How much Protection do I need/How do I make it go faster?

[-Demosthenes-]

My mom had a lap top from a couple years ago, and she let me have it. I installed XP on it, but it's really slow. It's a Latitude CPi A366XT, has a Intel Pentium II processor at 363 MHz, 128 MB of ram, and 4.52 GB hard drive.

 

First, I need to know how to protect it. I have the free version of AVG, spy-bot search and destroy, and AdAware SE. Are these enough to protect it?

 

And second, I need to know if there is any way to make it go a little faster, it's so slow! Can it take XP? Will other non-free virus/spy-ware protections that would slow the computer less?

 

What should I do?

 

Thanks for your help, I'm not as good with computers as I would like to believe

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Ouch. XP can barely run on a 700mhz computer I have, and you're running pretty much on the bare minimum requirements.

 

I'd suggest you find a Linux distribution that's fairly minimalistic and install that instead. It'll be an experience, and probably hard to get used to at first, but you'll probably be able to get used to it and it'll work much better than XP.

[encipher]

If you want to stick with windows XP, I would first and foremost scrap the 'protection'. This isn't the usual advice i give people, but all of that will slow down your pc ALOT, and if you use your brain while on the internet, then you wont have a problem with viruses anyways. But yeah, I agree with Captain Refsmmat. Find yourself a good linux distribution and install it on your laptop. You will get far better performance than on windows.

[-Demosthenes-]

Thanks guys, Linux sounds like a good idea. I've never used it before, but I'm sure I could get used to it, but does Microsoft word work on it? (probably a stupid question).

 

PS, found some speakers for the computer, but lost the cord that plugs into the wall to power them. The speakers take 9 volt AC, but I do have a cord that fits, but is 9 volts DC. To ask yet another stupid question, what would happened if I tried the DC cord?

[Dak]

a firewall is a must, and you didn't mention one.

 

as for which protections can go: put it in limited user mode, keep the software firewall (unless you have a hardware firewall) and ditch the rest, and just try to avoid porn/crack sites and you should be ok.

 

you can scan online every now and again in place of on-board anti-malware stuff (google for ewido, emsisoft and kaspersky and you should find some good online ones)

 

as for linux/MS word: you can use the equally-annoyingly-flawed-in-places open office wrighter (which is free).

[RyanJ]

If your going for internet use then also make shure you have a decent browser such as Firefox or Opera... both will help reduct the amount of adware and popups you get through the internet. Seeing as less spyware means less CPY and memory useage you get 2 for the price of one!

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[5614]

Does it have a CD drive?

 

If so I recommend that you download Knoppix

http://www.knoppix.org/

which basically allows you to run Linux from a CD. It won't be that fast (depends on CD speed) but allows you to see what Linux is like and see if you like it/can use it.

 

If all goes well then remove Windows and run Linux as a permament solution.

 

If you do not get on with Linux then there are a few options depending on how you use it.

 

Degrading to Windows 98 would speed it up but obviously newest software wouldn't work. If you had a copy of MS Office 98 or 2000 though you could use that.

 

If you want to stay on XP then you get all the obvious advantages but it will be a bit slow. I suggest you:

> Get Firefox (don't use IE)

> Spy-bot S&D and AdAware SE are good enough for anti-spyware. Don't have either of them running in the background as it will slow the computer down.

> I don't know how good AVG is, but basically you want an anti-virus which doesn't use up much of the computer's processing time. I'd suggest Avast Home, which is free. Although I know someone who choses programs based on how little they use the computer and he uses AVG, so maybe stick with AVG.

> I'd say you need a firewall. A very popular one is Zone Alarm, although to be honest I was never a big fan. I have a Norton firewall, whilst it is very good it is also very good at using system resources so is not a good idea for you with a slow computer. See what others suggest.

 

=====

 

If you tried the DC cord in the speakers I doubt anything would happen. I'd just try it personally, but don't hold me responsible if you do!

[Klaynos]

Knoppix will be slow as hell on that spec :s

 

I agree with Dak on the firewall front...

 

If sticking with windows make sure it's up to date.

 

Although note one of the big problems with running all of these security apps and updating is you're going to wave bye bye to hard disk space :s

[-Demosthenes-]

I'm thinking that Linux is a good idea. Sry, I just have two more questions There are a lot of different kinds, which ones work well and doesn't use up too much memory? And I need to know where I can get drivers that will allow Linux to use my wireless G notebook card, thanks.

[encipher]

Alot of drivers are compiled into the kernel or loaded as modules. If you arent gonna compile your own kernel, then i dont think you should worry too much about that. Since most distros precompile alot of wireless support into their kernels.

[insane_alien]

Ubuntu has good wireless support. at least, it supports mine.

[Klaynos]

Ubuntu has good wireless support. at least, it supports mine.

 

I would probably sugest trying something lighter than ubuntu, but it'll probably work.

 

Whey you pick a distrobution they will probably have a list of supported wireless cards somewhere on their website...

[-Demosthenes-]

I went with suse, Ubuntu would install on my computer. I'll try to burn the disk again later if sus dosen't pan out.

 

Still figuring out how to get the network going though, I'll figure it out.

 

 

PS, the speakers worked

[-Demosthenes-]

What could cause the CD/DVD ROM in this same laptop to stop working? It won't open sometimes without pushing a paper clip into the quick release, and it's disturbing my SUSE installation.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Is it not opening in Linux only?

 

Sometimes Linux distributions prefer that you open it up via the file/device manager.

[encipher]

If you insert a CD into the CD rom drive, you MUST eject it from the Operating System. It will not respont to you trying to press the eject key on the CD Rom drive. Most common distros work that way. Of course you can open an empty CD rom drive using the regular button.

[Kyrisch]

I would suggest reading over your topic titles once more before posting and spotting the implications....

[-Demosthenes-]

If you insert a CD into the CD rom drive, you MUST eject it from the Operating System. It will not respont to you trying to press the eject key on the CD Rom drive. Most common distros work that way. Of course you can open an empty CD rom drive using the regular button.

 

Really? I just really used to windows.

[-Demosthenes-]

Update:

 

After going through a few "distro choosers" on the web, I went for ubuntu. Didn't work. So I tried suse. Took all day to download ISO images and burn them to CDs. Five CDs. Installation took another whole day, it's been booting ever since. I take this as a bad sign.

 

My conclusion: suse is too big, very too big . I need a Linux distribution so small, that even my computer can use it. Any suggestions?

 

My other option seems to be Windows 3.1

 

Edit, I decided on Vector Linux, looks good. Man, changing to Linux is like getting a new brain and learning to walk and talk again!

[Dak]

i've only tried it briefly, and i dont really know that much about it (ie wether it's a good chooice for you), but damn small linux would definately not be too big for your computer.

[Klaynos]

/me points at "damn small linux" or "minix"

[-Demosthenes-]

Vector Linux is going way fast (for my computer). I think it'll work. I can always Try Damn Small Linux, Mini Linux, or Puppy Linux, but I think I'm liking Slackware.

 

The networking with my wireless card is beyond me though. I've tried getting help on some Vector forums, and they, justly so, directly me to ndiswrapper HowTo. Which, to me, makes no sense. I'm going to see if I can take it in somewhere or something like that.

[Klaynos]

type iwconfig on the command line, see if it gives you any wifi info, if it doesn't you need to install a driver, I'm about to have a lecture so can't expalin ndiswrapper atm though...

[-Demosthenes-]

type iwconfig on the command line, see if it gives you any wifi info, if it doesn't you need to install a driver, I'm about to have a lecture so can't expalin ndiswrapper atm though...

 

Yeah, I seriously got to get my classes done this month in order to get my associates. The saturday after next I will be free to work on it. Anyway here is the information that many other people asked me for:

 

uname -r:

"2.6.12"

 

lspci:

"00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 03)

00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 03)

00:03.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1225 (rev 01)

00:03.1 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1225 (rev 01)

00:07.0 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)

00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)

00:07.2 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 1)

00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 02)

01:00.0 VGA compatible contoller: Neomagic Corporation NM2200 [MagicGraph 256AV] (rev 20)

01:00.1 Multimedia audio controller: Neomagic Corporation NM2200 [MagicGraph 256AV Audio] (rev 20)

02:00.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3c575 [Megahertz] 10/100 Lan CardBus (rev 01)

06:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications, Inc.: Unkown device 001a (rev 01)

 

iwconfig:

"lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extentions."

 

Thanks.

 

--Edit, the laptop has a dvd drive, is there a program that will play them and work on linux? Thanks.

[Klaynos]

you need to decoding codecs and some media player, I'd recomend mplayer, the decoding stuff is called libdvdcss2

 

OK, your computer knows that you've got some other form of network card but doesn't know what it is other than it's got an Atheros chipset. I belive for most atheros chipsets there's an easier way to get it running than using ndiswrapper, but you'll need to investigate it. One of the things you lose when you go for lighter versions is out of the box support