Re: Problems cropping up: reinstall XP?
- From: "Patrick Keenan" <test@xxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:10:44 -0500
"paullie" <paullie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:EBC9065F-0D92-4B87-A8B7-77F84615C4F6@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
With XP, I currently use AOL Spyware Protection, and have used the free
download of MS Live One till the expiration date. Since installing McAfee
Security Center I've recently started experiencing slow logon. Since then,
problems have been developing, the most annoying of which are:
1) The harddrive continues to be continuously accessed for at least 5
minutes into the desktop, during which time no icons can open related
links.
Eventually they work. I assume this is McAffee doing it's thing, but the
wait
time is getting longer and the HD is getting older.
Download and run, and learn how to use, Process Explorer. This will show
you what Task Manager won't, and it may reveal that it is, in fact, McAfee
taking over the system.
It may also show that it's Microsoft Update, which can significantly slow a
system down at boot time, particularly if the system was off at the time
Automatic Updates is set to. Microsoft Update, which looks for updates
for other MS products besides Windows, can be incredibly slow compared to
Windows Update.
Between the A/V and the updates, your system can be unusable for some time,
particularly if they try to run at the same time.
Or, you may find it's something totally different.
2) I'm using IE 6 with the Google toolbar. Every time I open it I get big,
fullpage ads from different sites. I click them off but after a while new
ones start appearing. Makes IE a PIA to try to use. Also getting popups
suggesting I download no-name 'spyware' and 'malware' removal tools.
This would indicate an adware infection, and you should have a look at
HiJackThis. The specific name of the websites and the spyware remover is
a big clue as to how to remove it.
3) I use CCleaner to keep the Cookie file clean of unwanted junk, but
cookies from the IE6 ads don't clear when cleaner run. I had to remove a
McAfee cookie (which is not on the CCleaner's 'do-not-remove cookie' list)
to
remove the others manually.
4) Most troubling, I have several restore points set, and when I run
System
Restore, it goes thru the process, then gives a message that the
installation
failed due to incomplete data. Of the 4-5 dates, none will work. Today I
tried to use IE to access this site, and when trying to enter this message
it
wouldn't go to the message page. Had to logon to AOL to write this.
I'm thinking about saving all my data files to external, then just
reformatting and re-
installing XP. Is this the reasonable thing to do?
Whether it's reasonable or not is up to you, based on a comparison between
the time it will take to do the new install and the time it will take to fix
the problems. If you want to be sure you're starting clean, also delete
and re-create the partition and then format it.
I would suggest that if you are concerned about the drive's age, consider
installing a new drive. This has the added advantage of probably
increasing drive space at low cost - where I am, 500 gig drives are just
over $100. Your old drive would be removed and set aside during the
install, and used as the backup for restoring your data.
HTH
-pk
After 3-4 checkup tools,
the problems keep getting worse. I need some input! Any help would be
greatly
appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Best, Paul
.
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