Slow computers

timothytaylor

That's normal. newer softwares demand higher specs to run on. I suggest upgrading your ram or your motherboard altogether. But I think it'd be cheaper for you to buy a new one.

ryanjm

90% of the time you can speed up your computer by doing a re-format and re-install. My brother does those all the time for people.

matrixman

True, but if you are seeing slowdown in just normal PC usage like Internet Browsing, Editing Documents, etc. then its probably one of 3 things, some already mentioned here:

1) overheating of CPU or video do to dirty PC components, so CPU needs to throttle back

2) malware has infected the PC, number one cause on most of my families PCs that I bring back to life. I always hear when I am done - "Wow, it runs like the day I bought it"

3) Defragmented hard drive and swap file. Can be corrected with defragmenter like Piriform Defraggler.

For malware, I generally suggest most people backup their data (My Documents - Pictures, Music, etc) and system drivers (using Double Driver), and then do a full format and reinstall of Windows, their drivers, and their applications. Its a pain but the best way to cure the root cause and be sure.

Saw one computer so badly infected with malware that it took 2 minutes just for the start menu to display after clicking on it. When I was done with fresh install on Windows, it was running like the day it was bought

If you insist on trying to first clean malware, then these are a must to use:
http://www.superantispyware.com/index.html
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/how..._pc_junk_files
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10...-antivirus-36/

If you are running your computer without a good Anti-Virus software like NOD32 or Norton and not behind a hardware firewall (aka router) then you are just asking for trouble. British TV show did a experiment on TV with a computer expert and showed a computer with no anti-virus software and directly connected to internet without hardware firewall being hacked and taken over in less then 2 minutes.

Keep your software up to date using:
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/

rusty baker

Norton is terrible.

__________________
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Installing since 1973

FLGarageDoors

How good is Microsoft Security Essentials? My NOD32 subscription is expiring and I'm debating whether to renew it or get a different antivirus.

matrixman

It is improving alot. But for me I like to bet on a consistent company for protection - NOD32, Kaspersky, and Norton seem to be in that class. Well, Norton since 2009 and pre-2000

rusty baker

Use Avast. It's free and better than the ones you pay for.

__________________
"I'm twisted, not sick. Sick implies, I'll get better"
Semi-Retired Installer
Installing since 1973

DangerMouse

None is perfect, I recommend using different ones.
www.malwarebytes.org is another good one.

DM

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del schisler

I'll second on malwarebytes . I use it . The first time i ran it it pick up around 200 item's. Once removed tham . All is better. I run it all the time and now it pick's up nothing. I install it on all the comp. that is check out. A good product. And free

DangerMouse

I stayed on the phone with a forum member for over an hour while they ran malwarebytes. It found 311. After they were gone, the machine went back to normal operation. (LONG lag beforehand.)

DM

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matrixman

Are you basing this on current experience or past? What version are you commenting on?
Did you upgrade to a newer version of Norton or was it installed on a freshly installed version of Windows? Are you sure you are only running one Anti-Virus software?

Prior versions of Norton were a bear to remove and thus installations of newer versions or updates over old versions were very problematic.

Norton sucked big time prior to the 2009 release, but in 2009 they rewrote the software from the ground up and in 2010 improved it even more.

I bet you that their prior versions that sucked were based on dumb management looking to save money and outsource the development. I am a programmer and I see code that outsourced labor has written and its scary stuff. Its no surprise that when the last major botnet infection happened, they said it was easier to mention the fortune 500 companies that were not hacked then the ones that were. Just recently the huge corporate Chase bank online site was down for 2 days, I wonder how that happened

In 2008 and prior, I warned friends and family to stay far away from Norton, but in 2010 I have no issues recommending it. It has a nice overall package suite of security tools.

Personally, I use NOD32 main computer and for my other machines the Free Avira AntiVir.

Also a good idea to look at unbias test results like:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/
http://www.virusbtn.com/news/2010/08_16a.xml

The results for G-Data look pretty impressive and I will need to take a look at them.

jlhaslip

The best Malware remedy is running a Linux Operating System.

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detyianni

remove the macaffee and go with free microsoft security essentials.

rusty baker

Or avast. MaCafee has a lot of problems.

detyianni

I just started using ubuntu on an OLD laptop in the house for browsing and its the fastest computer (even though its the oldest) ive got!