Anyone who can help with laptop software issues?

I've been struggling with my laptop lately....just began going slooooooowwww...can't even browse ATS!

Figure, after hunting on the Web, it's the Registry that's messed up. (?)

Not sure which/how many programs that load at Start-Up are necessary, and which can be deleted. Found plenty of "advice" and so-called "free" registry cleaners....but most are just "analyzing for free" programs....to me, more like 'scareware'. THEN, after the "analysis", they kindly offer for you to PAY to use any cleaning tools.

So, having a go at it this way, and de-fragging first. Any experts out in ATS-land who can help will be most appreciated.

Part of the prob is, using another computer (because of the slowness) so I can't surf easily, to find the right program to download and try, until I know one that won't waste my time.

Running Windows XP, and this is a version from about 2004 (when I bought the darn thing).

Second angle/question: Any use in 'upgrading' to a newer Windows OS?

Thanks.

First you should check for any viruses or malware. My favorite is malwarebytes which is free and works 99% of the time

In XP you can alter what starts up with windows by clicking start...run and typing msconfig into the run box then going to the startup tab.

Edit to add something important: Viruses can infect system files and may be deleted when you run an antivirus scan, make sure you have important things save somewhere else.

Do you have your original xp recovery disk?

[edit on 7-9-2010 by davespanners]

reply to post by davespanners


Thanks...I ran 'msconfig', did a little disk clean-up...not sure what else it could help me with. Long ago lost the recovery disc

I'll check malwarebytes. Here's the deal, though that is so odd....the laptop was in storage for about two years....I broke the DC Jack, and someone told me it'd cost more to fix it, than to buy a new one (they were wrong)...so, anyway, I dragged it out, got it fixed, to get stuff I'd forgotten about, on the drive.

So, long story short: It was online, and browsing fine BEFORE the battery went dead --- so unless there is malware that lurks??? Not sure where it would have come from.....

I know that CCleaner has a good reputation and is free.

I'm too nervous about poking around in my registry to try it but I haven't heard anything bad about it

You can get it here

[edit on 7-9-2010 by davespanners]

I'm a network techie...just used CCleaner this morning, have been using it for years.

The best part is that it gives you the option to save the old registry settings before it changes anything (just in case).

Malwarebytes, Ad-Aware & AVG are also personal favs.

Good luck.

ETA...

All are available at Cnet.com in the downloads section



[edit on 7-9-2010 by [davinci]]

reply to post by [davinci]


Thanks!

Been checking out the CCleaner website (on the good computer). Also, took to the "cnet download" site, with nice reviews and info...so, will use it when I can.....

Defragging the other one (sheesh! Takes so darn long!)

you should try CCleaner. its free and it works

reply to post by kennybubba


Yeah.....CCleaner worked, seems I really had very few Registry issues, however...

Same with malware (doubt if it's a virus, but who knows?)

Checking my CPU Usage, it is 100&...41 processes. Guessing that might be my issue.

Advice spotted online tells how to us "msconfig", taking out each Start-Up program one at a time, and rebooting...hopefully might find the culprit.

Sounds like loads of fun....

The command column in MSCONFIG gives you some idea of what the process is doing, as it has the path that runs the process.

You can also look each process up on this site and it will tell you what it does

reply to post by davespanners


Thanks....that site looks like a goldmine of info!

Originally posted by weedwhacker
Not sure which/how many programs that load at Start-Up are necessary, and which can be deleted.

For this I use a great little program called Soluto

All you do is install it and then reboot your machine, it watches your start up and gives you a nifty graphic display of all the different apps, it gives you as much information as it can (there is some genome project where peoples results are shared so you can easily see what most other people did)... Then you have the option to remove or delay or stop the program launching at the start up... Don't worry about getting rid of something important cos it will warn you.

It even tells you how much time each app adds to the boot time - I was pretty impressed although windows 7 dosen't really need as much help as XP did.

reply to post by Now_Then


Thanks, to "N_T" (I think I'll make that stand for "Network Tech", just for a bit)...

Slowly slogging through the "Soluto" D/L, with fingers crossed.

(Man, takes a long time!)

So, new avatar and stuff....for some reason, after seeing your mini-profile I have Barry Manilow's voice in my head....(make it stop!)

UPDATE to all, and a great big thanks, again, for all the help and suggestions:

Identified the culprit....it was a pesky program that was apparently installed by the laptop manufacturer (Acer), that must have went "rogue" (?).

First, in Task Manager I found it, as it was occupying the entire CPU resources...(99%).
Then Googling, seems it has a history of causing problems. It's "GtZiAcer.EXE" It has a 'brother' "GtZgAcer.EXE" that comes up on searches. Made by "Dritek System Inc", or so they tell me.

It was loaded into my Program Files/Launch Manager folder....removed, no adverse effects, just pure, normal performance restored!!


SO, again, to all I valued the input/output (little joke!) and found that the recommendations were outstanding.

I'm now a fan of "ccleaner", "malwarebytes" and especially, "soluto". Good programs, and best of all...free.