My problem with most of the stuff on my computer is that I have no idea what it means. I get these cryptic error messages prompting me to make a decision and it's as if they were written in another language. What good is that?

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I second the recommendation for Spybot Search & Destroy.
I would also run Hijackthis, but that is not for everyone.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

The only things you can backup and run on your new computer would be things like pictures, word documents, etc all that data type stuff. If this person tried to copy over alllll their old programs (say, clicked copy on Program Files and pasted it onto the new computer) well then you'll probably have to reformat. Thats a good way to mess with an operating system. All those old programs have IDs from the old computer and wont work properly on the new computer (or the reformated HD).

Try that registry cleaner I told you about, it is very quick and painless, takes maybe 5 minutes. If that doesn't work (I doubt it will fix everything)I'd say cut your losses and reformat.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Thanks for the replies and freeware recommendations, guys! I installed RegScrubXP and Spybot SD (to complement the Ad-Aware 2007 I have). I also have downloaded CCleaner but have not installed it yet. It's perhaps too soon to comment on these softwares, but I can say that I like RegScrubXP's fast scan but don't like Spybot's slooow scan. Maybe it's just perceived, but I feel that my system is a bit cleaner and running a bit more efficiently. However, I've noticed one thing different that may or may not be the result of running a RegScrubXP or Spybot scan. Before Window's Media Player 9 would minimize to the taskbar, on right side, next to clock. Now it won't at all when I click on the minimize button; it just minimizes to a regular window's bar. I've right clicked on the taskbar, clicked on "Toolbar," and checked and rechecked "Windows Media Player" but nothing happens--even with WMP checked, as it should be for WMP to minimize with full functions. Good thing RegScrubXP keeps records of what whas cleaned. I did a restore for one of the scans that shows WMP as being one of the deleted registry files. Nothing. Spybot maybe?

It's not such a big deal but I really like having that miniWMP taskbar function.

Spybot takes quite a while to do especially if you've scanned for the first time. Make sure you updated its virus/spyware definitions and immunized your computer.. if you didnt do that, you'll have to do it again.

Defrag your HD, it should speed things up a bit too.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

No problems with conflicts between CCleaner and other applications?

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I need to get a FREE spyware/anti virus program my free trial is expiring soon.

I dont know much about any programs.

But I would like it to

1) Be free

2) easy to use

3) work good with vista

4) not slow my computer down.

5) block/catch virus and spyware good.

What would you guys recomend?

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1992 SEL 600..... 143,000 miles