BleepingComputer.com: Need Help Fixing Computer

We had a virus a long time ago and now our computer is slow and messed up. How can i increase my computer's speed and memory?
Also, my browser's IE and i have sbc global. I have to do things slowly on the internet, b/c if i click really fast or if i play a game or have multiple windows up, i get a browser error and i have to close.
Also, most of the time when i try to shut down or try to restart my computer, the blue screen comes up saying illegal operation.
How can stop all this from occurring?

we knew a friend from the army who worked with computers try to help us, but after it messed up again and we gave up. But now i'm pissed off that it's so slow, so i figured i might try here. Can u guyz help?

computeridiot, on Nov 2 2005, 05:55 PM, said:

Sounds like time for a fresh format - which will wipe everything off the drive - and re-install. Do you have your Windows CDs?

yes i have windows cds.
our friend did the same thing for us with the wipe out. But we have so much stuff it became slow again.

Slow computers can be due to many things - you may have run out of drive space, your system may be infested with malware, or it may just be underpowered to run that new video editing software package you downloaded. Or it may be faulty.

Do some basic maintenance:
(These instructions apply to Windows ME and XP, other versions may not have the functions described)

• Clean your internet cache and temporary files:
  Click Start and Run then type in cleanmgr this will start the windows disk cleanup tool.
  Tick the boxes beside Temporary internet Files, Recycle Bin and Temporary Files then click OK
  
  
  
• Boot in Safe Mode and do a scandisk with the 'Thorough' and 'Fix' options checked.
  If you are not sure how to boot in Safe Mode there is a tutorial here: Safe Mode
  How to find scandisk: Start>My Computer. Right click the C: drive then Properties>Tools tab, click on Check Now
  
  
  
• When that's finished do a defrag.
  Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter
  They will take some time but at least you will know your hard drive is working correctly and tidied up.
  
  
  
• Reboot and see if there's any improvement.
  
  
  
• Check how much free space you have on your hard drive.
  Start>My Computer click once on your C: drive and look in the Details box on the left.

Give us a bit more information about your computer (CPU type, RAM capacity, hard drive make and size, graphics card type, what version of windows, what anti-virus or anti-spyware you have, etc.) and we can advise you on improving it.

i'm not as smart as my sister on computers, but i'll see if i can do some of these things. she has tried some of the things u told me like the scandisk and defrag, but i'll see if she'll let me try it again.
I'll give u my info first. hold on...

The cleanmgr thing doesn't work on my computer cuz like u said it only works on ME and XP. I only have 98, no ME. What now?
Oh yeah about the info:
CPU- HP pavillion designed for windows 98
RAM capacity- 120.0 MB RAM
Hard Drive Make+Size-
Graphics card type-
Windows 98
Symantec antivirus corporate edition

This post has been edited by computeridiot: 02 November 2005 - 08:26 PM

Ok, that info is a little patchy - the exact Pavillion model number would help.

Is it Windows 98 or 98SE? Right click on 'My Computer' select 'Properties' and the 'System Properties'(?) window should open. On the first page it tells you your Windows version.

Don't worry about cleanmgr, instead navigate to the Control Panel then double-click Internet Options.
This opens the 'Internet Properties' window.
In the 'Temporary Internet Files' section click the buttons 'Delete Cookies...' and 'Delete files...', tick the 'Delete all Offline Content' box when prompted.
Then click the 'Settings...' button and set the reserved disk space to about 200MB (if it's already lower leave it there) - you shouldn't need more than that.
Click OK to exit out again.

This just cleans out unnecessary files to make the scans faster. Now do the scandisk and defrag in Safe Mode as in my earlier post.

Oh, yes. Hard drive free space in Win98 - double click 'My Computer' right click on the 'C:' drive and select 'Properties' this should open a window with a pie chart diagram of the hard drive space. It should say below it xxxx bytes free or xx% free. Post the info back here please.

This post has been edited by Rimmer: 02 November 2005 - 09:07 PM

CPU- HP pavillion designed for windows 98
MODEL NUMBER- 664OC? I think that’s the model #
RAM capacity- 120.0 MB RAM
Graphics card type-
Windows 98 SE
Symantec antivirus corporate edition
Hard Drive Make+Size- USED SPACE- 6,871,220,224 bytes 6.39GB
FREE SPACE- 6,137,126,912 bytes 6.71 GB

Have you done everything Rimmer suggested in his last post, yet?
If so, how is it running now?

This post has been edited by tg1911: 03 November 2005 - 08:56 PM

i'll tell u tomorrow night when I try it.
Right now i'm working on a project.

This post has been edited by computeridiot: 03 November 2005 - 09:13 PM

From the model number you gave me these are your specs:

HP Pavillion 6640C
Windows 98SE
AMD K6-2/500 MHz processor
128MB RAM (8 used for video)
Onboard SiS video adaptor
15GB hard Drive
CDRW 4X
Software bundle (mainly Works+Encarta+Quicken)

From your specs Win98SE is the best choice for that PC. You reported >6Gb free space on the hard drive.

A defrag from safe mode should be the first thing you try. See how it runs afterward.

If no (or little) improvement follow this:

Is your Anti-virus program current and updated? If not you can download a free anti-virus program here (US Link): AVG Free
When you have downloaded and installed it you need to go online to register it and update it. (It will probably prompt you to do this.)
Once you have installed AVG uninstall your old Anti-Virus software because you should only have one running on your system.

Do you have any anti-spyware installed? If not download and update all of the following:

• Ad-Aware SE from http://www.lavasoft.de/
  There is a tutorial on how to run this here: Ad-Aware Tutorial
  
  
  
• Spybot Search & Destroy from http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download
  There is a tutorial on how to run this here: SpyBot S&D Tutorial
  
  
  
• SpywareBlaster from http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
  There is a tutorial on how to run this here: SpywareBlaster Tutorial
  
  
  
• A-squared complements anti-virus software by specializing in detecting Trojans, Dialers and Spyware.
  It is free for private use but registration is required. Download it from here: A-squared

Reboot your computer in Safe Mode and run the anti-virus scan and anti-spyware scans there.


See if that helps

One other option is to upgrade to win2000 pro and add 128mb more ram, or 256mb if your motherboard will handle it. I'm a big fan of Win2000 because it is so stable and gentle on older slower computers. I like to think of it as XP Lite. I am runniing it on seveeral P-II 400 hmz w/ 512 mb RAM. IMHO

Rimmer, on Nov 3 2005, 11:30 PM, said:

I would add these two steps to Rimmers good advice.
1. Download Steven Goulds cleanup program. Run the standard option and gets rid of all your temp files where some bad stuff can hide and also frees up space
http://www.stevengould.org/software/cleanup/

2. download and run stinger before your other scans. This is a tool that specifically targets viruses that make your anti virus stop working even if it looks like it is.
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

A good read (PRINT IT) on steps to ensure your not going to mess anything up

http://securitytango.com/tango.php
Make sure you do the steps completely and in order that is stated. That's why it's called the security tango, and let's dance, if you skip steps then it;s not a tango

On the first step to clean temp files is when you run the cleanup program I suggested earlier

tx 4 u guyz' input on my problem. I greatly apprecicate it.

i couldn't find scan disk on the tools tab, i only read error checking, backup, and defragment now so i thought that's what u meant the last one(defragment now). It would go up to 2% done than it would go back to 0 and then 1% and 2% and then back to zero and then a note popped up that said windows can't defrag b/c it contains errors that must be repaired.
I just gave up after that b/c it wouldn't restart properly and i'd have to shut it down and try again.

computeridiot, on Nov 5 2005, 12:26 AM, said:

Did this happen in safe mode, and when was the last time it booted correctly?