Computer going slow

nosmo-king

Need a little bit of help folks.
My computer has started going slow over the last while. There is not a lot stored on it as it is mostly used for checking up on things. (maybe thats the problem)
It has been Defragmented but it has not speeded up.

Please note my knowledge of computers is minute to say the least so any info needs to be VERY easy to understand. (I will get there one day)
OH ..system is about two years old and eircom B/Band

Tks n adv for any help:

Ruu_Old

Do you have any information on the system, amount of RAM, CPU speed? Do you use Windows XP? Have you got anti-spyware and anti-virus software installed?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Spyware scan?

PogMoThoin

nosmo-king wrote:

Need a little bit of help folks.
My computer has started going slow over the last while. There is not a lot stored on it as it is mostly used for checking up on things. (maybe thats the problem)
It has been Defragmented but it has not speeded up.

Please note my knowledge of computers is minute to say the least so any info needs to be VERY easy to understand. (I will get there one day)
OH ..system is about two years old and eircom B/Band

Tks n adv for any help:

Have you ran the usual virus/spyware scans? Are you using Norton av by any chance?

Edit.....wow, 3 identical posts at the same time......lol

nosmo-king

A lot of questions but I dont have a lot of answers.

Havnt done any scans (dont know how)
Yes Norton is in use as far as I know.

Ruu_Old

Without the answers I can't really provide you with much. I would suggest that you remove Norton Anti-Virus, as it could be a cause of the slowdown (is it even up to date?) and install a better, free one like AVG Anti-virus. Get it here, when it is installed, follow on-screen instructions on how to scan. Download Spybot and run a scan with that also, it will remove any adware or spyware you might have.

PogMoThoin

Uninstall Norton in control panel, install this: AVG: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1
Its free and much better than Norton. Norton is the worst virus you can put on a pc. Update & run a scan straight away.

Download these spyware scanners also:
Windows Defender: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
Ad Aware: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
Spybot Search & Destroy: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
Run each scanner, what 1 doesn't find the other will.

nosmo-king

I have done all the downloads avg spypot etc and have done the scans and terminated norton on my Windows xp
The virus report says there are three...how do I delete them?
Computer still going slow.
Tks n adv

Ruu_Old

The report should have removed/deleted them or quarantined them (out of harms way). Any idea what the virus names were?

nosmo-king

No didnt mean a thing to me.
Yahoo was added recently could that slow things up as it is one of the first things to appear after logging in (just an idea)
Should it be defragmented again after all that has gone before? (just an idea )!

Ruu_Old

Probably shouldn't need to be defragmented. When it's slow, is this just starting up, or just when you are using it in general? Yahoo (messenger I assume) probably is not causing any issues. Can you right click on My Computer and then Properties? It should tell you how much RAM you have on that applet and let us know here..

nosmo-king

It is slow in general
Right the info is 3.06ghz 256 mb of ram

challengemaster

the processor speed is fine, you might want to get some more RAM tho, is it possible for you to get another 256mb, or even a 1Gb stick?

nosmo-king

How do I get more ?

challengemaster

buy it?

you need to know what type of RAM you have already, (ruu will give you something to find that out) then, you go and buy more of it

Ruu_Old

What is the make and model number of your computer, some of us will be able to tell you how much RAM your system is able to handle?

quaidox

when you uninstalled norton, were you still connected to the internet?
or did you install avg, the uninstall norton? hopefully you did the latter.........if not, trouble ahead ...............!

nosmo-king

Did the latter

nosmo-king

Does Java/byteverify mean Trouble. Can it be deleted.?

quaidox

thats a virus! more info here:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=13039&page=1&pp=25
may the force be with you!

nosmo-king

Well now Quaidox had a look at that and it is a whole new language to me. Can you (anyone) break it down into very very simple terms for me to follow for my particular problem..virus..as above. I know Im not asking for much Hmm.

nosmo-king

w

nosmo-king

well?

BopNiblets

I had that before using an older version of Firefox, and I think it was from some dodgy websites I may or may not have went to (or ended up on BY MISTAKE! honest...)

AVG Anti-Virus, if it finds it, shold remove it after it's finished the scan. If it keeps popping up, it should tell you where the virus is located on your hard disk drive, probably somwhere in the Java folders.

Firefox is an alternative internet browser to Internet Explorer, it might be worth looking at as it's generally safer. http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/

Does AVG say where the virus is? You can go to where it is and delete it manually.

nosmo-king

I have a virus stored away in the virus vault. Should this be Emptied?