Windows XP
Feb 9 2006 00:01
My computer got all clogged up with spyware because of IE, so I reinstalled everything, I reinstalled Windows and put in all the updates.
Is SP2 worth having? Am I blaming it unfairly for my knackered onld computer being slow?
I'm also blaming Norton Security Suite which seems to be a resource hog.
Anyone have any knowledge.
btw no intention of installing Linux 
Feb 9 2006 00:18
#2
My SP2 is as up to date as possible, I installed every fix going.
I'm using IE right now because I've been too lazy to reinstall firefox 
I would like to take Norton off but I get worried about viruses.
Ewido is pretty good, and I found HijackThis really good, except it can't help once windows has let the trojan/virus into the registry.
Feb 9 2006 00:32
#3
spybotsearchanddestroy has an advanced tab I only used once - which can analyse registry keys.
Get firefox, then get the libcom firefox search plugin!
Feb 9 2006 11:26
#4
AVG is a good anti-virus software, and there is a free version even if they do make it quite hard to find. Adaware sorts out most of your spyware for you, apart from the real bastard ones.
Feb 9 2006 13:21
#5
Jef Costello wrote:
My computer got all clogged up with spyware because of IE, so I reinstalled everything, I reinstalled Windows and put in all the updates.Is SP2 worth having? Am I blaming it unfairly for my knackered onld computer being slow?
I'm also blaming Norton Security Suite which seems to be a resource hog.
Anyone have any knowledge.
btw no intention of installing Linux :)
"Is SP2 worth having" I'd say yes, it clears up a lot of the early security issues, also if you're thinking wireless connections, it gives you a longer list of drivers and overall deals with it better. Checkout the benefits/downsides from MS, or googling good/bad shit
"Am I blaming it unfairly for my knackered onld computer being slow?"
Take whatever MS say for recommended requirements (not minimum), and double it for any of their operating systems.
A disk Defrag and a Scandisk/disk cleanup could be helpfull at this point if you've never done it, but makesure you backup first any data you don't wan't to lose, just incase it does happen.
Feb 9 2006 13:28
#6
Jef Costello wrote:
I found HijackThis really good, except it can't help once windows has let the trojan/virus into the registry.
I've never used it, but i thought you could use it to remove probs from the registry, obviously not. But it does show them, yes? Then you could remove them?
Feb 9 2006 14:56
#7
Unfortunately installing SP2 on top of an already existing installation has caused many problems in the past. Personally I slipstreamed SP2 into the XP installation disk so it installs with SP2 straight away. I'd say it's worth getting, the problems listed with it don't really affect anyone directly and you wouldn't notice anyway.
I'd say go for it, plus, aren't Microsoft making it a requirement to have SP2 installed to get support anyway?
Feb 9 2006 17:48
#8
I bakced up everything on the comp and reformatted it and then reinstalled xp. I then installed my wireless connection and downloaded every XP update etc going. I scandisked and defragmented too. fair bit of memory free too.
I could google, but I trust you guys more.
Hijack This is good but it only cleans the browser up, if the registry key is infected then HT can remove the problem but windows handily reinstalls it for you
I am thinking of getting a new computer, anyone have any advice?
I want to play good games and do it fairly cheaply, I'm not particularly technically minded (I have swapped CD drives HDDs around etc but never anything complicated.)
Would it be better to get a cheap one and add a graphics card etc myself?
Feb 9 2006 18:24
#9
I use Panda Platinum securety system, best one i've had so far. i'd highly reccomend it. 
Feb 9 2006 18:28
#10
I want to uninstall norton internet security suit and replace it with zone alarm. But I can't find it in the add/remove programs - anyone got any ideas how I can????
Feb 9 2006 18:39
#11
Click:
Start
"Set programs access and defaults" on the right hand side of the start menu
then click "change or remove programs at the top right hand corner.
thats where mine apears to be.
Feb 9 2006 19:18
#12
no, the bastard thing doesn't appear there either.
help!!!!!!!
Feb 9 2006 19:27
#13
Jef Costello wrote:
I am thinking of getting a new computer, anyone have any advice?
I want to play good games and do it fairly cheaply, I'm not particularly technically minded (I have swapped CD drives HDDs around etc but never anything complicated.)
Would it be better to get a cheap one and add a graphics card etc myself?
I'd go the whole hog and buy the bits from somewhere like ebuyer or scan - I've done it twice now (and changed a motherboard/PSU once) and although it's a bit of a steep learning curve you'll be happy when you've done it.
It's so much cheaper that it's worth the risk fucking one component up I think, and then when you upgrade you're continually saving money after that because you only need to buy what you need.
Feb 9 2006 19:45
#14
http://www.simtel.com/product.download.mirrors.php?id=53687
Get this freebie firewall before you install zone alarm then watch as Zone alarm tries from 2 different files to connect to the internet... apparently sending every keystroke, click etc. somewhere
Feb 9 2006 20:46
#15
Catch wrote:
I'd go the whole hog and buy the bits from somewhere like ebuyer or scan - I've done it twice now (and changed a motherboard/PSU once) and although it's a bit of a steep learning curve you'll be happy when you've done it.
I'll have a look around, sounds a little scary though, I had two old PCs here but my mum's idiot boyfriend broke them.
I might have to wait until summer before I get the time, my old comp is ok for now.
Feb 9 2006 20:54
#16
also i'm great at tracking down spyware after struggling with it for ages. theres a program you can download called 'hijack this' which lists all stuff clearly and you can use it to delete anything that looks dodgy but its important to have a feel for what you are doing cause you can also delete important stuff if your not careful. theres also another program downloadable called 'silent runners' which picks up whats happening in the background. i use both of these and also run ad-aware which is also free, plus AVG free edition virus software and don't have any probs now. just a quick clean-out now and then.
if anyone needs help, i learnt what to do from 'geeks to go' online forum. they really helped me out and i can read what hijack this produces now if its cut and pasted so i can have a look if people are infected with spyware which isn't being caught through the various spyware cleaning programmes available.
can pm me the cut and paste from hijack this if anyones tearing their hair out and wants help.
oh yeah, and i run windows xp so thats what i'm used to looking at. not sure if i want to tackle info from other operating systems. don't want to fuck up someones computer
Feb 10 2006 13:17
#17
Jef Costello wrote:
Catch wrote:
I'd go the whole hog and buy the bits from somewhere like ebuyer or scan - I've done it twice now (and changed a motherboard/PSU once) and although it's a bit of a steep learning curve you'll be happy when you've done it.I'll have a look around, sounds a little scary though, I had two old PCs here but my mum's idiot boyfriend broke them.
I might have to wait until summer before I get the time, my old comp is ok for now.
Lots of things to remember when building a pc, to many for me to list. Google up some instructions online, an print them off at work...
Always remember the ESD (Electro Static Discharge) rules, as esd affected chips won't neccesarily show an immediate problem, one day your cpu/or whatevers being addressed/addressing will go NO! So balloons an jumpers are out.
If you're after a gaming p.c. your pockets the limit, you don't really want to fry £100+ card, although you can always return it as faulty...
Also there's a steady move towards PCI express rather than AGP, so i'd give it a while.
Otherwise p.c. building is easy, i promise, as i've said b4 if i can do it...
Feb 14 2006 15:15
#18
Check out this link for altering registry info. But as it says follow the rules, also backup up that important data, to cd/dvd if you can.
http://support.microsoft .com/kb/322756
I think subsequent updates to SP2 fixed some of the issues.
you use firefox right?
You could replace norton with avg/zonealarm/ewido/adaware which are less of a resource hog.