1. Do you *really* have your files backed up in a secure location?
A) Yes.(+2)
B) Yes, but I haven't backed up in a while.(0)
C) No. (-100)
(The better your backups are, the more it's "okay" if you reinstall Windows. If you don't have good backups, you probably don't want to be reinstalling Windows right now.)
2. Which Operating System do you run?
A) An older OS (Win95, 98). (+3)
B) A popular, "stable" OS (Win2000, WinXP). (+1)
C) A new Operating System(Vista). (+3)
D) Windows ME. (+10)
(Explanation: Older Operating systems are not supported by Microsoft, and are more vulnerable to security threats. New operating systems, like vista, do not have the kinks worked out of them yet, and Windows ME... is a joke. Nobody should use ME; it's a horrible OS for more reasons than I can count.)
3. When starting your computer, after you login, there is a period of time in which background programs load, and the System Tray icons (bottom right next to clock) begin to appear. During this time, your PC runs slower because the CPU is in heavy use booting, and performance is slowed until the booting process is complete. In seconds, approximately how long is this time?
A) 2-5 seconds. (0)
B) 5-10 seconds. (+1)
C) 10-25 seconds. (+2)
D) 25-60 seconds. (+3)
E) I have time to go prepare a snack after logging in before I can use the computer. (+5)
(There's a reason computers do everything - the reason your PC is taking so darned long to load up and become usable is that it's loading and running background programs. The more you have - you guessed it - the longer it takes before your PC is "ready" for you to use it. Sometimes, remnants of old programs or malware can cause a slowdown, making the machine take longer. Also, some viruses are designed to do little more than burn system resources, which probably is the reason anyone would answer E on this one.)
4. Is your computer having problems running games that it ran fine before?
A) Yes. (+2)
B) No. (-1)
C) I'm not a gamer. (0)
(Lagging games and poor framerate on games that more than meet the recommended requirements is a sign of one of two things: One, background junk is taking up resources your computer needs to have available to handle your game, or two, you are suffering from overheating components due to shoddy workmanship. Either way, backup now; this is a sign of trouble, either with software or hardware.)
5. Hit Ctrl-Shift-Esc. (Don't close it; the next several questions are related to this window.) Presumably, you should only have the Internet open and this window; what's the CPU Usage right now? (It fluctuates a lot; just guess the average)
A) 2%-12%.(0)
B) 15%-20%.(+1)
C) 30-50%.(+2)
D) 50-75%.(+4)
E) 75-100%.(+6)
NOTE: If you have a "weak" CPU (Single core, less than 1.8 GHz is a good example), you may subtract 2 (-2) from the answer to this question. Higher CPU usage, in this case, may be explained by less-than-awesome hardware.
(Again, the more you have running in the background, the more your beloved processor is getting strained. With only the Internet open, you shouldn't be maxing out on CPU space.)
6. What's the current Memory Usage? (Again, if you don't have a lot of RAM, you can take (-2) from whatever your answer is.)
A) 20-30%. (0)
B) 30-40%. (+1)
C) Around 50%. (+2)
D) Over 70% (+3)
(I shouldn't have to reiterate this, but: Background junk uses memory. More you have, more you have problems.)
7. How many copies of the program svchost.exe are running at the moment?
A) 1 or 2. (0)
B) 3 or 4. (+1)
C) Over 4. (+1 for every copy running after the first)
(svchost.exe, pronounced "s-v-c-host", is a critical program that Windows uses. However, some viruses will create processes that have the exact same name, but instead do whatever it is the virus author wants. In practice, unless you are a true Power User, it's difficult to determine which svchost.exe is legit and which one isn't. I wouldn't End Process on any of them if you aren't sure which it is; just know that if you have more than a couple, it's a sign you have things on your computer you shouldn't have.)
**Go ahead and close the Task Manager.**
8. Do you commonly surf the web for "Adult Content"? (Put bluntly, do you look up porn? Be honest here.)
A) No. (0)
B) Sometimes, but only a few sites. (+1)
C) Yes, and I explore quite a few sites. (+3)
D) Daily, and I keep a large collection of bookmarked "Favorite" sites. (+4)
(I'm not judging you with this question; it's important because porn sites are more likely to have Adware, such as SexTracker, or MyWebSearch or other miscellaneous crap that you did not ask for. These programs track your browsing choices in order to generate ads on web pages based on what it perceives your preferences are. They are also responsible for the "internet popup when the browser isn't open" problem and, like any other program, take up valuable CPU cycles and Memory.)
9. Do you have a firewall program?
A) Don't have one/What's a firewall? (+3)
B) Yes/No, but I am using a router. (+1)
C) Yes, *and* I use a router. (0)
D) I have a router, a firewall, *and* I have an antivirus with live protection (that doesn't interfere with my firewall) (-2)
(A firewall helps prevent viruses/malware from getting onto your PC, in real time. Routers have a firewall built in, and can make up for a lack thereof. Having both helps, and if you also have antivirus with live protection, that's even better, assuming your firewall and antivirus "get along" okay.)
10. How often do you run antivirus scan?
A) Never/Don't have antivirus. (+3)
B) Once a month or rarer, but if there's a problem I'll scan. (+2)
C) Weekly. (+1)
(This should be self-explanatory; generally Antivirus programs are always good to have, and you should actually use them.)
11. Final question: How long has it been since you last installed Windows (or bought the PC, if you haven't done so yet)?
A) Recently/This computer is very new. (0)
B) About 6 months. (+1)
C) 1 year. (+2)
D) 2 or more years. (+1 for each year)
(Logically, the longer you've had your PC, the more time you've had to accumulate a bunch of useless junk, background programs you don't know about, viruses and the like.)