Computer woes

Our computer has been hanging up intermittently. Freezing, Outlook Express not pulling mail etc. I did go back to a previous system restore point. I tried something from a websearch, something like xx /scan typed into start/run, supposedly restores system files, but it required I place a Dell disc I do not have into the drive, and I did not know if it was worth the trouble of trying websearched suggestions I saw about remapping to the i386 folder?

I was thinking of removing and reinstalling Norton, and possibly downloading some programs this forum may suggest (CC Cleaner?, Registry Mechanic??, System Mechanic?) Open to any suggestions. So my 2 questions are:

1. If I have recorded the product key and customer id, is this enough to resume Norton when I reinstall?
2. What cleanup programs would be recommended?

 

If you're looking for software recommendations, you might try checking in the How to Protect yourself from malware! thread, as there are some good offerings there.

In fact, I would go as far as to suggest following the instructions in the READ & RUN ME FIRST. Malware Removal Guide thread, as this will ensure your system is free from performance killing nasties. (I know you have Norton, but once they get in, they have a tendency to kill AV apps)

Finally, I would recommend following the instructions in this post as it contains tips on lowering resource usage on the computer, thus speeding it up for the tasks you do assign to it.

Post back with any questions.