Paul I like my XP system too, but lately its piked up a snark. It will just stop for a few minutes, and then start working aging like there is no problem. None of my anti bad things programs find anything. Yes the fans are working. Yes I blew all the dust bunnies out of it. So I am looking to upgrade to seven. Well, I am not looking forward to it, but I am about to make that leap. But I will stick with Firefox.
It will be hard to get 7, you most likely will get 8.
A simple cleaning (software wise), defrag, and uninstalling extra software will bring XP back to life 99% of the time.
Try CCleaner from filehippo.com … be SURE to uncheck Cookies, Saved Form info, and passwords before doing the cleaning… unless you really want to erase them.
Greg
Greg, I already have my seven computer sitting over there in a box. I am not in a major hurry to backup and move all my files, so it may sit for another week or so.
I tried a cleaning program, and it succeeded in removing an install file for Microsoft Office. So now my office programs don’t work. 
And yes I told it to undo what it did, but there is still no joy in the office.
What version of microsoft office?
Perhaps I can help.
email me privately.
Greg
David Maynard said:
Paul I like my XP system too, but lately its piked up a snark. It will just stop for a few minutes, and then start working aging like there is no problem. None of my anti bad things programs find anything. Yes the fans are working. Yes I blew all the dust bunnies out of it. So I am looking to upgrade to seven. Well, I am not looking forward to it, but I am about to make that leap. But I will stick with Firefox.
I’m curious, but what spyware/malware removal programs did you use?
Lets see, I have AVG, Microsoft security essentials, Spybot search and destroy, Malwarebytes, Spysweaaper, and Combofix. Not running at the same time though
David Maynard said:
Lets see, I have AVG, Microsoft security essentials, Spybot search and destroy, Malwarebytes, Spysweaaper, and Combofix. Not running at the same time though
Did you download combofix from bleepingcomputer.com
The reason I ask is, there are fakes of it on the net. Also adwcleaner is good too. You can get it here:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
This is supposed to be good as well, but I’ve not used it yet.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/junkware-removal-tool/
I’ve never used spysweaper, but I know there is a program out there that has a very similar name that is a hoax program.
I’ve had excellent sucess with the other programs though.
What exactly is your pc doing?
Yes, I got ComboFix from Bleeping computer.
I wish I knew what it was doing. What I see is everything stops. Its totally unresponsive. if I let it sit for a few minutes everything works fine again. I blew all the dust out of it, all the fans are working, it has a new power supply. I dunno.
It’s well known in IT circles that PC’s are secretly powered by small rodents. As your PC ages, so does the rodent. He probably can no longer keep the wheel spinning constantly and needs a short break!
Seriously, my XP machine will do the same thing once in a while. It’s a fairly new machine but the OS has been cloned across several machine changes to upgrade processing power (something neat you can do with Dell OEM XP). I have no idea what it is doing - no bad stuff shows up on scans and nothing odd in the process list. It happens rarely so I just ignore it.
David Maynard said:
Yes, I got ComboFix from Bleeping computer.
I wish I knew what it was doing. What I see is everything stops. Its totally unresponsive. if I let it sit for a few minutes everything works fine again. I blew all the dust out of it, all the fans are working, it has a new power supply. I dunno.
There has to be some process running causing it. Sometimes you have to run rkill before running the malware programs, but you said they scanned fine.
Download The junkware removal tool from here:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/junkware-removal-tool/
This is the order I usually run them
Junkware removal
ADW cleaner
Combofix
Spybot search and destroy
Malwarebytes.
Then get your windows updates.
Then ccleaner to clean up the registry and delete any temp files.
Then defrag. I defrag multiple times. Usually 3-4.
Hope some of this helps.
Try using defraggler for the free defragger, does the boot files too, very few defrag programs do this…
Greg
I have also been using this for a couple days:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/emsisoft-antimalware/
I had a machine that was still not right and scanned with it. Seems to have taken care of the problem.
I have Wise Disc Cleaner and Wise Registry Cleaner plus AdwCleaner.
I run the Disc Cleaner every time I shut down.
I run the Registry Cleaner about once a week.
I run AdwCleaner every now and then. Picked up everything first time on the XP machine and have only had one instance of malware since. The Disc Cleaner takes care of that.
My old XP lap top is still functioning just fine although I am rarely on the net with it.
This W8 machine has behaved perfectly since day one.
I have to use the XP machine now and then because a couple of programs I run on it cannot run on W8.
IE11 works OK but I only normally use Firefox.
I used to fiddle with things for performance in the early days of computers but I’m passed that now that it’s a consumer item. I do hardly anything except run a virus scan twice a week. I don’t know what all the obsessive fuss is about. It is a bit like cleaning your toilet every day. Why bother?
Andrew
Some people NEED to check and clean the computer quite often, due to their habits.
Some people may be obsessive, but usually these people have been burned before and are just really proactive, in my opinion…
A little extra work to guarantee no problems? Great.
Greg
Back to the subject of this thread, when in the compatibility view settings, not only put largescalecentral.com, but check the box that says “use microsoft compatibility lists”.
In general, if a website acts odd, try this first, especially if it is old… also disable any browser add ons, like adblock or ghostery until you get the site working.
I use both the above and certain banking sites (old software) won’t let you proceed unless you lower your shields…
Seems bass-ackwards… a site where you want to be very careful (banking) you may have to lower your defenses…
Greg
This is why I use a Mac …
Andrew, do they still make the Macintosh? Huh.
Macs are in much more trouble, fewer browsers to choose from and recent problems with safari.
The only saving grace is that since there are so many fewer users, that they are not as big a target, but their time is coming… linux/unix attacks are on the rise.
Greg
p.s. posting about having a Mac on a windows thread is like posting “that’s why I use battery” on a track power thread, just as helpful and just as welcome
Greg, yes I thought something similar when I was reading a thread on the Microsoft site about a problem I was having with IE8, and a poster said that’s why he uses Firefox. Replacing IE would “solve” the problem, but that wasn’t the solution I was seeking at the time.