I have an old computer that I am trying to get up and running. I cannot get into any of the programs.?

Question

I am trying to get my daughters old computer up and running, but having no success. It is a HP Pavilon 7960, with a 1.3 Ghz Intel Pentium 4 processor, 128 MB RD Ram memory, 40 GB Ultra DMA Hard Drive, 32 MB nVidio TnT2 MG 4 Graphics Card with 32 MB SDRam, CD-RW HP CD Writer 8x4x32x Max Speed, and a DVD Rom Drive 16x Max Speed. My daughter has had this in storage for a few years and I thought I would try to get it up and running. The screen comes up with all the icons, with the Start menu, but I can't get into anything. It shows the hour glass display constantly. I think it is full of virsus's but I can't load anything to get rid of virsus's. Is this computer worth trying to save, or does someone have an answer that could possible salvage this computer?

Answer 1

add more ram and reload it

Answer 2

If you have the restore CD just insert it and restart the machine. You will need to start new with everything. If the hardware is functional you will be up and running soon. I would imagine this has Windows ME or 98 on it, so ignore the things posted aboujt needing more RAM. You do NOT need to buy anything to run the operating system that came with it.

If you cannot find the CD, then think about a used WIndows 2000 on eBay. 128 RAM would be fine for that. XP is overkill and you would definitely have to upgrade to even tolerate it.

Answer 3

Sure its worth saving. Like others say, up the memory to at least 512M - 1G would be better.

Now, to clean it up - Download Avast (antivirus), SUPERantispyware, and Winpatrol (utility).

Start your computer in safe mode as administrator. Unplug your computer from the Internet and DISABLE system restore. Install Avast and let it do a boot scan. Quartantene anything it finds.

Restart again in safemode as administrator. Install Winpatrol. Look through the startup tab and disable everything except the Avast stuff. (Dont delete)

Restart normally as administrator. Plug in your Internet again. Immediately do a windows update and install all critical updates.

Install SUPERantispyware. Scan the system.

Restart, turn back on system restore, and you should be in a good enough manner to do some final tweaking to your liking.

ALTERNATIVE: Completely format and reinstall windows. This is the only way to be sure. Be sure to load the 3 software pakages though.

Answer 4

Since you don't know the exact history of the computer.

1. I would simply format the HD and do a clean restore/install the operating systems. This will eliminate the problem applications that causes it to hangs including viruses.

2. Buy/add more RAM

It should be fine.

Good luck.

Answer 5

A 1.3 gig would still make a nice internet browsing machine. You might try to let the thing run for awhile and see if you can gain control of the desktop. If it finally fires up, go in and remove any software you dont need. Run a scandisk and defrag. You might also check the bios battery to see if its still good.

Answer 6

IF you have the original program disks, I would suggest RELOADING complete with re-formatting the HD. (Since it has been in storage, it probably doesn't have anything important in the files, or it would have been "copied" out by now.)

There is NOT enough memory for XP, but it should be able to run Win 95, Win98, or versions of Linux.

Answer 7

Can you restart it (Start menu - Shut Down) in DOS? If so, when you get the command line, type in scandisk.exe and see if it will run that. Sometimes the DOS Scandisk picks up stuff that the Windows version doesn't.

Answer 8

You have 128mb ram which is very little, windows xp require 128mb for itself to run . you need to add more ram then start new installation for windows and programs, it is good computer. it is not top of the line but it is Good.