How to safely back up files on my PC (windows XP) & completely wipe it for a clean start?

Question

My PC bought Jan 2006. PC came with 56K. ITU v.90 modem, but i have cable connected. Why is it still slow? friend suggested might be a virus which is not removable by my McAfee (Security center) antivirus. Windows IE keeps freezes. When 1st turn on PC, takes ages to open 1st email. Also have system mechanis 6 installed. It didn't detect problem hence problem is not fix. PC still has A LOT of memory & huge hard drive capacity. SM6 always indicate speed as FAIR.

Best to back up using HDD? which brand? how to back up? (steps please), Flash USB ok?

What's a safe and EASY wipe out? read Norton partition utilities. Since already using McAfee,, does it have similar software? Original windows XP (Home) came with PC, don't want to loose this cause I don't have the disk.

I have good basic knowledge of PC functions, email and internet). IS this enough for me to do the back up and wipe out myself?

Help! Don't want to have another PC crashed on me! *thanks

tried system restore (only went back as far as july 2007), it always says 'restore incomplete)

have DVD burner but won't let me burn on DVD+R. Am i using wrong Disks? that's why I aks if HDD was better. Sorry don't know much about these things....still learning as I go.

Don't have windows XP disk as my windows came already installed with it.

Thanks to everyone who helps

WOW. So many solutions here. THANKS. Can't say i understand evertyhing that has been suggested as I have not that computer literate enough. Will print your answers out and ask someone to explain to me.

Answer 1

You might not need to wipe it out and start over. And no - having a dial up modem won't affect the speed of anything as long as you are using cable (though I have actually seen on more than one occasion someone still dialing up despite having a cable modem attached - those people were incredibly stupid however).

Start by pressing ctrl+alt+del and bring up the task manager, switch to processes, and make a list of everything that is running. Go online and search for each item to see how (and if) to remove each item. Once you have cleaned out all of this garbage, then download adaware personal from lavasoft. Make sure it is updated, and run a full scan.

Right click on internet explorer and go into properties - clear history, temp. internet files, and cookies.

Go into control panel, 'add/remove programs' and go through the list removing any garbage software.

You can run some hard disk utilities like scandisk and defrag too. Just go into 'my computer' and right click on your hard drive - go into properties, tools, and you will see them.

If the machine is still acting slow or strange, download a free virus scan like AVG, and see what it finds. Don't buy any software (especially norton or mccaffee - they are useless). Make a list of what it finds, and search online for instructions or utilities for removing that specific virus.

If all else fails, the best bet for backing up your system is burning cd's or dvd's of all of your stuff - make sure to scan them carefully for viruses, otherwise you might just be loading the virus back onto your computer.

Also - you might want to check the specs on your computer, and add memory, or upgrade other components to make it faster.

Answer 2

Unless you have the Original Install Software Disc there is generally NO WAY.
You can purchase an external Drive and Move all the content you have. If you have anything Norton and McAfee togeher on your computer that is normally the cause of the problem. They simply do not play well together. This will cause you machine to be sluggish and sometimes even to quit.
If you haven't used any of the freeware shareware to clean your computer.
I use XP's System Tools and Disc Cleanup and Spybot's Search and Destroy. as well as Lavasofts Adaware 2007 once a week need to or not. This keeps all the junk off of your computer.
Remember 2 things Dial-Up is the pits there isn't a lot you can do about the slow speed. This method of connection is almost as bad as 2 cans and a string.
2nd There is a direct coralation of the sites you visit and the amount of trash that gets downloaded to your machine that you may not even be aware of. Steer Clear of Kiddie sites and Music, and Free stuff is generally bad JU JU unless you have some form of protection pre Installed to protect your computer.
Don

Answer 3

I would suggest you get avg ( www.grisoft.com ) or google for avg free.

Install that and run a virus scan after doing any updates you require for avg.

also do a spyware scan using antispyware apps like spybot search and destroy and avg also have an antispyware program :

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/download-free-anti-spyware/us/frt/0

once you have done that you can either get an external hard drive like a lacie or western digital external hard drive.

That or if you have a dvd or cd burner you can backup your data to either cd or dvd depending on what drive you have?

Once you have done that use either your recovery partition ( which should be explained in the manual or documentation that came with your pc on how to re install or recover it )

That or you use a windows xp setup / installation cd.

In the bios ( which when your computer first starts turning on ) you should be able to press delete ( not backspace ) or F2 or something along those lines to get into the bios, where you can alter your computer settings, there should be an option to alter the first bootable device ie from your hard drive to your cd or dvd drive )

change it so that it trys to boot from your cd / dvd drive first that way when and if you do use an xp cd it will go through the motions of re installing your operating system, in that process you are able to format ( wipe ) your hard drive and start over.

If you require any drivers for your network card I suggest you get those first and burn those onto a disc.

Once you have your network card drivers you can at least re connect to the internet and re download the relevant drivers you require.

Answer 4

Ok, First Back Up to an external HDD, The Most Popular are Western Digital,Iomega and Seagate.
Go To Start >>All Programs>>System Tools>> Backup.
This will start a wizard to answer some questions, just make sure that you choose back up all information on this computer(If you have any backup software like norton ghost use that )
And it will ask you where to back up to if you don't see you drive listed select browse and locate in in My Computer>>Open. Now just wait for it to finish.
Now to reinstall windows insert the disc then follow directions

Answer 5

Go to http://www.pcpitstop.com. Join up, run tests, follow the given solutions, run the tests again and then share results with the users in the forums over there. The tests will look for more than just viruses (for instance I recently fixed an overflowing cache which caused similar problems) and give you solutions, so you may never need to go to the forums.

As for backing up, there's a chance you'll back up any viruses as well, and some viruses will destroy usb flash drives and other backup equipment. It's better to back up when you're not infected.

Answer 6

The user state migration tool (on the xp disc) is probably the easiest way but it takes a long time and will retain a fair portion of spyware unless cleaned first. I usually copy important documents to a different pc, verify that I have the installers for important apps, then I just nuke it.

Answer 7

do you have a cd / dvd burner? i would take all of the files i want to save, folders, emails, favorites and pics and put them on a cd or dvd

then do a full system restore back to when you got the pc. you should have made some disks or some came with the system