I've been having a lot of trouble with my notebook.  I think I have a virus of some sort.  I have Windows XP.  I started getting a blue screen that says Windows has been shut down to prevent further damage.  A FRIEND of mine suggested I use my Windows start up CD to reinstall Windows.  I did that and it worked!  I could access my COMPUTER programs and files.  I used it a few times before I got the error message again.  I repeated what I had DONE before and it worked the second time.  Again, it worked a few times, and now I am getting the error message again.  However, when I try to reinstall Windows, it says there are three partitions, and if I format, I will loose the files that are on my computer.  Is there any way to recover my computer without losing saved information?Libby Brown.....Have you run your anti virus program......?

let us know

dl65  Virus scanners
AVG Free
-- Anti virus scanner
Trend Micro Housecall
-- Online anti virus scanner.

Anti spy/malware
Microsoft Antispyware
-- Anti spyware scanner. Windows XP Home and Professional only.
Spybot Search & Destroy
-- Anti spyware scanner
Adaware SE Personal
-- Anti spyware scanner

Firewalls
Use both a hardware and software firewall.
Be advised as dual software firewalls may cause problems

ZoneAlarm Free
-- Free firewall - more user friendly
Sygate Personal
-- Free firewall - more configuration options

Removal tools
The following files are not substitutes for the ones described above.
They are either diagnostic tools or removal tools for malware of a certain kind

HijackThis
-- Manual malware remover. Post the HijackThis log generated only if requested!
McAfee Stinger
-- Virus removal tool. No substitute for a fully functional virus scanner!
CWshredder
-- CoolWebSearch removal tool. Widely known and persistant Hijacker.Libby:

Does the stop error display give a stop error code that begins with a 0x and ends with eight letters and/or numbers?  If so, write it down and leave a reply so we may look it up and tell you what the cause of the problem likely is.

Regards,
DocSee if re-seating the RAM module(s) helps at all.Looks like another post-n-run.

 I guess that computer really was broken !  "Windows has been shut down to prevent further damage"

First time I ever saw that error message was when I mixed two types of RAM, and most times I find that it relates to RAM or data corruption.

Simply re-seating the RAM often makes the difference.

Good post just yesterday, where a poorly performing computer was immediately improved by re-seating the old module adding more RAM and changing the flat 40 wire IDE cables for 80 wire, cross-talk-screened, cables.

So what other things can be done to improve basic performance? (Not so much the processing speed but the general capability of the machine, without changing the mainboard and processor.)

A faster drive with a bigger drive buffer is one. The higher speed INCREASES paging file performance and the bigger drive buffer can increase the speed of defrag four-fold (very noticeable with Windows ME) simply by changing from a drive with a 2 MB buffer to one with an 8 MB buffer.

I would love to see the change in defrag speed between a drive with a 2 MB buffer and one with a 16 MB buffer!

TWEAKUI can speed up menu opening times and response to the mouse pointer and setting the right screen refresh rate makes a perceptible difference too.

Anything which says System Works and has a lot of gadgetry starting up when Windows starts certainly does slow things down in my experience, and are better avoided.

I've re-installed System Works or Utility programs on many occasions so that NOT everything started up with Windows, just those parts of the program which are essential. Quote

I guess that computer really was broken !