What is running? Yahoo bot question.

[Arab Nights (imported)]

Next dumb question about computers. AVG and Spybot show nothing serious. When I ran a scan with those, it is noticable how the computer slows down. But sometimes the computer is plugging away when neither of those is running. How can I tell what is running at any given moment?

Next and final question is about Yahoo chat. The bot managers have learned how to BUZZ you. I put my sound on mute to avoid that irritation and I'll be damned if they haven't learned how to change mute. If I minimize the volume and fortunately they do not change that. If they can change audio from mute to non-mute, is there anything else they can change on a computer?

Thanks

[jemagirl (imported)]

Next dumb question about computers. AVG and Spybot show nothing serious. When I ran a scan with those, it is noticable how the computer slows down. But sometimes the computer is plugging away when neither of those is running. How can I tell what is running at any given moment?

Next and final question is about Yahoo chat. The bot managers have learned how to BUZZ you. I put my sound on mute to avoid that irritation and I'll be damned if they haven't learned how to change mute. If I minimize the volume and fortunately they do not change that. If they can change audio from mute to non-mute, is there anything else they can change on a computer?

Thanks

I don't know the answer to the first question. On Macs we have something called the activity monitor. I seem to recall there is something similar on windows but I don't know what it would be called.

On the second question about yahoo I don't know the limits of what they can change on your computer. When you installed the software and the updates you probably had to check an "agree / disagree" box which gives them permission override the system volume setting. You may be able to find something in yahoo messenger's preferences to set the volume directly for the application.

[fhunter]

On first question - I assume you have windows machine - go to micro$oft, and download autoruns - shows programs which start automatically, and their "tails" - why do they start. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysi ... 63902.aspx

Second one is process explorer - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysi ... 96653.aspx - it shows all programs running on your machine, where are they started from and other information.

This way you can find the programs which slow the machine down... and exterminate them. Just don't be overzealous I killed my fair share of windows installations this way...

As for yahoo - I do not know - never used this service.

[IbPervert (imported)]

You can always try one of the free online scanners...something that has been talked about before.

Also, I believe that once a year you need to back up all your data and wipe the hard drive and reinstall.

[calmeilles (imported)]

Also, I believe that once a year you need to back up all your data and wipe the hard drive and reinstall.

Keep backups anyway. Get into a routine and do so regularly.

Reinstall as and when the machine gets so crappy it justifies the trouble.