"I've done disk defragmenting and the PC still runs slow."
This rings bells for me - alarm bells!
You may have a virus/spyware hijack
download the Stinger from here and run it to make sure that A-V-disabling
viruses are not present on your PC
http://vil.mcafeesecurity.com/vil/averttools.asp
- update your virus scanner and run a full system scan of all files.
Reboot to Safe Mode and run CWShredder - to remove variants of the
CoolWebSearch hijacker.
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html
Use CWShredder, the removal tool:
http://www.intermute.com/products/cwshredder.html
(download it without the accompanying rubbish)
download AdAware SE Personal Edition from www.lavasoftusa.com, install,
update, and run it to remove spyware, adware, and other such nasties from
your system.
--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)
Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj
Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's
"phoenix444" <phoenix444@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:67FCC7DB-01A4-416D-B88D-AB3D77CD9328@microsoft.com...
> Thank you, Peter for replying. This is article by Bruce is very
> informative.
> He mentions the use of Regedit.exe. Do you know anything about this
> particular application? I assume it's not a "cleaner" as he strongly
> suggests that the novice (which I certainly am) not use such a program.
>
> Any advice you can give on this will be greatly appreciated. I've done
> disk
> defragmenting and the PC still runs slow.
>
> Respectfully,
>
> Lisa
>
> "Peter Foldes" wrote:
>
>> Here is a post by Bruce Chambers. This explains it very well.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> The registry contains all of the operating system's "knowledge" of
>> the computer's hardware devices, installed software, the location of the
>> device drivers, and the computer's configuration. A misstep in the
>> registry can have severe consequences. One should not even turning
>> loose a poorly understood automated "cleaner," unless he is fully
>> confident that he knows *exactly* what is going to happen as a result of
>> each and every change. Having seen the results of inexperienced people
>> using automated registry "cleaners," I can only advise all but the most
>> experienced computer technicians (and/or hobbyists) to avoid them all.
>> Experience has shown me that such tools simply are not safe in the hands
>> of the inexperienced user.
>>
>> The only thing needed to safely clean your registry is knowledge
>> and Regedit.exe. If you lack the knowledge and experience to maintain
>> your registry by yourself, then you also lack the knowledge and
>> experience to safely configure and use any automated registry cleaner,
>> no matter how safe they claim to be.
>>
>> Further, no one has ever demonstrated, to my satisfaction, that the
>> use of an automated registry cleaner, particularly by an untrained,
>> inexperienced computer user, does any real good. There's certainly been
>> no empirical evidence offered to demonstrate that the use of such
>> products to "clean" WinXP's registry improves a computer's performance
>> or stability.
>>
>> What specific problem are you experiencing that you *know* beyond
>> all reasonable doubt will be fixed by using an automated registry
>> cleaner? If you do have a problem that is rooted in the registry, it
>> would be far better to simply edit (after backing up, of course) only
>> the specific key(s) and/or value(s) that are causing the problem. Why
>> use a shotgun when a scalpel will do the job? Additionally, the
>> manually changing of one or two registry entries is far less likely to
>> have the dire consequences of allowing an automated product to make
>> multiple changes simultaneously.
>>
>> I always use Regedit.exe. I trust my own experience and judgment
>> far more than I would any automated registry cleaner. I strongly
>> encourage others to acquire the knowledge, as well.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Bruce Chambers
>>
>>
>> --
>> Peter
>>
>> Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
>> Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
>>
>> "phoenix444" <phoenix444@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:20143378-E1BD-4513-964B-D35F801D580B@microsoft.com...
>> > Hello.
>> >
>> > I came across a software package that helps one clean up the system
>> > registry. It's called Registry Fix. Can anyone tell me if this is a
>> > Microsoft program and your experience with the program.
>> >
>> > I ran the free scanning offered by RF which showed over 600 registry
>> > system
>> > problems that cause PCs to run slow or poorly.
>> >
>> > Thank you.
>> >
>> > phoenix444
>> >
>> >
>>