WinXP Geek needed

[Max]

My computer is 3+ years old. I've installed and deleted a lot of apps, downloads and junk over the years. Bringing up Task mgr shows 40 processes running despite my attempts to turn off un-needed start-ip apps and Services.

Logging into AH always results a view from the tower displaying warping everywhere. My netstat variance window looks like an EKG. Skuzzy mentioned the cause probably being too many background processes taxing the CPU. I've also heard him saying that over time, problems pile up with registry issues, old drivers, etc.

My leaning is to back up my data and do a clean install of WINXP Home.

Before running the risk of losing stuff I may need later, backing up the stuff I know I want and then reformatting the HD via the clean install...is there anything else I may want to consider?

[Kev367th]

Get all the latest drivers FIRST and put them along with your backed up data (or on a CD), makes things much easier on the re-install.

If you have bookmarked websites in IE you want to keep, backup the "My Favorites" folder.

[Schutt]

Thorough virus check maybe.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I have firefox, personal firewall and anti-virus running with total of 24 processes. Getting there was simple enough.. open msconfig, go to startup options and uncheck all unnecessary processes. If you don' t know what some process is, do a google search and if it's not a system process or antivirus related, get rid of it.

[Max]

Originally posted by Schutt
Thorough virus check maybe.

Did that via Spy Sweeper, AdAware, Spybot an CCleaner

[Max]

Originally posted by MrRiplEy[H]
I have firefox, personal firewall and anti-virus running with total of 24 processes. Getting there was simple enough.. open msconfig, go to startup options and uncheck all unnecessary processes. If you don' t know what some process is, do a google search and if it's not a system process or antivirus related, get rid of it.

Done that too. I have the following start-up boxes checked:
atiptaxx - related to ATI vid card
jusched - java related - recommended to leave running
soundman - required by realtek sound card
zlclient - zone alarm
spysweeperui - i always turn off spysweeper before booting AH
mmkeybd - assume i need this for wireless keyboard
winpatrol -
ctfmon - recommended to keep running

I still have 41 processes running in taskmgr.

Anyone want to look them over via a screenshot?

[Irwink!]

Sending a screen shot of your running processes might be good idea. I can kill all but about 17 or 18 without trouble. The Jusched for Java is one of 'em. You don't need it for AH.

[TwinBoom]

Dead-Eye
 also clean ur browser out
tools/internet options/temp internet/delete files and cookies

[Krusty]

Also, turn off ZA before running AH. It WILL slow you down, as it scans and checks each packet on its way in to see if it's harmful (but when you need those packets in a timely manner, this doesn't help you any!)

[bsdaddict]

Here's my suggestion:

1) buy a new hard drive
2) take out old drive, put in new drive and do a fresh install onto new drive
3) update system and all drivers, install standard programs, AH, etc.
4) hook your old drive up as a secondary drive
5) pull whatever data you need off of that drive and onto the new drive
6) format the old drive and use it as a storage drive.  
6) first thing to go on storage drive is an image you make of your nice, new, updated, working system, using a drive imaging utility such as ghost or acronis true-image.

down the road, restoring that image is MUCH more convenient than reinstalling.

[Krusty]

Addition to the "new hard drive" tip:

Get a SATA HD. 1.5 or 3.0 (depending on what your mobo supports -- if either).

My newer SATA 1.5 HD is multiple times faster than my 5-6 year old IDE drive. The drive itself accesses, reads, and writes SOOOO much faster that when I installed winXP on it the first time, it did it in 5 minutes flat. No lie. It took 30+ minutes on my IDE drive.

What does this mean?

Less load time for games (including FPS games with map loads), less time delay for memory swapping, faster on-the-fly reading and writing for whatever else you need. In general my system is about 50% faster with the newer drive (rough estimate). Thats in winXP and in games in general.

So depending on how old your HD is, a new one could really help you out.

[Max]

Thanks for the HD swap advice but I use a laptop. I did find some improvement by turning off Zone Alarm, in addition to disabling SpySweeper. I get the "eeeby-jeebys" going online bare naked but Skuzzy says the connect to AH is secure.

[Ghosth]

Max I'd strongly recomend backing up everything, including new drivers for all hardware. Do a full format, and clean install.

The other thing you can do (with caution!)
Is start, run, msconfig  to select WHAT you are willing to have start when your computer starts. But be cautious, you can make a computer unbootable if your not careful.

email me & I'll shoot you my phone # can help walk you through it.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

If you have a direct connection to internet (no nat) it's practical suicide to get online without a personal firewall. Most networks have several worm ridden machines which will scan your computer relentlessly and enter every possible hole left open.

I was a bit vague about the msconfig, you do need to disable several unnecessary services also to get down to 24 processes.