how do I change the font size when I boot up in safe mode?

[olddude]

Hope this works

[Antman]

Right click Autoruns shortcut, Run As Admin
Remove check marks from each labeled item.
Autoruns has tabbed screens. In the images below, the tab is boxed in GREEN. The last one WINSOCK PROVIDER is mistakenly boxed in BLACK.
Remove check marks where indicated.

Consider uninstalling SuperAntiSpyware, Malwarebytes, Tweaking.com app
I would also consider uninstalling Avast, re-install with a new install configuration - do not install any component except file shield.

Install SpywareBlaster (instead of SuperAntiSpyware and any other “web shield”)

[ATTACH]3282[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]3283[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]3284[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]3285[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]3286[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]3287[/ATTACH]

[olddude]

OK that has been done, all except the last two in winsock providers. It wouldn’t let me uncheck the boxes. A message popped up saying that Winsock providers cannot be disabled(only deletion is supported)

I uninstalled Avast, Malwarebytes, SuperAntiSpyWare And the tweaking.com program. I need to reinstall Avast file shield. I had Spyware Blaster on this computer before but it never seemed to find anything sort of like Malwarebytes. Superantispyware would find stuff sometimes that the others didn’t find. I’ll install Spyware Blaster again maybe it’s changed from the past when I used it.

[Antman]

I had Spyware Blaster on this computer before but it never seemed to find anything sort of like Malwarebytes. Superantispyware would find stuff sometimes that the others didn’t find. I’ll install Spyware Blaster again maybe it’s changed from the past when I used it.

SpywareBlaster will never find anything. Not what it does. Rather, it prevents you from visiting sites known/believed to be hazardous. Open it every once in a while and update it. Automatic updates are $10 a year. Manual updates are free.

I understand the Winsock. Leave alone for now.

What is your restart time now?

[Antman]

In my opinion, SuperAntiSpyware is crapware. In my opinion, it “finds” things to justify its existence. MalwareBytes is OK - but any real-time protections may be unnecessary. Avoid dodgy websites or learn how to protect your browser. I visit dodgy websites on a regular basis and suffer no malfeasance and no popups - through judicious choice of browser, plugins and blacklists (SpywareBlaster + HOSTS file). To accomplish this, I use Chrome and a Firefox variant. One browser does not fit all.

You should really consider modernizing your OS. XP is vulnerable by its nature and age. You are utilizing a significant amount of system resources to run prophylactics.

[olddude]

SpywareBlaster will never find anything. Not what it does. Rather, it prevents you from visiting sites known/believed to be hazardous. Open it every once in a while and update it. Automatic updates are $10 a year. Manual updates are free.

I understand the Winsock. Leave alone for now.

What is your restart time now?

OH My! That was nice less that two minutes from the time I hit the restart button to the time I was able to get on this site. I was always thinking that Avast was causing some of my problems the way it was.

You are right, I remember now. Someone suggested I try it one time which I did but I kept getting malware anyway and someone on the other site told me to ditch that and install Malwarebytes. I never was too impressed with that either but I liked the Superantispyware one. That would find stuff pretty much every time I made a scan with it. I’ll try this and see how it goes if all else fails I can always reinstall it.

[plodr]

SpywareBlaster also now only updates entries for Internet Explorer. It protects your other browsers, except for Edge, but it has not added any new entries since at least August 14, 2014. So paying for an auto update isn’t worth it.

When you update it manually, check and it will say “x new items for Internet Explorer”.

Note: I still use it and update it manually because I want all the protection it has added for years.

[olddude]

I understand what you are saying about SuperAntiSpyWare I’ve tried several programs that put mess on my computer just so it could find it and charge you to get it off.LOL

OH, and I do plan on getting something a little newer. I’ve had a half dozen other computers since I got this old beater that have either had hard drive crashes, motherboard failures or died for one reason or another but this old beast keeps on going. It’s an old OptiPlex 160L that didn’t suffer from the popping capacitors and bad hard drives the later ones had. She may die today but I’ll have to say she’s been a good one.

I have been playing around with that other computer that has Linux on it and hopefully I can get the hang of that and retire this ol girl soon.

[Antman]

Those winsock entries are odd. Possible fossils from an earlier malware infection. No harm in deleting the entries.
From time to time, open Autoruns and see what is loading. Remember - less is more.

Also, I have used SpywareBlaster like a religion. Never noticed it was of limited usefulness for the past few years. Not removing (yet) as it consumes zero resources, and will spend X amount of time seeking a modern alternative that is also not a TSR. Thanks, plodr.

I use an Optiplex 390 most of the time. Cost me about to $35 to build. I have another in a box waiting for an i5-2500T for <$40. I have several more powerful units, just don’t need them. I am all about lower TDP these days.

It would seem that this task is complete.

[olddude]

Those winsock entries are odd. Possible fossils from an earlier malware infection. No harm in deleting the entries.
From time to time, open Autoruns and see what is loading. Remember - less is more.

Also, I have used SpywareBlaster like a religion. Never noticed it was of limited usefulness for the past few years. Not removing (yet) as it consumes zero resources, and will spend X amount of time seeking a modern alternative that is also not a TSR. Thanks, plodr.

I use an Optiplex 390 most of the time. Cost me about to $35 to build. I have another in a box waiting for an i5-2500T for <$40. I have several more powerful units, just don’t need them. I am all about lower TDP these days.

It would seem that this task is complete.

Well my boot time has really improved and that svchost.exe has not been a problem for awhile now. I now know that when I boot in safe mode I’m going to have trouble getting all the text on the screen without moving the page around…which was the subject of discussion in this thread. So for the most part I guess this part is complete. However I still have that loss of my internet and not being able to shut down without pulling the plug when I let the machine sit all night. I guess we could post another thread to address that. Thanks for all your time and efforts.

[veeg]

Thanks for the update. I’ll mark your thread as solved..