Lap top help...

[HollyAnne]

I cant do this computer fixing thing...so i need help =]

i have a Dell Inspiron? or something like that...

It runs really slow even if I delete everything on it, I've tried that defrag thingy, and done a virus check and also the clock is broken even if i reset it the next time i start it its not carried on. I've tried phoning Dell a few times but tbh they have been useless. And also do I have to change the battery on it? It's always plugged in but apparently I have to change it..:S

Any help appreciated

Holly

xXx

 

[mradam87]

How old is the laptop? And does it have Vista or XP? First off I'd download Spybot Search and Destroy from here www.safer-networking.org, install it and scan your laptop to find any spyware, and also get Ad Aware from http://www.lavasoft.com and do the same. Both are free.

What antivirus do you have at the minute? AVG is an excellent free antivirus program, just as good as Norton and the likes imho, get it from http://free.avg.com

The defragger that comes with windows isn't too good, although it will do a half decent job if run a few times. There are some other programs about but you'd have to do a search on google or something.

One other thing, go to http://www.pcpitstop.com and run a health test. It will give you tips on speeding your laptop up.

I don't understand what you mean about changing your battery? Is it telling you to do this?

Hope this helps a bit!

 

[HollyAnne]

:S ill read this tomorrow when im more awake =]

 

[mradam87]

I take it I was no help to you then lol.....

 

[HollyAnne]

How old is the laptop?

Year and half

And does it have Vista or XP?

XP i think


What antivirus do you have at the minute?

I think its AVG

And it comes up with a sign telling me that battery life is runing out.

 

[The Boosh!]

sounds like pc aids.

 

[Beef-Mc]

sounds like pc aids.

Yep bad PC aids tbh.

 

[nth]

which dell? and have you been on the dell site? there's a troubleshooter

 

[mradam87]

If your AVG is all up to date and is version 8 (I think), you should have no problems with viruses as its pretty good at detecting them.

As for the clock losing time, this is an odd one, the only cause I know of is that the battery (not the laptop battery, but a small one inside the laptop, kind of like a watch battery) which keeps the BIOS settings is about to die, although for the age of the laptop it shouldn't be that.

Sorry if this is all a bit technical but its hard to explain without actually seeing the laptop.

And if its telling you the battery life is running out then you either have an issue with the mains charger or the actual battery is screwed and you need to get a new one if its a big issue.

Does the laptop take a while to startup when you switch it on?

 

[HollyAnne]

it takes forever to start up

 

[Mike_182]

Probably better off rebuilding it from scratch. It got XP Home or XP Professional (flip it on it's arse and have a look on the sticker)?

You'd need to back everything up but I could do you a disc that could install all your drivers for you.

 

[mradam87]

it takes forever to start up

You probably have a lot of programs starting up at the same time in the background.

Click Start
Go to Run
Type msconfig and click ok
Go to the Startup tab

If there are more than 4 or 5 things listed here with ticks in the boxes next to then there's probably a lot of junk running when you switch the laptop on. Some of them MUST stay ticked but others are unnecessary, use this site to search for what you do and don't need http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php or just post them here if you're unsure

 

[Nigel]

In all honesty, I'd take it in to a local computer shop and ask them to have a look at it for you.

It sounds like anything suggested to remedy your problems would be way over ytour head.

 

[HollyAnne]

Probably better off rebuilding it from scratch. It got XP Home or XP Professional (flip it on it's arse and have a look on the sticker)?

You'd need to back everything up but I could do you a disc that could install all your drivers for you.

It says Windows XP media center edition 2005...it dosent say professional or home xxx

 

[HollyAnne]

it takes forever to start up

You probably have a lot of programs starting up at the same time in the background.

Click Start
Go to Run
Type msconfig and click ok
Go to the Startup tab

If there are more than 4 or 5 things listed here with ticks in the boxes next to then there's probably a lot of junk running when you switch the laptop on. Some of them MUST stay ticked but others are unnecessary, use this site to search for what you do and don't need http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php or just post them here if you're unsure

they were all ticked...i now have 5 ticked x

 

[Mike_182]

Probably better off rebuilding it from scratch. It got XP Home or XP Professional (flip it on it's arse and have a look on the sticker)?

You'd need to back everything up but I could do you a disc that could install all your drivers for you.

It says Windows XP media center edition 2005...it dosent say professional or home xxx

Urgh, I hate MCE!!! Lol. Whereabouts you from? I'll do it for a decent rate, and a damn site better than some computer shop...

 

[HollyAnne]

It says Windows XP media center edition 2005...it dosent say professional or home xxx

Urgh, I hate MCE!!! Lol. Whereabouts you from? I'll do it for a decent rate, and a damn site better than some computer shop...

about a 5 hours drive from you...

 

[mradam87]

they were all ticked...i now have 5 ticked x

Does it start up any quicker yet?

The next step is removing any possible spyware you may have

 

[HollyAnne]

they were all ticked...i now have 5 ticked x

Does it start up any quicker yet?

The next step is removing any possible spyware you may have

yer its already running quicker thanks x