sony vaio windows 98 moving slow/stuck

nikkibop · 07-01-2005, 06:13 PM

hello, I have a sony vaio Pent III with windows 98 on it. It moves REALLY slow most of the time and sometimes gets stuck completely and I have to use the power button to turn it off because nothing else will work. I wanted to restore/reload the whole computer with the disks that came with it to start fresh but it won't pick up the cd when I put it in the cd drive so I can't restore it to original either. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!!! P.S. I have scanned for viruses and I also have anti spyware software on it and I have scanned and removed spyware, but no viruses were found.
Thanks!

Geekgirl · 07-01-2005, 08:54 PM

Hello and Welcome to TSF, I'm Geekgirl

Did you just start noticing the slowness or has it always been slow? Spyware/adware and viruses really slow the comptuer down. We would rather see if we can "clean" the system before we wipe out the hard drive.

How long has it been since a fresh installation has been preformed? Normally I suggest wiping out the system every 2-3 years. As time passes your files become corrupt from old drivers, programs and just garbage left on it.

You can use these programs to see if you have an infection or if maybe you do need to reformat and reinstall. If after you use these you feel you still need to reinstall we will help you throught it.

Scan your pc with 2 of these free online scanners:
Panda ActiveScan
RAV AntiVirus
Housecall Be sure to put a check the box beside AutoClean
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Download / Install / Update / and Run:
Adaware SE check for any updates before running it.
Get the plug-in for fixing VX2 variants. You can download it at this SITE
To run this tool, install to the hard drive, then open Ad-aware->Add-ons and select VX2 Cleaner. Then click Run Tool and OK to start it. If it's clean, it will say Status System Clean. Otherwise, you will have to click on the Clean button to remove the VX2 infection.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Download and install Spybot S&D . Run Spybot and click on the 'Search for Updates' button. Install any updates that are available. Next click on the 'Check for Problems' button. Let it run the scan. If it finds something, check all those in RED and hit the Fix Selected Problems button. Exit Spybot. If you keep getting the DSO Exploit entries, even after you updated Windows and fixed them, then download the Spybot DSO Exploit Fix and install it over the current Spybot installation.

One more thing, how much memory is installed on the system? You may just need an upgrade

nikkibop · 07-01-2005, 09:55 PM

Thanks, I will try these things and get back to you. I think the memory is good, but I have to double check.

nikkibop · 07-03-2005, 12:11 PM

Hi, I did the scans that you recommended. They did find one virus and a lot of spyware and adware! I guess the spyware software I was using was not a very good one. I removed them all and the computer seems to be going faster now, but it still is getting illegal operations sometimes when I turn it on and it's still getting stuck sometimes when I try to turn it off or if it gets an illegal operation, it gets stuck and I have to use the power button to turn it off because nothing else will work.

We did add more memory about a year ago, so I'm pretty sure that is good. It has been about two years since I completly wiped it out. I've been trying to do it again for a couple months, but it will never pick up the system recovery cd so I can do a fresh installation.

So, I guess I still want to do a fresh installation, but I don't know how to make it work, so if you have any suggestions on how to make that work, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks so much for all your help!!

**Terrister** · 07-03-2005, 12:50 PM

If the problem is that it will not boot from the restore disk, go into bios setup and check the boot order. It needs to be set to boot from cd before hard drive.

nikkibop · 07-03-2005, 03:16 PM

I forgot how to get into the bios. Can you please tell me?
Thanks!

Geekgirl · 07-03-2005, 09:58 PM

Push the power button on the computer, then start tapping the delete key.....you will know when you have entered the BIOS.

nikkibop · 07-08-2005, 02:46 PM

Hi again, I tried tapping the delete key as the computer is turning on. I start doing it right after pushing the power button but it won't go into the bios. Is there another way to get it into the bios? I tried several times and it keeps just turning all the way on into windows. I know it used to go into the bios that way. But it won't now. Please help.

Thanks again for all your help!!

Geekgirl · 07-08-2005, 05:00 PM

Try tapping the F2 while booting, if that dont work try the F3

nikkibop · 07-10-2005, 01:27 PM

hello, tapping the F2 key worked. I was able to get into the bios. It showed that the boot order was CDROM, A, C. So it does list the cd rom first but it still won't pick up the system recovery cd so I can wipe the whole thing out and start fresh. Is there anything else I can do to get it to pick up the disk?
Thanks again for all your help!!

Geekgirl · 07-10-2005, 01:47 PM

If its in the correct order, there may be something wrong with the cd itself or the cdrom.
Try booting to a floppy, at the A:\ change the directory to D:\
At the D:\ prompt type in dir to make sure it is reading the D drive. You should see all the files on the recovery cd

nikkibop · 07-10-2005, 08:57 PM

when I type in the cd drive letter at the A:\ (my cd is drive E), it says invalid drive specification. I also have a cd writer installed which is drive F. When I try to get to drive F from the A:\, it also says invalid drive specification. What does this mean? I suspect that my cd rom is not working properly, but I'm pretty sure the cd writer is working fine. In the bios, I changed it to boot from drive F (the cd writer) and tried putting in the system recovery cd, but it still didn't pick it up.

Any ideas what else to do? Thanks!!!

Geekgirl · 07-11-2005, 07:24 AM

That error basically means you specified a drive letter in a command that does not exist. So for some reason it is not seeing your cd drives.

There are a wide variety of causes for a CD-ROM drive that does not register with the system. Most fall into the usual two categories: incorrect configuration, and hardware problems or incompatibility.

Do you have the cd-rom and the writer both on the same IDE cable, meaning one is set to master and one to slave on the secondary controller? Try removing one from the configuration (just unplug the cable and power connector) to see if it will pick it up. Also when it boots check and see if the activity LED works. Try to open the tray. This way you will know it has power to the drive.

nikkibop · 07-15-2005, 08:48 PM

Hi again, well, I opened up the computer and tried unplugging first the cd writer but the computer still wouldn't pick up the restore cd. So I unplugged the cd rom drive and plugged the cd writer back in and tried putting the system restore cd in there and the computer finally picked it up. So now I am formatting and completely wiping out and starting fresh.

But on the cd rom and cd writer, the writer was set to master and the cd rom to slave. They weren't both connected on the same cable. It looks like there are two cables that come from the same spot on the computer, ( they branch out into two) and one went to the hard drive and the cd writer and one went to the cd rom drive. Do they both need to be on the same cable? The two plug ins on the one cable that went to the cd rom are very close together. I don't think they will reach to both the cd writer and the cd rom. Can they be moved? And what order do I plug them in, does it matter? Also, does it matter which one is set to slave and which one is set to master?

Thanks again for all your help. I really appreciate it!!!

07-01-2005, 06:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
nikkibop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 93 OS: xp	sony vaio windows 98 moving slow/stuck hello, I have a sony vaio Pent III with windows 98 on it. It moves REALLY slow most of the time and sometimes gets stuck completely and I have to use the power button to turn it off because nothing else will work. I wanted to restore/reload the whole computer with the disks that came with it to start fresh but it won't pick up the cd when I put it in the cd drive so I can't restore it to original either. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!!! P.S. I have scanned for viruses and I also have anti spyware software on it and I have scanned and removed spyware, but no viruses were found. Thanks!

07-01-2005, 08:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
Geekgirl Assistant Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Six-burgh, Pennsylvania Posts: 14,171 OS: XP Home SP3/XP Pro SP3/Vista Ultimate SP2/Windows 7 Professional	Hello and Welcome to TSF, I'm Geekgirl Did you just start noticing the slowness or has it always been slow? Spyware/adware and viruses really slow the comptuer down. We would rather see if we can "clean" the system before we wipe out the hard drive. How long has it been since a fresh installation has been preformed? Normally I suggest wiping out the system every 2-3 years. As time passes your files become corrupt from old drivers, programs and just garbage left on it. You can use these programs to see if you have an infection or if maybe you do need to reformat and reinstall. If after you use these you feel you still need to reinstall we will help you throught it. Scan your pc with 2 of these free online scanners: Panda ActiveScan RAV AntiVirus Housecall Be sure to put a check the box beside AutoClean -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Download / Install / Update / and Run: Adaware SE check for any updates before running it. Get the plug-in for fixing VX2 variants. You can download it at this SITE To run this tool, install to the hard drive, then open Ad-aware->Add-ons and select VX2 Cleaner. Then click Run Tool and OK to start it. If it's clean, it will say Status System Clean. Otherwise, you will have to click on the Clean button to remove the VX2 infection. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Download and install Spybot S&D . Run Spybot and click on the 'Search for Updates' button. Install any updates that are available. Next click on the 'Check for Problems' button. Let it run the scan. If it finds something, check all those in RED and hit the Fix Selected Problems button. Exit Spybot. If you keep getting the DSO Exploit entries, even after you updated Windows and fixed them, then download the Spybot DSO Exploit Fix and install it over the current Spybot installation. One more thing, how much memory is installed on the system? You may just need an upgrade __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista Or Windows 7 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM *The Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 X Superbowl Champions !!!!!!!* *The Pittsburgh Penguins - 2009 Stanley Cup Champions !!!!!!!*

07-01-2005, 09:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
nikkibop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 93 OS: xp	I will try these out and let you know Thanks, I will try these things and get back to you. I think the memory is good, but I have to double check.

07-03-2005, 12:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
nikkibop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 93 OS: xp	I did scans, still need help please Hi, I did the scans that you recommended. They did find one virus and a lot of spyware and adware! I guess the spyware software I was using was not a very good one. I removed them all and the computer seems to be going faster now, but it still is getting illegal operations sometimes when I turn it on and it's still getting stuck sometimes when I try to turn it off or if it gets an illegal operation, it gets stuck and I have to use the power button to turn it off because nothing else will work. We did add more memory about a year ago, so I'm pretty sure that is good. It has been about two years since I completly wiped it out. I've been trying to do it again for a couple months, but it will never pick up the system recovery cd so I can do a fresh installation. So, I guess I still want to do a fresh installation, but I don't know how to make it work, so if you have any suggestions on how to make that work, I would really appreciate it. Thanks so much for all your help!!

07-03-2005, 12:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,098 OS: Xp	If the problem is that it will not boot from the restore disk, go into bios setup and check the boot order. It needs to be set to boot from cd before hard drive. __________________

07-03-2005, 03:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
nikkibop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 93 OS: xp	how do I get into the bios I forgot how to get into the bios. Can you please tell me? Thanks!

07-03-2005, 09:58 PM	#7 (permalink)
Geekgirl Assistant Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Six-burgh, Pennsylvania Posts: 14,171 OS: XP Home SP3/XP Pro SP3/Vista Ultimate SP2/Windows 7 Professional	Push the power button on the computer, then start tapping the delete key.....you will know when you have entered the BIOS. __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista Or Windows 7 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM *The Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 X Superbowl Champions !!!!!!!* *The Pittsburgh Penguins - 2009 Stanley Cup Champions !!!!!!!*

07-08-2005, 02:46 PM	#8 (permalink)
nikkibop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 93 OS: xp	computer wont go into bios Hi again, I tried tapping the delete key as the computer is turning on. I start doing it right after pushing the power button but it won't go into the bios. Is there another way to get it into the bios? I tried several times and it keeps just turning all the way on into windows. I know it used to go into the bios that way. But it won't now. Please help. Thanks again for all your help!!

07-08-2005, 05:00 PM	#9 (permalink)
Geekgirl Assistant Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Six-burgh, Pennsylvania Posts: 14,171 OS: XP Home SP3/XP Pro SP3/Vista Ultimate SP2/Windows 7 Professional	Try tapping the F2 while booting, if that dont work try the F3 __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista Or Windows 7 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM *The Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 X Superbowl Champions !!!!!!!* *The Pittsburgh Penguins - 2009 Stanley Cup Champions !!!!!!!*

07-10-2005, 01:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
nikkibop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 93 OS: xp	checked bios hello, tapping the F2 key worked. I was able to get into the bios. It showed that the boot order was CDROM, A, C. So it does list the cd rom first but it still won't pick up the system recovery cd so I can wipe the whole thing out and start fresh. Is there anything else I can do to get it to pick up the disk? Thanks again for all your help!!

07-10-2005, 01:47 PM	#11 (permalink)
Geekgirl Assistant Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Six-burgh, Pennsylvania Posts: 14,171 OS: XP Home SP3/XP Pro SP3/Vista Ultimate SP2/Windows 7 Professional	If its in the correct order, there may be something wrong with the cd itself or the cdrom. Try booting to a floppy, at the A:\ change the directory to D:\ At the D:\ prompt type in dir to make sure it is reading the D drive. You should see all the files on the recovery cd __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista Or Windows 7 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM *The Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 X Superbowl Champions !!!!!!!* *The Pittsburgh Penguins - 2009 Stanley Cup Champions !!!!!!!*

07-10-2005, 08:57 PM	#12 (permalink)
nikkibop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 93 OS: xp	still having trouble when I type in the cd drive letter at the A:\ (my cd is drive E), it says invalid drive specification. I also have a cd writer installed which is drive F. When I try to get to drive F from the A:\, it also says invalid drive specification. What does this mean? I suspect that my cd rom is not working properly, but I'm pretty sure the cd writer is working fine. In the bios, I changed it to boot from drive F (the cd writer) and tried putting in the system recovery cd, but it still didn't pick it up. Any ideas what else to do? Thanks!!!

07-11-2005, 07:24 AM	#13 (permalink)
Geekgirl Assistant Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Six-burgh, Pennsylvania Posts: 14,171 OS: XP Home SP3/XP Pro SP3/Vista Ultimate SP2/Windows 7 Professional	That error basically means you specified a drive letter in a command that does not exist. So for some reason it is not seeing your cd drives. There are a wide variety of causes for a CD-ROM drive that does not register with the system. Most fall into the usual two categories: incorrect configuration, and hardware problems or incompatibility. Do you have the cd-rom and the writer both on the same IDE cable, meaning one is set to master and one to slave on the secondary controller? Try removing one from the configuration (just unplug the cable and power connector) to see if it will pick it up. Also when it boots check and see if the activity LED works. Try to open the tray. This way you will know it has power to the drive. __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista Or Windows 7 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM *The Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 X Superbowl Champions !!!!!!!* *The Pittsburgh Penguins - 2009 Stanley Cup Champions !!!!!!!*

07-15-2005, 08:48 PM	#14 (permalink)
nikkibop Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 93 OS: xp	got something to work Hi again, well, I opened up the computer and tried unplugging first the cd writer but the computer still wouldn't pick up the restore cd. So I unplugged the cd rom drive and plugged the cd writer back in and tried putting the system restore cd in there and the computer finally picked it up. So now I am formatting and completely wiping out and starting fresh. But on the cd rom and cd writer, the writer was set to master and the cd rom to slave. They weren't both connected on the same cable. It looks like there are two cables that come from the same spot on the computer, ( they branch out into two) and one went to the hard drive and the cd writer and one went to the cd rom drive. Do they both need to be on the same cable? The two plug ins on the one cable that went to the cd rom are very close together. I don't think they will reach to both the cd writer and the cd rom. Can they be moved? And what order do I plug them in, does it matter? Also, does it matter which one is set to slave and which one is set to master? Thanks again for all your help. I really appreciate it!!!