New PC underperforming, what are the possibilities? [more inside]
posted by missmagenta on Jun 13, 2009 - 11 answers

What is a good lightweight anti-spyware/anti-virus application that wouldn't slow down an already old, slow computer, and would act as an extra layer on top of good behavior and careful Firefox usage? [more inside]
posted by Ricket on Feb 16, 2008 - 16 answers

Any recommendations on software alternatives that are more resources friendly than their mainstream competitors? Examples: Firefox vs. IE, Winamp vs. ITunes, alternate anti-virus programs, etc.
posted by sian on Dec 18, 2005 - 18 answers

My computer (HP Pavilion PIII running XP) has been straining lately. It's slow to load programs, occasionally hangs for a second on simple tasks and throws out some odd flashing on bootup that wasn't there before.

If I was going to address this, how would I go about it step-by-step? Preferably without simply reformatting and reinstalling because I don't want to sort out my backups unless I absolutely have to.
posted by Mayor Curley on Apr 6, 2004 - 6 answers