Need Mucho Help, Thnx in advance

Lots of questions.
We could take them one by one, but some may be inter-related.
Here's a way to advance the process by giving us a full overview of your machine and operating system.
Go To: http://www.pcpitstop.com
Click on Full Test
Register and Activate (takes about 2 minutes and is free)
Run Full Test (Takes about 3 minutes on dial-up)
Copy and Past the TechExpress link from your test Results, back into this Thread.
We'll then be able to give you more informed feedback and suggestions.

Best Regards

You posted the link for Testing, but not the link to your own Test Results.

Here's where you "click" to get the TechExpress:
[external image: Posted Image]

Here's what a Tech Express URL looks like:

TechExpress link for your current results:
http://www.pcpitstop.com/techexpress.asp?id=1X860WMYBACSFRFQ

Copy and Paste the whole sentence starting with "TechExpress link…. all the way through the URL"

If you want to you can click on the above TechExpress link. It is to a machine that I worked on back in January. Just an ordinary machine someone is using for home/office, but the link will give you an idea of what is displayed.

Best Results

Ok, i did find it strange i didnt see that tech express thing, thanx for correcting me.

TechExpress link for your current results:
http://www.pcpitstop.com/techexpress.asp?id=FRJZPWYXP4JSJ9FQ

Choonks89

Your pc maybe having heat issues with the video card, causing it ti freeze up and giving you the hardware error, also you may need to check to see if there's an update driver for the video also, open the pc up and check the inside for dust bunnies in the fans and heatsink on the cpu and the video card
Your test shows that you have limewire installed, and that could possibly lead to having a trojan in your system, you should do an on line scan if you can to be sure the system is clean before anything else
http://www.bitdefender.com/

Thanx for the help, there are some things i understand but yet dont quite understand… - How do i check to see if there is an update driver ?? - What's heatsink ? - If there are heat issues, whats the solution, do i have to buy another fan ? - There is this fan in a box in the CPU, how do i get to it to clean it, its in a box at the top, i dont know how to describe the box…its at the top in the corner and a black plug is plugged to it. - When i fix the problems, will my internet connection problem be fixed also ? Choonks89

Hi choonks89,

In response to your questions:

1. You can get a updated driver for your Video Card at the manufacturer's website, (like nvidia, ATI, etc)
2. A "heatsink" is the metal fin-like structure (usually about 2 1/2 inches square) mounted on top of your CPU. It is designed to absorb heat from the CPU and then expose the heat to air circulating from your fans. Here's a sample picture, though various types of heatsinks look quite different.
[external image: Posted Image]

The "heatsink" is the blue fin structure. Yours may or may not have a Fan attached directly to it.
Your Video Card also has a heatsink which needs to be kept clean of dust.

Use the eraser end of a wooden pencil to "gently" hold the fan from spinning as you blow compressed air onto it for cleaning. (Compressed air can cause a fan to "overspin" thereby damaging the bearings)

You can get a spray can of Compressed Air at Office Depot, CompUSA, Radio Shack or most any office equipment store.

3. You won't need to buy new fans unless one of them is so badly worn or clogged that it won't spin at all.

4. That "box" at the top of your computer with the black power cord plugged into it, that has a fan inside of it is your Power Supply. "Don't" try to open that box. Just use your can of Compressed air to blow the dust out from a couple of different angles. You'll know when it's clean because you'll see when the dust stops blowing out.

5. The internet problem is probably separate, but may be related. If you machine is shutting off, the dial-up connection may "time-out" and therefore disconnect.

Let's get one problem fixed at a time and take the next one if/when we get to it.

Best Regards

p.s. Joe C is one of the best online computer problem-solvers that I know of. I'm really glad to see him take interest in helping you in this thread! Nice to see you Joe!

Ok, Thanxx for the help ! I'll go see if i can get the compressed air to clean out the fan in the power supply. After reading you reply i went and cleaned out whatever dust i found. Its just for inside the power supply to be cleaned. I'll get back to you when i do that, any thing else you want me to do ??

Please note that "Compressed Air" <———> is the ONLY recommended method of cleaning ANY parts inside the computer case. You mentioned that you've already cleaned inside the computer tower case, and yet you haven't purchased any compressed air yet. If you are wiping with a cloth or using some other method, please stop now. Static created by rubbing, brushing, or even lightly touching is a major problem. Compressed air is the way to go for cleaning the entire inside of the case. Best Regards

ok, thanx for the warning. I'll get back to you when i get that compressed air.

Good work, getting your machine cleaned out with compressed air! Repeat about every 4-6months.
Still having the same problem(s)?
Please let us know specifically what's happening at this point.

If the problem still persists, investigate that Video Card. Try an update of the driver from the Vid Card manufacturer's site.
If the problem still persists, do you have another Video Card that you can substitute for test purposes?

You are using AVG Anti-virus. I use it too, and it has served me well for years.
But you still have "components of Norton" installed on your machine.
Consider uninstalling any/all components of Norton/Symantec via Add/Remove.
At the very least, Norton Live Update consumes alot of your dial-up band width…. and you don't even benefit. Worse, Norton can conflict in minor ways with other programs installed, particularly AVG.

When you installed MSN Messenger Plus! 3, did you allow the third-party software to be installed?
If so, there may be spyware involved, that monitors your browsing habits and consumes bandwidth when connected to the internet. Consider uninstalling MSN Messenger Plus! 3.

Are you an AOL subscriber? If not, consider uninstalling all things AOL.

Did you intentionally install Yahoo Toolbar? Many people like it, and it does have a free anti-spyware component, but it can cause hassles with browsing. I tried it. I didn't like it. I uninstalled it. You may consider uninstalling it too.

Java Runtime Environment. You need to update.
My preference is to completely uninstall Java Runtime Environment BEFORE installing the most recent version. There are known vulnerabilities in the older versions and all users should update to the most recent version. Get it here: http://www.java.com/en/download/windows_ie.jsp


What state/Country are you located in? Rural or Urban? I ask because your Average Ping 258 ms is above the upper end of acceptable for good connectivity. This can be caused by being a long distance from the phone companies main office, from old/faulty phone company wires, from old/faulty network connection box on the outside of your house, from old/faulty wiring in your house, from excessive use of "extension cords" of your phone line to your modem. Please give us an idea of your situation.

When you get "dropped" by your modem it can be frustrating. Some ISP's will drop you if you are "inactive". Some modems will do the same. When I was using dial-up, I set my Outlook email client to "check for new email" about every 10 minutes. That gave the "signal" to the modem and to the ISP that I was staying active. This can help if you are reading a long Website article, or are on the internet and get distracted to some other activity, only to find that when you come back you've been disconnected. Consider the Outlook trick.

OK, that's a bunch of things to consider/do.
Please reply with more specific problems/concerns, so we can give you more targeted recommendations.

Will you please run and post a fresh PCPitstop Full Test, so we can see how your machine is running now?
You may want to accomplish any of the above suggestions that you consider appropriate, before running the Pit Test. Then we'll see how things are running with those potential improvements.

Best Regards

EDIT: Please consider "disabling" the items listed in "blue/purple" highlight in your Pit Test on the Windows Page:
File Name Description
C:\Program Files\MessengerPlus! 3\MsgPlus.exe Messenger Plus! 3
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe QuickTime Icon
C:\Program Files\Multimedia\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe PowerDVD
C:\Program Files\Winamp\winampa.exe WinAmp
C:\Program Files\ewido anti-malware\ewidoctrl.exe Ewido Control
C:\WINDOWS\NCLAUNCH.EXe SWFlash support
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe Office XP speech

None of them are necessary for running at StartUp. They consume your resources and slow your machine.
You can start any of them by clicking on the application icon whenever you want to use it.

Afterthought: If you are using Norton Ghost for system and file backups, you don't have to uninstall that one. Just uninstall any "remnants" of Norton System Suite that relate to anti-virus, anti-spyware, or firewall. Then uninstall Live Update for Norton/Symantec. Best Regards