Computer freezes

I have an old Maxdata Pentium 4 computer running windows XP professional. I started having problems with the computer running slow which I put down to the use by my children and the AVG free virus software I installed. Recently the computer freezes when using Outlook and most of the other packages I have tried. I have uninstalled AVG and installed Virgin Media's virus scanner and this could have coincided with the time the computer started freezing. Unfortunately I am not able to do a system restore due to the same problem….the computer freezes whenever I try. Please help and let me know what else I could try. Thanks

Hi, Sorry to hear of the problem with your machine. Have you tried a system restore point (using safe mode) to a point before the trouble started? if not then 1 Close down your machine (full shutdown, not a sleep/hibernate standby) 2 Wait 30 seconds with a blank black screen 3 Power on your computer and immediately start tapping F8 once per second until your machine shows a black screen with Advanced Menu. if you get a keyboard error rather than the Advanced Menu then wait 3 seconds after powering on before you start tapping F8 ( you may need a few goes to get your timing right) 4 At the advanced menu select "Safe Mode" 5 Use a System Restore Point created before the problem started. Let us know how you go Regards paws

Thanks for your reply and I'm sorry it's taken me so long. I finally managed to do a system restore after borrowing a keyboard that wasn't a usb connection (mine didn't connect quick enough to log an f8 key) I am now back to a very slow computer, but unable to connect via wireless at the moment having reset it to a date before I changed broadband provider. If necessary I can connect via ethernet cable. I now have a problem with AVG - which I cannot remove and it seems to be looking for something it cant find, everytime I open an email in microsoft outlook. This wasn't happening on this date before I did the restore so I'm now very puzzled and am still in need of help. I have tried to remove AVG but this fails, it brings up a box called 'setup' that also says@FinalDig_InstFailTitle. I've obviously deleted something that hasn't restored !!! Still in need of help…I really would like to get rid of AVG. Thanks J

I now have a problem with AVG - which I cannot remove and it seems to be looking for something it cant find, everytime I open an email in microsoft outlook. This wasn't happening on this date before I did the restore so I'm now very puzzled and am still in need of help. I have tried to remove AVG but this fails, it brings up a box called 'setup' that also says@FinalDig_InstFailTitle.
I've obviously deleted something that hasn't restored !!! Still in need of help…I really would like to get rid of AVG.

Thanks J

Try the AVG Removal tool(s), they can be found here:
http://www.avg.com/us-en/download-tools

That's an excellent suggestion from Tijn
when you have uninstalled AVG dont forget to do a complete shutdown….
1 Close down your machine (a full shutdown not a sleep/hibernate/standbyetc)
2 Wait 30 seconds with a blank black screen
3 Restart your computer
4 Wait 6 minutes (by the clock,) not a second earlier!
5 Install Microsoft Security Essentials (available here;)
http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
or your anti virus of choice (only install one anti virus running resident in memory!)
6 Make absolutely sure if you download from a link any anti virus product… that you are on the correct site….. there are lots of "rogue" anti virus products about that have been given similar names to the real ones!
Regards
paws

Thanks Guys - I'll be trying all this at the weekend. I'll let you know. J

Good luck

I am now AVG free - I think…..! Thankyou both. - I have installed a virus security. - However my computer is still very slow and I am unable to set up my wireless connection. The D link wireless adapter worked fine before these problems. However it now connects initially using the wizard but always disconnects before I click 'finish' on the wizard. Periodically the adapter flashes as if it's trying to re-connect. - My other problem is that when I type I have to stop to let the computer catch up and I'm not even very fast. Many times the computer seems to go quiet and everything freezes as if it can't keep up. I would really like to get the computer working as best it can and so would be really pleased for any more advice you can give me.. Regards J

Sometimes the best fix for these problems is to backup any data you need to keep then do a Clean Install of XP.

See here: How to Reformat and Reinstall your Operating System - WhatTheTech

It looks like that might take me a while - especially trying to find the discs (I've had the computer 7 years). Thanks though - I'll give it a go. J

You may want to look into getting an external hard drive. Good for backing up your data or you're entire operating system.