Check for viruses with up-to-date virus definitions, boot to Safe mode, delete all the files in the Window/temp folder, then run scandisk and defrag.  Get rid of all the unnecessary programs running from startup by running msconfig and unchecking the unnecessary programs on the Startup tab.  Then run Spybot or AdAware to get rid of the spyware.

Steve

THANKS!

If my friend suggests it, would it be better just to format the hard drive?  He does not have up to date virus  definitions, so he may have a virus on his computer that may be hard to get rid of.

Just looking for all the possibilities............THANKS

 

INTERNET2000

If your friend isn't willing to add antivirus software and keep the virus definitions up to date, I wouldn't waste my time!  There is some really nasty stuff out there, and once infected--depending on the virus, of course--there is the potential of spreading it to everyone in your address book, not to mention those viruses that can wreak havoc on your own system.

My son's computer was infected with the Klez virus, and I thought I was never going to get rid of it!  I tried the Klez removal tool, and that didn't work completely.  To make matters worse, he was spreading the virus to all his friends, and even to me!  I finally agreed to rebuild and upgrade his computer, but only with the promise that he would purchase, and I would install, antivirus software on the new hard drive.  He even had to get a new email address, because the old one kept coming back to him with the virus.

Running a computer without antivirus software is the equivalent of not practicing safe s*x! 

Good luck!

Scarlett

Another thing to check, is to go into the device manager to see if there are any errors in with device drivers.  Sometimes the drivers can become corrupted, yet the device(s) still work.  But the overall performance would be degraded greatly.

Thank you all for your tips...............INTERNET2000

THANKS ALL............IT RUNS MUCH FASTER!

INTERNET2000