If it was a domain member, that is done through Computer or System Properties. I don't have Vista, but Windows 7 has a link on the left to Advanced System Settings and from there go to the Computer Name tab. You can change from a domain to a workgroup which is less restrictive.


Of course you'll have to be able to boot to accomplish that.

do you have the Vista disk? You might be able to run sfc scannow command to repair corrupt files. Sometimes it needs the installation disk to replace files.

Run the System File Checker

Thank you PK, I couldn't find Advanced System Settings. Nothing on Vista is listed in a way that I could find it. I tried Search and still nothing. I had time constraints and might try to work on it tomorrow.

I think the problem with the computer is beyond my capacity. There seems so many network settings, I'm not sure what to stop.

I did get it to boot. I started in Safe Mode, uninstalled a bunch of things. I did most things in Safe Mode. Then when I restarted, some strange windows appeared like Windows was scanning. I received a message that the disk was healthy? Anyway, it booted. Suddenly it began to download 52 updates!
Took a few hours. I'm thinking somehow Windows updates were not installed properly.

By midnight, I sent the computer back to the owner.

The computer is so slow. Never saw a machine so slow. You literally grow old waiting for the Start button to open. Every function took soooo long. I cleaned up the start-up, stopped things in Services, yet it just crawled.

C- 210 free of 285 GB
D- Recovery 3.29 GB free of 9.76 GB

I have the original disks. I'm wondering if reinstalling the OS would do the trick. I backed everything up to a hard drive.

I'd appreciate any other thoughts. I'd only do a reinstall as a last-ditch method.

The owner cannot afford a new computer nor bringing it to a shop.

Jane

I skipped Vista in my windows life, but I did a google search and found some stuff that might help.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/disconnect-your-computer-from-a-network-or-network-drive

What did you put in the search query? I tried searching and got stuff I didn't understand.

Thank you so much,
Jane

Open the "Control Panel" and select "Network and Internet" then select "Network and Sharing Center". From there I believe you can change whatever network/internet options you wish. I am not absolutely certain about this because I have never had my Vista machine on a network.

Ah, when you mentioned that it was a work computer, I may have mistakenly assumed it to be a member of a domain. I may have made the solution overly complicated. Does it require a login at bootup or not?

The latency may also be the result of a corrupted Windows profile. I could walk you through creating a different user profile in order to test that if you'd like.

Yes, he logs on. When I look in Services I see so many setting which involve networking to a server or domain. Thought there might be a default setting for personal use and shut off the networking settings.

Thank you, PK

Jane

It won't be a service that you can stop Jane, if it was once on a domain. You may be able to un-join the domain though.

Here are the steps, but he must be logged in with an administrator account to accomplish these steps.

About how to leave your laptop form a domain, please kindly refer to the following steps:

Step 1. Click Start button, then point to Computer.

Step 2. Right-Click Computer, then click Properties.

Step 3. Under the Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings, click Change Settings.

Step 4. Then hit Change, change the Member of Option to Workgroup, hit OK.

Step 5. You will be prompted the administrator’s account, type it.

Step 6. Then restart your computer.

and the credit for these steps:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/c87f817c-ac07-43b2-892b-066a21ef2569/how-do-i-remove-personal-pc-from-old-business-domain-to-join-windows-7-home-network?forum=w7itpronetworking