PC diagnosis & repair

[fang37]

Any free PC diagnosis & repair programs out there?

Free download & no trial offers - no SPAM later.

[faraday]

What's the issue with your PC; Malware, Virus or fubar?

[RichCor]

Be very careful when downloading "free PC diagnosis & repair programs"

Many of them are likely to install adware if not actual spyware.

If you are having issues with a slow machine (that aren't just slow-Internet related), then the two biggest suggestions are:

Spybot Search & Destroy

Malwarebytes

There are also website forums out there what will Walk you through the steps necessary to identify and clean your PC of unwanted programs.

[fang37]

Thank you so far.

More details -

I have used a computer tech for 11 years

Recently purchased a new Lenovo laptop.

Top CPU, Windows 8.1, 1Tb HD.

It is a Z50 - about B25k.

Windows 8.1 - disliked. Replaced with Windows 7 Pro

HD replaced with a 120Gb Kingston - I do not play computer games

New HD - 40% utilised

USAGE:

Email - Gmail - recently changed from Yahoo

Chrome

Forums - eg TV &

SKYPE - infrequently

I do reasonable internet surfing - Ask,com

Windows 10 - I am waiting patiently,

W 8.1 - legit program. - I have the CD

W 7 Pro - what are you talking about?

Edited July 7, 2015 by fang37

[manarak]

Thank you so far.

More details -

I have used a computer tech for 11 years

Recently purchased a new Lenovo laptop.

Top CPU, Windows 8.1, 1Tb HD.

It is a Z50 - about B25k.

Windows 8.1 - disliked. Replaced with Windows 7 Pro

HD replaced with a 120Gb Kingston - I do not play computer games

New HD - 40% utilised

USAGE:

Email - Gmail - recently changed from Yahoo

Chrome

Forums - eg TV &

SKYPE - infrequently

I do reasonable internet surfing - Ask,com

Windows 10 - I am waiting patiently,

W 8.1 - legit program. - I have the CD

W 7 Pro - what are you talking about?

so... after 4 posts already in the thread... the question is... does your PC have a problem?

[RichCor]

So... as faraday asked,

What's the issue with your PC; Malware, Virus or fubar?

Any specific issues happening now,

or do you just want these cleanup apps to have at-the-ready for later when needed?

[fang37]

NO! Very happy with it.

I run Disk Clean & Defragmenter (Windows) on a regular basis.

I just like to have a lean. mean acing machine as my PC.

[RichCor]

< snip >

Recently purchased a new Lenovo laptop.

Top CPU, Windows 8.1, 1Tb HD.

It is a Z50 - about B25k.

Windows 8.1 - disliked. Replaced with Windows 7 Pro

HD replaced with a 120Gb Kingston - I do not play computer games

New HD - 40% utilised

USAGE:

Email - Gmail - recently changed from Yahoo

Chrome

Forums - eg TV &

SKYPE - infrequently

Then you don't want PC diagnosis & repair programs, you want Optimization and System Tweaks to make/keep it lean and fast.

Very different.

But given your current usage, hardly necessary.

You might want to look as methods for keeping the browser, and browser cache, clean.

Scan the system once a month to make sure no-one else has moved in.

Edited July 7, 2015 by RichCor

[Pomthai]

CCleaner is good for removing useless shit.

[fang37]

Thank you from the Ignorant One.

Curiousity - I shall do a search using your terminology.

The only area where I have a problem- TV. Even though I have the "Insert" button on, it tends to overwritem

[RichCor]

The <Ins> key is a toggle for Insert/Overwrite.

Mine is right next to my <Del> key and I hit is quite often, then hit <Ctlr>+<Z> and <Ins> (again) and curse as it seems I can't get out of my own way.

[fang37]

I have just located the "Insert" button.

BTW, no problems doing this post.

My diagnosis - if it works, don't fix it.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

You do not use a Defragmenter on an SSD drive.

[losworld]

My advice don't screw around with a good think. You could use all the turbo crap upgrade software and unless you have an old system that hasn't been optimized from the factory you might get an increase of a few percent.

[DogNo1]

120 GB hard drive is going to fill up fast. It's a bit small. Use CCleaner to remove excess files. If you buy the pro version, it will run automatically on each startup. You may want to reduce the size of your page file. BTW, if you install all of your updates, you should get an invitation to reserve an upgrade to Win 10 effective around July 29.

[RichCor]

< snip >

Recently purchased a new Lenovo laptop.

Top CPU, Windows 8.1, 1Tb HD.

It is a Z50 - about B25k.

Windows 8.1 - disliked. Replaced with Windows 7 Pro

HD replaced with a 120Gb Kingston - I do not play computer games

New HD - 40% utilised

Windows 10 - I am waiting patiently,

W 8.1 - legit program. - I have the CD

W 7 Pro - what are you talking about?

[bold emphasis, mine]

< snip >

BTW, if you install all of your updates, you should get an invitation to reserve an upgrade to Win 10 effective around July 29.

Not likely given the answers, re: Win 7 Pro, above.

I've only seen Win 7 'genuine' systems running windows update get the annoying reserve Win 10 offer.

They will probably have to wait for a final version ISO and upgrade to a Win 10 'trial' version.

[fang37]

I am happy with W 7.

I will be patient, sit on my hands & WAIT.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I am happy with W 7.

I will be patient, sit on my hands & WAIT.

Did you read post #13?

[fang37]

Thank you - noted

[fang37]

In summary, you guys have assisted me a lot.

I like the direct communication without the personal slurs other forums tend to encourage.

On this forum, I have learnt about optimization programs - do not use them; defragmentation - no for SSD drives.

On another thread, a query re Windows 10 - it is WIP.

[NeverSure]

You wanted lean and mean. Did you ever mention:

Is your Win 7 32 or 64 bit?

How much RAM do you have?

Cheers

[fang37]

NeverSure - neither am I!

IamSure that -

Bit 64

RAM 4GB

(did a Windows update this morning - some files (15 ??) not installed. Try again - goes into a loop)

Took 1.5hr to install updates - now I am on automatic updates

[NeverSure]

64 bit could see and use more ram. 32 bit couldn't have. If you find it lagging, stalling etc. when working it hard it might be low on RAM.

If it starts dragging, find your Task Manager in Windows, click on the Performance tab and look at the graph and numbers to see how much RAM is left unused. Find Task Manager via google because I have 8.1 in front of me now and don't remember. Try clicking on start and typing task manager and see if it appears above and click on it. Maybe.

Edit. I just looked at mine and I'm using 4.1 GB while not working but I have a lot of programs and services that start at startup. I also have a lot of tabs open in Chrome. Your mileage may vary but I upgraded from 6 GB for dragging when I made images of the HDD.

Cheers

Edited July 8, 2015 by NeverSure

[fang37]

TV is not that bad. Typing - no problems typing. Navigating the forum site - varies. Maybe according to user traffic.

Yesterday, more frustration!

We have 3BBB internet - B590/mth model. What it is - no idea.

We have a 2 storey home, Internet was installed on the 2nd level. Operating internet upstairs - no problem. Downstairs?

Wife - Samsung tablet - android & SIM card. No problems!

Myself - Windows & no SIM card (wife claims that a SIM card cannot be inserted into a laptop - me - no idea).

Upstairs - no problem.

Downstairs - from startup - cannot connect internet. Take laptop upstairs, park it next to the 3BB - startup PC - OK. Then, operating PC downstairs - no problem. Shutdown PC & restart - no internet.

Next challenges -

getting the 3BB tech to come to our home

getting him to resolve the problem

Members - any positive suggestions?

[MJKT2014]

You could install something like free Xirrus Wifi Inspector to see how many Wi-Fi signals / channel usage around your rooms, from neighbours etc. Then switch the Wi-Fi channel to one less used to see if it improves connectivity. Worked for me. Need to access router to do it, ask the tech guy if you cannot do yourself.

[fang37]

Internet is now OK (I hope).

3BB techs - big surprise! Same day service & very efficient.

Apparently, there was a missing file on my PC.

My CNX computer tech has resolved the issue (I hope). By tomorrow, I should certainly know.

I did have thoughts of upgrading the plan or exiting to TRUE.

At the moment, it is another "do nothing" strategy.

[losworld]

True sucks they filter and throttle bandwidth making a lot of streaming impossible. 3BB much better.

[fang37]

True sucks they filter and throttle bandwidth making a lot of streaming impossible. 3BB much better.

That is GOOD news. Very welcome.

I went with 3BBB on a recommendation - went on the el cheapo plan too

My understanding is that there is no limit on usage - ie fixed price/mth.

[RichCor]

< snip >

We have 3BBB internet - B590/mth model. What it is - no idea.

We have a 2 storey home, Internet was installed on the 2nd level. Operating internet upstairs - no problem. Downstairs?

Upstairs - no problem.

Downstairs - from startup - cannot connect internet. Take laptop upstairs, park it next to the 3BB - startup PC - OK. Then, operating PC downstairs - no problem. Shutdown PC & restart - no internet.

Given the price you gave, you are most likely using 3BB 10Mbps/512Kbps ADSL Internet Service

Please understand that WiFi is a separate/independent add-on to the Internet Service.

Your Modem/Router *also* provides WiFi, a technology that allows DATA to be transfered over-air instead of Ethernet cables. It is this element that you are having problems with, not the ADSL Internet deliver service.

The WiFi issue is related to signal propagation (where the WiFi antenna is sending/receiving the radio signal).

To understand radio signal antenna propagation, imagine someone has placed a big fat DONUT over your WiFi antenna ... with the antenna poking up through the donut center hole. The signal emanating from the WiFi antenna(s) is very similar in shape to this donut, just much larger ...the radio signal is being sent and received omni-directionally (in ALL directions), so with the antenna pointed UP most of the signal sent HORIZONTAL (same floor) to the position of the antenna, only some of the signal sent VERTICAL (Up/Down) to the position of the antenna.

<-- SAME / SAME (only different) -->

Additionally, some antennas are designed with dBi increase, so imagine that someone has taken the same donut but "Flattened out the shape" so the donut shape is now much flatter, less tall (but still the same donut).

The antenna image below demonstrates how, via dBi antenna gain affect the final signal pattern, the pattern reshaped to reach 'further' by diverting signal away from Vertical into the Horizontal the plane. Using antennas with increased dBi levels works fine, so long as you don't want to use devices Above or Below the current antenna position (plane).

The house/building image (showing a single slice of the imaginary donut) demonstrates Signal Strength following the donut shape. The closer you are to the antenna the stronger signal available to your WiFi device. It also demonstrates where Blind Spots are formed by by poor signal pattern.

Additionally, WiFi radio signals can travel over greater distances when there is clear line-of-sight between devices, but do poorly when having to travel through furniture, walls, ceilings, floors or any other dense object that may reflect or absorb the signal.

SO, follow the donut shape of your WiFi antenna. Where is it currently sending its signal?

What happens if you lay the antenna (or antennas) DOWN FLAT? Does it help downstairs? Does it degrade availability/workability upstairs (current floor)?

What might also help is to have your ADSL Modem/Router/WiFi unit placed in a more central location to where people will want access to the service, ...and keep the WiFi antennas away from walls (20cm / ~8 inches).