"free" laptop, phone, broadband = help!

Frith

Hello!

My PC is 2nd hand and I've had it 5 years... Its already had more memory added and most of the programs wiped and it barely loads internet pages anymore.

I was thinking about one of the packages where you pay a monthly charge and get a laptop thrown in. Has anyone used one of these and are they worth the money?

My homephone is with Talk Talk. I pay £10 for the Broadband because it is a small, rural exchange. I pay about £20 for the phone and all calls except to mobiles.

My mobile is with 3 and is the £9 per month cheapy get a free phone deal.

I've had a message on my phone saying 3 will offer me the Broadband and laptop deal for £15 per month. Is this reasonable? What will happen then to Talk Talk as I won't need them anymore? I've been with Talk Talk for years so don't think I am still signed into an 18 month contract or similar.

Thanks for any help!

L

Jemma-T

You'll need to work out what you want because there could be about 25 answers to your post

I'd avoid any long term deal just to get a 'free' laptop unless you want/need one and can't afford to buy one. Also, can you get a good 3G/HSDPA mobile signal? Not much point in getting a mobile dongle data signal if they're going to shove you Internet onto a GPRS network (which will be the slowest Internet you could ever imagine).

You could try reinstalling your operating system and/or find out what's slowing down you machine. I have 10 year old laptops which load Internet pages VERY quickly. Age has nothing to do with that. It depends what crap you have running. You can find out what's running by installing https://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/hijackthis

Frith

Well, the mobile reception is truly appalling here and I don't really need the laptop to be wireless.

The broadband for this PC is 7.2 (is that good?). I've taken every possible programme off this machine even Adobe Readers and everything on Office apart from Word.

Liz

Jemma-T

There's very little in those applications which would make your PC 'slow'. May delay StartUp due to a speedystart PDF thing and CTFMon.exe for Word (which will still be starting) but that's not the problem.

Did you not run that application I linked to? That's a good app which if you post here I can comment on. Just paste the findings.

7.2mbps is very nice but that's got nothing to do with your PC's resources. The main problem with older machines is lack of RAM, loads of crap installed and nasty resource hungry [strike]spyware[/strike] security applications like McAfee and Norton sucking the life out of your machine.

Speedtest for the Internet http://www.speedtest.bbmax.co.uk/ But as I said, that has no bearing on an ill machine.

Frith

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 13:21:37, on 04/05/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16827)
Boot mode: Normal
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Executive Software\Diskeeper\DkService.exe
C:\Program Files\Sophos\Sophos Anti-Virus\SAVAdminService.exe
C:\Program Files\Sophos\AutoUpdate\ALsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Atiptaxx.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Thomson\SpeedTouch USB\Dragdiag.exe
C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe
C:\Program Files\Sophos\AutoUpdate\ALMon.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
C:\Program Files\Panasonic\LUMIXSimpleViewer\PhLeAutoRun.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqSTE08.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.yahoo.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/customize/ie/defaults/su/msgr8/*http://uk.search.yahoo.com
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Sophos Web Content Scanner - {39EA7695-B3F2-4C44-A4BC-297ADA8FD235} - C:\Program Files\Sophos\Sophos Anti-Virus\SophosBHO.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Toolbar\GoogleToolbar.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Notifier BHO - {AF69DE43-7D58-4638-B6FA-CE66B5AD205D} - C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\5.1.1309.3572\swg.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Dictionary Compression sdch - {C84D72FE-E17D-4195-BB24-76C02E2E7C4E} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Toolbar\Component\fastsearch_219B3E1547538286.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google Toolbar - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Toolbar\GoogleToolbar.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AtiPTA] Atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] "C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SpeedTouch USB Diagnostics] "C:\Program Files\Thomson\SpeedTouch USB\Dragdiag.exe" /icon
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [YSearchProtection] "C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [YSearchProtection] C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Search Protection] C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [swg] C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Default user')
O4 - Global Startup: AutoUpdate Monitor.lnk = C:\Program Files\Sophos\AutoUpdate\ALMon.exe
O4 - Global Startup: HP Digital Imaging Monitor.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: LUMIX Simple Viewer.lnk = ?
O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to Windows &Live Favorites - http://favorites.live.com/quickadd.aspx
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://www.adobe.com
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (Installation Support) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\Yinsthelper.dll
O16 - DPF: {406B5949-7190-4245-91A9-30A17DE16AD0} (Snapfish Activia) - http://www3.snapfish.co.uk/SnapfishUKActivia.cab
O16 - DPF: {A3D93B25-4601-49D2-B3AF-F447C73D561F} (Sony SNC-RZ25 Control) - http://81.136.175.162/program/SonySncRz25View.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{17441914-DF6B-4466-B672-87FAA167A58D}: NameServer = 192.168.100.253
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{B1DD023C-2ED0-4FA1-89A9-EC187F80295B}: NameServer = 62.24.139.140 62.24.139.139
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\{17441914-DF6B-4466-B672-87FAA167A58D}: NameServer = 192.168.100.253
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: C:\PROGRA~1\Sophos\SOPHOS~1\SOPHOS~1.DLL
O23 - Service: Diskeeper - Executive Software International, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Executive Software\Diskeeper\DkService.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: Sophos Anti-Virus status reporter (SAVAdminService) - Sophos Plc - C:\Program Files\Sophos\Sophos Anti-Virus\SAVAdminService.exe
O23 - Service: Sophos Anti-Virus (SAVService) - Sophos Plc - C:\Program Files\Sophos\Sophos Anti-Virus\SavService.exe
O23 - Service: Sophos AutoUpdate Service - Sophos Plc - C:\Program Files\Sophos\AutoUpdate\ALsvc.exe
--
End of file - 6342 bytes

Jemma-T

You're only on XPSP2 -go get SP3 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=5B33B5A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en Download that like any other file and double click on it to install (as with anything you download right click and scan it with your security (Sophos on this occasion).


Must get rid of this:
C:\Program Files\Executive Software\Diskeeper\DkService.exe

Who put that on your machine? It can hobble the best of machines. Once you stop it running with HiJack go to Add/Remove Programs and remove it manually.



Windows Defender
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe

I quite like Sophos but it is resource hungry and I'd not have it on a machine more than 2-3 years old. If you decide to keep Windows Defender (above) I'd recommend a lighter (resource not quality) anti-virus and firewall like BitDefender (http://www.filehippo.com/download_bitdefender/) and ZoneAlarm (http://www.filehippo.com/download_zonealarm_free/ -make sure you install the free edition if asked) These are both free and excellent applications. Whichever you install UNPLUG from the Internet when removing security applications -so download the software first. Never run 2 anti-virus programs either.



Read these and unless you recognise as something you NEED all the time (ie they are running 24/7 or waiting to run some rubbish), get rid of them:

C:\Program Files\Executive Software\Diskeeper\DkService.exe
C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNo tifier.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
C:\Program Files\Panasonic\LUMIXSimpleViewer\PhLeAutoRun.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqSTE08.exe
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.yahoo.com
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/customize/ie/...arch.yahoo.com
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Toolbar\GoogleToolbar.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Notifier BHO - {AF69DE43-7D58-4638-B6FA-CE66B5AD205D} - C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\5.1.1309.3572\s wg.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Dictionary Compression sdch - {C84D72FE-E17D-4195-BB24-76C02E2E7C4E} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Toolbar\Component\fastsearch_219B3E1547538286.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google Toolbar - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Toolbar\GoogleToolbar.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [YSearchProtection] "C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [YSearchProtection] C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Search Protection] C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [swg] C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNo tifier.exe
O4 - Global Startup: HP Digital Imaging Monitor.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: LUMIX Simple Viewer.lnk = ?
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://www.adobe.com
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (Installation Support) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\Yinsthelper.dll
O16 - DPF: {406B5949-7190-4245-91A9-30A17DE16AD0} (Snapfish Activia) - http://www3.snapfish.co.uk/SnapfishUKActivia.cab
O16 - DPF: {A3D93B25-4601-49D2-B3AF-F447C73D561F} (Sony SNC-RZ25 Control) - http://81.136.175.162/program/SonySncRz25View.cab
O23 - Service: Diskeeper - Executive Software International, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Executive Software\Diskeeper\DkService.exe

You need NONE of that. If it has Google, Yahoo or any other toolbar crap kill it unless you absolutely love a feature of one of them. Having loads of toolbars is not a good idea. I see you've installed some Sony camera crap too. Kill it.



Word/Office:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Default user')

Using a tad of your resource. Leave them or kill it http://www.gerhard-schlager.at/en/projects/ctfmonremover/ That's a VERY simple application designed for the most basic of computer users.


Nothing above too technical for anyone -honest. Just print it off and study it and run HioJackThis and tick the box next to the item and kill it. If unsure post your questions.

Also, give your machine a darn good clean out with the free and excellent: CCleaner http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/ (UNTICK the 'free' toolbar -you have enough already). I run CCleaner everytime I unistall something after a restart. Highly recommended for that fresh PC smell

And you might want to consider trying a new browser like www.firefox.com or Internet Explorer 8 http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/internet-explorer/worldwide-sites.aspx

If unsure about something leave it.

Frith

OK, I've removed Diskeeper and Windows Defender via the Control Panel.

Have checked and wiped the numbered list above using Hijack.

What I can't do on Hijack is find the things that don't have a number i.e
C:\Program Files\Executive Software\Diskeeper\DkService.exe
C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Search Protection\SearchProtection.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNo tifier.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
C:\Program Files\Panasonic\LUMIXSimpleViewer\PhLeAutoRun.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqSTE08.exe
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.yahoo.com
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/customize/ie/...arch.yahoo.com


But its going OK so far!

Thanks.
Liz

Frith

Oh, just remembered - there is an annoying icon that looks like a yellow shield which pops up and tells me about updates available.

I'd quite like to get rid of it!

Have downloaded this and presume it is working (?)
(http://www.filehippo.com/download_bitdefender/)

Have downloaded and run the CCleaner and it said it freed up an extra 140MB.

Just doing the SP3 thing now.

spaceman5

ACEY wrote: »

Oh, just remembered - there is an annoying icon that looks like a yellow shield which pops up and tells me about updates available.

I'd quite like to get rid of it!

Have downloaded this and presume it is working (?)
(http://www.filehippo.com/download_bitdefender/)

Have downloaded and run the CCleaner and it said it freed up an extra 140MB.

Just doing the SP3 thing now.

the yellow triangle icon is telling you that there are updates to be installed, to get rid of it, just click on it, and accept the updates.

Frith

Well, its all working OK. I've downloaded IE8 as well but it still has quite a few toolbars.

The internet is working much faster except Facebook!

Thanks for all help offered. :beer:

Liz

Jemma-T

Glad it's faster

It's best to get most Microsoft updates from Windows Updates and once you get SP3 in go there http://update.microsoft.com/ They'll install some new software which allows for quicker updating which can also be done fairly silently in the background if you prefer.

IE8 (I'm no fan of 6 or 7) is actually very good and I'm shocked to say it. Not as good as Firefox but it works well.

SP3 is best gotten from http://update.microsoft.com/ too but it's such a large file downloading direct and then visiting for updates (to the updates) might be best.

Feel free to post another HiJackThis file if you want me to take a look. If you have more than one toolbar you can disable them from the Tools option on the Internet browser or right click near the bar and untick it.

Facebook

I don't use it but I imagine it has lots of scripts running so go get the latest browser addons from www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/ and http://get.adobe.com/shockwave/ and www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp (direct link here) Those first 2 should install with you doing very little (you may need to allow the page) and that 3rd one (direct link version) is to be saved to your Desktop, scan it (right click with your security) and then double click to install. You can delete the file after you install. These files are pretty important if you want your browsing to work correctly on popular sites and look good. They tend to allow lots of adverts though too so that's why I block all adverts with Firefox https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865 Adverts have privacy, security and vision issues. And I just don't like them.

Computers are pretty useless without the Internet so it's good to have 2 browsers installed for testing and generally for checking things out. So have a look at www.opera.com and www.firefox.com

When running CCleaner make sure you also click on the blue Registry button for a good clean too -but I'd recommend you do that after a restart if you've just uninstalled something.

CCleaner is a great item and I run it at least once a day www.ccleaner.com Don't forget to untick the Yahoo toolbar though (unless you want it of course).

[incidentally anything I comment/link on is to do with XP in the main but can be applied to Vista usually too -but check for yourself]