I am new to PCbanter but have been searching the site for help. I came
on the info below on how to make your computer work better and decided
to follow the tips. I have a new Dell Inspiron 700 with XP pro. Have
put a number of programs on it with success and wanted to learn to
optimize it.

After following tip #2 below, I re-opened Internet Explorer to find my
Exite home page which I had customized was no longer customized and it
won't allow me sign in or customize it. First it took me to a page
that said it was unable to allow me to sign in because: the clock or
date was not correct, I had not enabled cookies or javascript, my C:
drive has low disk space or the security software is not allowing it.
I did not do anything except follow the advice precisely as given in
tip #2. Nothing else changed.

After closing and opening IE several times with no luck, I used system
restore to an earlier time, then I undid everything I did, (which means
I'm back to right after following the tip) and now if I press "login" on
excite, it gives me the page to create a custom page, but won't accept
my login info.

I even went back and put the "Amount of disk space to use" back up to
where it was before I reset it which was right around 450MB. Didn't
help. I guess I can't "re-call" the cookies, deleted files, and
deleted offline contents, I erased since it apparently was using
something in there to allow me to sign on to excite.

Any idea what happened? How do I get my login back to check email?
Thank you for any help you can give me.


Dan Wrote:
> I think I might have jumped the gun but I just started windows xp and
> now I
> am running at 133 mb ram and the system seems slower compared to last
> night
> and I didn't do a thing after I logged out.
>
> "Dan" wrote:
>
> I would just like to say a big "THANK YOU"! I followed you steps and I
> went
> from 150 mb ram to a whopping 990 mb ram. My system is running great.
> Even
> when I am on the internet everything seems to be extremely fast.
>
> Thanks again for your help.
> Dan
>
>
> Although those tips are fantastic, there are many things you should
> know above and beyond what is there. Below I have detailed
> out many steps that can not only help you clean-up a problem PC but
> keep it clean ,secure and running at its top performance mark.
>
> I know this text can seem intimidating - it is quite long and a lot
> to take in for a novice - but I assure you that one trip through
> this
> list and you will understand your computer and the options available
> to you for protecting your data much better - and that the next time
> you review these steps, the time it takes will be greatly reduced.
>
> Let's take the cleanup of your computer step-by-step. Yes, it will
> take
> up some of your time - but consider what you use your computer
> for and how much you would dislike it if all of your stuff on your
> computer went away because you did not "feel like" performing some
> simple maintenance tasks - think of it like taking out your garbage,
> collecting and sorting your postal mail, paying your bills on time,
> etc.
>
> I'll mainly work around Windows XP, as that is what the bulk of this
> document is about; however, here is a place for you poor souls still
> stuck in Windows 98/ME where you can get information on maintaining
> your system:
>
> Windows 98 and 'Maintaining Your Computer':
> http://tinyurl.com/7wh2j
>
> Windows ME Computer Health:
> http://tinyurl.com/bh7jn
>
> Pay close attention to the sections:
> (in order)
> - Clean up your hard disk
> - Check for errors by running ScanDisk
> - Defragment your hard disk
> - Roll back the clock with System Restore
>
>
> Also - now is a good time to point you to one of the easiest ways to
> find
> information on problems you may be having and solutions others have
> found:
>
> Search using Google!
> http://www.google.com/
> (How-to: http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/basics.html )
>
>
> Now, let's go through some maintenance first that should only have to
> be
> done once (mostly):
>
> Tip (1):
> Locate all of the software you have installed on your computer.
> (the installation media - CDs, downloaded files, etc)
> Collect these CDs and files together in a central and safe
> place along with their CD keys and such. Make backups of these
> installation media sets using your favorite copying method (CD/DVD
> Burner
> and application, Disk copier, etc.) You'll be glad to know that if
> you
> have a CD/DVD burner, you may be able to use a free application to
> make a
> duplicate copy of your CDs. One such application is ISORecorder:
>
> ISORecorder page (with general instructions on use):
> http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/beta.htm
>
> Yes - it is BETA software - but very useful and well tested.
>
> More full function applications (free) for CD/DVD burning would be:
>
> DeepBurner Free
> http://www.deepburner.com/
>
> CDBurnerXP Pro
> http://www.cdburnerxp.se/
>
> Another Option would be to search the web with Pricewatch.com or
> Dealsites.net and find deals on Products like Ahead Nero and/or
> Roxio.
>
>
> Tip (2):
> Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to
> a
> size between 128MB and 512MB..
>
> - Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
> - Select TOOLS - Internet Options.
> - Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do
> the
> following:
> - Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
> - Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:"
> to
> something between 128MB and 512MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger
> right
> now.)
> - Click OK.
> - Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline
> contents"
> (the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take
> 2-10
> minutes or more.)
> - Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open
> Internet
> Explorer.
> [/color]


--
jayemare