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excon · Jul 7, 2011, 09:26 AM

Hello:

Windows has been breaking down on me. Some of the stuff didn't bother me, but recent stuff does... First off, when I'm on the web, the screen stops for a moment, and then I get a message that windows manager has stopped working... I don't NOTICE any difference, so it doesn't bother me...

Today, I can't log onto my email account through windows mail. It says I need to enter a password, and when I do, it doesn't recognize me... Nothing has changed at my email server, however, because I'm still getting email on my iPhone.

Can I reload windows, and if so, how? I don't have a disk..

excon

NeedKarma · Jul 7, 2011, 10:14 AM

The "don't have a disk" is a problem. If you have a sticker on the side on your computer or a Windows booklet with your Windows Key then it's a matter of using someone else's Windows CD to do a re-installation. If you were physically near me I could do a clean-up that would solve your problems without having to re-install Windows. Often the issue is related to malware. Why don't you try using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.51.0 - TechSpot Downloads - download, install, do an update and run a deep/full scan and walk away. Often it finds issues that it can remove and on next boot up your PC is much more useable.

excon · Jul 8, 2011, 07:14 AM

Hello again, NK:

I ran the scan you suggested. I was surprised at what it found, because I am meticulous about keeping my computer clean... Ordinarily, I scrub with Ace Utilities, protect with Spyware Blaster, and scan with AVG free.

Nonetheless, after I ran the Malware thing, my problems STILL exist. Should I take it to somebody? Where can we meet. They won't let me into Canada, you know...

Steve

NeedKarma · Jul 8, 2011, 07:25 AM

I would dump AVG, it sold out and became a bloated mess. MSE is the way to go these days and now sets the bar for you-don't-need-to-pay-for-AV.

Googling the issue you are having I notice that people often talk about getting the latest video card manufacturer's drivers.

Can I assume you're using Firefox? If not I recommend it highly.

FadedMaster · Jul 10, 2011, 05:20 PM

NeedKarma, I would disagree with MSE being the way to go these days. According to AV-Comparatives.org, Avira catches more viruses (new and old). MSE does throw fewer false positives than Avira though. I have noticed that AV-Comparatives.org use Avira Premium in their testing, however there is no difference in virus definitions and detections between the premium and free versions of Avira.

I suppose one downfall of Avira's free version is a pop-up ad with deals for the premium version that it throws whenever it updates. But I put up with it for the added security gained from Avira.

Also, Avast seems to perform just a little bit better than MSE, but it has a ton more false positives and usually gets a lower score because of this. But it seems to be one of the fastest at scanning.

I would also run a HijackThis scan and post the results. http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/

NeedKarma · Jul 11, 2011, 05:30 AM

I usually go by this trusted site for free software:
Best Free Antivirus Software

It's never steered me wrong and I know sometimes contribute to the site. You'll notice that much of what we both said is there. I use Avast on my Desktop and MSE on my laptop.

FadedMaster · Jul 11, 2011, 06:44 AM

Ah, not too bad. I like AV-Comparatives.org because they have in-depth tests, with detailed documentation of each test and do new tests every 3 months.

NeedKarma · Jul 11, 2011, 06:55 AM

That's excellent for AV software, I like to learn about ALL free software I have available to me. :)