Re: Alternatives to re-installing XP Home

From: Ben Hardy (bh_at_hb1.com)
Date: 01/01/05 

Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2005 21:02:24 -0000

Hi Frank and thanks
This machine here (XP Home) is about as clean as I can get it.
I use ZoneAlarm and AVG Antivirus, I regularly run Spybot Search & Destroy
as well as AdAware. I use HighjackThis
and CWShredder, TuneUp Utilities 2004 & MS Baseline Security Analyzer. I
regularly run Disk Cleanup, CHKDSK and Defragmenter.
I've used a multitude of Registry cleaners & defragmenters and am currently
trying both Registry Mechanic and RegSupreme.
Guess what? Windows still hits the treacle after a few months.
If anyone can point me at a solution or explain why I should have to
re-install I'd be a happy man.

"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP" <franksaunders@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:uGC56gB8EHA.3076@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> "Ben Hardy" <bh@hb1.com> wrote in message
> news:cr1j5c$p77$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk
>> Having been running my current installation of XP Home for a year or
>> so I am now suffering the slow down effect. Apparently this is a
>> common problem and I've read various articles that suggest the way
>> round this is to backup-up, format the HD and re-install the lot. Is
>> there no other way at all? Thinking the problem might be caused by a
>> bloated Registry I've tried numerous Registry cleaners but to no
>> avail. In fact, many do not really do much at all other than display
>> a progress bar and give you a message at the end stating that the
>> Registry has been cleaned up. I've done various test on this as
>> follows. 1) Uninstall a progam and reboot
>> 2) Run a Registry Cleaner and reboot
>> 3) Search the Registry for instances of the program name
>> 4) Find many of them still sitting there!
>> Is there no utility that actually does clean the registry?
>> Is it just Registry bloat that causes the slow down?
>> Is there really no other way to solve the problem?
>
> First eliminate any scumware.
> What You Should Know About Spyware
> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/devioussoftware.mspx
>
> CAUTION!!!!! Before you try to remove spyware using any of these programs
> , download a copy of LSPFIX from any of the following sites:
> http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
> http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html
> (if your OS is Win2k or XP) The process of removing certain malware may
> kill
> your internet connection. If this should occur, this program, LSPFIX, will
> enable you to regain your connection.
>
> See
> Dealing with Unwanted Malware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
> http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
>
> Note that AdAware and SpyBot S & D will each catch some things the other
> won't. Also, each needs to be updated with the program's update function
> before every use, even when just downloaded. There's also a lot more to
> do than just those two programs. CWShredder is also available here:
> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/cwshredder.zip
> **Post your HijackThis log to
> http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
> http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
> http://www.wilderssecurity.com/ or the Spyware forum at
> http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.**
> Alternative download pages for Ad-Aware, Spybot, HijackThis and CWShredder
> may be found on this page:
> http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.
>
>
> See this link for information about malware:
> http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/malware.ars
>
> If nothing there helps, please post back to this thread.
>
> --
> Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
> Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
> http://www.fjsmjs.com
> Protect your PC
> http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
>
>

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