How to fix a slow PC?

isabellenorman

My laptop is pretty new (about a year and quite high spec) when I first got it was fast as a whippet. Now its really slow. I've heard this might be because its riddled with viruses aquired from watching !!!!!!? I have Avast (free) antivirus and whenever I scan the computer it comes up clean.

Anyway, what can I do to get it back to how fast it was when it was new? Is there a way to "re-boot" (is that the right word?) the computer back to its original state (i.e. delete the all the rubbish/viruses etc that might be on it). The only thing I want to keep is my Microsoft Office suite. The rest I can get do without.

Thanks

Atasas

Good cleaning and defrag is overdue!
1- CCleaner
2- IOBIT System Optimiser
3- Good simple AV (ie COMODO IS), after uninstaling some nonsense
4- Defragler
enjoy the difference!


Edited:
as corrected by previous posters:
5-my slip- MBAM or IOBIT 360 is amust
and 6- Revo Uninstaller- to get rid of non existant/ever used c$ap!

fiddiwebb

I've heard this might be because its riddled with viruses aquired from watching !!!!!!?

Do you watch a lot then?

Kool_Kool

If you've never cleared cookies etc then it will be slow, I agree with ccleaner I use it often and its very good, also clear restore points older than the last one, they can take up a lot of space.

Pete*G_4

as per the advice above,

1. Delete all offline content ie cookies etc
2. delete old restore points
3. follow Atasas' points 1-4 in post #2.

also may be worth trying Malwarebytes if you download a lot of *interesting* items, as a fair chunk of malware is passed about in this way

fiddiwebb

If you think you have viruses then download Malwarebytes (the latest version)from filehippo.com, open Malwarebytes and UPDATE IT first then run a full scan and post the log file here and someone will help.

If you download CCleaner then make sure you DO NOT TICK the yahoo toolbar and run it with the default settings.

busenbust

Make sure Avast is indeed updating the virus definitions - at least once in every 24hrs

debitcardmayhem

A lot of people here will say that Avast is fine, I don't believe that dfrag will help much either, Malwarebytes is a good start, as is CCleaner, I would assume as its high spec then you probably have Vista. Having got to the point of finding out what is slowing down make sure you have got the latest updates, and if you use IE make sure its 8, but preferably change to firefox, with Noscript and Adblock. Its not enought to rely on the Antivirus to keep the bad boys away.

Reluctant_spender

Malwarebytes as suggested is very good but it is not an anti virus product - have a look at something like Eset Online - you will need to run it from Internet Explorer. It is free and will clean any virus found.

isabellenorman

thanks guys. i did ccleaner, eset online and malwarebytes (results below) and everything came up clean.

could the antivirus itself be slowing things down? it is the free avast one.

also, how can u tell what version of internet explorer u have? its the one with tabs so i assume its ie7 or 8 but not sure which one.

i've heard google's chrome is better so im thinking of switching to that. will it slow my computer down if i have both installed, even if i only (mainly) just use chrome?

thanks!

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.44
Database version: 3684
Windows 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1
Internet Explorer 8.0.6001.18882
03/02/2010 17:18:25
mbam-log-2010-02-03 (17-18-25).txt
Scan type: Full Scan (C:\|D:\|)
Objects scanned: 217779
Time elapsed: 41 minute(s), 45 second(s)
Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 0
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 0
Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)
Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)
Registry Keys Infected:
(No malicious items detected)
Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)
Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)
Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)
Files Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

aliEnRIK

Download HIJACK THIS (Make sure you click 'DOWNLOAD LATEST VERSION')
http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis/
Click MAIN MENU then DO A SYSTEM SCAN AND SAVE A LOGFILE(Takes seconds) then post the log so we can see whats running
(do NOT do anything else with Hijack but scan and post the FULL log)