

[floppybootstomp]

Avast ain't that clever either, I've been reading lots about this lately, Antivir is definitely the best freebie atm.

Avast misses stuff that Antivir doesn't.

Thumbs up all round though, apparently, for Superantispyware.

If there's no XP disc, you're stuffed, I'm afraid, an OEM copy of XP costs about £90.00 at present.

PC World - don't you just love 'em eh?

Of course, even if you bought disc backup software and used it to create a backup of the current OS, you'd hardly want to preserve a system that's possibly infected and running slow as hell.