Laptop Help!

[Wahesh]

Ok so my laptop is a couple of years old. I don't need a new one as I pretty much only use it for web surfing - I guess that's the reason there is a problem. It's pretty slow. Google Chrome which would usually take 1 second to load up now takes something like 15 seconds. It also takes forever to shutdown, sometimes requiring me to keep my finger on the power button as it just doesn't seem to go. I think as it's mainly just an internet used computer, there might be malware or something that's crept in somehow. I know a re-image will take care of it, but I don't want to start all over again, installing things and saving files.

Does anyone know of something that will clean it up?

 

[Hacky McAxe]

Ok so my laptop is a couple of years old. I don't need a new one as I pretty much only use it for web surfing - I guess that's the reason there is a problem. It's pretty slow. Google Chrome which would usually take 1 second to load up now takes something like 15 seconds. It also takes forever to shutdown, sometimes requiring me to keep my finger on the power button as it just doesn't seem to go. I think as it's mainly just an internet used computer, there might be malware or something that's crept in somehow. I know a re-image will take care of it, but I don't want to start all over again, installing things and saving files.

Does anyone know of something that will clean it up?

Download a free anti-virus/anti-malware program (Free AVG is good) then run a full scan with that.

After that, uninstall it and any other anti-virus programs you have (you can keep Windows Defender), uninstall any other programs you don't use. Remove any temporary files (clear browser cache, get windows to delete any temporary files) then defrag the hard drive (unless it's an SSD in which case don't defrag)

After all that if you're still having issues then I'd suggest upgrading the ram or re-installing Windows. If you have Windows 10 then reinstall is easy. Just go to start menu, settings, update & security, recovery, then select "Get started" under "reset this PC". You can choose to keep your files or wipe the hard drive completely. It'll wipe out any programs you have installed so you'll need to reinstall those.

 

[@nchorman]

Hey Wahesh,

Try installing Malwarebytes - Free Edition. These guys are quite good and I use it quite often.
Whilst that is running, download and install adwcleaner by toolslib. This will look for things that malwarebytes missed.
If that fails, and you don't have much in regards to files on your machine, run combofix - This nukes your computer and gets rid of alot of unwanted files (but be warned it could potentially delete pictures etc that you might want to keep)

restart the machine after the scans are complete and run the scan again to double check if the malicious software isn't recurring during startup.

Avira antivirus is quite good to work as a free software to have, but it could slow down your machine at times while running full system scans.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Malwarebytes and Avast are good starting points.

But I'd be backing up and starting afresh.

 

[Wahesh]

Ok thanks guys, appreciate the feedback.

I think what I'll do is a couple of everyones recommendations and see how I go.

Everything is backed up though in case of worst-case scenario.

 

[CroydonDog]

Stop going to the dodgy porn sites - stick with pornhub, youporn etc

 

[justdogs]

Stop going to the dodgy porn sites - stick with pornhub, youporn etc

problem solved LOL

 

[Wahesh]

Stop going to the dodgy porn sites - stick with pornhub, youporn etc

xhamster says NO!

 

[Wahesh]

So I thought I'd give everyone here an update. I did a lot of recommendations, but I think my laptop was in the FUBR stage (ask if you don't know what that stands for). It was running for 4.5 years without re-imaging, so a complete flush was necessary. I had to copy 100GB of data to my portable hard drive which was the most draining part.

After that I ran the Windows 7 (yes, I still use it) installer, and that took another hour or so. I tried to run the image disks but couldn't find them (checked my laptop bag and everything), so I thought I'd run the installer and install windows first, and install other apps as required.

Big mistake.

Once windows was installed, I had NOTHING. No graphics card drivers, no sound card, no freaking Wifi or internet. How was I supposed to download all the drivers when I had no internet connection whatsoever?

I used an old laptop we had and thought I'd connect to the net, and download what I needed.

Then the USB ports on that laptop didn't work.

At this stage, I was in a FML situation.

I ran upstairs and thought I would connect that old laptop to a docking station it had in the hope that 2 of those USB ports would work.

Low and behold. The image disks AND application disks where there.

Strike me freaking pink.

I ran the app installation disk which required 3 reboots for everything to be installed.

Now my laptop is back to running with optimal performance.

Tonight after work begins the audacious task of copy 100GB of data back to the laptop -_-

 

[Hacky McAxe]

Seriously. It's one of the winning features of Windows 10. Click "Reset", 5 minutes later windows has been fully restored like a fresh install with all the drivers and everything.

 

[Wahesh]

Seriously. It's one of the winning features of Windows 10. Click "Reset", 5 minutes later windows has been fully restored like a fresh install with all the drivers and everything.

What about all the apps and files?

 

[@nchorman]

So I thought I'd give everyone here an update. I did a lot of recommendations, but I think my laptop was in the FUBR stage (ask if you don't know what that stands for). It was running for 4.5 years without re-imaging, so a complete flush was necessary. I had to copy 100GB of data to my portable hard drive which was the most draining part.

After that I ran the Windows 7 (yes, I still use it) installer, and that took another hour or so. I tried to run the image disks but couldn't find them (checked my laptop bag and everything), so I thought I'd run the installer and install windows first, and install other apps as required.

Big mistake.

Once windows was installed, I had NOTHING. No graphics card drivers, no sound card, no freaking Wifi or internet. How was I supposed to download all the drivers when I had no internet connection whatsoever?

I used an old laptop we had and thought I'd connect to the net, and download what I needed.

Then the USB ports on that laptop didn't work.

At this stage, I was in a FML situation.

I ran upstairs and thought I would connect that old laptop to a docking station it had in the hope that 2 of those USB ports would work.

Low and behold. The image disks AND application disks where there.

Strike me freaking pink.

I ran the app installation disk which required 3 reboots for everything to be installed.

Now my laptop is back to running with optimal performance.

Tonight after work begins the audacious task of copy 100GB of data back to the laptop -_-

This was like reading a horror novel, as soon as you said reinstall windows 7, I knew.

This is the part where the axe murder has had enough of his stalking (slowing your PC Down) and straight up murdered the first black person who was on screen.

After that, the Axe Murderer continues to kill everyone while you try and fix your mistake.
luckily there's always that one virgin girl who somehow manages to save the day through some BS like finding your discs where the docking station is, or stunning the Axe murderer long enough to take his axe and chop his head off.

Mate, First thing on a monday, don't give me this roller coaster of emotions

 

[Wahesh]

This was like reading a horror novel, as soon as you said reinstall windows 7, I knew.

This is the part where the axe murder has had enough of his stalking (slowing your PC Down) and straight up murdered the first black person who was on screen.

After that, the Axe Murderer continues to kill everyone while you try and fix your mistake.
luckily there's always that one virgin girl who somehow manages to save the day through some BS like finding your discs where the docking station is, or stunning the Axe murderer long enough to take his axe and chop his head off.

Mate, First thing on a monday, don't give me this roller coaster of emotions

Some of your best there Ron. I was actually going for a different method looking for the docking station then finding something better

 

[Hacky McAxe]

What about all the apps and files?

You can choose if you want to keep the files or not. Apps you have to re-install.

 

[Wahesh]

Bugger I should've gone for that. Is the free upgrade still available?

 

[Hacky McAxe]

Bugger I should've gone for that. Is the free upgrade still available?

Nope.

 

[Mr Invisible]

I wouldn't be too worried... Microsoft keep fucking breaking shit on Windows 10 with their new attitude towards FORCED Windows Updates.

Nov Updates - fucked Lenovo servers to the point they wouldn't boot.
Dec Updates - so far they've fucked up DHCP on Windows 10 clients.

 

[blueyedsamurai]

I wouldn't be too worried... Microsoft keep fucking breaking shit on Windows 10 with their new attitude towards FORCED Windows Updates.

Nov Updates - fucked Lenovo servers to the point they wouldn't boot.
Dec Updates - so far they've fucked up DHCP on Windows 10 clients.

Same shit with windows 8 except you could actually turn them off, now you're held at the mercy of Microsoft.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Same shit with windows 8 except you could actually turn them off, now you're held at the mercy of Microsoft.

Yep... they never learn!

Viva la Windows 7 SP1

 

[Wahesh]

Yep... they never learn!

Viva la Windows 7 SP1

Ok... that makes me feel slightly better

However with all these dramas, would the aforementioned Windows 10 "Reset" come into play here?