Quick question. I have installed Malwarebytes and it seems to

[yy4me]

be doing a great job of keeping away the nasties. If M/B runs in the background all the time, does it use a lot of space? Even thought I am rid of virtumonde and other things that have jumped on for the ride, this machine is so slow. I cleaned the registry about two weeks ago-maybe longer and that seemed to help. It was at that time that I installed M/B. The funny things have stopped but the speed has not improved. Have done all the housecleaning possible.
There does not seem to be an option to run it at your choice like AVG and S&D. Maybe that is the point.

Since I installed it, Spybot and AVG have found nothing when I did scans.

Thanks, as always.

[whistler162]

1. The freeware version of Malwarebytes

runs only when youy start it. The paid for version does realtime protection and scheduled scanning.

[hobbit709]

2. How much memory do you have?

When was the last time you defragged the hard drive? What all is in the startup manager?
XP really needs more than 512Mb to run smooth. If you haven't defragged the drive in a long time that will slow it down too. A lot of stuff will put itself into the startup that doesn't really need to be there. Get IOBit's Advanced System Care and run a scan on your system to see what can be optimized.

[yy4me]

3. Hi hobbit709. Just installed and ran Advanced System care.

I was surprised it found so much stuff. (I defragged yesterday)

I wonder now if I should remove some of the other security and clean up programs. What do you think?

First, it found:
33 Spyware problems
106 registry problems
61 privacy problems
80.13 mb junk files.

I have kept up with all the scans and updates with
SpywareBlaster
CCleaner
AVG 8.5
Spybot S & D
MalwareBytes(seems to run always but I never bought the paid version)

And now,

Advanced System Care.

I had this program once before and somehow it disappeared. I think the Tech removed it almost a year ago when he removed a nasty virus.

It seems to me there is too much going on, could this be? Should I remove MalwareBytes and see if I can reinstall one that does not run all the time? There are so many Icons on my desktop for security and fix-it stuff, I look paranoid.

BTW, I have 512 MB memory with plenty of space available.
IE SP2 High Speed Broadband connection.

[hobbit709]

4. Check to see what Advanced System Care finds in the startup

If usual, anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 the items can be disabled from startup. HP printer software is notorious for bogging down your system. Your office apps don't need to be in startup-the program will run when you click on the icon. Same goes for scanners, printers, ipod and itunes, etc.

[DainBramaged]

5. just upgrading to 1 GB of memory would be like supercharging

If you are using XP, it needs 300 mb JUST to run, so as soon as you start to open programs, your memory is used up and you are into the swap file.

[Why Syzygy]

6. Is that completely free ..

to scan and repair?

[yy4me]

7. Hi Why Syzgy, yes, the Advanced System Care was free and

so simple to install and run, even an old fogey like me could do it. I am still having trouble with this machine, I have run ASC it twice since I installed it. It found the usual security and privacy stuff, some useless files and most of all, a ton of registry problems

I just let it do its thing, hoping that nothing is removed that should not be.

If I had money and could find a machine that does not have Vista on it, I thing I'd dump this old thing. I use it so infrequently, except for Internet. (DU causes me to lose half a days sometimes).

The worst part of all that is that I would lose "my Favorites" list and that is very important to me.
I am now coping with a problem trying to copy "My Pictures" and will probably have it when I try "My Doc's.

Keeps telling me to insert CD-R and I did. Then I get some foolish box talking about "thumbs"-geeze, how difficult should this be?

You all with the computer knowledge, please give us old-timers your sympathy.

[Why Syzygy]

8. You can save

your 'favorites' to a file and import them if/when you change Operating Systems or Browser.
(actually, they are already in a file)

Did this tool have any effect on the computer performance? In what way is it slow?
Have you followed through on earlier suggestions to remove unneeded programs from the start-up?

Hey, I'm an old timer too. I just happened to have been introduced to computers at a very early age.

:sympathy:

[yy4me]

9. I am having so much trouble with this thing as of late. One day

to another, just different problems. Today it will not allow me to print a manual for a phone from the Mfgr's website. Keeps asking me if my printer is available. I can print other stuff however.

Today it would also not allow me to copy my Pictures to a CD. first I get a "thumbs.db" message, then it tells me to put a CD in the tray--I did. it's in there!

Good to know about "favorites". My computer is still very slow. Have no idea why and I have followed everyone's suggestions. I still think I have to much anti-everything on here and that may be slowing things down. I have no idea. As to the start up items, right now I can't even remember where they are or what I can remove. It is greek to me. I have been 2 hours on this printer thing to no avail.

As to the use of Advanced System Care, It seems to do a good job of cleaning out what I suppose is junk but I still have a sluggish computer, takes too long to open anything, pages load slowly. Supposed to be high speed Cable. If that is the case, then it has to be an operator problem.

I am my own worst enemy. Had to learn what little I know by myself in the last few years and I am very "Senior". Much of it is trial and error. DUers have been a great help but I still screw up.

I used to bail myself out with System Restore but that will only work now in Safe Mode.

Phooey!

[sam sarrha]

11. how old is it.. whats your Power Source Wattage, i had 2 PSU's go out, it slowed down, started

freezing up, then wouldn't start.. had to try to boot several times before it started, then it'd freeze up.. you have to blow the Dust out of the PSU's once in a while as well as the CPU and the Circuit board's.. dust conducts static electricity between electronic parts and can short them out

[sam sarrha]

10. you need 1Gb RAM to run Vista Basic, 2Gb Home Premium.. thats minimum i hear

http://crispen.typepad.com/blog/2008/01/windows-vista-h.html