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 By Argile Stox Dec. 8, 2005 It has been about two and a half years since I purchased my Compaq Presario S402WM from Wal-Mart. The relationship I have had with the computer has been a learning process. Besides upgrading to a NVIDIA GeForce4 MX400 video card, maxing out the memory to 1 GB, and installing Perfect Disk 7.0 defrag program, the computer was crashing. Even with the help of CCleaner version 1.26.218 which completely cleans the Recycle Bin, cache, unwanted cookies, and resolves program issues – the computer was still playing dead every couple of months. The first thing to go was the basic mouse; I replaced it with the ergonomic blue Microsoft Optical Mouse – which connects nicely into a USB port. Navigating Web pages has become easier since there is no ball to get clogged and malfunction. About three weeks ago – for no apparent reason, XP decided to dump a very important piece of code which allowed the user to get Windows Update. I used a few System Restore points, Check-Disk, and Safe-Mode to correct the problem – no luck. Every time I booted the computer an error message would appear telling me that a vital program was missing. I had the original disks that Compaq had sent; however, if I used them – I would bring the computer back to the day it was born. I had back-up disks – if I used them, many of the programs I had purchased and installed on the computer, were not on those disks. I kept forgetting to create a new set of backup disks. The only solution I could think of was purchasing a new XP CD. One hundred and eight dollars later, I placed the XP CD in the tray and ran Check-Disk. That resolved the problem, and all was well. A few days later when I tried to boot the computer, the system would crash when the Welcome Screen would appear. I ran Check-Disk once again, no luck. There I was, back at square one, again. In desperation I called the Geek Squad at my local Best Buy in Rapid City, and explained the problem. One of the techs told me that I could do a “Soft Install” of XP without formatting the hard drive and losing everything. Nervously, I placed the XP disk back into the tray and clicked through a few screens. I engaged the “Soft Install” of XP and hoped for the best. About twenty minutes later, the program asked for the authentication numbers – and I tried to enter them. However, since Norton Security (Anti-Virus and Firewall) was installed – the computer would not accept the numbers. The program told me that there was another option: “Authenticate the XP program by telephone.” It was eleven-thirty on a Sunday evening. I dialed the Microsoft telephone number that was shown on the screen – fully expecting that my efforts would have to wait until business hours on Monday. I was surprised that a computer generated program greeted me and walked me through the process. There were a few sweaty-palms moments when the computer did not understand my thick New York accent. That was resolved when the computer voice instructed me to press #1 for Yes, #2 for No. It took about fifteen minutes to get a new set of numbers and enter them into the computer. Alas, everything went very smoothly and XP was re-installed and all of my programs, documents, pictures were intact. After defragging the hard drive, I decided to investigate a few “Trial Programs” to see if there was a way to preserve the XP program and the Registry that was always becoming fragmented. I purchased TuneUp Utilities 2005 after finding that my computer had about two hundred and seventy-five “problems” which needed to be corrected. After running that program about three times and defragging the hard drive, I thought my computer would now be in good working order. However, something in my mind kept nagging at me – “What about the Spyware problems that you have been reading about?” I relented and purchased WebRoot Spy Sweeper and Window Washer. I could not believe how many Spyware programs had infiltrated my computer (twenty-five!). I ran each program three times and exterminated the pests. In addition, I defragged my hard drive twice. The next day, while waiting to be seen by my Veterans Administration Doctor – I started reading an article in PC Magazine about how frequently XP’s Registry gets fragmented and fouled up. When I arrived home, I tried PC Rescue 3.0 and RegistryFix trial programs. PC Magazine had warned me in advance that not every program solves every problem in XP. So, I purchased each set of programs. What one program did not fix, the others did. Now I have TuneUp Utilities 2005, PC Rescue 3.0, and Perfect Disk 7.0 defragging program, all programmed to solve whatever problems I may have accumulated on my computer during the day, to run at night. I manually run WebRoot Spy Sweeper, Window Washer, and RegistryFix every week. In addition, I downloaded SpywareBlaster (a free program) to inoculate my computer against any Spyware that may have taken up residence in my computer – which Spy Sweeper may have missed. I update all programs at least once every two weeks to keep my computer safe from any future plagues that may come along. One last thing – There is a neat diagnostic tool on the Web called “PC PitStop”. It runs all kinds of tests and informs the user of any problems on the computer that may need attention. I was using “Clear-Type” to enhance the readability of Web pages; however, PC PitStop informed me that my video card was operating at twenty-three percent. Well, you can guess how quickly I shut down the Clear-Type program. After all was said and done, my computer received a score of “1,285” which was much better than the low scores of 1, 050 and 1,075. If you use a free firewall or any firewall (especially the Windows Firewall) that is a bit quirky, PC PitStop may crash during the tests – due to the fact that the firewall thinks that there is a threat. I found that out the hard way – when I was using the Windows Firewall. I suggest that the user shut down the firewall when using PC PitStop. Norton Security appears to like PC PitStop, and I am able to run the diagnostics. Your results may vary. As of this writing, my computer is operating nominally and everything is running smoothly. Yes, the new preventative maintenance programs that were downloaded from the Web, were costly (I made sure to get backup disks of all the programs I purchased that offered them, for an additional charge); however, my computer appears to be running at peak performance. The Web pages (I am using a cable-broadband connection) load faster, and the CPU load had diminished to a point that the cooling fan does not kick in as often. In addition, I purchased and installed a few of the programs mentioned in this article on a friend’s computer (that has a dial-up connection), and that computer is now running faster, cooler then it had been running in the past three years. Although I am grateful for the technological revolution that has brought forth ultra-fast computers, I wish that all the programs I had purchased – had been installed on my computer when I purchased it. The consumer quickly becomes educated in the threats that are on the Web that can potentially destroy the costly investment of the computer. I do not place much faith in ISP’s that have all the “bells & whistles” when logging on. Purchasing the programs independently of the ISP and installing them on the computer, gives me a solid sense of being in control – and the ability to simply modify or install a newer program that would protect the computer. If you purchase the programs – you own them. Therefore, you will always be protected no matter what ISP the individual may use. I hope this article has assisted you, the reader. Maybe you were considering buying a new computer because the two or three year old machine is slowing down and or not operating correctly. I was about to take the leap and buy a new one. However, after purchasing the programs and cleaning out my computer – it is working very well now (knock on wood!). Good luck! May the Computer God’s guide you to cure what is making your computer act sluggish. ------------ Email Argile Stox: argilestox@gmail.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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