Once upon a time there was a computer that is very slow but safe...

3 days ago my computer started acting up. Although there had been occasional notifications of malware infected files, those files were supposed to be quarantined and the computer had had no other major issue until then.

So 3 days ago, my opera internet browser stopped loading pages. I switched off the router and switched it back on, double-checking it was connected.
It didn't solve the problem.
However, when I tried the same pages on Internet Explorer, they opened fine, which meant it wasn't anything to do with internet connection.

Since it had been a while that I was tossing whether to get back to using Firefox or not, I quickly decided to ditch Opera and installed the latest version of Firefox. It was then the problem started again - similar to what happened on Opera.
'It might be something to do with registry key,' I thought, without knowing much about what it is anyway. So I installed IObit AdvanceCare, a free computer maintenance software with registry cleaning function which I had used before.
After the supposed 'repair' operation, the Firefox seemed to successfully load pages that I opened, only to crash after a mere couple of minutes.
Firefox kept crashing like forever. Next, I considered the possibility of virus or malware infection, so I installed IObit security 360.

The computer was still acting strangely but managed okay through the next 2 days.
But as you know I knew that it won't take long for my PC to fuck up again!
That IObit kept telling me to download the latest version. I ignored it for few times, but I eventually surrendered to the pestering message and downloaded the newest version, which was, of course, infected.
My antivirus software stopped updating altogether and the PC didn't even download Windows security update files. I tried the system restore operation a few times to no avail.

I spent hours seeking solutions to one problem and ended in creating more problems that I can't fix - without re-installing the flesh copy of Windows.
It took a long time to complete the whole operation from creating back-up CDs to re-installing the XP to setting up the PC. I also tossed many files and CDs that were probably infected with malware.

My PC seem to break down or act up every 4-6 months, and half the time the problems were caused by registry cleaners.
So I kept it simple this time. No registry cleaner, no malware cleaner, but keeping only my antivirus software. And made sure to switch off Windows automatic update, as it often cause my old softwares to stop working.

What I learned from this time are:
1. Avoid using registry softwares. Unless you are an expert, you won't know what it's doing or whether it's deleting potentially important registry information.

2. Avoid downloading/installing freewares or sharewares, as those softwares have higher chances of spyware/malware infection. Indeed my PC played up a few times in the past because of some malware-infected softwares.

3. Windows Automatic Update - what I'm gonna do about it? Some of the updates are probably important, but how would I know which updates are to avoid installing?

I graduated from highschool 21 years ago, the year the era turned from Showa to Heisei, and that was the year I started using computers. At that time I was using two floppy-disk softwares called Ichitaro(word processor) and Hanako(I think it was a spreadsheet application). From the way I remember the PC was very, very slow; however, it was very, very safe. Well, it was the pre-Internet era.
I had used only those 2 applications before I first used Windows 95 for DTP projects. The technology development was shockingly fast - although there were still times where I had to use MS-DOS, it was the first time I used e-mailing system. (Actually I think the first Windows I used was Windows 3.1...)

Today, we don't know many people around who don't have a computer. But is it a convenience to have one or is it just another cause of headache?

Fact: We can't imagine living without PC but it is a cause of many headaches.

The hard disks thesedays have massive data capasity that you'd keep saving files after files. I ended up forever having to burn those backup CDs thanks to that. Actually it's my own fault not backing up data often enough. Floppy Disks sound like a thing of the past, but as a matter of fact, it's quite handy to have a floppy disk drive when you have to backup only a small data.

Wonder how other people deal with their home computer?