clipped from: lifehacker.com

Help Clueless Relatives with Their Computer Problems

"It takes forever to start up."

Use our complete guide to speeding up your startup

"I keep getting a pop-up saying I need to pay for my antivirus software."

check out Lifehacker readers' five favorite—and FREE—AV packages ready for download and installation

"When I get on the internet things look weird" or "I keep getting these annoying popup ads."

how to fix Mom and Dad's malware-laden computer and the advice still stands. Go straight for a copy of Ad-Aware Free and Spybot Search & Destroy to get started.

"I can't find the digital photos I downloaded last month."

Install Picasa 3

get a free copy of VLC

"I'm running out of hard drive space."

visualizing his hard drive usage with free tools that will map what files are taking up what space

"The internet stopped working."

TechRadar compiles a list of fix-it tools you can take with you to the family holiday get-together.