Guest InfoHungry Posted August 26, 2007 Posted August 26, 2007 Hi all, I have very basic knowledge. My PC is about 3-4 years old and become extremely slow. My Internet Security gave me that many warnings that almost every keystroke would result in a warning. I could not back up to disk. took my PC to computer place to format Hard disk but they would not save my files and things for me. So they ended up convincing me that the best solution would be to install another internal Hard drive and called it D: and that became the drive that automaticaly comes up. I had to reinstall all my programs and devices. BUT, it is still very slow. I want to take everything out of c: and put it into D: (I have done some of it) and than format c:. Not sure how to do it all so I dont loose important stuff. I have Windows XP Home SP2 installed in both drives. Please HELP, I AM DESPERATE. Where do I find the info I need?
Guest Malke Posted August 26, 2007 Posted August 26, 2007 Re: Steps before, during and after formating drive C: InfoHungry wrote: > Hi all, I have very basic knowledge. My PC is about 3-4 years old and become > extremely slow. My Internet Security gave me that many warnings that almost > every keystroke would result in a warning. I could not back up to disk. took > my PC to computer place to format Hard disk but they would not save my files > and things for me. So they ended up convincing me that the best solution > would be to install another internal Hard drive and called it D: and that > became the drive that automaticaly comes up. I had to reinstall all my > programs and devices. BUT, it is still very slow. > I want to take everything out of c: and put it into D: (I have done some of > it) and than format c:. Not sure how to do it all so I dont loose important > stuff. I have Windows XP Home SP2 installed in both drives. Please HELP, I > AM DESPERATE. Where do I find the info I need? If you are working from a new install of XP on the new D: drive and the machine is still slow, something isn't right. Unfortunately I can't tell you what is wrong without seeing the machine. It could be hardware or software, there is no way to know from your post. Probably the best thing for you to do is find a different computer repair shop. Get recommendations from friends, colleagues, etc. It is completely possible to back up your data and when the shop people said they wouldn't do it you should have taken the machine elsewhere. Very generally, I would probably back up your data using Knoppix (a Linux distro that runs from CD) and then do hardware and software troubleshooting. Since you say you have "very basic knowledge", these steps are going to be pretty complex for you. I've put the general information below so you can make the choice as to what to do yourself. ***** A. Data recovery: 1. Pull the drive and slave it in a computer running a working install of XP. Depending on the target drive's characteristics, you may need a drive adapter; i.e., laptop-to-IDE or a SATA controller card, etc. A usb/firewire external drive enclosure works very well, too. Use the working Windows Explorer to copy the data to the rescue system's hard drive and then burn the data to cd or dvd. 2. Often XP will not boot with a slaved drive that has a damaged file system. In that case, boot the target computer with either a Bart's PE or a Linux live cd such as Knoppix and retrieve the data that way. Here is general information on using Knoppix for this: You will need a computer with two cd drives, one of which is a cd/dvd-rw OR a usb thumb drive with enough capacity to hold your data OR an external usb/firewire hard drive formatted FAT32 (not NTFS). To get Knoppix, you need a computer with a fast Internet connection and third-party burning software. Download the Knoppix .iso and create your bootable cd. Then boot with it and it will be able to see the Windows files. If you are using the usb thumb drive or the external hard drive, right-click on its icon (on the Desktop) to get its properties and uncheck the box that says "Read Only". Then click on it to open it. Note that the default mouse action in the window manager used by Knoppix (KDE) is a single click to open instead of the traditional MS Windows' double-click. Otherwise, use the K3b burning program to burn the files to cd/dvd-r's. http://www.knoppix.net http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ - Bart's PE Builder B. Hardware troubleshooting - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot C. Software troubleshooting always starts with determining if a computer is virus/malware-infected: http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware ***** Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest InfoHungry Posted August 26, 2007 Posted August 26, 2007 Re: Steps before, during and after formating drive C: Thank you so much for your time, patience and info Malke. I have TrendMicro PcCillin2007 installed and run full scans and updates all the time. Have consulted their support section and followed their instructions to find and clean any possible bad things in my PC but that has not helped. It does not find any virus. I am not even sure if the problem is software or hardware related. I do defrag my computer regularly and run the Windows OneCare Live scan very often to help keep my PC in order but I still get a lot of my programs freeze up on me. When I start my computer it can take up to 15 minutes (sometimes longer) for the starting up process to complete. So I think it could even be caused by the way I have programs set up, I just do not know. I will follow your advice to get all my files on to an alternate storage place and try to troubleshoot before I attempt anything else. If I can not perform the troubleshooting myself with the help of your kind advice, I will then find another repair shop to see if they can help me. The one I went to did not want to be responsible for any loss to my files, fair enough! Somethings sound a bit too complicated for me. I will come back here and post the results of the computing adventure I am about to get into. Thank you so much for your kind reply. Cheers, InfoHungry "Malke" wrote: > InfoHungry wrote: > > Hi all, I have very basic knowledge. My PC is about 3-4 years old and become > > extremely slow. My Internet Security gave me that many warnings that almost > > every keystroke would result in a warning. I could not back up to disk. took > > my PC to computer place to format Hard disk but they would not save my files > > and things for me. So they ended up convincing me that the best solution > > would be to install another internal Hard drive and called it D: and that > > became the drive that automaticaly comes up. I had to reinstall all my > > programs and devices. BUT, it is still very slow. > > I want to take everything out of c: and put it into D: (I have done some of > > it) and than format c:. Not sure how to do it all so I dont loose important > > stuff. I have Windows XP Home SP2 installed in both drives. Please HELP, I > > AM DESPERATE. Where do I find the info I need? > > If you are working from a new install of XP on the new D: drive and the > machine is still slow, something isn't right. Unfortunately I can't tell > you what is wrong without seeing the machine. It could be hardware or > software, there is no way to know from your post. Probably the best > thing for you to do is find a different computer repair shop. Get > recommendations from friends, colleagues, etc. It is completely possible > to back up your data and when the shop people said they wouldn't do it > you should have taken the machine elsewhere. > > Very generally, I would probably back up your data using Knoppix (a > Linux distro that runs from CD) and then do hardware and software > troubleshooting. Since you say you have "very basic knowledge", these > steps are going to be pretty complex for you. I've put the general > information below so you can make the choice as to what to do yourself. > > ***** > A. Data recovery: > > 1. Pull the drive and slave it in a computer running a working install > of XP. Depending on the target drive's characteristics, you may need a > drive adapter; i.e., laptop-to-IDE or a SATA controller card, etc. A > usb/firewire external drive enclosure works very well, too. Use the > working Windows Explorer to copy the data to the rescue system's hard > drive and then burn the data to cd or dvd. > > 2. Often XP will not boot with a slaved drive that has a damaged file > system. In that case, boot the target computer with either a Bart's PE > or a Linux live cd such as Knoppix and retrieve the data that way. Here > is general information on using Knoppix for this: > > You will need a computer with two cd drives, one of which is a cd/dvd-rw > OR a usb thumb drive with enough capacity to hold your data OR an > external usb/firewire hard drive formatted FAT32 (not NTFS). To get > Knoppix, you need a computer with a fast Internet connection and > third-party burning software. Download the Knoppix .iso and create your > bootable cd. Then boot with it and it will be able to see the Windows > files. If you are using the usb thumb drive or the external hard drive, > right-click on its icon (on the Desktop) to get its properties and > uncheck the box that says "Read Only". Then click on it to open it. Note > that the default mouse action in the window manager used by Knoppix > (KDE) is a single click to open instead of the traditional MS Windows' > double-click. Otherwise, use the K3b burning program to burn the files > to cd/dvd-r's. > > http://www.knoppix.net > http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ - Bart's PE Builder > > B. Hardware troubleshooting - > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot > > C. Software troubleshooting always starts with determining if a computer > is virus/malware-infected: > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware > ***** > > Malke > -- > Elephant Boy Computers > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com > "Don't Panic!" > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User >
Guest Malke Posted August 26, 2007 Posted August 26, 2007 Re: Steps before, during and after formating drive C: InfoHungry wrote: > Thank you so much for your time, patience and info Malke. I have TrendMicro > PcCillin2007 installed and run full scans and updates all the time. Have > consulted their support section and followed their instructions to find and > clean any possible bad things in my PC but that has not helped. It does not > find any virus. I am not even sure if the problem is software or hardware > related. I do defrag my computer regularly and run the Windows OneCare Live > scan very often to help keep my PC in order but I still get a lot of my > programs freeze up on me. When I start my computer it can take up to 15 > minutes (sometimes longer) for the starting up process to complete. So I > think it could even be caused by the way I have programs set up, I just do > not know. I will follow your advice to get all my files on to an alternate > storage place and try to troubleshoot before I attempt anything else. If I > can not perform the troubleshooting myself with the help of your kind advice, > I will then find another repair shop to see if they can help me. The one I > went to did not want to be responsible for any loss to my files, fair enough! > Somethings sound a bit too complicated for me. > > I will come back here and post the results of the computing adventure I am > about to get into. OK, pcCillin can definitely slow your computer to a crawl. I really dislike their consumer-level antivirus. The first thing I would do is uninstall pcCillin. Replace it with a far less invasive/bloated program like Avast (free) or even F-Prot (which is what I run on my XP boxen). If that doesn't completely cure the issue, then do clean-boot troubleshooting per: Clean boot in Windows XP - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353 Clean-boot advanced troubleshooting in Windows XP - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316434 How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP - http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310560 It is not necessary to defrag more than possibly once a quarter or every 6 months unless you routinely work with very large files such as when you do video editing, photoshop, etc. As for any registry cleaner such as what comes with OneCare - stay away from that! Registry cleaners are unhealthy for your computer. On the hardware side, make sure the hard drive(s) are not running in PIO mode. See MVP Hans-Georg Michna's site and fix for that: http://winhlp.com/?q=node/10 After you've done some of the above, please do come back with results and more questions. Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Paul Randall Posted August 27, 2007 Posted August 27, 2007 Re: Steps before, during and after formating drive C: If you have the expertise to remove and install hard drives, and change the jumper settings on hard drives, and install WXP, and view your BIOS settings, I would suggest the following. 1. Make a list of things that seem to work slowly. Try to find things that are included in a basic WXP install, things that will be available on a minimal WXP installation. Like the built-in games. 2. Go into BIOS and verify that your hard drives are either both on the same controller (as primary and secondary), or are both primaries on the two controllers, with CD as secondary on one of them (or both, if you have to CD/DVD drives). If you change things, test your system and see if things have improved. 3. If that is OK, then set up a minimal system, with one hard drive that you can erase completely (you have saved whatever you need from it) as primary on one controller, one CD as primary on the other controller, and other non-essential stuff unplugged/removed from the computer such as USB & network stuff & PCI cards. To see what your 'clean system speed' is, all you need is hard drive, CD player, video, keyboard, and mouse. Take out any other hardware. Make sure you are disconnected from the internet, both wifi and hardwired. Install WXP, but no security or any other stuff and see how it runs, using the list you set up in step 1. 4. If the system is as slow as ever, I don't know what you should do. If it is faster than before, then you have to figure out how to troubleshoot the problem. Others here may be able to help you. -Paul Randall "InfoHungry" <InfoHungry@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:D5B84968-E1E1-46CF-A6DC-6F94F19F220C@microsoft.com... > Hi all, I have very basic knowledge. My PC is about 3-4 years old and > become > extremely slow. My Internet Security gave me that many warnings that > almost > every keystroke would result in a warning. I could not back up to disk. > took > my PC to computer place to format Hard disk but they would not save my > files > and things for me. So they ended up convincing me that the best solution > would be to install another internal Hard drive and called it D: and that > became the drive that automaticaly comes up. I had to reinstall all my > programs and devices. BUT, it is still very slow. > I want to take everything out of c: and put it into D: (I have done some > of > it) and than format c:. Not sure how to do it all so I dont loose > important > stuff. I have Windows XP Home SP2 installed in both drives. Please HELP, > I > AM DESPERATE. Where do I find the info I need?
Guest InfoHungry Posted September 3, 2007 Posted September 3, 2007 Re: Steps before, during and after formating drive C: Hello again Malke, hope you are doing well. I am struggling to back up on to cd/dvds because I am not sure of exactly which files I need to save for later apart from say my photos and movies and letters I have written. Not sure about how to pick all the files needed for programs that I have downloaded from the internet but would like to keep using. and I am also not sure about what to save on to disk in what concerns the actual computer running and operation (for recovery if necessary). I have all the cds that came with my PC such as windows, driver instalation, motherboard, internal modem, keyboard and mouse, plus printer, webcam ect. I have two dvd burners installed and I have the software for one of them, not sure about the other one which came with the pc. I have the installation disk for my internet broadband modem. so I got stuck here with the "BACKING UP". - I have visited the http://winhlp.com/?q=node/10 and ran the program on both drives. Start up speed seems to have improved 80%. Nero Info tool says that the configuration Is: Primary IDE Channel with a Master - DMA off, Slave DMA on, Secondary IDE channel with a Master DMA on, Autorun on, Slave DMA on, autorun on, and SiS OCI to USB Enhanced Host controller(+ my all in one printer scanner copier's name) with no referrence to DMA. Prim IDE Master : WDC WD800BB-00JHC0 DMA OFF Slave ST3120022A DMA on Sec IDE Master - _NEC DVD_RW ND-1300A DMA on Autorun on Slave - HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-H10N DMA on Autorun on SIS PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller HP PSC 2355 USB Device I am using the K3b program you sugested for burning on to disc. Found quite easy to use. Thank you. I have turned off my PCCillin but did not yet uninstall. will do. was more worried about saving everything to disc and reading about the troubleshoothing. I am not sure I understand how to get and use a boot disc and its purpose. Need to do a course on basic computer use I think. so please do add your comments on this reply. Thank you. InfoHungry "Malke" wrote: > InfoHungry wrote: > > Thank you so much for your time, patience and info Malke. I have TrendMicro > > PcCillin2007 installed and run full scans and updates all the time. Have > > consulted their support section and followed their instructions to find and > > clean any possible bad things in my PC but that has not helped. It does not > > find any virus. I am not even sure if the problem is software or hardware > > related. I do defrag my computer regularly and run the Windows OneCare Live > > scan very often to help keep my PC in order but I still get a lot of my > > programs freeze up on me. When I start my computer it can take up to 15 > > minutes (sometimes longer) for the starting up process to complete. So I > > think it could even be caused by the way I have programs set up, I just do > > not know. I will follow your advice to get all my files on to an alternate > > storage place and try to troubleshoot before I attempt anything else. If I > > can not perform the troubleshooting myself with the help of your kind advice, > > I will then find another repair shop to see if they can help me. The one I > > went to did not want to be responsible for any loss to my files, fair enough! > > Somethings sound a bit too complicated for me. > > > > I will come back here and post the results of the computing adventure I am > > about to get into. > > OK, pcCillin can definitely slow your computer to a crawl. I really > dislike their consumer-level antivirus. The first thing I would do is > uninstall pcCillin. Replace it with a far less invasive/bloated program > like Avast (free) or even F-Prot (which is what I run on my XP boxen). > > If that doesn't completely cure the issue, then do clean-boot > troubleshooting per: > > Clean boot in Windows XP - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353 > Clean-boot advanced troubleshooting in Windows XP - > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316434 > How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP - > http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310560 > > It is not necessary to defrag more than possibly once a quarter or every > 6 months unless you routinely work with very large files such as when > you do video editing, photoshop, etc. As for any registry cleaner such > as what comes with OneCare - stay away from that! Registry cleaners are > unhealthy for your computer. > > On the hardware side, make sure the hard drive(s) are not running in PIO > mode. See MVP Hans-Georg Michna's site and fix for that: > http://winhlp.com/?q=node/10 > > After you've done some of the above, please do come back with results > and more questions. > > > Malke > -- > Elephant Boy Computers > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com > "Don't Panic!" > MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User >
Guest InfoHungry Posted September 3, 2007 Posted September 3, 2007 Re: Steps before, during and after formating drive C: Thank you for your suggestions Paul. ultimately what you described is exactly what I am trying to achieve but unfortunately I do not have the expertise to acomplish those tasks. I stuggle with a lot of the 'basics'. I am pretty good at following step-by-step instructions though and usualy search endlessly for help topics and get things done but often encounter other difficulties to deal with in the process so I spend an enormous amount of time to get something done. I learn from it all only it is the hard and time consuming way. My device manager says that everything is good. ??????? So am still making sure I do get on to disk EVERYTHING that is needed. Thank you. IH "Paul Randall" wrote: > If you have the expertise to remove and install hard drives, and change the > jumper settings on hard drives, and install WXP, and view your BIOS > settings, I would suggest the following. > > 1. Make a list of things that seem to work slowly. Try to find things that > are included in a basic WXP install, things that will be available on a > minimal WXP installation. Like the built-in games. > > 2. Go into BIOS and verify that your hard drives are either both on the same > controller (as primary and secondary), or are both primaries on the two > controllers, with CD as secondary on one of them (or both, if you have to > CD/DVD drives). If you change things, test your system and see if things > have improved. > > 3. If that is OK, then set up a minimal system, with one hard drive that you > can erase completely (you have saved whatever you need from it) as primary > on one controller, one CD as primary on the other controller, and other > non-essential stuff unplugged/removed from the computer such as USB & > network stuff & PCI cards. To see what your 'clean system speed' is, all > you need is hard drive, CD player, video, keyboard, and mouse. Take out any > other hardware. Make sure you are disconnected from the internet, both wifi > and hardwired. Install WXP, but no security or any other stuff and see how > it runs, using the list you set up in step 1. > > 4. If the system is as slow as ever, I don't know what you should do. > If it is faster than before, then you have to figure out how to troubleshoot > the problem. Others here may be able to help you. > > -Paul Randall > > "InfoHungry" <InfoHungry@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:D5B84968-E1E1-46CF-A6DC-6F94F19F220C@microsoft.com... > > Hi all, I have very basic knowledge. My PC is about 3-4 years old and > > become > > extremely slow. My Internet Security gave me that many warnings that > > almost > > every keystroke would result in a warning. I could not back up to disk. > > took > > my PC to computer place to format Hard disk but they would not save my > > files > > and things for me. So they ended up convincing me that the best solution > > would be to install another internal Hard drive and called it D: and that > > became the drive that automaticaly comes up. I had to reinstall all my > > programs and devices. BUT, it is still very slow. > > I want to take everything out of c: and put it into D: (I have done some > > of > > it) and than format c:. Not sure how to do it all so I dont loose > > important > > stuff. I have Windows XP Home SP2 installed in both drives. Please HELP, > > I > > AM DESPERATE. Where do I find the info I need? > > >
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