Diskwipe, then XP reinstall
in [Windows XP]
|
Prev: CMD command
Next: Automating XP and IE8 Installation
From: Jose on 30 May 2010 11:13 On May 30, 10:15 am, David <inva...(a)socrates.edu> wrote: > On Sun, 30 May 2010 06:09:35 -0700 (PDT), Jose <jose_e...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > Thank you, Jose. Your response IS constructive. And appealing. The > problem is that I am just not smart enough to know what is necessary to > analyze and optimize my current system performance and configuration. I > wish I was. As only one example, there are some 50-75 programs in my Start > Up file that most of which I have no idea what they are doing, and whether > it would be safe for me to disenable them. That's only one example. For > me to educate myself on all that is necessary to know, I fear, would take > much more time than to just wipe the disk and start over. (But this I am > expecting will be bad enough already, as you say.) > > > > > > >Why don't you just fix up what you have? > > >Guesstimate the time it takes you to create a new XP slipstreamed CD > >(and hope it works) or use your SP1 CD (is it a Dell CD or a genuine > >Microsoft CD?), backup all your personal data, reformat your drive, > >reinstall XP and all your various chipset/motherboard drivers you > >acquired since you first got your system, get back on the Internet to > >update your Service Pack(s) and then download and install all the > >Critical Updates from MS, locate, reinstall and configure all your > >application software from scratch and then update all them and finally > >restore any personal data you backed up before you started. Then > >spend a day or two or three adjusting and tweaking to get things back > >to normal. > > >Guesstimate about 1 hour to analyze and optimize current your system > >performance and configuration (depending on what is going on). > > >Which is more appealing? > > >I have never reinstalled XP on this old machine in 6+ years and it > >still runs great in spite of my continual abuse and burdening. This is not a new issue! It is so un-new, I can just copy/paste guidance to get you started. If some part of it not clear in any way, let me know so I can change my instructions. If you want to fix it yourself, do this: Click Start, Run and in the box enter: msinfo32 Click OK, and when the System Summary info appears, click Edit, Select All, Copy and then paste back here. There would be some personal information (like System Name and User Name) or whatever appears to be only your business that you can delete from the paste. Download and install CCleaner from here: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner Launch it and save the Startup information to a text file. Click Tools, Startup, Save to text file... and save the startup information to your desktop (or someplace you can find it) open the file with a text editor, select all and paste the contents back here for analysis. Uninstall CCleaner later if you don't like it (most people seem to like it for it's other features). Get the latest CCleaner here: http://www.ccleaner.com/ When you are done, we will be able to see all your startup items and help you decide what to keep. I have zero Startup items and maybe you can too. Right click the Taskbar, choose Task Manager and select the Processes tab. Click View, Select Columns, check the box that says: Virtual Memory Size. Expand the width of the Task Manager by dragging the corners so you can see all the columns and processes in one window if possible. Double click a column heading in TM to sort by the column. For example, sort Task Manager by the CPU or Virtual Memory size column. Take a screenshot of what you see in Task Manager (see below for instructions). To create and email/post/print a screenshot: Press the Print Scrn button to copy your entire screen to the Windows clipboard. Press Alt Print Scrn to copy just the active window to the Windows clipboard. Open MS Paint: Start, Programs, Accessories, Paint When Paint opens, press CTRL-V to paste the clipboard, save the new Paint file to your desktop or someplace you can remember. JPG files take up less hard disk space than BMP files and are just as readable. Make as many screenshots as you need. Practice makes perfect. Be careful your screenshot does not contain any personal information. Practice viewing your images before you upload them to be sure they are okay. Some sites will let you attach a file directly to your post. If the site has some kind of attachment/upload function it is usually easiest just to use it. If there is no such function in your message board to upload files, then use a free third party image hosting WWW site. Create a free account on some free picture hosting web site. You can always remove your account later if you want. Here are some free image hosting sites: http://www.imageshack.us/ http://photobucket.com/ Using your free account, upload your screenshot(s) (the JPG or BMP files) to the site and it will return to you a URL web address (a Direct Link) for your new image(s) which you can paste the Direct Link in a message post, email, etc. Post that Direct Link web address back here in your response and we can click on the link address and see your screenshot. Post as many as you need - the sites are free. When you are done, what you post for others to use should look something like this: http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6530/taskmanagerv.jpg While you are waiting for feedback on your stuff, do this: Download, install, update and do a full scan with these free malware detection programs: Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://malwarebytes.org/ SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/ They can be uninstalled later if desired.
From: HeyBub on 30 May 2010 21:12 David wrote: > Thank you for your constructive response, "HeyBub" > You're welcome. I just want to leave the world a better place than I found it.
From: T Shadow on 30 May 2010 23:39 > David wrote: >> Thank you for your constructive response, "HeyBub" >> "HeyBub" <heybub(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:eisar5FALHA.3840(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... >>> >No you don't. > > > You're welcome. > > I just want to leave the world a better place than I found it. Go to dictionary.com and look up constructive and sarcasm.
From: David on 30 May 2010 23:48 You guys have completely overwhelmed me! Thank you so much for your responses! As always, this NG is so knowledgeable and helpful! My original intent, for lack of time, was to take the box in to the shop and have them do the diskwipe, (while saving the drivers, etc.), and then do the XP reinstall. Afterwards I would reinstall the few applications myself. You all have convinced me that I should first try to clean things up by myself. But I still have a serious time problem, and you have just given me a month's worth of spare-time homework. Please forgive me if I do not respond immediately, because I intend to first fully digest everything that you have provided so that I don't do something stupid. You folks are far more familiar with all of this than I am. I will respond as soon as I can. For now, thank you again!
From: Erwin Moller on 31 May 2010 10:53
David schreef: > Thank you for your constructive response, "HeyBub" > David, Heybub is wellknown in here for his pisspoor advice. You'll find better responses from others. ;-) Regards, Erwin > > > On Sun, 30 May 2010 07:42:08 -0500, "HeyBub" <heybub(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> David wrote: >>> This question has probably been asked before, but I can't figure out >>> how to search for it. Apologies. If you can point me to a thread I >>> will be happy to go there. >>> >>> I have an old Dell PC,( vintage 2003), with XP Home Edition. It has >>> been updated regularly, so the XP version is current. But the >>> machine is so burdened with junk software that it can barely crawl >>> anymore. I need to wipe the disk and re-install XP. >> No you don't. >> >> > -- "There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." -- C.A.R. Hoare |