Slooow laptop and slooow desktop.

[Paper Roses]

Laptop Win 7, desktop Win 7.

Desktop situation complicated ..bought refurbished Dell, Guru did some strange stuff but that is another post.
Current situation:

Both machines are running very slow. Have done all scans, no problems. Keep getting messages from AVG and Malwarebytes that I should buy some special programs to speed up these slow machines. Did some Microsoft suggestion and it tells me my laptop is running at 3.7 out of 7.1 efficiency. Don't know about desktop. My funds are limited so I thought I'd ask if any of you great folks could advise.

Without any detailed post, can you suggest any site I could use that would clean up or at least tell me what is wrong before I spend more money w/(new)Guru to figure out why these machines are so slow and sometimes freeze? Even the Mouse on both machines stops working after a few minutes.

I am not going to use my old Guru, he sold me a refurbished Dell that is now as slow as molasses. I thought I was doing a good thing in buying a refurbished machine but what he did to that machine is beyond by understanding. He took the hard drive from my old (dying) Win XP) machine and piggybacked it with the Win 7 & machine,. I can't even explain it. I told him I needed 'Word' and a transfer of pics and docs .He said he could do that. What I have on the desktop is :

IE and Chrome. Two separate browsers. The chrome one does not even look like the IE page.
He also set it up with Panda AntiV. I asked about Malwarebytes , spybot...he told me I don't need them.
Can you wonder why this old Granny is confused I guess the first thing I need is to find out how I can speed up the performance (in idiot terms, for my sake!)

I know this is not enough info so I thought I's start with the 'speed question.

Thanks from this old timer.

[ChromeFoundry]

1. RE: Panda Antivirus

Panda Antivirus = Crap

March 12, 2015
Panda AntiVirus update likely to brick Windows Systems on restart
http://news.thewindowsclub.com/panda-antivirus-update-likely-brick-windows-systems-restart-74490/


Uninstall P.AV, Run MalwareBytes to see if you are infected. Run Crap Cleaner (CCleaner) to clean up your system.

[Egnever]

2. Slow is tough

When you say slow what do you mean by that?

Programs open slow? or it is slow going from page to page on the internet?

[ManiacJoe]

3. It might be good to know more of these results:

Did some Microsoft suggestion and it tells me my laptop is running at 3.7 out of 7.1 efficiency.

Can you post these results?

[Paper Roses]

4. Off to visit family today, will reply Saturday. Thanks n/t

[-none]

5. There is a clue there.

Microsoft suggestion and it tells me my laptop is running at 3.7 out of 7.1 efficiency.

As another poster said, post the results. It is unusual that all your computers have the same symptoms.

I asked about Malwarebytes , spybot...he told me I don't need them.

That tells me your computer guy is incompetent.

[steve2470]

7. +1 nt

[steve2470]

6. have you defragmented your hard drive lately ?

I am assuming you do not have a Solid State Drive (SSD).

[Paper Roses]

8. Hi everyone, between Xmas visit and company, I have not had time to follow thru with my request.

Last edited Mon Dec 28, 2015, 07:17 AM - Edit history (1)

Storm coming on Monday afternoon, must shop in AM. Will then try and get all info together and continue w/post. Thanks for patience.

EDIT:
Early AM update. I'm going to find someone to come and go over this stuff. Both machines are freezing up after a minute or two. I tried to start an outline but machine froze again. Lucky if this posts can be finished.
I'll keep you posted on what happens from here. Thanks everyone.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

9. I've used iolo System Mechanic for routine maintenance and malware/virus protection

for the past 10 years or so. I find it helps tremendously. May want to give it a go:

iolo System Mechanic running a special for 50% off ($24.95).