So what should I use? I want the lightest on resources free AV solution. I used AVG for years, it has become way to bloated. Avast is getting that way.

By the way Doc - those instructions do not work to disable Javascript in Firefox 24. There is no option under content to disable anything. After a quick Google search it looks like Mozilla has removed the option to disable Javascript.

Agreed.  Some of those 'results' can be subjective not to mention that things change from month-to-month constantly.  While I will concede that certain iterations of the MSE client have been better/worse than others MS keeps updating the client software making it better.  The latest update to the MSE client came out just a few weeks ago.

For 'daily-driver protection' I too use MSE almost exclusively in conjunction with all MS published OS updates, the MS monthly "malware removal tool' as well as system-wide least privilege and only use tools such as my fovourite fast-scan cloud antimalware (Hitman Pro www.surfright.nl) and the heavy-hitting all purpose scanner from Emsisoft (www.emsisoft.com) as needed.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-files/whats-the-best-size-for-the-pagefilesys-gigantic/d6b56634-c68a-47da-b8e8-eaecec820f3e?auth=1

With only 2 gig of RAM I guess I'd set it at 4 gig (4096 in both fields) but that's admittedly not a Win7-educated guess.

based upon the windows score of the components, I would suggest turning OFF the windows aero.

harpo

I might look into turning off Aero. It has a PCI Express slot for a low profile card. I'm just not sure what card to put in there. Any recommendations? Something low end that can handle Aero and cheap?

Yeah but I don't want to buy a PCI Express 2.0 only to find out the slot only takes a 1.0. I need to know what this system can take.

Not quite.

There are two ways:

• From Firefox 24 on, web developers have the option to turn off JavaScript temporarily. Open the Web Console via the menu or the Ctrl-Shift-K shortcut and click on the preferences icon there. Here you find disable JavaScript under advanced settings. This disables it only for the current session though.
• Install the powerful NoScript Security Suite to turn JavaScript off for all sites by default, but with options to turn it on temporarily or permanently for select websites.

Read this article: http://www.ghacks.net/2013/07/30/how-to-disable-javascript-in-firefox/

Firefox 24 might just have "a mind of its own" and turn javascript on willy nilly. 

If you add the NoScript, I believe it should solve the problem of vulnerability through infected javascript applets.

You're stuck between a rock and a hard place: Either a good, proactive security suite (which might not prevent infection as their definitions 'lag'), or the browser option. Or, you could get a more modern machine and ditch Vista/XP (sorry) for a more modern and secure OS:

 "Important notice for users of Windows XP: To continue receiving security updates for Windows, make sure that you're running Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3). The support for Windows XP with Service Pack 3 ends April 8, 2014. If you’re running Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3) after support ends, to ensure that you will receive all important security updates for Windows, you need to upgrade to a later version, such as Windows 8."-MS

Good luck, either way.

i was under the impression that all (pcie) cards will fit into the slot. they just won't take advantage of the extra bandwidth.

my motherboard has pcie 1.1 (it's that old...).. and i've stuck a 7770 on it... which is pcie 3.0 (only because i somehow killed the old 5770 when air dusting it or something.... not exactly sure how... wasn't cooled properly? wrong kind of air? )

aside from cpuz there's gpuz...  which gives more info gfx-wise... not sure if it only works when a card is in the slot though... because it's reporting what the card is doing, not the slot.

well...

only thing i can say is that i can stick a pcie x16 3.0 card into a pcie x16 1.1 slot. worked fine for a couple or so months so far i think. before that, i think it was a pcie x16 2.1 card into the same slot for a couple of years?

no doubt someone would know more about this. the motherboard i have is a P5N32-E SLI.

not sure about the low profile bit for your machine.. probably easier if you find out your mb model.

Let me ask the obvious. If you stay offline, is the PC slow?

Having worked customer support at one point (in other words, a newbie with Google) I forgot the number one troubleshooting step (in other words, keep the customer busy while I Google this). Did you check to make sure the PC is plugged in? 

Well I think I will try it. I'm just afraid the wrong card with fry the motherboard.

My motherboard is a emachines WMCP78M.

I need Shockwave and Flash to be on for Facebook. I'm having issues with the computer stalling when I scroll the Facebook news feed because Facebook has to connect constantly to the web to show more of the news feed. It's never an issue on my quad core machine.

Every unneeded add on has been disabled.

Every program except MSE has been disabled at startup.

Not really. I can easily play Command and Conquer Red Alert 3, listen to iTunes all at the same time with no issues at all. I really think this may just be either a Facebook issue or a IE/Firefox issue.

I installed Windows, then installed updates. The slow down occurred after I installed SP1. I installed the other programs, along with a few games yesterday, after installing Windows updates.

Yeah, it is. I'm typing on it now, LOL!!

Phoon...are you suggesting running Windows without the updates and going online? Or, are you suggesting the SP1 update was fouled somehow?