Troubleshoot My computer is semi-froze

[tallorder]

Briefly explain your current issue(s)

I am able to use Chrome, and talk here, but can't get CCleaner to unfreeze, or close or uninstalled or... Neither uninstall or shred file will work.

Steps taken to resolve, but have been unsuccessful

Last night, feeling brave and more intelligent than I am, I added some programs. Then, I removed those I was able to once it froze. Please advise! Thanks, tallorder

Last night, I downloaded and put on some programs, feeling wiser and more confident than I have in things that might keep my computer safe and run better... Today, I can't use it, (barely) after having gone to an email in Outlook.

 

[tallorder]

Macrium free doesn't do incremental but it does allow you to verify the image.
Hey guys! I think we may be over loading the OP with knowledge. Maybe we need to slow down a little.

Not.! It'll sink in, and float around for a few hours, and as it's in writing, can absorb it one answer at a time, anytime!!

 

[donetao]

This computer is probably an old install...? It was built in '06 or '07, and I traded it for a mandolin and $40.00 in 2011. I didn't even realize they made processors this tiny... Anyway, it feels like getting time to replace, after Jeep repair, ....etc, etc...

Hi A little off topic. My wife plays the mandolin and I play bass guitar. I have a fender strat worth 15,000$$

 

[tallorder]

Ok. bedtime! That's where knowledge really sorts out! Thanks, y'all!

 

[tallorder]

Hi A little off topic. My wife plays the mandolin and I play bass guitar. I have a fender strat worth 15,000$$

Wow!! I play upright bass, my husband plays guitar. Would like to see pics of that strat! We have a new model strat in store, and I have a fiddle, same, probably worth a bit. It is 302 yrs. old this year!

 

[frogboy]

@tallorder I think you fit in around really well, hope to see you again tomorrow.

 

[tallorder]

Or you could use Macrium Reflect which is also very good and free. link http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html

I need VERY simple!

 

[donetao]

Wow!! I play upright bass, my husband plays guitar. Would like to see pics of that strat! We have a new model strat in store, and I have a fiddle, same, probably worth a bit. It is 302 yrs. old this year!

Cool! We better stay on topic before we get chewed out. I play electric bass. Strat is 1962 sun burst. bass is also Fender.
See you latter!

 

[tallorder]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Paul B.]

I thought I posted this a couple of days ago, but I don't see it, so:

Thanks Donoteo and Frogboy. Apparently Macrium Free's Verify function is hidden under Restore? If so, I stand corrected. That leads to the point that I find the interface of Macrium complicated and confusing, after using the simple one that AOMEI (and EaseUS, their cross-town competitor) offer.

The only caution I give re Backupper is that I get many errors using its linux-based recover disk. The WinPE disk works fine, but it's a hassle to create one on an XP system.

Tall, I also think a Factory Reset is the best option for you if you have an intact recovery partition or install disks, and if not, a fresh install. It would get rid of a lot of problems in a couple of hours. Copy all your data to an external store. Then you can go through the factory bloatware and slim things down, then finally install your progs and copy back your data.

I still think XP is safe enough, if you use an up-to-date browser and an adequate AM. If you want Vista's UAC layer of protection you can simulate it by operating from an XP "Limited" account.

You can also try ubuntu from a CD disk to see what its like, or you can install it as a dual-boot right from the disk quite easily. Eventually when you get a new machine this one could be a dedicated linux box, if you like LMMS.

 

[tallorder]

I thought I posted this a couple of days ago, but I don't see it, so:

Thanks Donoteo and Frogboy. Apparently Macrium Free's Verify function is hidden under Restore? If so, I stand corrected. That leads to the point that I find the interface of Macrium complicated and confusing, after using the simple one that AOMEI (and EaseUS, their cross-town competitor) offer.

The only caution I give re Backupper is that I get many errors using its linux-based recover disk. The WinPE disk works fine, but it's a hassle to create one on an XP system.

Tall, I also think a Factory Reset is the best option for you if you have an intact recovery partition or install disks, and if not, a fresh install. It would get rid of a lot of problems in a couple of hours. Copy all your data to an external store. Then you can go through the factory bloatware and slim things down, then finally install your progs and copy back your data.

I still think XP is safe enough, if you use an up-to-date browser and an adequate AM. If you want Vista's UAC layer of protection you can simulate it by operating from an XP "Limited" account.

You can also try ubuntu from a CD disk to see what its like, or you can install it as a dual-boot right from the disk quite easily. Eventually when you get a new machine this one could be a dedicated linux box, if you like LMMS.

Thanks, Paul B. I have spent much of the last two nights cleaning out this machine, removing programs that were old, running some different scans, prepping to try backup. How large of an external USB or whatever that is would I need? how do I find out? Also, looked at all of my hardware last night; found it all due to a forum from TwinHeadedEagle, who provided some links, which made it relatively easy. Will put it up for you later. Dinner time...

 

[Paul B.]

It depends on your plans. If you are going to do a reinstall or Factory Recover, you don't need to spend time on what you're doing. It's all going to get wiped anyway. Doing this would not only solve problems, it would dramatically increase speed.

If you have space on the drive, do a backup to it, then see its size and simply copy it over. Or you can download Wiztree, which will give you an idea of what you need ahead of time. Or you can pull the drive and hook it up to another computer, and do the backup or copy over from there, perhaps in a faster setting.

If you're going to do a fresh install from an MS disk, I would recommend backing up existing drivers first. That will save some time on the rebound.

 

[donetao]

Hi! My advise would be to save any data that you need and restore back to factory settings. Backing up the drivers as stated by Paul, is a good idea if your going to restore from a MS disk. Especially the internet driver. If you can get on the internet you probably can get the other drivers that the disk missed installing. I don't agree that XP3 will remain safe if you go on the internet. Patches won't be issued and you will be susceptible to all kinds of malware. You really need to think about up grading as soon as you possibly can!!
I'll bow out and let Paul help you!

 

[tallorder]

Wow:

Have McAfee Antivirus Plus installed
​

If there is one thing I would do, it would be to uninstall McAfee, then use their uninstall utility to really get it off, and go with a lighter AM such as Panda, which is free and very light on resources.

I didn't see any hardware configuration on that page?

I have found and put up hardware configuration, + speed tests. If you are able, please look that over, as I am so unsure of what this computer will handle!! Thanks millions!

 

[Paul B.]

Hi Tall,
You installed Panda, I see, but you did not uninstall Mcafee. It's murder on the system to run two AMs. They embed themselves very deeply and command a lot of resources when necessary. And they may be checking up on each other, making for an unmitigated disaster. And so I repeat:

If there is one thing I would do, it would be to uninstall McAfee, then use their uninstall utility to really get it off

The hardware isn't strong, so you are going to take a hit if you install Win7. If you can up the RAM, do that, but most of the older laptop boards maxed out at 2GB.

I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve. If it requires Windows, Win8 probably uses less resources than 7, but with both of them, and especially with 8, the question is whether you can find drivers for your hardware.

Or if you're not dependent on Windows, Linux (I like ubuntu and puppy) will give you a modern system that will deal quite well with older hardware, and they're free.

 

[Paul B.]

PS: most windows software can be run on Linux by means of WINE.

 

[tallorder]

Hi Tall,
You installed Panda, I see, but you did not uninstall Mcafee. It's murder on the system to run two AMs. They embed themselves very deeply and command a lot of resources when necessary. And they may be checking up on each other, making for an unmitigated disaster. And so I repeat:

If there is one thing I would do, it would be to uninstall McAfee, then use their uninstall utility to really get it off

The hardware isn't strong, so you are going to take a hit if you install Win7. If you can up the RAM, do that, but most of the older laptop boards maxed out at 2GB.

I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve. If it requires Windows, Win8 probably uses less resources than 7, but with both of them, and especially with 8, the question is whether you can find drivers for your hardware.

Or if you're not dependent on Windows, Linux (I like ubuntu and puppy) will give you a modern system that will deal quite well with older hardware, and they're free.

The problem is: I only ran Panda for a certain scan, and they said Uninstall was simply a click away and simple... So I did the scan, and was unable to uninstall Panda. Then, I used Revo Uninstaller on Panda, thought I had it! Then, I saw some remnants, and used McAfee shredder, and thought I got it! Now, I see I didn't, it appears...

This is a desktop, not laptop, so maybe can add more RAM?

What I am trying to achieve is 2 things:

1.to have this computer salvageable: past Windows XP SP3 , and not crash it or slow it down anymore in the process. It is so amazingly slow, that I can really only have one page open at a time, such as MT and not ..ABC news. If I am unable to get past XP,sp3, it is total junk, not even fit for a backup or the grandkids!

2. to learn on this one, how to set up a computer, what is needed to maintain one, what I like to use...(have never tried things such as Unchecky, or Revo Uninstaller, or changed/alternated between virus/malware programs: have never hardened or maintained a computer. I have only used it- turn it on, go look, answer emails,turn it off! The future does not warrant inability or lack of knowledge and experience like I have been doing! Malware is sneakier, faster, prevalent, unseen, and there is ransomware, and other dangers out there now, that just weren't around 20-30 yrs. ago and I need to learn! I need to know how to harden a computer, do backups, scans, deep scans, and since I am getting ready to have a computer built, learning what is good (processor/hardware/ etc.) and what will be too slow in 6 months! (graphics...?).

Thanks. I will look for a Panda Uninstall, and try that again!

 

[Paul B.]

Ok, sorry. I assumed it was a laptop. Maybe you very well can up the RAM, and that would be a great thing to do.

Here in a nutshell is what I would probably do:

1. Make a system image and a corresponding rescue disk (and dry run the rescue disk), so you can experiment to your heart's content, and then return to the present state at any time.
2. Make file backups of all your important data, so that if you decide to move forward into a new OS, or even reinstall XP, you can import your data with no loss.
3. Then I would play. You can download Linux images, and even Windows images at http://www.techverse.net/download-windows-7-iso-x86-x64-microsofts-official-servers/. Burn them to disk and then install them on your hard drive to see how they work on the machine.

I think your system is on life support. You can spend a lot of time trying to clean it up, or you can install afresh and solve a lot of problems at once. Once you have the backup image, or at least a functional factory restore partition along with your user data backed up, the pressure's off and you can enjoy the process and learn.

 

[tallorder]

Those are great suggestions! All of it! That is exactly what I want to do

Then I would play. You can download Linux images, and even Windows images at

... "

I see that to avoid future disasters with malware and viruses, one MUST have an up to date- and capable machine, in order to keep it that way in today's environment. I have Malwarebytes on here, now, but cannot keep it in tray with McAfee and Adguard: this machine just won't function. System is definitely on life support, and this is Feb. already; not much time as XP is already outdated and not supported..

So, when I start to play and try, I'll let you know how much fun I am having!!

 

[tallorder]

Petrovic said it best, right here, in 'The New Security Suite':

Security is a cat and mouse game with malware writers and cybercriminals on one side, and anti-virus security firms on the other. As users, we sit in the middle, prey for one side and customers for the other. That probably makes us the cheese, and like a cheese left out in the sun, things have become distinctly less pleasant over time for everyday users. There was a time when security software was just about Anti-Virus, but those days are long gone. Security suites offer a plethora of tools to keep your system safe, secure and running optimally, although many rely on free alternatives. Is that enough?

http://malwaretips.com/threads/the-new-security-suite.41706/

This is exactly why I am here learning as much, as quickly, as I can!