Is it a resources issue or the software 1

[Smartncube]

A user at my workplace has a pc with the following specs:
Intel Pentium II processor
128MB RAM
4.5GB HDD (with 2 FAT32 partitions C&D)
C- has 1Gb free space and D has 2GB free
Windows 95

There are few applications installed including MS Office 2000 & a finance application called Act2000.

The user's PC has always crashed when he opens either Outlook or Act2000.

I dont think it's a resources issue because he has suffient free space on both drives and enough memory. I cant log on as administrator and delete his profile since this is a Win 95 box.
What can I do to improve PC performance and minimise on crashes.

I've run defrag checked for disk errors by running scandisk.

Please assist. I know it's a simple thing but there's something i'm missing.

Thanks for your help

 

[franklin97355]

I would at least upgrade to 98se but 2000 would be better. Microsoft does not support 95 anymore and the apps you are using are geared for windows 2000. If he needs to use these apps he should get a newer computer that can handle 2k and upgrade.

 

[jmatt]

1st step , run a virus check from 1 of these & then give it a good clean out .
Online Virus check ( free )

http://housecall.antivirus.com/

http://www.coledata.com/virusalert.htm

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/misc/av.php

http://www.pandasoftware.es/activescan/activescan-com.asp

------------------------------

From Windows Explorer , Delete all the files ( except the read only file )
in Windows > Applog . Taskmon will rebuild the Applog file .

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q218160

To view Applog , do this .
Windows Explorer > View > Folder Options > View , click on Show all files . Click OK .

http://www.windows-help.net/windows98/start-17.shtml

If you have plenty of memory , disable Taskmon .
Start > Run , type in msconfig & press Enter .
Click on Startup & untick TaskMonitor .

-------------------------------

Run Scandisk Standard ( do not Tick > Automatically fix errors )
Scandisk log records the errors .

http://users.iafrica.com/c/cq/cquirke/scandisk.htm

-----------------------------

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q158705

How to Disable the Find Fast Indexer

http://www.remainsecure.com/whitepapers/hacking/mshidden.htm

8. THE TRUTH ABOUT FIND FAST

-----------------------------------------------

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q259161&FR=1

Computer Speed and Performance May Decrease
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95

-----------------------------

Streamling startups .

http://www.pcforrest.freeserve.co.uk/streamlining_startups.htm

http://ww2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Uncheck.htm

http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm

http://www.3dspotlight.com/tweaks/startup/start4.shtml

http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Running_items.htm

http://www.djbdesigns.com/wtvzone/startup.html

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You can protect your comp from Spyfiles by using these 3 programs together .

http://beam.to/spybotsd

What does SpyBot-Search & Destroy?

SpyBot-S&D searches your hard drive for so-called spy- or adbots; little modules that are
responsible for the ads many programs display. But many of these modules also transmit
information about your surfing behaviour and more to the net.
If SpyBot-S&D finds such modules, it can remove them - or replace them with empty dummies in
case their host software won't run with its bot removed. In most cases, the host still runs
fine after removing the bot.
For a list of 'supported' bots see the feature lists below. The Spybot-S&D interface is so
easy, that updates just require replacing a file of about 80k in size. Those updates are
distributed by my software mailinglist, over this page and are also available from inside the
programs update section.

Another feature of Spybot S&D is the removal of usage tracks, which makes it more complicated
for unknown spybots to transmit useful data. The list of last visited websites, opened files,
started programs, cookies, all that and more can be cleaned. Supported are the three major
browsers Internet Explorer, Netscape Communicator and Opera.

Last but not least Spybot-S&D contains some routines to find and correct invalid entries into
the registry.

Red entries indicate spyware problems that should be fixed to avoid security and/or privacy
problems. This is the only kind of problem that is preselected to be fixed.

Black entries are system internals. If you do not know what they mean, I would suggest to either
keep your fingers from it or visit the support forum.

Green entries indicate usage tracks. It can do no harm to remove these.

I personally only remove the Red entries as the Green entries remove items I use .

Make sure you use the SpyBot > Online > Update button regularly .

-----------------------------

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/spywareblaster.html

SpywareBlaster doesn't scan and clean for spyware - it prevents it from ever being installed.

How? By setting a "kill bit" for the CLSIDs of spyware ActiveX controls, it prevents the
installation of any of them from a webpage. You can run Internet Explorer with Active-X enabled,
but you will never even get a "Yes/No" box popped up, asking you to install a spyware Active-X
control (Internet Explorer will never download or run it!). All other Active-X controls or
plug-ins will work fine.

The SpywareBlaster database contains information on these known spyware Active-X controls. Make
sure you run the Check For Updates feature frequently to get the latest database! (And make sure
you check the new items to protect your system against them!)

As a side benefit, setting this "kill bit" will also prevent the spyware Active-X from running,
in many cases, if it is already installed on your system.*

--------------------------------

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/spywareguard.html

SpywareGuard provides a real-time protection solution against spyware that is a great addition
to SpywareBlaster's protection method.

An anti-virus program scans files before you open them and prevents execution if a virus is
detected - SpywareGuard does the same thing, but for spyware! And you can easily have an
anti-virus program running alongside SpywareGuard.


Features Listing: Fast scanning engine
Scans exe and cab files - the two most popular file types for distributing spyware
Signature-based scanning - for known spyware (list)
Heuristic/generic detection capabilities - some spyware programs can be detected even if the
code undergoes significant changes
Small size - with a small size and small definition sizes, download and updates are quick
SG Control Panel - provides easy access to help and integration options
SG LiveUpdate - provides an easy updating solution
Spyware files are blocked before being opened or run - they are not simply shut down after they
are loaded in memory (and after they have performed their tasks)
The full path to the spyware executable is provided on the alert screen
Once a spyware file is detected and blocked from running, the options are provided to either
continue or to delete the spyware file
It's a free download

-----------------------------

http://shellcity.net/cgi-bin/DB_Sea...phapage.setup.cgi&submit_search=yes&alpha=0-9

http://www.1cleanup.com/

http://www.1cleanup.com/download.cfm

1CLEANUP..........Clears your computer of Unneeded Files: These may possess any attributes left
to be specified by the user. In addition, all zero length files and folders are included
automatically. Recent Documents: Recently accessed files which are displayed in Start Menu->
Documents and stored in Windows' Recent folder. Favorites and Bookmarks: All favorites and
bookmarks created and stored over time by the user. IE Cache: This includes cookies, history
and Temporary Internet Files created by the Internet Explorer. Dead Shortcuts: Shortcuts to
files that have been moved to another location or deleted from the computer after the shortcut
was created.....(free).....GO THERE!

And / Or ,

http://www.fsm.nl/ward/

Spider finds hidden Url's that other mean's don't .
Cleans >
1 . Hidden Url's .
2 . Temporary Internet Files .
3 . History Files .
4 . Cookies .
Click on Spider , not Spider Bite .

------------------------------

And / Or

Index.dat
Delindex works in Win98 and WinME .

http://www.burzurq.com/forum/delindex.html

The primary purpose of Delindex is to delete Index.dat files which are never resized, and only
get bigger. These files contain all your web surfing history since they were (re)created, and
large index.dat files can cause performance issues with browsing. Index.dat files cannot be
deleted if Explorer is running. The secondary purpose is to delete junk files for reasons of
space, privacy, and performance. Delindex is "stand-alone" program and requires no installation
and no other files to run. All notes are within the program, so there are no separate ReadMe or
Help files.