Computer Nerds help me

So I have an older HP laptop that came with windows xp. I have the Norton subscription as well for security.

For the last few months my computer will not keep the correct time or date. every time I fire it up from standby mode which I always use instead of a full shutdown the time is off and the date is a few days slow.

Also I cannot use hibernate mode anymore and my system restore has not worked for about 6 months of trying it every now and then.

Internet Explorer crashes constantly but Mozilla works great since I downloaded the latest free version. I was an avid Lime Wire user for years and getting the 2010 boat jamz lineup in May has most likely caused these problems.

Any suggestions? I am thinking of taking it to a computer store to get the hard drive cleared out, I don't have an external hard drive to store all my stuff or the know how to do this on my own. I run the Norton scan, defrag, and all the tools that came with the computer and that hasn't helped.

Thanks,
Scott

Not fantastic using restore programs myself. Typically I will transfer the things I care about to another hard drive then I wipe my computer completely. That means reformatting the computer and then reload the whole system. Typically, when I do a wipe of a computer I tend to lose all my bookmarks and emails and things like that. That's why I say I am not that good with restore software. But, the system will be new again and it is pretty easy to do.

Lime Wire is the devil in my opinion. I would not use any of those old popular share programs.

At work they actually don't allow us to use Internet Explorer and we don't use standby mode. Sound like you got a virus. You most likely got it before you got your anti virus or your virus protection is not up to date. Have you tried running the virus protection scan? Are you using the comcast supplied Norton or do you have it on your own?

At a minimum I would get a USB hard drive and copy all your data you want to keep to the new drive. They are pretty cheap insurance to not lose all your data. It is a matter of time before you computer dies anyway.

oops Noticed you did run the scan.

Reformat and reload, takes much less time and frustration.

IMHO, dump Norton, it is worse than a virus. Norton won't protect you from anything and it usually can't even find a virus after it is on your system. It also slows your computer to a crawl. The free version of AVG is far superior to anything Norton.

I used to hate Norton. When Comcast switched to Norton, I went with it and it actually has been pretty good. It is running better than McAfee was.

Get a Mac, no need for Norton or McAfee or any Virus protection.

On topic, my Toshiba crashed back in the spring (my reason for getting the Mac), but I had a new hard drive installed. It ended up costing me less than 100.00. I went to a guy that works out of his house, but you can find a new drive on Ebay for ~ 60.00. But make sure you get all of your pertinent stuff off your computer ASAP. I made the mistake of not doing this, and I probably have lost about 3 years of photos, including wedding and engagement photos along with pics of my cat that passed away last summer.

Jeremy sorry about the cat.

I have the subscription Norton, not the comcast version, and I just reupped it,I have had it on this computer since day 1. I had to bypass the firewall to get limewire to work and pretty sure that's where the virus snuck in.

So I can get a usb thumb drive for all my music and pics. How do I then go about reformat and reloading (is that wiping?) Also I have some "free" Microsoft word, excel programs etc. a friend hooked me up with when I got the computer that didn't come with that stuff, will that still be on here or do I need to save those applications as well?

I am thinking I am not smart enough to do this, although I am smart enough to rebuild the top end on my dirtbike or reuild a carburetor, is it harder than that??

Thanks

http://www.labnol.org/software/rebui...-windows/6130/

Obviously not all steps are necessary, you can pick and choose as needed. I definitely recommend downloading the XP SP3 iso if your installation media doesn't already have SP3 integrated.

If you are going to stay with XP, the most important part of all (and he doesn't mention it) is to not run your computer with admin rights day to day. This is what screwed you, and why Vista/Win7 are 100x more secure out of the box than XP. Have an admin level account you only use to make system changes/install software, and have your standard/limited account to actually do your computing:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1838566,00.asp

This concept of least privilege is what makes OS X/Vista/Win7 far more secure, so it's very important to emulate it when working with XP.

Depending on your hardware specs, it may be worth upgrading to Windows 7 ($90, or $29 if you have access to a .edu email address http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/...e/windows.aspx)

You will lose your programs if you don't have the disks. I would recommend a USB portable hard drive. I guess you could use a Thumb drive but if you can fit your stuff on a thumb drive you must not have very much on the computer.

Reformat that computer and then leave lime wire alone. If you have comcast, get their Norton. They will give the whole thing to you for free.

Yes. reformatting is wiping. Your Windows XP disk should actually have some menu options when you stick it in the drive. It may even let you try and repair the install. If this does not work try googling first about reformatting but I am pretty sure the XP disk will do this for you.

Norton and McAfee are horrible. Get Kaspersky, Trend Micro or AVG and don't look back.

Microsoft Security Essentials (free).

^^^ Agreed. I have several Windows computers at home with 5 boys that like "surfing" the web. MSE has caught all sorts of stuff without an anything getting by it.

Originally Posted by wake77

Get a Mac, no need for Norton or McAfee or any Virus protection.

I hope you are joking, right? It doesn't matter what OS you have, if the hackers want into your computer or want to install malicious software, all it takes is the end user to install or allow. $.02

Just one example of why your statement is incorrect: http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kit-...safe-you-think

Not trying to start a war about Apple vs Windows again.