These computers are strange devices. If there are no other issues, let's do some cleanup. You may keep SAS and MBAM, if you wish. Update them and run them regularly. All the others can be uninstalled/deletedTo turn off Windows XP
System Restore:NOTE: These instructions assume that you are using the default Windows XP Start Menu and have not changed to the Classic Start menu. To re-enable the default menu, right-click Start, click Properties, click Start menu (not Classic) and then click OK.
1. Click
Start.
2. Right-click the
My Computer icon, and then click
Properties.3. Click the
System Restore tab.
4. Check
"Turn off System Restore" or
"Turn off System Restore on all drives"
5. Click
Apply. 6. When turning off
System Restore, the existing restore points will be deleted. Click
Yes to do this.
7. Click
OK.8. Restart the computer and follow the instructions in the next section to turn on System Restore.
To turn on Windows XP
System Restore: 1. Click
Start.2. Right-click
My Computer, and then click
Properties.3. Click the
System Restore tab.4. Uncheck
"Turn off System Restore" or
"Turn off System Restore on all drives."5. Click
Apply, and then click
OK.This will give you a new, clean Restore Point.******************************************************
Clean out your temporary internet files and temp files.
Download
TFC by OldTimer to your desktop.
Double-click
TFC.exe to run it.
Note: If you are running on Vista, right-click on the file and choose
Run As AdministratorTFC will close all programs when run, so make sure you have saved all your work before you begin.
* Click the
Start button to begin the cleaning process.
* Depending on how often you clean temp files, execution time should be anywhere from a few seconds to a minute or two.
*
Please let TFC run uninterrupted until it is finished.Once TFC is finished it
should restart your computer. If it does not, please
manually restart the computer yourself to ensure a complete cleaning.
*********************************************************
Use the
Secunia Software Inspector to check for out of date software.
•Click
Start Now•Check the box next to
Enable thorough system inspection.•Click
Start•Allow the scan to finish and scroll down to see if any updates are needed.
•Update anything listed.
.
----------
Go to
Microsoft Windows Update and get all critical updates.
----------
I suggest using
WOT - Web of Trust. WOT is a free Internet security addon for your browser. It will keep you safe from online scams, identity theft, spyware, spam, viruses and unreliable shopping sites. WOT warns you before you interact with a risky website. It's easy and it's free.
SpywareBlaster- Secure your Internet Explorer to make it harder for ActiveX programs to run on your computer. Also stop certain cookies from being added to your computer when running Mozilla based browsers like Firefox.
*
Using SpywareBlaster to protect your computer from Spyware and Malware
* If you don't know what ActiveX controls are, see
hereProtect yourself against spyware using the Immunize feature in
Spybot - Search & Destroy. Guide:
Use Spybot's Immunize Feature to prevent spyware infection in real-time. Note: To ensure you have the latest Immunizations always update Spybot - Search & Destroy before Immunizing.
Spybot - Search & Destroy FAQCheck out
Keeping Yourself Safe On The Web for tips and free tools to help keep you safe in the future.
Also see
Slow Computer? It may not be Malware for free cleaning/maintenance tools to help keep your computer running smoothly.
Safe Surfing!
