PC help needed

[disneysteve]

Any PC gurus here?

My mom has a PC laptop. She knows how to do all the basic stuff - e-mail, facebook, web browsing, etc. The problem is that she just doesn't understand what NOT to do - downloading games, clicking on ads, avoiding questionable websites. As a result, she frequently gets cookies and adware and who knows what else. I have her run the virus, spyware, and adware scans regularly and they always catch lots of stuff but it just isn't enough and her system has gotten slower and slower and slower. I'd like to just wipe it clean and start over but I don't know how to go about that. Can anyone either walk me through it or point me to a good website that details the process?

Thanks.

[Wino]

Not sure about "guru," but I do this to mine fairly regularly. If you are sure you want to install, then:

First off, make sure you have all the installation disks for the programs she uses the most. Losing a seldom-used program is not too critical.

Find the Windows installation disk. They come with new computers, but sometimes you have to go to the manufacturer's site to get them mailed to you.

Now, make sure you have the serial numbers or whatever they call them that lets you activate the above.

Put the Windows disk in the machine and boot from it. Select the "install" option, and not the "repair" option. (It might be "restore," but I haven't done this is a few months.)

*****

Have you tried running a registry cleaner? Often, it is the registry that's slowing down the PC, even with all the software removed.

Also, from the "start | run" box, type in "msconfig"

Select the "selective startup" box, then go in to services and startup tabs and kill any obviously wasteful services or programs. You can probably get by without a system restore if there are a lot of stupid services running. Web search is your friend in deciding which services you can do without.

[QuarterMillionMan]

One sure fire way to increase processing speeds it to upgrade the RAM memory (if upgradeable). The easiest way to determine if more RAM can be installed is to visit a website that has a memory scanning tool (ie, Kingston, Crucial, etc) and it will tell you how much RAM is currently installed on your computer/laptop and it will also tell you the maximum allowable for your specific computer/laptop. For instance, if you currently have 2GB installed and your device is compatible for up to 4 GB of RAM, you could add an additional 2 GB of RAM to increase your processing speeds. Oh and if you've never installed RAM memory sticks and feel uncertain about whether or not you can do it, I'd recommend watching youtube videos on how to do it. It is very easy to install RAM, just a matter of pulling out the old RAM and sliding in the new RAM, very simple.

[maryadavies]

First off, since I can't post links; (Do NOT laugh about this!) google Blue Gatr. They have a very nice thread in the tech section about removing viruses and spyware. Follow the instructions in that thread, but make sure you keep the windows disks/driver disks nearby in case, since any serious virus removal can mess up the pc, causing a reformat. (MMO players like me tend to be really knowledgeable about viruses/spyware b/c there's some spyware that can ruin our fun and steal our characters/ingame money. So we tend to want to prevent it. And we know how to get rid of it. Even if I quit the game I'm playing tomorrow, I'd proly keep the security stuff I got on the pc; if they can steal my FFXI chara, they could steal my bank account...bleeeh.)

ONCE it's clean, here's what I'd do:

1. Install either Google Chrome or Firefox on the PC. For Firefox, google Noscript and Adblocker Plus. Also google and install both Fanboy's List and EasyList/Easy Privacy filters. For Google Chrome, install Adblocker Plus for Chrome and ScriptNo; same filters as with Firefox. (Those plugins, especially noscript and scriptno are going to annoy her some, but it will prevent her from getting crap from browsing if she doesn't allow everything under the sun.)

2. Make sure there's a decent virus scanner on there. AVG is crap so if she has that, get rid of it! Go with Microsoft Security Essentials if you want free, ESET Online Security or Kapersky if you want paid.

3. Hide/delete all the IE icons. IE tends to be full of security holes; if she can't find it she'll prolly use the browser you installed. Not to mention IE, sad to say is crap when it comes to security. I know you can't completely get rid of IE, but you can get rid of the icons.

4. Make sure that Hijack This and MalwareBytes is installed (both free) and since you say she likes to install crap, check Hijack This once a month for her. Also if you didn't reformat, uninstall anything that isn't needed. Also I'd suggest CCleaner (again, free) just so you can easily get rid of crap.

5. There's three programs that can be really bad vectors for crap; that is, Adobe Acrobat, Quicktime, and Real Player. If she has a ipod/iphone/ipad, leave quicktime stuff alone. But if she doesn't, replace acrobat with Foxit Reader (make sure you custom install to avoid a toolbar!) Quicktime with Quicktime Alternative, and Real Player with Real Alternative.

I think that covers it, and I wish you luck. Sounds like my dad's old pc that is so darn bad, we need to reformat it, but my mom won't let us.

[humandraydel]

Steve, I recommend re-installing also. Sometimes it's the only way to get a clean slate. Wino covered the basics pretty well, but the one thing he forgot to mention was: make sure you backup any old files you want (spreadsheets, pictures, etc) to either a flash drive or burn to a DVD.

I also agree with installing Firefox with NoScript.

If you need more help, you can post here, but it really is an easy task.

[moneybags]

I can't help you fix it, but I can relate. She sounds just like my Mom (age 83). She has the same problems frequently, for the same reasons. (She's out of state, so my sister helps her fix them.)

[sherylgray]

Do these things

1. Add a firewall to stop virus activity
2. Ask some expert, he will add a mechanism which can restrict downloading
3. Get the antivirus updated weekly
4. Don't allow local cache to save anything.
5. Let her know how to clear temporary files at the end of day.

[bUU]

If you're going to re-install, then I believe it is often worthwhile also switching to a superior hard drive - at this point, to a hybrid SSD at a minimum, or perhaps to a full SSD. This approach has two hidden benefits:

It means you don't have to necessarily back-up your data: There may be a way of mounting your old hard drive as a secondary (data-only) drive in your computer, if it is a desktop. There are also devices (which you may be able to borrow from a friend, as I did) that allow you to essentially "plug in" your old hard drive into a USB port, so you can do a direct copy of your data from the "original" source. You should always have a full backup of your data - yes - but that doesn't mean you necessarily should rely on restoring from your backup as your means of switching to a new hard drive or otherwise re-installing an operating system. I reserve my backup for when the data on my source hard drive is literally unrecoverable.

Switching to a new hard drive also means that you don't really have to worry as much about whether you backed all your data up (copied all your data over, in my "new hard drive" scenario), because you can keep your old hard drive up on the shelf for a year or two, in case there was something you needed that had slipped through.

[phantom]

I agree that backing up important documents and then reinstalling Windows as Wino describes is the way to go.

I've seen a couple of suggestions that you install NoScript for your mom. While I use NoScript for Firefox myself, I think it would just create more problems for your mom. NoScript will break a lot of web pages by default, and it takes an experienced user to figure out what to allow to make those pages work without allowing all the malicious stuff that NoScript is there to protect against.

I'd be a concerned with your mom using Facebook without really having a good grasp on security. If she just has an account for keeping tabs on family, that's probably fine. But, do you periodically check to make sure she isn't sharing too much personal information and that she hasn't given permission to a bunch of Facebook apps to see everything there is to see about her?

[rennigade]

Reinstall the OS, if its winxp theres some legwork getting the drives for the model of the machine. If its win7 almost all the legwork is taken out since it usually installs all the drives you need. Just do a google search, how to wipe machine with winxp or 7..plenty of tutorials.

I would then install all the necessary software that your mom needs. Does she save stuff to her machine? If not I would invest in a program called Deep Freeze. Basically when installed, it takes a snapshot of the machine in its current state. The user can uninstall software, delete icons, install spyware, etc...once they restart...it brings the machine back to its original snapshot state.

Universities use this in their computer labs so when someone restarts it brings the machine back to its original form.

There is a password that you set up so you can deactivate deep freeze, install new software or whatever, then re engage the software.

I used to get calls all the time from my grandparents...I installed this so now once their solitaire icon magically disappears from the desktop, I tell them to restart and its back to normal.

[ccole]

Hi Steve,

I normally schedule Disk Defrag with my pc, you can do that by following the below:

1. Open the Start Menu, and double click on to expand All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and click on Disk Defragmenter.
OR
2. Open the Start Menu, then type dfrgui into the search line and press Enter.
3. To Anaylze a Disk
A) Select a disk, and click on the Anaylze disk button.
4. To Defragment a Disk
A) Select a disk, and click on the Defragment disk button.
B) You will now see the disk being defragmented.
5. When finished, click on Close.

2. Free up disk space, use Disk Cleanup to:

Remove temporary Internet files.
Delete downloaded program files, such as Microsoft ActiveX controls and Java applets.
Empty the Recycle Bin.
Remove Windows temporary files, such as error reports.
Delete optional Windows components that you don't use.
Delete installed programs that you no longer use.
Remove unused restore points and shadow copies from System Restore.

[SnoopyCool]

I think I'd also set-up a user account on her computer that is somewhat restricting on what she is allowed to do and not to do. I have this for my kids so that they cannot download things and go to certain websites.

[Wino]

Wino covered the basics pretty well, but the one thing he forgot to mention was: make sure you backup any old files you want (spreadsheets, pictures, etc) to either a flash drive or burn to a DVD.

You're right. I have mine on an external HD, so I tend to overlook that part.

[violet80907]

I designed data storage devices for 26 years, and even where I worked (companies that built the hard drives in your computer, or the large data storage behind big internet companies and others), this was a problem. It is usually more of a problem with people like your mom, and my mom.

That said, the IT guys at the companies for which I worked figured that any given WINDOWS computer had about 2 years prior to needing a complete wipe/restore. Even they could not figure out how to remove whatever it was that caused the machines to slow down. But after a wipe/restore, performance was fixed.

I fixed this for my mom by having her get a Mac; I also use a Mac. After about 5 years, I've never had any such issue, and not known anyone who has. (Quite a bit of my friends/family also use Macs.) I don't want to turn this into a Mac/Microsoft debate, but my experience is that this problem does not exist on my Macs or the Macs for which I am familiar; others experience may vary.

Summary - Don't try to teach you mom about computers, get her a computer that won't give her problems.

[Tabs]

Hi Steve.

There are a few consumer approaches towards protection against internet-borne malware.

The first is application hardening such as installing no-script on Firefox. This approach is probably the most common, and least intrusive method of providing security, and since this is a savings site, is also free.

The downside is that it is also the least effective in terms of security coverage, though it is certainly a good starting point.

A better option is to use something that will make her fairly bulletproof to begin with, like a Live CD. Essentially, everything you need is put on a CD-R or DVD-R, and because it is a CD-R or DVD-R, no other data can write on it, including malware. If you're willing to try this route, I can personally recommend LPS Linux, which is a military-hardened, alternative operating system (minus some stuff for public consumption).

The downside to this method is that it is a DIY approach, and it means using an entirely different OS from the get go. Also, they tend to start up slow, but they're still free at least.

Another option to consider is to your router's firewall to white list only the sites that your mom uses. In short, you're implementing hardware level no-script. This method protects the entire home network, regardless of who is connected to it, and when. All home routers should be customized from factory default anyways.

The downside to this method is that it can be very cumbersome, especially if your mom keeps finding new puppies and kittens website that she wants to visit but can't. That's why commercial firewall vendors have employees who work full time, constantly updating their access lists. Also, not all routers have the built-in option to put up a decent router-based firewall, though I guess if you're really serious, you should have a dedicated device just for firewalling....

If your mom is planning to upgrade her laptop as well, there is a relatively unknown type of laptop out there called a Chromebook. They basically work like any other laptops except it basically goes straight to a Chrome browser, and the way it is designed, is inherently resilient against malware. It's also extremely easy to use, and requires nothing more on your part than turning it on and maybe creating a Google account to enjoy the security benefits. Good enough that an admin from the netsec industry I know only uses this when he travels.

The downside is, of course, having to pay for a new laptop, though I hear the latest model is as little as $250 brand new I think.

There are more options than this, but I think they start to get rather elaborate and expensive just for the sake of protecting your mom from malware. Everything I've listed here are still extremely effective, very easy to use (once properly installed), and except for the Chromebook, is basically free.

Security is generally viewed in layers, protecting as many layers of the network, hardware, OS, and software as possible. So, ideally, one should employ several or all of these security measures whenever possible. However, that isn't always practical depending on the amount of time, expertise, and funding available. Still, if you successfully implement even just one of these options, it will go a long way towards protecting your mom from internet malware.