Posted: 11/15/2005 8:48:25 PM EDT
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Thanks for looking I could use some advice a non-computer person can do. Just so you know where we are: A) I don't know shit about computers: I don't have the puzzle-lover's temperment. B) I've have this Dell for two years without any real troubles C) I have Ad-aware/Spybot and use/update them often D) I just got MSN DSL I downloaded the beta MS Anti-spyware deal and it finds a whole host of things, and I get rid of them. I downloaded WinFixer too, and it says I have 3,100 registration problems, but they want 30 bucks to fix them. Should I do it? Cheers |
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www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=408728 Alot of good things there. But if you have THAT many registry problems, back up and reinstall windows. And no, dont pay $30 when there are free ones out there. |
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So how do you back things up? How long would something like that take? I have pretty minimal stuff: as I said I am not into computers. Do I have to copy everything and then reinstall it all? Why wouldn't there be trojans or whatever in my back ups if they are on the computer now? How much would it cost to have someone clear this crap out? Seriously, computers just aggravate the hell out of me. Thanks for the insight. |
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The Winfixer is a semi-scam. I don't know the program itself but the tactic it uses is common. It finds "problems" for free, but wants to charge you to actually fix them. And to make matters worse the program will inform you that the issues are critcial/sky is falling so you pay up. Most, if not all of the problems found are probably no big deal. Just entries left behind from deleted files, installed and unistalled programs, temporary files, and so on. Just junk that has been accumulating but doesn't cause any real problems (but Windows has to wade through all this junk to find what it actually does need). I have been using Easy Cleaner for a long time. As well as Microsoft's Regclean . I always run both since no one program seems to catch everything. You don't need to run these everyday, just once in a while to clean up some of the garbage. As long as your PC is not doing anything funky, I would not be too concerned about the registry. And yes, messing with the registry can cripple Windows to the point of needing a complete reinstall. I have never had an issue with these to programs but be warned, you use them at your own risk. Good luck Edited to add now that I saw your reply...... Don't Panic. Like I said above, if your PC is running okay, don't take a sledge hammer to it. The company that sells that Winfixer wants you to buy it so it makes it look like your PC is about to have a meltdown. P.S. You should always have some kind of backup strategy for your files. Like an external harddrive and/or CD/DVD burner. In the event your PC does have a meltdown someday, at least you still have your files (like picture, documents, videos, etc). |
-I will HEAVILY second this. As I have seen it, "general" registry cleaner utilities cause problems more often than not. To go in searching for specific program entries that are giving you grief is one thing, but to let a program go in and just delete any unjustified entries is asking for problems. The only programs I will normally run on the registry are antivirus programs (I prefer PAID ones thanks) and spyware cleaners that I trust--AdAware and Spybot S&D,,, although lots of people say that the MS antispyware one works well too--but I suspect MS will begin charging for it before too long. Also, before you run anything on your registry, back up a copy and store it in a directory in the root of the OS drive named "regbak" or something obvious, that you can find easily. You will want it easy to find in command-line-interface mode if the "fixed" registry is broken and you need to replace it using the CLI rescue utility. ~ |
Excellent advice here...Don't play in the Registry Sandbox unless you know how to distinguish one grain of sand from the next. |
Actually this thing has been going apeshit ever since I got MSN DSL. It takes longer and longer for it to shut down. And I keep getting popup boxes that say "IDQTOENR.EXE DLL failed to initialize because windows is shuting down" Then it's "FECICN20.EXE DLL....." and so on. Also Mcafee is completely fucked up. The Firewall Plus window will not go away for more than five seconds because "Internet explorer wants access to the internet" If I say block access it comes right back. If I grant access it comes right back anyway. Fucking insane. Mcafee Virus scan is fucked up too. It keeps reporting viruses that it cannot do anything about (do you want to scan files?) or tells me it just cleaned one out (Do you want to scan files?) OVER AND OVER AND OVER. I cannot get rid of either of these windows. MSN says talk to McAfee. Mcafee says I need to talk to Dell or pay a membership fee. Dell also wants a membership fee. It is unclear what you guys mean by backing -up. I just copy EVERYTHING and then put it back in? Won't all the viruses or whatever just go with them? Cheers |