Windows XP performance - reinstall Windows

[peggy]

I have the original CD (somewhere) that I originally used 4 years ago when I
purchased this computer.

I am having troubles. I cannot get to the Control Panel. I tried restoring
but that did not solve the problem. I went back to the earliest restore
date.

What do I have to do before I reinstall Windows XP from the CD?

 

[Leonard Grey]

Backup anything you wouldn't want to lose.

You want to reinstall Windows, and then set it up and update it all over
again, just because you can't access Control Panel? How about if you try
this:

Right-click on the Start button > select Properties > on the Start Menu
tab click the Customize button > on the Advanced tab, under 'Start menu
items' put a check mark in 'Control Panel - Display as a link'

 

[peggy]

Hello Leonard,

Thank you for replying.


I am having serious issues with Windows. I cannot shut down or go to HELP.
My computer is very, very slow. It does not change screens, one slowly drops
before being replaced. I have been trying everything to fix the problem so I
am finally at the point where I am thinking that I have to reinstall to get
rid of the problems.


I tried the right click on start.....nothing has changed.

How about if you try

 

[Leonard Grey]

Could your computer have a malware infection?

Does Event Viewer provide any further information?

Reinstalling Windows won't remove a malware infection, and it may not
help in any event. You could do a clean install, where you erase your
hard disk and start from scratch, but without so much as a clue as to
what caused your problem in the first place, you may end up back in the
same spot.

Reinstalling Windows is a last resort, not a maintenance procedure. And
before you consider such a drastic move you need to prepare thoroughly.
It's not as simple as popping in your Windows CD and sitting back. And
then you have years of updates to reinstall.

 

[peggy]

Hello Leonard,

I have already scanned and disinfected the computer of adware, malware,
spyware, viruses etc. There was stuff in there. I am at a last resort
situation. I found the original XP disk but perhaps I would be better off to
go to Windows Vista.

I have copied up my most valuable files to CDs. The instructions for
backing up to an external hard drive start with go to "Control Panel" which I
cannot do.

Peggy

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I am having serious issues with Windows. I cannot shut down or go to HELP.
My computer is very, very slow. It does not change screens, one slowly drops
before being replaced. I have been trying everything to fix the problem so I
am finally at the point where I am thinking that I have to reinstall to get
rid of the problems.

Maybe, but it's seldom true that you have to reinstall, and it's
usually a very bad thing to do, for two reasons:

1. It's a lot of work to back up your data, reinstall Windows, reload
all your drivers, restore your data, reload all your programs,
reconfigure Windows and all your programs the way you like to have
them, etc.

2. When you take that approach, you never find out what was wrong, and
almost certainly what is wrong is something you did incorrectly or
didn't do. That means that you are extremely likely to make the same
mistake and very quickly find yourself back in the same situation.

So my recommendation is that you do *not* do this, but instead
describe your problems and your environment here, giving us the
chance to help you and fix the problems without reinstallation.

To start with, answer these two questions:

1. What anti-virus and anti-spyware programs do you run, and are they
kept up to date?

2. What programs do you have starting automatically when you boot.

The answer to most poor performance problems is usually found in one
or both of these questions.

 

[peggy]

Maybe, but it's seldom true that you have to reinstall, and it's
usually a very bad thing to do, for two reasons:

1. It's a lot of work to back up your data, reinstall Windows, reload
all your drivers, restore your data, reload all your programs,
reconfigure Windows and all your programs the way you like to have
them, etc.

2. When you take that approach, you never find out what was wrong, and
almost certainly what is wrong is something you did incorrectly or
didn't do. That means that you are extremely likely to make the same
mistake and very quickly find yourself back in the same situation.

So my recommendation is that you do *not* do this, but instead
describe your problems and your environment here, giving us the
chance to help you and fix the problems without reinstallation.

To start with, answer these two questions:

1. What anti-virus and anti-spyware programs do you run, and are they
kept up to date?

2. What programs do you have starting automatically when you boot.

The answer to most poor performance problems is usually found in one
or both of these questions.

Hello Ken,

Question 1.
I use F Secure that I obtained through the cable company that provides my
internet service. It is up to date with auto updates.

Question 2.
I do not know what programs automatically start. I do know I have some old
AOL software that I would like to get rid of. This software was
automatically started before I had this performance problem.

Sometimes my computer freezes and I have to turn it off since I cannot do a
proper shut-down.

Peggy

 

[Leonard Grey]

Looks like you haven't removed all the malware. A clean install will
remove the malware, but you'll have to reinstall, configure and update
all your software. Nice way to kill a weekend.

For now try scanning your system with /several/ of the better online
scanners, such as:
Kaspersky Antivirus (http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner)
Panda ActiveScan (http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan)

Download HijackThis from www.trendsecure.com. Run it, save a log, and
post the log at one of the many sites that support HJT, such as
spywarewarrior.com, bleepingcomputer.com, and http://aumha.net -- but
not here. Within a day you'll have step-by-step advice from an expert on
cleaning up any malware infestations.

Even the best detection and removal software can't fix every malware
infection. If none of the above remove the infection, you may want to
show the computer to a professional.

 

[peggy]

Hello Ken,

Question 1.
I use F Secure that I obtained through the cable company that provides my
internet service. It is up to date with auto updates.

Question 2.
I do not know what programs automatically start. I do know I have some old
AOL software that I would like to get rid of. This software was
automatically started before I had this performance problem.

Sometimes my computer freezes and I have to turn it off since I cannot do a
proper shut-down.

Peggy

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hello Ken,

Question 1.
I use F Secure that I obtained through the cable company that provides my
internet service. It is up to date with auto updates.

I don't know anything about F-Secure, but I can tell you that it's not
one of the programs that are high on my list of the best security
programs. Moreover you need *both* types of security programs
(anti-virus and anti-spyware) to protect you, as I said. And one more
point: no single anti-spyware program is anywhere near perfect and you
should run two or more for adequate perfection.

Given that your computer is "very, very slow," and you are not running
adequate security software, my guess is that you are almost certainly
infected with malware.

For an anti-virus program, I recommend that you run NOD32, if you
willing to spend a little money, or Avast or Avira if you want a free
product.

For anti-spyware, I recommend that you run MalwareBytes, and at least
one or two (all free) from the following list:

SuperAntiSpyware
Spyware Blaster
Spybot Search and Destroy
Adaware
Windows Defender

Question 2.
I do not know what programs automatically start. I do know I have some old
AOL software that I would like to get rid of. This software was
automatically started before I had this performance problem.

Go to Start | Run and run MSCONFIG. It will give you a list of what
automatically starts.

Sometimes my computer freezes and I have to turn it off since I cannot do a
proper shut-down.

Another indication that your problem is very likely malware infection.

 

[peggy]

Hell to Leonard and Ken
I tried the Kaspersky internet security but my computer froze half way
through the installation. I am so F....g fed up with this thing I am ready
to just buy a new one.

Peggy

 

[Leonard Grey]

I hear you.

There comes a point in time when you recognize that you've struggled and
stressed enough. (I recently reached that point with Office 2007
Enterprise.)

You should try to backup everything that's important to you. That
includes your own files (documents, pictures, etc.) and important system
files (email addresses, messages, Favorites, etc.). Make sure you have
installation media for all the software installed on your computer.

Do not even consider a clean install until you are totally prepared.
There is no 'undo'.

Going forward, you need to learn how to protect your computer from
attack. Software from the cable company is not sufficient.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hell to Leonard and Ken
I tried the Kaspersky internet security but my computer froze half way
through the installation. I am so F....g fed up with this thing I am ready
to just buy a new one.

One of the big problems with installation anti-virus or anti-spyware
software *after* you are already infected is that the infection
sometimes prevents the installation. That's why it's so important to
have excellent software installed *all* the time, and be extremely
careful in what you do with the computer. You want to prevent getting
infected in the first place, not remove the infection after you get
it.

It sounds like you have three choices at this point:

1. Use on-line anti-malware software rather than trying to install
something. My experience with such software is very limited, so I'll
let someone else recommend these.

2. Do a clean installation of Windows. As I said earlier, I'm normally
against doing this, but if choice 1 doesn't work for you, you may have
no other realistic choice.

3. Buy a new computer. Although that is a choice, I strongly recommend
against it. It costs money, and the result will be no different than
that of the free choice 2.

And in the future, make very sure that you are always running
*excellent* security software, and you are not doing dangerous things
like opening E-mail attachments or going to porno or pirate web sites.

 

[Mick Murphy]

Reboot your computer, and go into Safe Mode with Networking from the list of
startup options that you get after TAPPING F8 repaetedly at Startup/Power on.

Download, install, update and scan your System with Malwarebytes and Spybot
Search & destroy while in that Mode.

You can also save your Data while in that Mode.
And only have 1 Anti-virus installed on your computer.
And see if you can get into Control Panel from there to remove unwated AOL,
etc.

http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html

Spybot Search & Destroy 1.6 is a very good, FREE Anti-Spyware Program.
Download, install, update, and immunize your System with it.
Then SCAN with it.
Update it, and scan your System once a fortnight.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Malwarebytes is as the name says, a Malware Remover!
For the Free version scroll down their page to either download from
Download.com, or Major Geeks.com

Download, install, and update.

Important re: Safe Mode
If you happen to find a problem that you can’t uninstall / delete, reboot
the computer, and go into Safe Mode.
To get into Safe mode, tap F8 right at Power On / Startup, and use UP arrow
key to get to Safe Mode from list of options, then hit ENTER.
RESCAN your computer with your Anti-Virus, Malwarebytes and Spybot S & D
while in Safe Mode.

If unable to install above Programs in Normal Mode:
Sometimes Trojans, Viruses, Malware, etc stop you installing and/or updating
Programs to remove them.
If that happens, reboot into Safe Mode with Networking (from F8 list of
Startup Options), and install, update and scan from there

 

[Gerry]

Peggy

I would try Mick's suggestion. Running software in Safe Mode has a
better chance of success than doing it in Normal Mode.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~