2nd hand pc, what programs to keep and what not?

TheFaqqer

Your best bet is to do as Superscaper says - get a copy of the registration key (there should be a licence sticker with the key on it stuck to the case), and then reinstall the operating system.

There's too much chance of there being spyware, viruses, malware etc. (possibly a keylogger that records everything that you type!!) being left there for my liking. My father-in-law gave me a laptop that he'd been given by someone, so that I could clean it up - there was all sorts of nasty things lurking on the hard drive!!

Faqqer

Lady_K

He said he had it made up, its not a branded one it just has a logo on the front saying, Tt ThermalTake. Its got 2 discs dvd r/rw and dvd rom I don't know if they would work if I re-did it and I wouldnt have the software that goes with it like power dvd etc. Don't know where to start

Lady_K

TheFaqqer wrote:

Your best bet is to do as Superscaper says - get a copy of the registration key (there should be a licence sticker with the key on it stuck to the case), and then reinstall the operating system.

There's too much chance of there being spyware, viruses, malware etc. (possibly a keylogger that records everything that you type!!) being left there for my liking. My father-in-law gave me a laptop that he'd been given by someone, so that I could clean it up - there was all sorts of nasty things lurking on the hard drive!!

Faqqer

wont they show up on the adaware and spybot test etc?

Lady_K

When I run it through adaware t says 26 running processes and 1381 process modules is that too much?

blisteringblue

You not thought about wiping it and putting Linux on it and then not have to worry about spyware, viruses, firewalls etc?

I've always been a windows man (it's my job anyway) but I found an old laptop (PIII 500Mhz) in my storeroom at work and just thought I would have a play for something new to learn.

I've been completely blown away by how far linux has evolved in 10 years, and as open source it is all completely FREE !! OS, Office Products and the software, 100% Free.

I've now got a laptop working wirelessly for the kids to play cbeebies on and it cost me £4 for an old wireless card.

All the new distro's are aimed at converting windows users and they just auto install.

I started off with Ubuntu (well Xubuntu as it's a little lighter) but now been converted to PCLinuxOS (it even looks like windows).

Download the LIVE CD version of them and burn to a CD. You can try them on your PC without actually loading anything. (its a great way to test them.)

Lady_K

That will prob be a bit too much for me right now maybe at sometime but I just want to make sure everythings ok first

Lady_K

Is it ok to use the info on this page for windows xp to change the name its registered to?

http://www.real-knowledge.com/naming.htm

And if its a illegal copy would it still be able to update on windows update? because its updating

Chippy_Minton

Lady_K wrote:

Is it ok to use the info on this page for windows xp to change the name its registered to?

http://www.real-knowledge.com/naming.htm

Yes, you can follow the steps there, alternatively use this script, which does it for you with no chance of making mistakes.

Lady_K

That was simple enough Chippy it changed without even having to reboot thanx

ormus

get shut of everything in the first 2 groups.
waste of space.
just keep your own useful stuff.