Do computers have feelings?

IoweIoweitsofftoworkIgo

Hi, just wondered if anyone could help?

Since purchasing new laptop recently, I hardly ever use my old desktop PC (unless someone else in the family is using the laptop)

Sometimes, the old PC isn't even switched on for a day or two, whereas before, it was being used almost constantly.

My problem is that when I now try to use the old PC, it is becoming more & more unstable. I can very rarely access my e-mails, It keeps freezing on me, so much so that I have to re-boot a couple of times before getting on-line, and all the icons that used to appear at the bottom of the desktop keep disappearing, including the start menu.

Is my PC just pixxed off or, have I upset it big time by installing a router?

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

Aiadi

Spooky as my PC is behaving in the same way since I moved house. I have been using it very occasionally as it is now far from the router that it was wired to previously and have been using my laptop most of the time. One other thing I have noticed is that my laptop is becoming more stable now. They may like to get abused these things!!!

fox2319

Couple of possibilities:

1 - If it's old, it could be that some of the mechanical parts (fans etc.) are getting clogged up and could do with a good vacuum.
2 - Your anti-virus and firewall may not be updated and it might have been left open to more recent malware. You could always try an antivirus scan or adaware scan to see if it picks up on anything.
3 - Run msconfig and disable all the unnecessary looking stuff. If it reboots and is stable then you can always add in the old stuff a little at a time and see where the instability starts
4 - You've got a HAL9000 computer and you're in trouble, big trouble...

Cheers

Jeff

IoweIoweitsofftoworkIgo

Thank Fox,

Yes, the old PC is 7 years old & when I installed the router I did give the back of the PC a quick go with the hoover as it was very dusty.

I have ran AVG virus checker & BOT spyware & have Spygate firewall running but neither have picked up anything.

How do I run MSCONFIG?

Thank you

Zahc

1 - If it's old, it could be that some of the mechanical parts (fans etc.) are getting clogged up and could do with a good vacuum.

For pete's sake, don't vacuum it. Compressed air in a can and blast it away. Vacuuming would definetely hurt your PC's feelings, not to mention it's innards:rotfl:

Goldielocks

fox2319 wrote:

4 - You've got a HAL9000 computer and you're in trouble, big trouble...

It's when you hear it saying "I know you were planning to disconnect me" ............. then really panic arggggghhhhhh! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Horasio

Yes it knows how to play up when you are feeling tired:mad:

fox2319

Zahc wrote:

For pete's sake, don't vacuum it. Compressed air in a can and blast it away. Vacuuming would definetely hurt your PC's feelings, not to mention it's innards:rotfl:

Vacuuming is fine so long as you're careful - i.e. Don't use an upright and hold the nozzle above the board so that you only disturb the air and not the components. BTW - Shake&Vac = bad!

fox2319

IoweIoweitsofftoworkIgo wrote:

Thank Fox,

Yes, the old PC is 7 years old & when I installed the router I did give the back of the PC a quick go with the hoover as it was very dusty.

I have ran AVG virus checker & BOT spyware & have Spygate firewall running but neither have picked up anything.

How do I run MSCONFIG?

Thank you

Is it WinXP? Might also work on older windoze but just hold down the windows key and then press R. Type in MSCONFIG then slect the Boot tab. Then you have the fun of deciding which utils you want to let run. That will largely depend on what you normally do with your PC.

Cheers

Jeff