My pc is running very slow, browser windows are opening after couple of minutes. I don't know what to do to get the pc running better .. I need advice.

Here is what I have done
1-run avg
2- run disk cleanup
3- run disk defrag
4- run Lavasoft for spyware and adware
5- dumped tons of files onto external harddrive and cd's
6- rebooted

After all of this on the last reboot I got the black screen of death with a flashing cursor only, rebooted 3 more times , disconnected the external hard drive from the usb port and finally got the windows xp up.

I am taking off my most of my graphic files which aren't that many, and putting them on the mac via the public network system where you plug in the isp of your pc and it routes you to the mac's public file so I am just going to dump all the files over there that I have but as I said I don't have that many files now.

What is the problem? It acts like a memory issue or a virus not detected.

anybody know what else I can do to get a smooth running system ? I love my xp and hate the thought of having to buy vista. Thanks in advance for any tips.

Backup all your necessary files, and re-format. Put your windows xp install disk in the drive, and then reboot. It will walk you through the rest.

I would wait for other suggestions, but if nothing else is suggested, I'd go ahead and re-format.

I am not very techy so let me ask... I reformatted the system about 2 years back.. can you do it more than once? Or better yet how do I delete the previous mess that was refomatted that is on drive d? It maybe be sitting there taking up space and I'd just as soon delete it if that is possible?

I have been dreading thinking I would have to reformat because software has to be reinstalled like photoshop, dreamweaver, and avg, lavasoft.. It's a serious pain but I'd do it if it would not just be more stuff sitting around like what's on drive d now.
I am not even sure if I am clear articulating the format thing. Does this make sense? Can you delete what is in drive d and then reformat to drive d? And if you can is this something you can explain to somebody easy?

How much ram do you have anyway?

i think you can reformat about 10 times then you have to get another serial number, which is free and automated, are you sure it's your computer and not server, know how to ping your IP address?

try a speed test or two, same as pinging
http://www.broadband-help.com/tools/speed-test/
http://www.mybroadbandspeed.co.uk/

anyone on your street using the same server?

my computer states I have 202gb free space and total size is 224GB is that helpful?

splodge for all I know my ethernet is not secured and someone could be sharing the space? My husband sets up the computers... funny he is clueless on using one but can wire one up, men seem to be really good at wiring cables and hooking up steros, surround sound and all kinds of contraptions.

How would I tell if my ethernet is unsecured? And how do I fix that? I am so not technical.

it's not a case of security manic, it might just be that you local server is running a on part power while they are doing a few days maitainance, or rerouting your cables for some road/building work, i sugested asking a naigbour to see if there computer is ronning slow too,
do you know your broadband speed? 2mb, 4mb, 8mb or more? do a speed test to see what speed you are getting,

It is supposed to be 3 megabytes but the speed tests are for UK only. I can try to google up something for the good old USA lol...

I don't know if it is the server... because the mac , my pc, my hubby's pc and my daughter's laptop are all connected and I seem to be the only one having an issue. We are all on charter's broadband.

It could be the fact that I am doing alot of html work, css and in doing so I have to have open on the desktop in minimalality
the browser, the imagehoster, 1-2 notepads, with various codes, photoshop. I notice that copying and pasting files and codes and minimizing the files seems to be when things go whacky. I might have 5 files with parts blued out for copying that are all in memory maybe. I may just have to copy paste and then go back and remove the copied parts of the original files ... or maybe the css and html is messing with the browser--- could be any of these scenarios. It doesn't happen so much when just browsing and or working with one sole program, it seems to be when doing some serious coding and whatnot just makes the memory go..... at least that seems to be when the problems are happening. Because I have dumped out psd's, and files so not much is sitting around to eat up all the memory and then I am housing the graphics, and psd's on either cds, externals or other computers.

Can all this make a pc go nuts?

that could bi it. my old computer hated it when i had photoshop, flash, dreamweaver, audition and premiere pro working together

I will go ahead and make some corrections for you Jen... It's called blue screen of death not black

anyways ... it sounds like a virus from what your telling us. There is no other way why your pc would open windows randomly... you ran anti virus and spyware already so I'm not really sure how to fix it... have you notice any new icons on your desktop? icons that your not familiar with? look at your program files folder and search for any program that is not supposed to be there. Sometimes virus install programs without your permission. Also look up your task manager for unknown task... Ctrl+alt+del

Kill any task that you might think is a virus ( be very careful not to end any task related to your system or it might crash ) this is one of the last options so be careful.

www.pcpitstop.com
Trust me on this. You'll be right as rain in a few minutes...
or at least know what the problem is if it's extreme.

okay will try the pitstop thanks

My screen Oscar was BLACK not blue nowhere close to being blue. Why call it blue when it's not? Or just a symmantical name?

windows are not popping open randomly. That would be an improvement. lol Browser is taking a nap, getting a cup of coffee and then maybe halfway to deciding it may or may not open. ????? Very frustrating.

I wasn't aware of a black screen of death... I guess now I have 1 more thing to fear for.

thanks for all the input and help. I appreciate it. And Oscar I think what that black screen is the dos screen... but I still don't like it popping up instead of my OS.

the pit garage showed some programs that were loading that I thought were history and so I pulled them off. something called the ati taskbar was in the list of programs on startup slowing down the system but I read that I needed that for my graphics so I dumped some files.. I am not touching the registry because I know I'll mess up my pc for sure... I used to know how to right click the taskbar and pull up the registry and work on it but I've since forgotton so don't plan on monkeying with that. I thank all you guys and hope this pc begins to run better...

You people are tops!