Jeremy

It is not Windows XP's fault, it is the lack of proper maintenance on your behalf. Here's what to do: Use CCleaner to clean out the temp/cache files on your PC. If you have Norton installed, please use this tool to remove it. Use jv16 PowerTools 2006's Registry Cleaner on Aggressive Mode to scan, fix and remove invalid registry entries. Be sure to make a backup prior to removal. Note: The developer of this software, Jouni Vuorio, created one of the first registry cleaners back in the late 90's which most of the dozens of other registry cleaners out there nowadays have duplicated. The 2007 release contains brand new features for the registry that will eventually be copied to other products later on down the road. Afterwards, use the Registry Compactor feature to defragment your registry. Many people don't believe this benefits performance at all, but it does. Note: When you remove an entry from the registry an empty space (gap) is left behind. Because of this, the registry will gain in filesize the more that is added to it, but regardless of how much you remove, the filesize will never decrease. Windows is always reading through the registry and it takes longer to perform operations the more gaps it has to skip by to reach the key it needs to. This is essentially the same concept as disk fragmentation. Use JKDefrag v3.8 or a trial version of Diskeeper, PerfectDisk, UltimateDefrag to defragment your HDD(s). Make sure to perform a Boot-Time defrag upon next reboot well. Spyware: Download, install and update both Ad-Aware SE Personal v1.06R1 and Spybot S&D v1.4. Do full system scans with both and clean/fix any infections they report. Viruses: Download, install and update Kaspersky Anti-Virus v6.0.2.621. Do a full system scan and let it clean anything it reports. Reboot if an infection cannot be initially cleaned/deleted. Kaspersky's trial lasts 30 days. If you wish to use this product for one year legally, use the AOL version labeled ActiveVirusShield. Note: For ActiveVirusShield, enter your e-mail address here for a free 1-year activation code. Your e-mail will not be subjected to spam. If you prefer freeware then use Avast! Home Edition v4.7, or AntiVir v7.00.04.13. The latter has an even higher detection rate than Kaspersky and NOD32. For more information about anti-virus products, please visit http://www.av-comparatives.org.

Take the XPCD that came with the Dell (if one did), boot from it and perform a repair install. This will not affect your files. Sounds like they downloaded a virus from LimeWire and it hosed the OS. Always nice. If the repair install gets you up and running again and you manage to get into Windows, do the following: Spyware: Download, install and update both Ad-Aware SE Personal v1.06R1 and Spybot S&D v1.4. Do full system scans with both and clean/fix any infections they report. Viruses: Download, install and update Kaspersky Anti-Virus v6.0.2.621. Do a full system scan and let it clean anything it reports. Reboot if an infection cannot be initially cleaned/deleted. Kaspersky's trial lasts 30 days. If you wish to use this product for one year legally, use the AOL version labeled ActiveVirusShield. Note: For ActiveVirusShield, enter your e-mail address here for a free 1-year activation code. Your e-mail will not be subjected to spam. If you prefer freeware then use Avast! Home Edition v4.7, or AntiVir v7.00.04.13. The latter has an even higher detection rate than Kaspersky and NOD32. For more information about anti-virus products, please visit http://www.av-comparatives.org. Use CCleaner to clean out the temp/cache files on your PC. If you have Norton installed, please use this tool to remove it. Use jv16 PowerTools 2006's Registry Cleaner on Aggressive Mode to scan, fix and remove invalid registry entries. Be sure to make a backup prior to removal. Note: The developer of this software, Jouni Vuorio, created one of the first registry cleaners back in the late 90's which most of the dozens of other registry cleaners out there nowadays have duplicated. The 2007 release contains brand new features for the registry that will eventually be copied to other products later on down the road. Afterwards, use the Registry Compactor feature to defragment your registry. Many people don't believe this benefits performance at all, but it does. Note: When you remove an entry from the registry an empty space (gap) is left behind. Because of this, the registry will gain in filesize the more that is added to it, but regardless of how much you remove, the filesize will never decrease. Windows is always reading through the registry and it takes longer to perform operations the more gaps it has to skip by to reach the key it needs to. This is essentially the same concept as disk fragmentation. Use JKDefrag v3.8 or a trial version of Diskeeper, PerfectDisk, UltimateDefrag to defragment your HDD(s). Make sure to perform a Boot-Time defrag upon next reboot well.

Of course it does, but if you want to spend a good portion of eternity making individual rules for each IP that PeerGuardian blocks, that's your choice. I used PeerGuardian before for a few days but quickly didn't see much reason to use it further.

What do you mean, specifically?

I used Comodo for a month or so to test it out and it's the only freeware firewall I recommend to others.

Google is your friend. Specific reference.

The best option to make it smaller is to use nLite.

Have you done any tweaking to your OS? What version of Windows are you using? Personally, I think iTunes is absolute bloated, buggy garbage. There are many alternatives such as the ml_ipod plugin for Winamp, MusikCube, YamiPod, and SongBird. Please provide a screenshot of the error message. Also, go into your Event Viewer, select Application, find any recent error related to your attempt to install iTunes, save the entry as a log file and attach that to a future post.

Use CCleaner to clean out the junk. Scan your system for malware with Ad-Aware SE Personal v1.06 and Spybot S&D v1.4. Scan your system for viruses with Kaspersky (trialware), Avast (freeware) or AntiVir (freeware). Clean and defragment your registry with jv16 PowerTools 2006. Defragment your HDD with JKDefrag (freeware) or a trial version of Diskeeper, PerfectDisk or UltimateDefrag. Download and run Dial-A-Fix, check everything off and click Go. How is it now?

I have fell off the hardware wagon a few months ago and even I know Seasonic PSUs rule.

JV16 PowerTools > Registry Manager > New File > delete undesired ones.

I agree with what you say Jcarle, and I do not use an anti-virus myself. But don't think that because people use anti-virus products means they are idiots. Some of them lack some awareness, but others are ok.

RegSeeker (freeware) has a Find feature, and so does jv16 PowerTools.

Jcarle, you're taking this a bit too far. I give free anti-virus to my soon to be in-laws and although they are not computer-savvy, they are not idiots. They did not grow up in the generation of rapid technology trends and simply don't know the ways of the Internet. I'm no id***, but the way you're acting towards this Panda-fanatic is like saying I'm an id*** because I don't know much about biology, chemistry, history or geography. Just by reading Ben100014's posts, I can tell he hasn't read the research and comparisons done by others who strive to prove a point to those willing to look around instead of just sitting there saying "this thing rules cause I use it!" I've personally tried over 20 products and the ones I like the most are Kaspersky, NOD32 and Avast. Not many people use Panda from what I read and what I do read about it, the memory usage is horrible, among other annoyances.

Comodo Firewall Pro, excellent product. Also, please check the Sticky at the top of this subforum, and MatouSec.

I agree with Sonic and TheFlash428.

It would remove the need to AutoPatch for the present month, but not for the next.

IE vs. Firefox Firefox vs. Opera IE vs. Opera

NCIX which is based in British Columbia but has several warehouses west to east.

I suggest you listen to those who do the research, who know the facts, who filter out the bulls*** and can take the time to tell it to you straight. There are two people on this forum who I personally take hardware advice from and Zxian is one of them. Cheers.

You can, it will just take overnight and probably into the afternoon. Either that or get a friend with DSL/cable to burn you a copy.

No, because SP2 contains everything between no service pack and SP2. Slipstreaming it into your source with nLite and making yourself a bootable ISO and then using AutoPatcher is certainly a good plan.

Once you figure it out, I claim first dibs on beta testing!

The above didn't resolve the issue for me when I dared try the trial product in VMware, either. I believe Dial-A-Fix does the same thing to the same files as well.

Do whatever works for you. We do.