PC not 2 weeks old and trouble(S) already.

Ok, nothing to write home about here, but it's all I got:

Dell-Inspiron 531/AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ 2.10GHz, 512Kx2 (whatever the heck all that means - I understand it's a dual core ("X2") - but that's about it.

250GB SATA II Hard Drive (7200RPM)
1GB DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz Memory
NVIDIA GeForce 6150 LE Integrated Graphics GPU
Vista Home basic
3 yrs-McAfee Security Center (Suite)

ADDED SpywareBlaster/Ad-Aware/Windows Live One Care (Trial), and a few other programs (IObit Defrag, CCleaner-Slim, CleanUp!, etc., etc.)... also went in and disabled or made manual some services in Task Manager per the "Black Viper" (& some other) suggestions.

Haven't had this machine two (2) weeks yet, and already strange things going-on: "Freeze-Ups" (i.e.-programs, etc, "Not Responding"), the dang thing is slowing down. And now tonight, "mysteriously", the Time Zone was changed on my clock.

A lot of this goes over my head - I am simply looking for suggestions, opinions, advice ... do/don'ts as far as starting-out with a brand-new machine - so as not to screw things ups (at least not right outta da gate!). First thing I did, after checking that the security (Default/Real Time McAfee) was up & running, was to download SpywareBlaster, Ad-Aware 2007, and ran PC Decrapifier (though I'm not certain that got rid of everything I could/should have).

Any takers on walking me through this new unit??

Thx,
g ...

 

Just looking at what you have running, you have too many anti spy and virus programs running.

One Care includes anti spyware, virus
McAfee Security Center also does
not sure if SpywareBlaster is a realtime program
and is Ad-Aware running too, use to be on demand but I have not used in years.

Maybe looking at this link will help you.
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=44525

 

Thank you - this is all very maddening! I would have thought the Windows Live Care One or whatever the hell it's called, would have some sort of fail-safe, as this is a new Windows OS (Vista), etc., etc - but nooooooooo. Even I know better than to run two AntiVirus programs at the same time - KNOWINGLY! I should have figured (or spent more time looking more closely!) when I realized the Win. Live One THING added another firewall to the existing McAfee (to be honest with you, I'm not so sure I don't have yet another Firewall running, that being Vista's, the one that came with the system???). I should have told the Dell SALESman to "keep" this McAfee Suite he "added" for three years - I don't know what's more trouble, these suites, or Microsoft themself??

So, temporarily, I've disabled the McAfee AV, as I had already toyed-around a bit with the suite, trying to learn it. That was quicker than trying to figure-out the Live One BS. What a nightmare - brand new machine, and here I'm flirting with disaster already!! I don't believe too many AntiSpyware programs pose any sort of harmful conflict - other than to slow speed/performance, but I'd rather be slower, and more secure as far as that is concerned. I'll look at the link - thank you again.

 

I can NOT believe this Vista Firewall will not pass the "Leak Test" program from Gibson Research!!! I knew XP's firewall wouldn't, but I am STUNNED that Microsoft didn't improve it for Vista!!! Fortunately for me I suppose, the McAfee Suite this PC came with provides me with a firewall that DOES hold-up against that test.

I'm having a hard time learning (RE-learning!) all this stuff over again - it's been a few years, and as much as some things have changed, it appears Microsoft is still behind the times in some very basic, fundamental aspects. What a shame ... a True shame.

 

I think you will experience problems with this even without your other additions. Actually registering and letting McAfee rip is a particularly tortuous process and many user has stumbled at the plethora of initial updates. there is a tendency of Mc to freeze the pc.

That said, all the other stuff will fight so the whole soup is a real disaster recipe.

Why do you need all that with a two week old Vista PC ? Most of the vista pcs I have gpt running well to the satisfaction of users has been by dint of removing tweakmes and twiddlemes.

 

Thanks. I didn't actually "pay" (outright) for the McAfee "Suite" - it came with this new PC (am I to assume it really is "integrated" - designed "specifically" for this PC - or would it still be rather "generic"? It is a "complete" security device, and I am certain that it is "real-time".

The Ad-Aware program on my system is the Free (not real-time) edition. I am using McAfee's Firewall here as it has proven (tested) as more stout ... "robust".

Is having the real time McAfee AntiSpyware AND having Windows Defender (I suppose also "real-time") really a problem? If so, I don't seem to be able to unistall Defender ... I would think Dell would not sell a system with a conflict such as this - but I've certainly been wrong (TOO MANY TIMES!) before.

Thanks again,
g

 

Hello again StudioT - long-time no "talk" to.

Thank you, and granted - I don't (much) "have a clue" about a lot of this ... I'm PARANOID about security (ANY lack thereof actually, I suppose). Your post explains the "freeze-up's" I've been experiencing - I'm thinking seriously of losing the McAfee Suite, although I like certain parts of it, overall, I am not happy with it. I suppose I could disable the parts I don't care for/seem to be causing problems - and supplement with some other programs - but I think I'll still have the entire of the McAfee on the computer, taking-up a considerable amount of space. What to do what to do??? ...

Thanks again,
g

 

I suggest you uninstall all security software and start over.
The malware forums "how to protect yourself from malware" -thread is a good reference to use when setting up your security.

 

When referring to slowing down, what system are you comparing it to? I too bought a Dell recently (8/06) with XP Pro, SP2, 160 GB hard drive, 3.06 processor, 1 GB RAM and Vista ready. I thought this thing would fly when compared to the Win 98 I was using before the upgrade. Wrong. The 98 system would run rings around the new one with respect to speed. In any event, I went thru what you are doing and uninstalled all the protection that I loaded and one by one reinstalled it and decrappedified it, etc. While this XP system now moves fairly well, maybe because I now use a heavier DSL service than with the '98, I don't think it quite matches the speed of my old system. Just food for thought. Good luck with your new system. (BTW, I was told by Dell after purchase that I should expect the XP system to be slower since there is more built in security which takes longer when surfing).

 

Yeah, hello Glen, glad to see you have lots of horsepower to drive your new Vista Rig.

Hopefully you remembered the buysiness of Administrator and limited accounts from your XP days. Vista is certainly is more up front about this when you log on.

Have you now got a standard user account for normal use? you actually have to go into the adminisrator and demote the second account you create.

have you disabled the save encrypted pages to disk in internet explorer? We went through this as well but to recap

Internet Explorer>tools>Internet Options>advanced tab
Scroll down to security section>
Check box 'do not save encrypted pages to disk'
click Ok to save.

this will protect your bank acount and other sensitive details.

Yes keep Windows Defender it's one of the good guys
I recommend Avast (free) at the moment it seems to be reasonably secure, without causing undue drag on the system and its very Vista compatible. You can get it from MG.

@Jud

Dell Vista ready huh? read this thread

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=123203&highlight=vista&page=2

I find that Vista approaches the internet speed I can get from windows 2000 (the fastest), although W98 is definitely faster than XP on the same system.

 

@Jud

Dell Vista ready huh? read this thread

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=123203&highlight=vista&page=2

I find that Vista approaches the internet speed I can get from windows 2000 (the fastest), although W98 is definitely faster than XP on the same system.[/QUOTE]

About what I figured. Thanks!

 

Gotta disagree with you there Steve.

If the Clean up is actually CleanUp! 4.5.2 from http://www.majorgeeks.com/CleanUp_d4895.html (beware other program with similar name) then it is not pointless.

I run both as part of my daily PC housekeeping after being on the Net. Each finds stuff that the other misses.

In fact I run about 8 different programs one after the other and each finds stuff each of the others miss. If CCleaner found all, then I would run only CCleaner. Bazza

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Roger that - it is the CleanUp! 4.5.2 (from Steven Gould ... and the "toilet flush" sound is PRICELESS [and can be disabled if found to be annoying]- I've played more than a few jokes on friends/family when they're within earshot! ).

My experience has been the same as BAZZA - CleanUp! finds things that ccleaner doesn't & vicea-versa. I've had (and continue to have) similar results running multiple (manually operated) AS programs - sometimes one will find what a whole slew of others can't, don't, or won't.

g

 

I hereby award Bazza for the cleanest pc in the southern hemisphere.



Personably I prefer to leave a few things in dark corners. I have an 18 inch roach I am particularly fond of.

 

Thanks for the award, studiot. :cool
Despite all, the occasional minor nasty still gets through. Bazza

@Steve@
I've used Cleanup! for years. It is as simple to use as CCleaner, IMO. I don't know where the warnings oroginated, but I've never had problems with it.
Well worth running both, IMO of course. Baz

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