Computer doctor needed - Berlin

So it has now reached the point where it generally takes me about half an hour just to be able to check my emails, and this has nothing at all to do with connection speed, and my computer frequently crashes, apparently because of a lack of memory, even when I am not even doing anything! A couple of people have said they would look at it for me, but no one has actually followed up and it's getting quite ridiculous. I can't afford to pay much, so if anyone is willing to help me in exhange for beer/ not much money, I would be endlessly grateful.

hi gorgoose
PC or Mac?
If it is purely a memory issue, perhaps transfering some files onto an external drive or even a large capacity USB 'stick', then the old de-frag, re-boot etc?
cheers
ben

Hi Gorgoose,

Not sure if things are resolved yet for you or not, but if it's running windows (I know nothing of Macs), the surest way to get things running well is to wipe it clean and reinstall windows. If you want to try some smaller measures though before it comes to that:
- how much RAM do you have? I think that 2 Gigs is a reasonable minimum. If not, you should add more. (If it's a laptop a technician will have to do it for you).
- How much free hard disk space do you have? Ben has already covered this one. If you're running low, get your data on an external drive. They're not that expensive.
- Uninstall some stuff. Go to Start-Control Panel-Add/remove programs. Go down the list and remove anything you're sure that you don't use (like getting rid of old clothes. Don't get nostalgic!)
- Did it suddenly get slow or was it gradual? If you can pinpoint a specific day, or few days, AND if you have system restore enabled, you can go back to a system restore point. This means you can go back to a previous date and your computer will run exactly as it did on that date. (In XP, the path is: Start-All Programs-Accessories-System Tools-System restore.
- Is it only slow when you're online? Do you have the same problems using MS Word for example. If so, perhaps reinstalling your browser might fix it.

Ultimately though, reinstalling is the best way to go. Back up all your stuff, and start from scratch.

It sounds loaded with Spyware to me. Have a look at the Internet connectivity icon "status" next time you are on-line. Is it sending more data than it's receiving?

Ok, so...
I only bought this computer less than 2 months ago (second hand), so it only has a few files on it, so that shouldn't be a problem. It also has very few programs on it, although it's hard to tell as it doesn;t have shortcuts, even in the start menu, to any of the programs it came with. And if it has stuff I don't recognise, I don't know enough to know whether it's important or I can delete it or not.
I also thought the problem might be to do with viruses and stuff, so I got AVG and it claims to have gotten rid of a bunch of stuff, but it seems to make the computer run even slower.
Yes, other programs also seem to have the same problem.
And, not that I know how to reinstall windows, but do you not need a disk with it on? I don't have one.

Gorgoose, do some Googling for Windows specific forums like this one.

I sent you a personal message with my contact info if you are still in need of help.

Sounds like you bought a computer from someone who attempted to "tidy" it before they gave it to you and had no idea what they were doing. At this point, I would be wiping the disk and starting again with a fresh copy of the operating system. AVG has become a much bigger program over the last few years, I got fed up with it, and swapped to Avast. However, it shouldn't slow your PC down as much as you describe, so if you've paid for it then you may as well stick with it. Good luck.

It is wise to wipe any computer that was just purchased, new or used. For one, wiping it clean will ensure the machine is virus free which is the best way to fix a computer riddled with virus/spyware/adware/etcware issues. Secondly, for new computers wiping it clean removes all the junkware installed by the manufacturer and also to properly partition the hard drive.

I would spend a most an hour or two trying to remove any viruses or spyware, beyond that it is a better use of time to redo the entire machine to ensure it is running optimally and to remove any and all viruses.