help reformatting

i have a pc running windows xp professional that i purchased from a friend who was moving about 5 years ago....the computer has been running great up to a few months ago when i noticed that its slowed down dramatically both when on the internet or just simply opening a file. Im pretty sure the guy who sold it to me only removed the stuff he needed out of it......on top of that i suspect that the computer has some sort of virus or malware cause its basically crawling.....now to my question: can i reformat my computer without the original cd or product key(i myself have moved recently and lost both items)any help would be greatly appreciated

 

So, according to your information, you have the
original PC with the original operating system, and
you have the original CDROM to reinstall WinXP,
but do not have the product ID code.

Pull your computer away from the wall and take a
bright flashlight and shine it on the back of the
computer, or the side. Almost all computers will
have the product ID code located on a sticker.

After you fdisk, partition and format the hard
drive, then reinstall WinXP.

Once you get connected to the internet, WinXP
will automatically give you a phone number to
call to re-register your operating system.

*** Also ***
You can find the code in the "Registry." Search this
forum to find out how to do that. I don't remember
right now because my dog wants to go outside.

 

Perhaps clearing any malware will be enough...

As indicated at the start of this forum, please *** READ THIS BEFORE POSTING IN THIS FORUM *** then post the requested logs in this thread.

NOTES:

When posting the logs ensure word wrap is switched off (in notepad Uncheck Format->Word Wrap) as this makes them difficult to read.

Be aware that only Malware analysts will advise and they are often busy. Your post will be taken on a first come first served basis but it may take a while before you receive a reply.

Obviously you'll need some kind of XP CD to format and reinstall, you'll also need to match the CD with your version XP Home, XP Pro, XP Home OEM, XP Pro OEM. You can find your current product key by using this utility.

You should also read this MS knowledgebase article, it warns of certain pitfalls, missing drivers etc.

To be honest a reinstall is often used as the simplest solution but often it can cause more problems than the initial one, I would suggest checking for malware first.

 

You can download Belarc Advisor and get the Key Codes for all the programs installed on your PC including Windows.

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

 

i dont have the cd nor the product key

 

In which case I refer you to my previous post

If you'd rather format and reinstall replacement cd's can be bought from MS etc but if you can borrow one from a friend it's still ok as long as you have a valid license.