Computer Help............

[Glusniffer]

My system is only 2 @ 1/2 years old and runs windows 7. Per maintenance instructions, I save my files and reset to 'Factory Settings' every 6 months. Never been a problem until recently. It restores windows 7, then within 24/48 hours it updates a buncha 5hit causing it to move like mud up-hill. It doesn't affect net-flix or you tube streaming. Just my e-mail and home page (Yahoo). Mail takes forever and its a waste to click on ANY yahoo articles with a video or pics like (1 of 25)?

I've searched for 'free' anti-b-5hit' which confirms that its my "Internet X-plorer , but the 'free' is just a diagnosis. They want payment to fix!

My PC is for entertainment only. No downloading movies, music, face-book or that crap. Just the occasional right click save pic and watching clips, and looking for bad links in the model museum. I dunno......................

Any ideas, suggestions, advice or LINKS to a reputable repair would be greatly appreciated.

[Stonie104]

Ideally mate you want someone with PC knowledge to sit down in front of it and have a run through of your system and have a clean up.

There are a few things you can do, firstly I would download some software called Malwarebytes.... https://www.malwarebytes.org/ run a full scan every couple of weeks and delete infected files.

What are you running for anti-virus? personally I use Microsoft Security Essentials.......http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/wind ... s-download its free and very effective, i have mine set to run a scan daily in the early hours of the morning so it doesn't interrupt me, I have personally found that the paid for anti virus like Norton to be a pain in the butt.

STOP USING INTERNET EXPLORER!! its dreadful as a web browser, my personnel favorite is firefox, a lot more stable, quicker and less buggy then internet explorer..... http://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/new/

Go to control panel, then uninstall programs and have a look at the list which comes up, delete any programs you don't use, if you are unsure, google the program name and see if it is needed or not, PM me a list and I am happy to let you know what is worth dumping.


Go to control panel, then administrative tools then find the 'free up disk' space option run disk clean up on your main hard drive and delete the excess data, again if your unsure PM me a screen shot and I can let you know what to lose, although generally you are ok to delete the lot!

STOP USING INTERNET EXPLORER!! sorry cant emphasise how much I hate internet explorer

It is really amazing how much crap a computer builds up with minimal usage and these steps should speed you up anywhere from marginally to massively depending on what is the issue, without sitting in front of your machine its really hard to tell to be honest, there are more lengthy and drastic options to REALLY clean up the machine but try the above first and see how you do mate, hope this helps!!

[Otto69]

I agree, stop using IE. I'm using Chrome and it's very peppy.

[Glusniffer]

Thanx guy's. I will investigate ALL your input. Stonie, My default is Norton U which is automatically installed when I re-boot with a 60 day trial.

Greatly appreciated! It used to be so simple. NEVER had any real problem in my tenure online.

One other question......When I can't watch a show like 'Walking Dead' or a hard to find movie, I go to " Let me watch this (Channel 1) " and fight the pop-up's until the show loads... but been doing that for over a year with no problems. I don't download em, just click 'continue as free user'. Is that inviting disaster?

[tay666]

Switch to Chrome and install the Adbock Plus plugin.
It really stops the pop-ups, ads on websites, and even the stupid ads on Youtube vids.

Another bonus with Chrome that I recently discovered. By syncing it, you can switch to another computer and have all your favorites, settings, and passwords already set up just by logging into your chrome account.
Saved a lot of headaches when I built my new system. And when I got my wife going on her new laptop.


Follow the advice about removing programs you don't use.
The latest thing with free software now, is they install other crap too. If you don't pay attention when running the installation and opt-out then you end up with a bunch of crap that usually loads at start up and slows things down.

[resin addict]

Pretty much agree with everything said here; my preference was for Firefox over Chrome.
That being said, I just (within the last week) upgraded to a new Windows 8.1 machine and have been using the IE for Windows 8 and have no complaints with it so far.

[Glusniffer]

WOW! I installed the 3 links from Stonie and went with firefox. I'm flyin now!!!!!!!!
Thanx so much! This is great!

[Stonie104]

Good stuff

[The Coop]

I have a few questions on this topic as well. Mainly with Firefox. I had that installed on a previous computer. I didn't have any problem with it, but I didn't see much if any improvement over IE. I'm thinking of doing the same thing Jeff did per Stonie's recommendations. My question is, do I have to uninstall IE, and can I still have IE for my wife to use on the computer. She is not good with change, especially when it comes to the computer. If she sees one little thing pop up she breaks out in a sweat. I do think my computer can use a little improvement though. I just don't want to really screw things up and get in over my head trying to make it a little faster.

[Glusniffer]

Coop, after I installed firefox I went in the control panel and just clicked 'disable' on inernet explorer. You should stiil be able to go back and enable it, but why would you want to. This is like a whole new machine. I dont like change either but this rocks!

[The Coop]

Jeff, I'm just thinking ahead knowing it will put my wife in meltdown. At least if I can use Firefox, show it to her and break it on her slowly, telling her how much better it is she might not curl up in a ball in the corner sobbing.

[Stonie104]

you can run multiple web browsers without having to uninstall the others mate, my wife is the same she still uses IE while I use Firefox

[The Coop]

you can run multiple web browsers without having to uninstall the others mate, my wife is the same she still uses IE while I use Firefox

Good to know. I already run Malwarebytes and Microsoft Essentials so I'll give Firefox a try. Thanks for the info.

[tay666]

my preference was for Firefox over Chrome.

Never tried FF.
Years ago, I used Opera for a while. This was back when my old IE 5.5 had nothing but trouble with ebay. But I just used if for ebay, and only for a few months, until ebay finally fixed their site.

Then a few years ago, my daughter installed Chrome and told me to try it.
It was faster, and used a lot less resources than my IE 6. Haven't looked back since.

[Glusniffer]

For x-periment I enabled IE 11 again. Still moves like mudd. FF still runs like the wind! Honestly guys, in 18 years online I've NEVER had a virus to my knowledge. I was starting to think that was the ish. NO! It's the IE plain and simple. Everytime it upgrades you get a butt-load of BS ya don't need as Trevor said. I went under control panel and uninstalled all that 5hit. This thread should be a sticky!

Major kudos Stoney! Buy da man a brew!

[starmanmm]

This is good... been reading it and asking questions of friends of what do they use. I have been hearing both FF and Chrome.

[amubis]

Been in the pc business for over 20 years now an all the advice you have been given is excellent .....Well done guys .....just one other program which I like to use to give pc a good clean out every couple of week is CLEANUP....http://www.stevengould.org/index.php?op ... &Itemid=69 great program for cleaning up old temp and internet crap

[Glusniffer]

Chiming in. Sytems still runnin like a 4.55 rocket! 10 years here! time flies...................remember this?

http://www.dialupsound.com/

[Brian McGuire]

You know I've got to say- I switched to a Mac over 5 years ago. In that amount of time, zero problems at all. Not one pop-up, or other issues, in 5 years. With the pc, every couple months, if not even weeks or days, you'd have to screw around with it. I'm not trying to sound like some Apple hipster, but it's just something to keep in mind next time you are replacing your system.

[lugnut]

Brian, I hear ya. My family has it's Mac devotees. My first computer was in fact an Apple monochrome SE.
Now I just buy IBM refurbs because they're a quarter the price. Keep them clean and install Chrome, Opera or Firefox and they'll fly.