My PC takes what seems to be for ever to upload programs i.e. microsoft word. It runs extremly slow compared to my notebook. Although I do not have a large amount of memory I feel that I that I may have a lot of things running that take up memory room that I do not use. Is there a software that helps clean up and tweek a system?

Please tell me solution of this mesg. this mesg. appearing after 2 min. in windows xp desktop beside the Time. I have used many anti virus, and registry cleaner, anti malware, anti spyware, but this message not going. if i click this message then open a antispyware web site. please help me.. i am very confused, t will be very thankful to any body who give me proper solution.

CRITICAL SYSTEM ERROR ! SYSTEM detected virus activities, they may cause critical system failure,Please use antimalware software to clean and protect system from parasite program. click here to get available software

Wrong OS or OS Version. What does this mean? What do I need to do about it? I’m a newbie. Thanks
MSIW.exe came from www.Microsoft.com
It was their answer to Promo Soft Free Registry Cleaner – redistributable software. I have several spyware, etc. software. It is not spyware.
Thank you rangers86 – I did check. it can’t be used for Windows XP as it is already a component (is included in XP)

My father’s computer is very slow and it makes a grinding noise when it has to process information. I’m pretty sure it’s not a problem on the software end. I think maybe the RAM is toast or the hard drive damaged. Is there a diagnostic tool in XP (or maybe in BIOS) that can run checks on my hardware to see if they are performing as they should?

I’m running Windows XP Pro if that has any bearing on your recommendations.
I use Mozilla Firefox almost exclusively to surf the Internet and can’t think of a time when I have gotten a pop-up window while using it.

Some of my desktop apps, however, are associated with Internet Explorer and open IE on launch (as much as I wouldn’t like them to). That’s when and where I get an almost immediate onslaught of pop-up windows.
Ad-Aware keeps getting mentioned so I download a trial. Is it worth purchasing?