Laptop Advice and What To Download

closed

Old thread blade, but your Dell 6400 can't be that old, and won't be slow if you backup your data and reinstall windows using the recovery partition, a couple of key presses, and 15 minutes work, and it will be running like new.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&docid=181316

This will wipe all your data, so make sure the backup worked before attempting it.

Alternatively post a hijackthis log, and details of installed ram and commit charge which can be found in task manager.

Knarf44

The Tosh is £100 off at Currys until 13 Sept.

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fenlander_uk

Pay a visit to ninite.com. You can pick from all the best available freeware and one click of the button downloads and installs the latest versions of everything you choose.

Aiadi

closed wrote: »

Old thread blade, but your Dell 6400 can't be that old, and won't be slow if you backup your data and reinstall windows using the recovery partition, a couple of key presses, and 15 minutes work, and it will be running like new.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&docid=181316

This will wipe all your data, so make sure the backup worked before attempting it.

Alternatively post a hijackthis log, and details of installed ram and commit charge which can be found in task manager.

Excellent advice. I installed Windows 7 from scratch on my beloved Inspiron-6400 and it was running brilliantly and smoothly until I dropped it and cracked the screen . For the purpose of your use it is definitely more than adequate.

S_H_B

Bladebaby wrote: »

Good Afternoon everyone,
My current laptop is very slow and quite old now (Dell Inspiron 6400). I currently have £430 vouchers for currys that I'd like to use to buy a laptop to see my daughter through university.

She really likes the Dell Inspiron 1545 Red laptop and I just thought I'd get a bit of advice on whether this laptop will be good enough to see her through uni?

Also what free software do I absolutely need to download onto it to keep it protected and running smoothly?

Thanks in advance :A

A 6400 is still a decent enough laptop to give you a few years of useful life. I'd recommend cleaning up the existing operating system or, assuming your daughter will just be using the laptop for browsing, listening to music and coursework then you could easily get a free Linux distro plus free OpenOffice.

I put Lubuntu 10.04 (would post a link but not allowed - just google!) on my woefully underpowered netbook plus a 10 year old Dell desktop and it works like a dream for browsing, watching films etc. Even boots up in under 10 seconds.

Bladebaby_2

closed wrote: »

Old thread blade, but your Dell 6400 can't be that old, and won't be slow if you backup your data and reinstall windows using the recovery partition, a couple of key presses, and 15 minutes work, and it will be running like new.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&docid=181316

This will wipe all your data, so make sure the backup worked before attempting it.

Alternatively post a hijackthis log, and details of installed ram and commit charge which can be found in task manager.

Hi, Only just rechecked this thread
Have started doing this but as I'm running vista I'm using this one instead:
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?docid=336966

Quick Question if anyone could help i'd be hugely grateful

Step 3 is:
"3 Press the <Down Arrow> on the keyboard to select Repair Your Computer on the Advanced Boot Options menu, and then press <Enter>."

But I don't have this option I have

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Enable Boot Logging
Enable low resolution video
Last Known Good Configuration
Directory Service restore mode
Debugging Mode
Disable automatic restart on system failure
Disable Drive signature enforcement
Start Windows Normally

Which one should I be picking to carry on with the instructions?

closed

Did it come with Vista originally, ever been wiped? do you have a vista disc?

post a hijackthis log

Bladebaby_2

Hi,
No it originally came with XP but was having major problems, took it to a computer shop and he wiped it and installed vista but didn't give me a disk. Even if he had that wouldn't be an option as my it doesn't read any disks what so ever any more

Will go do a hijack this log now

closed

if it came with xp, it isn't going to have a vista factory restore partition - if the shop owner didn't delete the restore partition, you should be able to use the xp instructions to put xp back on. This will delete all your data!

The shop owner should have given you a disc and serial number for vista, assuming you paid for it, and the copy is legit.

Bladebaby_2

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 14:04:35, on 24/10/2010
Platform: Windows Vista SP2 (WinNT 6.00.1906)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18943)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastUI.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
C:\Program Files\LimeWire\LimeWire.exe
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program\soffice.exe
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program\soffice.bin
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\plugin-container.exe
C:\Users\Alice.Alice-PC\Downloads\HijackThis.exe
C:\Windows\system32\wuauclt.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.co.uk/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe -hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast5] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast5\avastUI.exe /nogui
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [msnmsgr] "C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\RunOnce: [FlashPlayerUpdate] C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\FlashUtil10h_Plugin.exe -update plugin
O4 - Startup: LimeWire On Startup.lnk = C:\Program Files\LimeWire\LimeWire.exe
O4 - Startup: OpenOffice.org 3.1.lnk = C:\Program Files\OpenOffice.org 3\program\quickstart.exe
O16 - DPF: {0972B098-DEE9-4279-AC7E-4BAAA029102D} (PhotoboxPhotowaysUploader5 Control) - http://assets.photobox.com/assets/aurigma/ImageUploader5.cab?20090721092544
O16 - DPF: {0CCA191D-13A6-4E29-B746-314DEE697D83} (Facebook Photo Uploader 5 Control) - http://upload.facebook.com/controls/2008.10.10_v5.5.8/FacebookPhotoUploader5.cab
O16 - DPF: {138E6DC9-722B-4F4B-B09D-95D191869696} (Bebo Uploader Control) - http://www.bebo.com/files/BeboUploader.5.1.4.cab
O16 - DPF: {21BB8360-F943-447E-98F3-3C22345375A7} (CPlayFirstChocolatieControl Object) - http://zone.msn.com/bingame/choc/default/ChocolatierWeb.1.0.0.17.cab
O16 - DPF: {8100D56A-5661-482C-BEE8-AFECE305D968} (Facebook Photo Uploader 5 Control) - http://upload.facebook.com/controls/2009.07.28_v5.5.8.1/FacebookPhotoUploader55.cab
O16 - DPF: {C1FDEE68-98D5-4F42-A4DD-D0BECF5077EB} (EPUImageControl Class) - http://tools.ebayimg.com/eps/wl/activex/eBay_Enhanced_Picture_Control_v1-0-29-0.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7} - http://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - {8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030} - C:\Windows\system32\browseui.dll
O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - AVAST Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - AVAST Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - AVAST Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: CopySafe Helper Service (CSHelper) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\CSHelper.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1150\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe

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