How to remove the Adverts from the Yahoo E-Mail pages?

[Old Sparky]

I've just tried, via the'chrome;//extensions/' link to install 'Adblock Plus', and get an error message 'this item is already being downloaded', but it doesn't show up as being installed. Puzzled! - Moi!!-Yes!!!

[ppppenguin]

I think I'd uninstall Chrome and do a fresh instal of it.

[Old Sparky]

The odd thing is that Chrome, as such, doesn't appear either in the 'Add or Remove Programs', or the 'All Programs' lists, although 'speed browser' does. Instead of the Firefox Logo, the Speed Browser logo is on my Desktop, labelled 'Firefox', as well as , in a separate location on the desktop as 'Speed Browser'. I still have Firefox installed, though I haven't used it since late August 2015

[Joe]

I'd never previously heard of Speed Browser but after a bit of Googling I'd say it wants getting off.

http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-speed-browser.html

To be honest, given the number of problems you are having with this PC, I'd seriously consider a full re-build from XP up.  This would take a few hours but hopefully sort everything out and in the long run would be quicker and less hassle than trying to fix the problems one at a time.

At the very least you need to run MalwareBytes as it sounds like there's something unknown interfering.  Several of us have been suggesting this for weeks and I'm at a loss as to your reluctance to do it.

— Joe

[ppppenguin]

Very much with Joe here. If I came across a PC in this state I'd be doing a clean instal of windows unless there was some very compelling reason not to.

[Mark Hennessy]

No, I'd go one better: http://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/...p?tid=4981

You won't do better for the money. These machines will be a *lot* better than the machine you have, and should you feel the need to upgrade in the future, they will take modern CPUs up to an i7 (second-generation Sandy Bridge at that: http://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showp...p?p=787457&postcount=25)

Some of these machines are making their way to Oxfordshire, so I'm sure you'd be able to join in. While arrangements haven't been finalised yet, I think that I'm collecting mine from that neck of the woods - and depending on exactly where in Oxfordshire you live, I might even be able to drop one in for you.

Seriously, given the disproportionate amount of trouble you have with your PC, the time has come to get rid. Please understand that it is impossible to logically fault-find a PC that clearly is riddled with nasties, and remember that it quite possibly has hardware faults by now - which is why I for one have given up trying. But I would gladly help you get a new PC up and running in any way I can. Please, do yourself a favour. It's £25, or £35 if you have the OS installed for you. If it's practical for me to deliver, I won't ask for a penny for doing so. What more can I say?

[Joe]

The same thought had occurred to me as soon as those machines were offered. The financial cost could work out even lower as it's surprising what obsolete PC bits fetch on e-Bay.

A couple of years ago I'd got a surplus 900MHz Duron. I couldn't get 99p for it as a PC but got about eight quid for the PSU and fifteen for the motherboard. It also gave me a spare CD drive and DIMMs; the hard disk was up the spout which is why I scrapped it.

A 500MHz Celeron and a 60MHz Pentium were disposed of in the same way and there have been other old motherboards besides.

Remote fault-finding is hard enough with things like radios but with complex things like computers with apparent multiple faults is darn-near impossible.

— Joe

[Old Sparky]

Joe, I've followed the 'remove speed browser link you provided, which led me to a site called 'Spyhunter'. This has found over 4000 threats, which will be removed as soon as I've activated their program. Up til now I've been running another program (Spyscanner) every time I run the PC, so how come that didn't find all these issues? Spy Hunter took about 3 hours to completely scan the computer by the way!

[ppppenguin]

What have you got against the tried and trusted Malwarebytes? It's just about best in class for cleaning up an infected PC. Spyhunter has dubious credentials and could well introduce problems of its own: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t...-vs-iobit/

To put it simply, your PC is in a bad mess. Even Malwarebytes can't be certain of cleaning it. Nor can anything else. If you want to resuscitate it the only sensible approach is a complete wipe and re-instal. In view of its age, Mark's suggestion of a new PC at bargain price is an even better idea. he has even offered to help you with delivery and setup which is typical of his generous nature.

Whatever you decide to do, please make sure you have your own files safely backed up. Copy them on to memory sticks or any other convenient medium while you still can. If you haven't done it yet, please do it now, before your PC becomes totally unusable.

I'm guessing that this is your main and possiblly only PC. If it fails then you're going to be badly stuck.

[Old Sparky]

This is my only PC, Jeffrey. For the time being I've run a program called Spyhunter, which has identified and removed over 4000 perceived threats. I will back up files ASAP, and, in the meantime I've replied to 'unreal dave's thread to ask him if it is possible to install a DVD Drive in one of those HP PCs. If so, I may well buy one.