[Steadythisknife]

Hello everyone. I am using windows xp on an old emachine that has been going online, downloading music files and other things for about 5 years with no anti-virus software! I can't believe it. Anyway, I have since done some clean up and installed AVG anti-virus, and done some other things to clean up performance, but I still want to get this computer running at optimal conditions ! Can anyone help me please?? Here is my OTL log

Edited by Essexboy, 29 October 2011 - 03:23 PM.
log removed

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Steadythisknife.

You have previously received assistance in our Malware forum

One, albeit is going back to 2009 was on this thread
http://www.geekstogo...__fromsearch__1

in which having received help from Chamber, he posted this on his post 25

When finished, it shall produce a log for you at C:\ComboFix.txt which I will require in your next reply.

NO RESPONSE was ever received from you. and the topic was closed by Chamber on 17 November with this post

Due to lack of feedback, this topic has been closed.
If you need this topic reopened, please contact a staff member. This applies only to the original topic starter

Your second visit to our Malware forum was in May 2010 when mpascal was helping you.
This is the link to the thread
http://www.geekstogo...__fromsearch__1
and the last post by mpascal on 7 May asked

If anything your computer should be running faster. Do you know when it started to slow down? Maybe after doing a specific step?

No reply was received from you.

That all said you did reply to both threads until the point I have explained above. However it is important that you pursue the thread to a final conclusion, particularly in the Malware forum where you should continue until the expert who is helping you advises you that the matter is concluded, with his advice as apporpriate to the cirumstances.


Dealing now with your issue in this thread

Hello everyone. I am using windows xp on an old emachine that has been going online, downloading music files and other things for about 5 years with no anti-virus software! I can't believe it. Anyway, I have since done some clean up and installed AVG anti-virus, and done some other things to clean up performance, but I still want to get this computer running at optimal conditions !

In view of the above which is quite amazing, that someone (I appreciate it may not be you) can run for five years without any protection, YOUR easiest and most simple solution if you have the means of reinstalling is to start again with a fresh installation. eg. a format and reinstall.

If however you have any particular reason why this is impractical, such as you do NOT have the means to reinstall - does it have a recovery partition. , then we will arrange for your thread to receive attention in our Malware forum. If we proceed along this route please do ensure this time that you follow the thead to its final conclusion.

Thank you.
Please post the way you wish to go.

[Macboatmaster]

Steadythisknife.

You have previously received assistance in our Malware forum

One, albeit is going back to 2009 was on this thread
http://www.geekstogo...__fromsearch__1

in which having received help from Chamber, he posted this on his post 25

When finished, it shall produce a log for you at C:\ComboFix.txt which I will require in your next reply.

NO RESPONSE was ever received from you. and the topic was closed by Chamber on 17 November with this post

Due to lack of feedback, this topic has been closed.
If you need this topic reopened, please contact a staff member. This applies only to the original topic starter

Your second visit to our Malware forum was in May 2010 when mpascal was helping you.
This is the link to the thread
http://www.geekstogo...__fromsearch__1
and the last post by mpascal on 7 May asked

If anything your computer should be running faster. Do you know when it started to slow down? Maybe after doing a specific step?

No reply was received from you.

That all said you did reply to both threads until the point I have explained above. However it is important that you pursue the thread to a final conclusion, particularly in the Malware forum where you should continue until the expert who is helping you advises you that the matter is concluded, with his advice as apporpriate to the cirumstances.


Dealing now with your issue in this thread

Hello everyone. I am using windows xp on an old emachine that has been going online, downloading music files and other things for about 5 years with no anti-virus software! I can't believe it. Anyway, I have since done some clean up and installed AVG anti-virus, and done some other things to clean up performance, but I still want to get this computer running at optimal conditions !

In view of the above which is quite amazing, that someone (I appreciate it may not be you) can run for five years without any protection, YOUR easiest and most simple solution if you have the means of reinstalling is to start again with a fresh installation. eg. a format and reinstall.

If however you have any particular reason why this is impractical, such as you do NOT have the means to reinstall - does it have a recovery partition. , then we will arrange for your thread to receive attention in our Malware forum. If we proceed along this route please do ensure this time that you follow the thead to its final conclusion.

Thank you.
Please post the way you wish to go.

[Steadythisknife]

I apologize for the lack of response on the previous 2 and taking so long to get here. I travel frequently for my job and it gets quite overwhelming and unfortunately I just never seem to find time to sit down at the computer. I truely appreciate the help you guys gave me in the past as it COMPLETELY solved the issues on my computer. I am truely thankful for you guys and your assistance. Please don't doubt that. I will try and put forth more effort when I create a topic to get respond ASAP. Again my apologies.

Now with that said. I will have to do further research on the computer as to if I have the means to do a total reinstall. I guess for now you can close this thread if it looks like thats going to be my only option. I was hoping it would be something I could just "clean up" but hey can't win them all... Again I really feel bad about not responding to the last 2 posts, and I will make an effort to do so with any other sort of post I have. THANK YOU so much for all that you guys do.

[phillpower2]

Steadythisknife all that Macboatmaster has asked is that you conclude your topic if you no longer require assistance so hang in there, with that in mind as Mac is currently offline here are a couple of things for you to do until he returns, hope you don`t mind me pitching in Mac;
My first suggestion is to tidy up the data on your HDD so please follow the directions provided below starting with Autoruns http://technet.micro...ernals/bb963902

1: Extract the Autoruns Zip file contents to a folder.
2: Double-click the "Autoruns.exe".
3: Click on the "Everything" tab
4: Remove any entries that mention "File Not Found" by right-clicking the entry and select Delete.
5: Go to File then to Export As or Save in some versions.
6: Save AutoRuns.txt file to known location like your Desktop.
7: Attach to your next reply.

2nd: Download and run TFC from http://www.geekstogo...ds&showfile=187 your computer should automatically re-boot on completion but if not do it manually.

3rd: Defrag your HDD http://www.auslogics...re/disk-defrag/ do this at least once a week in the future, a tidy drive is a faster drive, please note that I am not suggesting that you use any other product or service here.
Couple of other things to consider are what size HDD do you have and how much free storage space is available, you should always have between 12 and 15% of the overall capacity available, do not have more than 1 AV program running as it causes slowness as the programs fight for control of system resources, this can lead to instability and/or crashes.
Norton and AVG are excellent but very demanding on system resources so have a look @ http://www.geekstogo...yware-software/ for a more user friendly AV, Avast and MSE (Microsoft Security essentials) are both very good.

To speed up your boot times find any unnecessary programs linked to start up "how to" below;

START -> RUN
type MSCONFIG in the RUN box
then click OK

Click on the start-up TAB

Look at each line that has a check in the box, these are start-up items. Uncheck the ones you do not want to run at start-up.

[Macboatmaster]

phillpower2

Thks I am obliged.
I will be offline from tonight until Saturday night.
Macboatmaster.

[phillpower2]

You are welcome Macboatmaster
Until you return I shall reply to this topic if required by the OP.

[Steadythisknife]

Thanks guys. I will be busy traveling this week, so please be patient as it may take a few days for me to get to the steps that were posted above for cleaing up the PC and response, which I will certainly do. Might not be untill saturday that I can get to it. Will keep you posted.

[phillpower2]

Thank you for the update, reply when you are ready

[Steadythisknife]

Ok so I downloaded auto run and extracted it and it created a folder on my desktop and I ran autorun as the steps above mentioned deleting Files marked files not found, and I went to file then save and hit save to desktop but it automatically saved to the autorun folder and it saved as an unknown file, so then I changed the name to AutoRun.txt and it saved to notepad on the desktop but the content was just symbols and said it was too long for my reply. I must be doing something wrong, but I cant get it to save any texts?

[phillpower2]

Ok we can come back to the Autoruns text if required, did you delete all Files not Found, run TFC, defrag your HDD and select only important programs to run on start up and if so any improvement.

[Steadythisknife]

Ok I deleted all files not found. I then ran TFC and defrag. I selected only the important programs to run on start up. I am about to uninstall AVG and download Microsoft Security Essentials. I originally thought I uninstalled Nortan AV but I still see some peices of it left behind. HOw do I get rid of Norton?

[phillpower2]

I originally thought I uninstalled Nortan AV but I still see some peices of it left behind. HOw do I get rid of Norton?

Remove all traces of Norton as a priority as in before removing AVG, use the uninstaller at the attached link;
https://www-secure.s...n=1&pvid=f-home

[Steadythisknife]

Ok unfortunatly I uninstalled AVG and installed MS before I read your reply. I went ahead and removed Norton, and upon start up I recieved an error about an AVG file not found.

[phillpower2]

Did you run the AVG uninstaller http://www.avg.com/ww-en/utilities

[Steadythisknife]

Ok I have now run the AVG uninstaller and completed it.