A couple questions about Windows Vista desktop computer

[Msbsgblue]

I have a few questions as I have not used my desktop for a while and plan to sell it to my best friend.

1. I think I have way too many things opening in startup and honestly I don't know what I can safely take out. Is there a way you can post a list here of what I ACTUALLY have to have there. Also, I have forgotten how to get there. Can someone help me with this one? Need to rid of some of them as my start up is too slow.

2. How do I set the computer to DEFAULT? And, what does setting it to default do?

3. Is there a good FREE antivirus I can install on it for her? I scanned real good with AVAST and with SuperMegaBytes ( is that the name ) before I had sat this computer aside so it is clean but I want to install a good FREE one for her.

4.How do I take my name off as owner, or is that possible?

Any other suggestions you can make in my making this transition will be appreciated. I am not worried about my identity being stolen as she is my best friend of 40 years.

I need help quick as I would like to have all don't by Thursday. I have deleted all my documents and burned my photos to disk. I have emptied the recycle bin up to where I am.

Thank you in advance.

[Train]

Does the hdd have a restore section?

Post the make and model please.

[Msbsgblue]

I will do this tomorrow when my worker is here. Disabled and unable to get in floor where my tower is. ty I should have a restore, but if I recall it only lets me go back a short ways.

[Msbsgblue]

What is the hdd ??

[Midknyte]

1) CCleaner will list startup items. You could also use Autoruns. Then look up the entries.
https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...rnals/bb963902
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/

2. You need to post the exact make/model. Otherwise, you'd need to reload the OS from scratch.

3. Avast and Malwarebytes should be fine. NOT SuperAntiSpyware.

4. It would be best to do a clean install or factory restore. Otherwise, you can create a new admin user, and then delete your user.

[Midknyte]

HDD = Hard disk drive

[Train]

At a certain point, instead of furnishing a cd, the placed a factory restore on the HDD.

As how to access it, that is why we need to know the exact make/model.
Should you have that, it would cut your work as it wipes everything and sets things back to factory.

[Msbsgblue]

All I find is it is a HP Vista Ultimate and model # is a666ot. Hope this helps. HOW do I set a new administrator?

[Midknyte]

Try this first:
https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c00814731

This would be a factory reset (out of box condition), so you wouldn't need to create a new administrator account.

[Msbsgblue]

See above post too. One more question, how can I get rid of my favorites list without having to delete one at a time.
I do need a new admin as giving this to a friend,

I don't know who set this post so that I can only edit for 60 mins, but I am very disabled and cannot always get back that fast.

IF I SET IT BACK TO FACTORY SETTINGS ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO RELOAD ALL THE DISKS. I don't think either of us is that good.

[Midknyte]

how can I get rid of my favorites list without having to delete one at a time.

Are you talking about Internet Explorer? If you do a factory reset, that gets wiped out anyway.

Pretty sure the edit time is set automatically. Mods don't have the power to set that, so it would be up to whoever hosts/manages this site.

IF I SET IT BACK TO FACTORY SETTINGS ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO RELOAD ALL THE DISKS. I don't think either of us is that good.

A factory reset makes it like the first day you got the computer. Are you asking if you have to reload programs? Anything that didn't come with the computer on Day 1 would need to be reinstalled.

[Train]

MSE - Microsoft Security Essentials should be good for Vista.

[Midknyte]

Support for MSE on Vista ended on 4/11/17.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...2-b6269355651a

Support for Vista will end on April 11, 2017.
Microsoft Security Essentials will be supported for Windows 7 until 7's end of life January 14. 2020. However, Vista will receive no supportive updates when it reaches it's end of life, including updates for MSE.

[Train]

Support for MSE on Vista ended on 4/11/17.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...2-b6269355651a

Ouch!

[Msbsgblue]

Ran into a problem. Before I did a complete factory restore, I tried just removing a couple programs on add/remove to see if it would affect my laptop. It does, when I remove something from my desktop which is in the living room it removes it from my new laptop in the dining room.

Called my wifi server and she told me that my desktop is evidentially communicating with my laptop. I don't want to restore my laptop to factory settings so what is your suggestion on this issue? My desktop was on wifi before I got this new laptop, so is there a way for one not to communicate with the other? I really have to get this completed tonight. Give me baby step instructions please. How do I get the desktop off the wifi and offline so I can use the factory restore?