Wait for Win7?
Posted 09/23/09 at 02:05:09 PM by The Maximum PC Staff
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My 6-year-old computer is extremely slow and sometimes takes 20 minutes just to start up. The other day it caught a virus, which masqueraded as a firewall and installed itself onto my computer, changing the background to a picture that said I have spyware on my computer. I tried to open my virus-scan program (AOL) but it would not open. I have tried everything I can think of. I took out my hard drive so that it could not get to my files. Now, I have to use my son’s computer for emails. He is a big gamer so it’s really hard to get in the time to use it. Should I wait for Windows 7 to come out before getting a new computer?
—Jim Sharo
First, let’s try to get rid of your PC bug so you can recover your files and programs. Download and run Spybot Search & Destroy (www.safer-networking.org), Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (www.malwarebytes.org), and a free antivirus program like Avira Antivir (www.free-av.com) and see if those apps can flush the virus from your computer. If they can, great! Back up your files and get ready to do a clean install of XP (a clean install will make an older PC run much faster—even the best operating systems get cluttered, eventually). Or, if you’re more adventurous and want a sneak peak of Windows 7 without buying anything, read on.
Windows 7 is definitely worth getting when it comes out on October 22. Microsoft seems on track to make up for Vista’s disappointing launch with an OS that runs better on nearly any platform, including older ones, than Vista did. Even better, Microsoft released several fully functional free preview builds of Windows 7 to consumers, which will work until June of 2010.
Windows 7 has been optimized to work faster on every PC from a $10,000 gaming behemoth to a $300 netbook--and even your 6-year-old desktop.
But you don’t have to wait for Windows 7 to come out before you get a new computer. Most vendors will offer free Vista-to-Windows-7 upgrades on new computers bought between June 26, 2009 and Windows 7’s October 22, 2009 release date. Make sure you get an Upgrade Option coupon from your computer manufacturer so you can download Windows 7 when it comes out. In the meantime, if you really don’t want to deal with Vista, you can run the Windows 7 Release Candidate on your new PC—or even on your old one.
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SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION Are flames shooting out of the back of your rig? First, grab a fire extinguisher and douse the flames. Once the pyrotechnic display has fizzled, email the doctor at doctor@maximumpc.com for advice on how to solve your technological woes. |
to save or upgrade a 2003 computer?
Submitted by cretony38 on Fri, 09/25/2009 - 8:44am
Coming to a sad realization, approve or deny?
"Keep fingers away from moving parts"
Not a good advice from MPC
Submitted by Productivity-im... on Fri, 09/25/2009 - 6:39am
He hasn't mentioned what kind of hardware he has on that 6-year-old computer. It could be anything below Win 7's min. requirement, like an AMD 64bit running on 1G RAM. I'd suggest to ask for more details before making a suggestion.
Besides a clean reinstall, there are ways to solve the slow boot-up problem. Read this guide:
Computer is getting slow at opening programs and startup
He should also try to remove the malware in Safe Mode like what the other comment has suggested.
I'm gonna go with...
Submitted by CENTURION_L77 on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 6:31pm
PRANK. I just know someone out there thought it'd be cute to trick the MPC staff into thinking this was a legitimate question. Reading this question, I thought, "no way!" Here's why:
1- AOL? Who in the world would use this to scan for viruses? Maybe grandma, but someone that knows about MaximumPC? Did your MPC suscription expire about 6 years ago, when you bought your PC?
2- Physically removing the hard drive to keep infection from reaching the files? If the files haven't been infected by this point (big if) simply turning off the computer and maybe unplugging it would do the trick. I doubt -if this is a legitimate post- that this person would have two hard drives installed in his computer; certainly not having been installed by himself.
3- 20 minutes to boot up? I've heard of slow, but come on, 20 minutes? "What was your first clue that something was amiss, friend? No no, before your wallpaper was changed on you by the virus your pc caught a few days ago? Not the 20 minute boot up, eh fella?"
Do I win a price?
I'll drop $20 off of the price on the PC I'm gonna sell a friend if it can be proven that this was a legitimate question.
Submitted by Toxin on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 9:42am
1. A lot of less experienced users have stuck with AOL and use it for everything, including virus scans, however strange that is. Also, chances are you can find the mpc website with a simple google search, or maybe he saw the magazine while at a doctor or something.
2. I'm glad you do, but because of all those windows safeguards and the constant talk, many users are overly afraid of viruses, and are not sure what they are/are not capable of, so if he thought that the virus could still work while the computer was off, it's not your business to judge.
3. Other then my main rig, I also have an 5 year old gateway I sometimes boot up because it has a card reader installed, and I don't know whether it's from dust on the hardrive or from overheating, but from the time I press the power switch to the time I can open mozilla can sometimes be up to 10 minutes, so it's possible that he's running an old processor or he has a slow hard drive that is attributing to his slow boot times, also, chances are he was exaggerating.
So no, no prize for you
And tell your friend to thank me for lowering the price of his PC
Submitted by VaMage on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 6:17pm
A recent article in MaxPC, and on this site, detailed what a pain in the ass the Win7 upgrade option is, so why are you telling this guy to live with it?
The OEM pricing at most of the top integrators doesn't save you enough to notice, and you have to live with a bloody OEM, AND you have to put up with the "Install Vista -> Apply Upgrade" routine.
There are several kick ass integrators out there , Digital Storm and AVADirect come to mind, that won't shove a copy of Windows down your throat, so buy it from one of them.
I have a new rig on the way, should be here around Oct 2nd, when it gets here I'll run a copy of XP on it until I can pick up a RETAIL verison of Win7 on the 22nd. I'll very likely want to dual boot into XP anyway, but even if I didn't, it would still be worth it, or going to the RC but then I'd have to do a full new install on the 22nd anyway.
VaMage
American by Birth, But Southern by the Grace of God.
Submitted by Vladislav_Draculva on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 4:48pm
superantispyware and Killbox are also two powerful programs that I personally employ and they work great beside malwarebytes and NOD32...while I realize that many may not be willing to dump out the money for NOD...I was a devout Avast user before and found that tyo work pretty darn well too...good luck buddy...just remember...old computers are never junk...they just need a little more love than a newer one...
~Steele~
Submitted by Vladislav_Draculva on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 4:48pm
superantispyware and Killbox are also two powerful programs that I personally employ and they work great beside malwarebytes and NOD32...while I realize that many may not be willing to dump out the money for NOD...I was a devout Avast user before and found that tyo work pretty darn well too...good luck buddy...just remember...old computers are never junk...they just need a little more love than a newer one...
~Steele~
Submitted by arch-chancellor on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 4:41pm
You can't get WIN 7 RC anymore. But you can get a 90 day trial of WIN 7 Enterprise. It's a bit complicated to do, but I fugured it out after a couple of tries.
Submitted by DriZzLe on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 5:57pm
The Keys for the RC are still available until Mid October from Microsoft. You can find the ISO on various sites.
Safe Mode and Disable System Restore
Submitted by nsvander on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 1:58pm
I have found that the best way to combate nasty infections is to use the above mentioned pieces of software, try and run them in safe mode, and disable System Restore, and remove all previous restore points, I know this sounds drastic, but a lot of these nasty bugs bury themselves and hide in system restore waiting for the next reboot then wham, reinfected all over again.
Submitted by lostcause64 on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 2:31pm
That is indeed the best way to run cleaning utilities on any pc. Also, you might want to clean out cookies and temp files as that's where a lot of the infected files like to hide and it will shorten scan times if you happen to have a lot of files in those areas.
John
Have you ever wondered why intelligence can normally be found in an individual, but runs screaming in terror from a group? Though, there are exceptions...
free upgrade
Submitted by CrowTrobot on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 1:39pm
I got the free upgrade promise from Alienware, I had to wait about 2 to 3 months after Vista came out to get my free upgrade, and the process was a pain in the hinder.
"they're calling insane hogs???"
Really?
Submitted by tri8gman on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 1:27pm
Really? AOL? For protection? For anything? Put that software out to pasture!
Submitted by cglines on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 12:22pm
If you have the anti virus and anti soyware installed, you can reboot in safe mode and run the apps and remove more than running in normal mode.
Submitted by noobstix on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 11:30am
If any of the AV programs out there don't seem to open up when your system is infected, you can try a program called ComboFix. It probably won't clear out all traces of the virus but it'll do enough to get programs like Spybot S&D and Malwarebytes to work. My dad and brother had nasty viruses on their computers and couldn't get Malwarebytes to work until they ran ComboFix. Now they have clean machines (for the time being) without resorting to reformatting.
Submitted by tri8gman on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 1:57pm
Sometimes it's better to start over than run into the possible glitches (or rootkits). This is especially true when your install is a couple years old anyway - even though it shouldn't take a catastrophe to get you off your bum for a reinstall.
better yet...image the
Submitted by nekollx on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 2:01pm
better yet...image the hard drive
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Submitted by Fiercedeity on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 11:21am
Regarding the virus, I've found that even the best of malware and virus removers can't get rid of everything. I once had a computer so filled with malware, that even after running multiple different malware removers, following all the instructions for changing registry settings and deleting files etc., the malware would still find a way to re-install itself on reboot.
The only way I found to completely remove it was to install the HDD as a secondary in another system, and then run all the scans on it. It worked like a charm the very first time. If I had thought of that earlier, I could have saved myself hours of frustration!
Submitted by nekollx on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 11:13am
and if you don't have the RC ISO on hand some of us do and can help yeah out
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
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