96 replies to this topic

[chazyb]

Hi the number is not on the windows sticker on the front of the pc or on the envelope or the cd, only other place I can think of is on the back of the pc where I found the sertial number and other info, is this where it will be? thanks chazy

[Doug]

Chazyb,

Go have a look here. It is a Microsoft page that displays what the various stickers look like.
You should find one similar on your machine or in the Software packaging.

http://www.microsoft...e...g=en&pg=coa

[chazyb]

Hi again I think it is on the back of my pc but hunbby will need to look for me later. Also Doug, on the bios download page there are 2 versions for my pc, I don't know how to find out which version mine is apart from the dates but as my pc is 4 year old I only have a vague recollection of the date, any suggestions please. thank you chazy

[Doug]

Chasyb, Yes. I recommend that you NOT consider making any changes to your BIOS installation at this time. BIOS Flashing is something you would only do, if you ABSOLUTELY, Knew that you needed to do.

[chazyb]

Hi Doug So no need to make copies of the BIOS sdriver things? it does say you will be in major trouble if you download the wrong version and as I don't know the version I would rather leave it and not download. thanks chazy

[Doug]

Yep. Let's leave the BIOS well-enough alone.

[chazyb]

Hi Doug Thank you for all the help. The message I was getting at start up has not shown up for a while now so I was wondering if I should just leave the scan for now? What do you think? thanks chazy

[Doug]

Let's have an overview look at your machines present setup and performance.
This will give you a good picture of how your machine is running, and a variety of suggestions for improving function.
The scan makes no changes to your machine, is SAFE, Free, and displays no personally identifiable information.

Please Run the PCPitstop Full Tests, here:
http://www.pcpitstop...top/default.asp
Register and create a password
Accept the ActiveX component to allow your machine to run the Full Tests
Registering and accepting the ActiveX are both SAFE and FREE.
Full Tests is the first item in the left hand column of that page.

The Full Tests take less than 5 minutes for most machines.
Once you have your Results, please post the TechExpress Link back here into this thread for review.
TechExpress is the last item on the list in the yellow box in upper right area of any Results page.
Post the entire URL link information back here into this Forum thread.

Caution: During the testing of Video Adapter, a variety of patterns, shapes, colors and text are “flashed” onto the users monitor screen. In the many thousands of daily uses of the PCPitstop Full Tests over several years, two individuals who suffer epilepsy experienced discomfort and temporary dizziness when viewing the flashing patterns.
If you know that you are susceptible to photo driven seizure, look away from your screen during the Video Adapter testing sequence.

[chazyb]

http://www.pcpitstop...Q1LSWLLU3QSV3TG

is this what you needed Doug?

Edited by chazyb, 22 February 2008 - 01:53 PM.

[Doug]

YEP. That's the TechExpress Link all right,. Nice work. I'll go have a look and post back with comments, if any.

[chazyb]

Thanks Doug

[Doug]

Hi Chazyb,

You have a good machine with quite a bit of Hard Drive space.
AND, much of that hard drive space has already been used up.

From the looks of your installed software, you do a bit of photo editing.
You have quite a few related application utilities, some of which you may not be using anymore.
similarly you have a variety of CD Burning utilities, not all of which you use.
While Ashampoo products are competent, I am not a fan of Ashampoo Defrag utility
In most instances, the native Microsoft defragger will do the job for you nicely.
There are a few third-party defrag tools worthy of recommendation, but not often needed.
You can consider safely uninstalling much of the software that you no longer use.

You should probably consider an additional External Hard Drive to hopefully move a large portion of your documents, files, media, tunes, etc. of of these internal hard drives.
_____________________

You should follow all of the PCPitstop Full Test Recommendations.,,, Except
Don't bother with the Driver Update recommendations.
As long as your applications and hardware are already functioning properly, no driver updates are indicated,

Most worrysome is the Browser Tracking Code that you have installed,
You probably did not install it intentionally.
And it is definitely a compromise to your Internet browsing security,\

I would Boot into SAFE Mode
Perform Disk CleanUp
Perform Complete Defrag with the MS Native Defrag Utility

Post back with a fresh PCPitstop Full Tests TechExpress Link, after you have followed the recommended tune-up Tips,
You have a ton of startUp processes and applications running from Boot.... not good. Probably slowing your machine way down,

If you actually do use your machine for photo editing and gaming, you would definitely benefit from adding another 1gig of RAM

Keep us posted with your progress,

[chazyb]

Most worrysome is the Browser Tracking Code that you have installed,
You probably did not install it intentionally.
And it is definitely a compromise to your Internet browsing security,\

What is the tracking code Doug, is there a name for it?

Yes I do do a lot of photo stuff but I could remove a lot of those app as most do the same thing. I think the external hard drive is fullish because I have moved almost everything over there for safe keeping but I should remove a lot of stuff as a lot is stored now on cd/dvd.

I did use the windows de frag before Ashampoo but it never completed fully and didn't seem to do a good job.

would Boot into SAFE Mode
Perform Disk CleanUp

This will not change any settings ect will it lol? I would like my pc to stay as it is lol. Could I not do a disk clean up the normal way through windows?

You have a ton of startUp processes and applications running from Boot.... not good. Probably slowing your machine way down,

How do I detect these and remove from startup please?


ALSO, The origainal error message about setup exe seems to only appear when I try to get rid of Samsung Drivers in Add/Remove progs, have you any ideas how I can fix this, is there a way to get rid of that folder? I think I must have messed up with uninstall somehow and got rid of the uninstall file of something.

Thanks Doug for all your help, will pit stop do the fixes and does it ask me what to fix first?

Is RAM easy to install myself or do I need a tech to do it?

chazy

Edited by chazyb, 22 February 2008 - 03:09 PM.

[Doug]

The Tune-Up Tips from PCPitstop will give you complete instructions to complete them. Just click on them...one at a time until you complete each one. There WILL be various offers for products that will take care of things for you. Don't bother with them. Just follow the manual instructions and do it yourself, Rebooting into SAFE Mode to do Disk CleanUp and Defrg will not change your machine's settings, Please take care of the TuneUp Tips Then CleanUp/Defrag in SAFE Mode We can have a look at the StartUps and the Add/Remove issue after the above is complete, Best Regards

[chazyb]

Thanks Doug