Pc troubles
 

I am not quite PC savey and something is wrong. My internet explorer was locking up everytime I tried to search. So my boyfriend decided to DL Netscape to my pc thinking it would be better. Not only do I hate it but it's extremly slow on my machine. I am not sure why it is so slow or why the other internet explorer locks up and is also slow but my larger issue is this....All my windows stay in the background when I have one pulled up. I cannot drop it to my taskbar to see my other windows. I actually have to drop each one at a time and they sit right above the task bar. I hope I have explained this well enough. I have looked at all my settings and options and cannot seem to fix this problem. Does anyone know how I can fix this? :confused:

1) Do a virus scan (use AVG Free-Edition if you don't currently have a virus scanner. Click here for AVG)
2) Download Spy-Bot Search and Destroy and run a scan. (Click here for SpyBot)
3) When was the last time you reformated? Every operating system degrades over time, from old programs leaving behind old registry entries that the computer doesn't need, to bit rot that can destroy critical files. A reformat every 6 months to 1 year solves this problem. If you decide to reformat, remember to back up any critical data, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, video game saves, etc. Programs you can ignore because you install the ones you need after reformatting.

Is AVG Free-Edition any better than Norton's? I used Norton's last night and it found no virus. I did however DL the S&D. I like it too. It's much like Norton's but I think it found more problems. Internet page still comes up slow and I still cannot get the windows to drop to task bar. And I think I did a defrag less than 6 months ago.

Reformating is not an option right now. Matt says if I do he will leave me. LOL Not really but he's not giving me a loving look. I guess I get bitchy when my pc is not working to my likings. This is why we all have our own machines in the household.

Okay after the S&D and tinkering with other settings. I reset and my windows now go to my taskbar. Woohoo! Thanks for the help. I will try and resolve the lagging tomorow when I am not so grumpy.

AVG is on par with Norton's. Most anti-viruses are basically the same.

[EDIT: I'm not sure if you completely understand the diffence between defragging and reformating. If you do, ignore this long-winded explaination that makes no-sense. I just needed a break from working on crappy school projects.]

Defragmentation is different from a reformat. I'll modify an analogy I picked up from Wil Wheaton.

Imagine your hard drive is a big book that you enjoy reading. The problem is this book is not bound. Because you're lazy, when you finish a page you just throw it on the ground where-ever you are in the house. So you walk around all day reading and you want to read an old passage, so you go through the house finding those few pages, read them, throw them down, then go back to the big book.

Defragging is like taking a large block of time to go around and pick up every single page and put it back in order. Any rips, tears, smudges, stains, they are still there.

Reformating is like going out and purchasing a brand new book, which means no pages are torn, there aren't any smudges, and the text is perfectly readable. However, this new book doesn't have your little notes in the margin (your preferences) saying what you like and dislike about different passages.

I personally reformat fairly often because I can do it all in a few hours while playing video games, playing pool, etc.

I don't know off the top of my head what else might cause the problems, so I'm going back to my work. Good luck :)

Heh. I like that analogy.

Defragging is moving all the files on your computer so they're in order.

Reformatting is deleting every single file off your computer and starting fresh, and it is more useful than a defrag, though it *can* be a pain in the arse.

If you want an explanation on how to reformat, ask someone here.

Furthermore, (to add to the format/defragmenting topic):

After formatting and re-installing windows, it helps to defragment on the 3rd or 4th day following installation. The installation process of Windows can cause the drive to become fragmented. Also, after about 3 days, WinXP will have enough information to 'intelligently' defragment your drive and organize files to boost performance.