Help! Popups, Lost Search, A Mess

Hi, This is my first post. My mom said you are the best. My problems are: 1) lost my search for search results 2) everyhting has slowed down to a snails pace even though I cleared caches, ran defrag, disk clean up and virus scan. 3) pop-ups 4) downloads take more than 3 hours 5) messages: can't find server when I try to access many web sites and get other error messages Also how do I find out what programs came with my computer. I purchased it in Dec. 2002. As you can see I am a novice and lost. Things are going haywire and I just don't know why. Thanks for any and all help you can give me. Susan

Hi,
2) everyhting has slowed down to a snails pace even though I cleared caches, ran defrag, disk clean up and virus scan. 

Boot into safe mode  = http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgen…001052409420406  , then go to Start/all programs/accessories/system tools/disk cleanup , and run disk cleanup .
      Then to enable CHKDSK click your "My Computer" in the start menu, R-Click the C: Drive, go down and click on properties in the drop menu. When the properties folder opens, click on the Tools Tab, The first item in the list is to do CHKDSK. Put a check mark in all the boxes/start/yes/apply/ok .      The PC has to be rebooted to do the scan.
                        Then run Disk Defrag from safe mode. 




3) pop-ups
Start/
Control Panel/ Performance and Maintenance(if in Category View) /Administrative Tools-Services/services                 
Double-click on the Messenger and Alerter  entrys/Choose  "Disable" as the Startup type on each. Click the Stop buttons -Click Apply / then click Ok , Apply/Ok,  and repeat for "SSDP Discovery service",  "Telnet"   
and  " Universal Plug & Play"  (NOT  Plug & Play).      .  Then iIn -  IE/ Tools/ Internet Options/ Advanced tab
Un-check both entries of "Enable install on demand".  ..  .. 
  Computer Management = http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1477


EMS Free Surfer mk II  = http://www.kolumbus.fi/eero.muhonen/FS/fs.htm




4) downloads take more than 3 hours

Download Express - FREE! = http://www.metaproducts.com/mp/mpProducts_Detail.asp? 





Also how do I find out what programs came with my computer.  I purchased it in Dec. 2002. 



Install and run =  =  http://www.snapfiles.com/get/everest.html

Have you yet upgraded to SP2?

What anit-virus, anti-spyware and firewall programs are you using?

Hi, You are asking me if I have4 upgraded to SP2, I believe I have, although I am not quite sure, is there a way you can let me know if I did? Also I use AOL, and they have macafee for a virus scan, and also there spyware program they use that I have downloaded and as for a firewall I believe I do not have this on my computer. Also going into the start button I still can not get into the search button, is there a way that I can fix this problem? Thanks for all the other info I followed it to the tee and everything seems to be working properly except for up above. Thank you, Susan

Untill I have time to look into the rest of it, immediatly install Tiny Personal Firewall -FREE for home use. = http://webmasterfree.com/tpfw.html

(Make sure Win default firewall is not enabled)