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Technical Help & Discussion => Windows PCs & Software: Help, News & Discussion => Topic started by: Jaminxz on April 01, 2004, 21:15

Title: xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: Jaminxz on April 01, 2004, 21:15

I've recently had a new pc(about 2 1/2 - 3 months ago).

As everybody knows,due to microsoft's grasp on the pc market, windows comes on over 99% of new home computers, and mine was no exception.

Every day since i bought it, windows has been decreasing in reliabilty, anybody else find this true??

There are so many little-ish things that really p**s me off.

Firstly when i press ctrl+alt+delete to get the task manager up what do i get?? a small green box in the tray and no task manager!!!

Other smallish things that p**s me off from time to time are clicking on an icon(example system information in the start menu), the loading pointer symbl(arrow with sand timer) appearing and then nothing loading up.

Also other general stuff in the same vain p**s me off.

I would like to know if anybody else finds this, or is it just me?? and also if there is any cure at all for it, i would be extremely grateful to be notified of it.

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: Simon on April 01, 2004, 21:23

I hate to risk p***ing you off further,  ;)  but have you downloaded all the updates for XP?  Also, have you done virus / spyware scans?  Quite often, if you start to notice a slowdown in system reponses, it can be due to something hogging your resources.

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: Adept on April 01, 2004, 21:47

Hi Jaminxz, I just hope we don't p*** you off too much ;D ;D

Have a look at Tony's site here (http://www.sugrue.ndo.co.uk/security.html). Lots of good advice to be had there :)

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: Clive on April 02, 2004, 07:29

Also worth looking at PC-Pals very own Safe Computing Guide which can be found at:

 http://www.pc-pals.com/safecomputing.htm

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: chorleydave on April 02, 2004, 14:33

Hi jaminxz.

Do you really need XP?  If it p*sses you off as much as you say it does, can't you get rid of it and run the slimmer, simpler, Windows 98SE?

I know what you mean though.  I've just been round to my sister's to tidy up her new PC, loaded with 2000 Pro.   What would have taken me twenty minutes to do on a 98SE machine took me a hour and a half.  Incredibly, and to save time, I ended up putting a couple of files from 98SE in 2000's System32 folder, then I could run some commands from the Start>Run box.

As I often say, newer isn't always better.

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: ketamininja on April 02, 2004, 17:45

XP is secure, and in general the best OS that MS has to offer.

ARe you sure you have no task manager - is there ANYTHING that comes up - perhaps a GREEN statistics box with a grey "border" (window). If so, double click the top of the "grey border".

You tabs will appear.


If you don't have this, then it could be due to security restrictions, but I presume that you are really the top user.

XP is pretty reliable. If there is ever a problem with any XP machines I have looked at, it is always the HARDWARE which is faulty, or the installed DRIVERS that are incorrect.

There are better OS's out there (Linux - based on UNIX which is far superior), but they can have the same problems - hardware faults or incorrect drivers.


But, providing that your hardware is good (just coz its new, doesn't mean its good or stable), and all the correct drivers are installed, then if you are having problems it is likely to be spyware - or a virus...

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: Jaminxz on April 02, 2004, 18:47

Sometimes the task manager comes up, most of the times it doesn't. When it doesn't come up there's always a green box in my system tray

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: ketamininja on April 02, 2004, 18:52

Go into safe mode, and try several times.


If it comes up each time, then you are guaranteed to have some sorta spyware or virus (which is loaded in normal mode).

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: Adept on April 02, 2004, 20:04

Quote from: Jaminxz on April 02, 2004, 18:47

Sometimes the task manager comes up, most of the times it doesn't. When it doesn't come up there's always a green box in my system tray

The green box in the system tray is the icon for task manager when it is minimised. A light green bar should appear on it indicating the processor load.

If you double click the icon task manager should appear. If it doesn't it is likely that it has somehow moved "off" the desktop.

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: ketamininja on April 03, 2004, 11:08

^ When task man is minimised, it doesn't go to the tray - it stays on the start bar (as well as the icon in the tray), well at least in Prof, not sure on Home.

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: TR on April 03, 2004, 11:28

Pic shows home XP

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: ketamininja on April 06, 2004, 17:46

^ yes, but it does have a bar on the start menu as well? In PRO it sure does, just not sure in Home?

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: Jaminxz on April 10, 2004, 19:21

I do get that green box, but nothing happens if i click on it, if i call the task manager again i get another green box,and so on, i had 12once!!!

Title: Re:xp (how rubbish???)
Post by: princeofdarkness on April 12, 2004, 14:58

i run xp pro and do not have much trouble wiv it



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