my computer has slowed down significantly. i have a firewall and run tuneup.com regularly. Any suggestions?

Question

on how to speed it up without adding more RAM?

Answer 1

Check for spyware.Spyware will slow it down.
All 3 of these are free.
All of these are ones that I personally use and all are free.
Try this scan, its free, it removes
I-Worm/Stration · BackDoor.Generic3.GBB and .GBC · Worm/Generic.FX · Exploit.WMF
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5

Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer.
http://www.safer-networking.org/

http://superantispyware.com/
SUPERAntiSpyware is the most thorough scanner on the market. Our Multi-Dimensional Scanning and Process Interrogation Technology will detect spyware that other products miss! SUPERAntiSpyware will remove ALL the Spyware, NOT just the easy ones!
Easily remove over 100,000 pests such as SmitFraud, Vundo, WinFixer, SpyAxe, SpyFalcon, WinAntiVirus, AntiVermins and thousands more!

Answer 2

Here is a complete guide to re-installing Windows XP properly. This will get your PC running at full potential.

Thanks to Slygh (me92sc) for this:

Do a right click properties on you windows install folder... if its older than two years.... reinstall windows. All the updates, registry changes, programs installed... uninstalled.... installed... uninstalled, etc will slowly but surely cause your machine to slow down. The best thing to do is get all your files (Docs/pics/vids/music/emails) onto another form of storage, either slave another hard disk to your C Drive, use "partition magic" to shuffle your disc around and create another partition on your C drive to store your files on, buy/borrow a external USB HDD, burn it all to DVD. Then.... stick in your windows disk and hit restart. Boot from the disk, delete your C partition, create a new C partition of about 20gig, the remainder of the drive chop up into a Program area (call it "P") and a Data Area (Call it "D") and install a new copy of windows. Defragment as there's alot of empty space created during install where all the files from the disc are temporarilly stored, but then deleted. This will move the majority of the Windows install files/folders back to the front of the disc where they should be. Apply all updates from microsoft, (defrag again if you want to...?) then your virus protection. From here you leave the C drive as alone as you can. Install all other programs on the P drive, and put all you data you saved from your previous install on the D drive. If you want to keep the "My Docs" document structure you can on your new desktop right click on "My Documents" and where it says "location" change the drive letter to "D"... this will need to be done for all users of the machine and will segregate all your bulky files into a completely different partition and not use up space or interfere with the windows install.

Now any updates service packs have a fairly empty space to install themselves into. When Windows does slow down a bit, you can very quickly perform a defrag on a 20gig partition instead of possible 100+gig, knowing that you are not shuffling about bulky files or programs that have wrapped themselves around the windows system files causing the slow down. You can even within the registry edit (RUN > "REGEDIT") the default location where programs are installed (change to your P drive location)... I think its SOFTWARE > MICROSOFT > WINDOWS > CURRENT VERSION > PROGRAM FILES.... there should be a text string you can edit currently saying "C:/Program Files". Be aware that this registry edit will cause updates to Microsoft Internet Explorer not to work, you'll need to change it back temporarilly to apply the update.

GOOD LUCK

Answer 3

I suggest you have a look at your hard drive maybe a manual...deletion of unwanted files and folders, or may go to device manager and see if you are running some programs that you relay don't need or don't use any more. Tune up is some times not enough,or not what you actually need (Not an expert ,Just a suggestion)

Answer 4

try removing cookies and defragmenting your computer, it's advised to defragment at least once a week if you use your computer a lot..if there is more than one person using your PC, get
ad_aware SE personal. it can be downloaded free from PC world and is by lavasoft.. it will go through your PC and remove any spyware that had accumulated and is clogging up your PC,

Answer 5

Check your RAM. If it's 512MB or less, upgrade to at least 2GB for a relatively permanent solution.

Answer 6

★★ SPYWARE & ADWARE ★★

◙ ADAWARE - Scans fixed and removable drives, memory and Windows registry Removes aggressive spyware and malicious content Logs information about scans and malicious content removals. Users of Ad-Aware Personal can efficiently remove behavior-tracking spyware; thus protecting your privacy on the Internet Provides greater computer security by removing key loggers and other programs, which put passwords, credit card numbers, and other vulnerable data at risk online. Allows you to stay abreast of spyware, not just a step behind, thanks to the Code Sequence Identification (CSI) technology .

☞ http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

◙ STOPZILLA - True Real-Time® Spyware / Adware protection. Most advanced Pop-up protection available. (CNET Editors' Choice award winner) Anti-Phishing / ID Theft protection. Integrated Cookie and History cleaning. Integrated Homepage Hijack protection. ZILLAsmart Technology automatically checks for updates daily. FREE support via live chat, e-mail and toll-free 800 number.

☞ http://www.stopzilla.com/download/download_select.aspx

◙ SPYWARE DOCTOR - Recommended by experts and editors around the world as the best Anti-Spyware. FREE award-winning customer support for all users. Frequent advanced updates ensure that you are always protected. Detects, removes and blocks all types of Spyware and Adware threats. Easiest to use with intelligent automatic protection. 100% Guaranteed.

☞ http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/

◙ Here are some helpful spyware sites.

☞ http://www.spywareinfo.com/
☞ http://www.spywarewarrior.com/

◙ Here are more programs and info sites.

☞ http://www.google.com/search?q=free+online+spyware+adware+remover

◙ When malware (adware, back doors, cookies, dialers, hijackers, key loggers, spyware, thiefware, trojan horses, viruses, worms, and zombie pcs) or other undesirable software are installed into your computer they sometimes leave Uninstall entries in your Add or Remove Programs control panel. For some applications, you can remove the software using this Uninstall method. Other times they are there just to appear legitimate and only provide a hint that you are infected. This list contains entries left behind by undesirable programs in your Add or Remove Programs control panel. This information will allow you to determine if an entry in your Add or Remove Programs list should be uninstalled.

☞ http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/uninstall/

◙ Startup programs are programs that are automatically started by Windows when the operating system starts. The problem is that many programs, adware, back doors, cookies, dialers, hijackers, key loggers, spyware, thiefware, trojan horses, viruses, worms, and zombie pcs set themselves to start automatically when Windows starts. As more and more programs are started automatically, your computer's valuable resources are drained, thus making your computer start to operate slow. This database will allow you to search for programs that you find starting automatically on your computer and determine if they are considered to be malware (harmful), unnecessary to run, or necessary to run. To examine your computer for programs that are automatically started by Windows, you can download and install Autoruns by Sysinternals. You can then search for entries found in the programs output using this database to determine if the program should be running. If from the information you decide they are not necessary to run, you can uncheck that entry in the Autoruns program and it will no longer start.

☞ http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/

Answer 7

try updating some stuff on it and try deleting some unused data and clear up the internet history- maybe that'll work

Answer 8

try defraging your system, sometimes that helps, also run an anti-virus and anti-spyware program to see if anything has sneaked aboard.

Answer 9

Delete some porn.