Is my operating system faulty?

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Chianti
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Is my operating system faulty?

Post by Chianti »

You have very kindly sorted several of my problems since my computer was fixed, but I'm not sure that it is:

After the Microsoft Operating System was removed and re-loaded my computer worked beautifully, quickly, effeciently for a couple of weeks then it started giving me corrupt disk messages and slowly the problems are returning. It often told me before repair and again now, that there is a problem with Skype, but I don't believe it.

Not having any technical knowledge, but putting 2 and 2 together, could there be a problem with the genuine Microsoft XP Operating System purchased less than a year ago. I want to sort the problem before the system goes down again. If not, what else might the cause be? It's not my hard drive which has plenty of space free.

I would be grateful for any assistance. :idea:

Chianti
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tree-peony
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Post by tree-peony »

sounds like your hard drive could be borked :(
I'd back everything up NOW :roll: and then try doing a defrag and see what happens.
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Chianti
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Post by Chianti »

Tree-Peony

I did that before it went down and very little actually needed defragmentation. Is borked the same as clapped out? My hard drive is newish too. I don't understand how I get problems with the hard drive, can you explain please.

Thanks

Chianti
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tree-peony
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Post by tree-peony »

LOL yes borked=clapped out!

Unfortunately, even a brand new drive can pack up. There are a few things that MAY cause or contribute to early demise tho. Dusty atmosphere, intermittent power problems (like short power cuts, or not turning it off properly), or just bad luck!

I know someone whose 14 year old daughter keeps banging into the desk the PC is on with the office chair...they've gone through 3 HDs in 12 months!

The defrag is really just to do a good read/write check on the drive.

When the OS was reinstalled, was your drive formatted? ie a clean install? What malware progs do you run?

It could be a variety of other problems as well, like PSU or motherboard
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Chianti
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Post by Chianti »

tree-peony wrote:LOL yes borked=clapped out!

Unfortunately, even a brand new drive can pack up. There are a few things that MAY cause or contribute to early demise tho. Dusty atmosphere, intermittent power problems (like short power cuts, or not turning it off properly), or just bad luck!

I know someone whose 14 year old daughter keeps banging into the desk the PC is on with the office chair...they've gone through 3 HDs in 12 months!

The defrag is really just to do a good read/write check on the drive.

When the OS was reinstalled, was your drive formatted? ie a clean install? What malware progs do you run?

It could be a variety of other problems as well, like PSU or motherboard
T-P

That's interesting, I had no idea. Dust could be the problem as I live in the countryside and don't have a violent 14 year old.

My mother isn't bored so don't think it's that.

Yes the OS was reinstalled.

Haven't a clue what you mean by was my drive formatted.

I use AVG Professional for virus & spy checks and it's all up to date.

I can defragment again to see if that helps a bit.

If I buy a new hard drive, can I install it myself even with a pea brain?

Thanks

Chianti
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tree-peony
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Post by tree-peony »

I'm not personally a big fan of AVG, try running Adaware and Spybot and see what it comes up with :)

A clean install of the OS means that everything is wiped off your hard drive before it's done, so any nasties lurking don't get chance to reinfect the OS.

Don't defrag until you've backed up everything important! If there is a problem with the HD it could well make it worse, but at least you'll then know what the problem is, and yes, fitting a new one is pretty simple :)
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Chianti
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Post by Chianti »

T-P

Thanks that's so useful. Interesting what you say about AVG, you're the 2nd to say so. I dumped Norton 4 or more years ago because a chap from British Telecom said that AVG were better. I may not renew the contract. I used to use Spybot but got rid of it because I thought the AVG would be better.

I would imagine the technical chap left my computer clean before re-installing, he's an expert, even teaches computer science locally.

Thanks so much

Chianti
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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

I agree that it sounds like your HD, Chianti.

Are there Windows programs specifically designed to check your disk for errors? There must be. I think defrag can do a cursory check on the fly, but Chianti might need a more in-depth look.

My hard drive on my laptop went a year or so ago, and I was able to back most things up (though some things disappeared because the computer had tried to write them to bad disk sectors), but the only solution was to buy a new drive and re-install everything. That's when I found out that hard drives are made intentionally cheaply. The technology exists to make a hard drive last for a decade or more, but the manufacturers don't bother because they assume everyone will be getting a new computer every few years. So they just build them to break down after a few years. Intentionally shoddy workmanship -- excellent! But short of manufacturing our own hard drives, there's nothing we can do about it.
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Post by Sue Dyer »

Re Spybot. It is really misleading as it say's "Download here free" then you have to pay for it!! I don't mind the £19 (for 3 computers) but I hate being mislead. Is it really worth getting?

Just wondering if I'm getting mixed up here. I googled spybot and downloaded. I've ended up with Spywarebot, is this different. If so, does anyone have the link for the one recommended? I sometimes find this with shareware, the names are so similar...
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Chianti
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Post by Chianti »

Sue
I used to use Spybot and it was free, but one could make a voluntary contribution. I think the other is a separate company.

Does anyone know if I can run both Spybot and AVG?

Vrooje
My hard drive is less than a year old. I can't afford to have everything removed and replaced by an expert, I'll have to save to disk. You do mean only files don't you? I only hold photos on my computer of which most have been copied to disk.

Last week I was getting messages telling me my disks were corrupt and that I should carry out a disk check. This week, oddly enough, I haven't had the messages, however every time I open the computer it does one automatically, which I understand isn't normal.

Could I get that much dust inside the hard drive in less than a year? Oddly enough, last year I rarely opened the window in my office for that very reason, but this year I have.

What a nusance to have to load and reset everything again :!:

Chianti
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Post by la vache! »

Chianti,
I run AVG together with Spybot and AdAware with no problems.
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

tree-peony wrote:I'm not personally a big fan of AVG...,
I've been using AVG Free Edition for years and have never come across a problem with it.

In your personal opinion, what wrong with it?

Alan
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AndyLucia
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Post by AndyLucia »

I use AVG, Spybot, Zone Alarm and Ad-Aware alongside each other successfully, have done for years; Sue, Spybot IS still free, don't quite know what happened if you got charged.

The answer to Brooke's question is yes, there are Windows error checking progs; you Mac users, such little wags! :wink:

Chianti, I would do a disk check, that will go some way to identifying the problem:

-Open "My Computer" and right-click on the drive causing the problems.

- Select Properties, then select the tab labelled "Error Checking".

- Let that run. If it identifies bad sectors, or similar, on the HD then you have a problem!

Hope this helps.
AndyLucia
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

Andy, I think some companies are sneaky. When you google for things there are others with very similar names. (Bit like own brands putting labels similar to popular brands!)

I have found the real Spybot. I ran it and it flagged up the Spywarebot as dodgy!!

Hard disc failure. I had 2 brand new computers in a row(different brands) where the hard disc failed within the first 6 weeks. I wouldn't accept repairs. I insisted and received totally new machines.
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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

you Mac users, such little wags!
Actually, in my case, Linux! :)
Brooke
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