When Windows is slow, infected or broken, there are two fixes: clean it, or reinstall it. Cleaning removes the problem software and keeps everything else. A clean reinstall starts Windows fresh, which is slower to do but leaves nothing behind. Listonics backs up your files, uses genuine Windows only, and works at your home or remotely.
Proof, not promises
Real reviews from Trustpilot and Google, word for word. Google rating 5.0 from 5 reviews, checked 2026-10-17.
Best team I’ve ever hired. All in one place.
As a construction company, we have a lot to manage, so finding one team that can handle our IT and digital requirements has been really helpful. Listonics has supported us with office networking, cybersecurity, website development and SEO. Their team knows what they’re doing and has been easy to work with. We no longer need to coordinate with different companies for every requirement, which saves us time and effort. Overall, it’s been a good experience, and we’re happy to have them supporting our business.
We needed a custom ERP and HR system…
We needed a custom ERP and HR system for our business, along with a new website, and Listonics helped us with all three. The team was approachable, listened to what we wanted and made the process easier than we expected. We could discuss changes directly with them, which made a big difference. It was also convenient having one team handle everything instead of dealing with multiple companies. Overall, we’re happy with how things turned out and glad we chose them.
Listonics projects run from AED 2,500 to AED 30,000 as a fixed scope; support is a fixed monthly fee with response times written into the agreement. The IT support cost guide and managed IT pricing guide set out how the numbers are built.
Slow, infected or broken: which fix do you need?
The right fix depends on what is wrong, and a clean reinstall is not always the answer. A laptop that is simply cluttered can often be tidied without starting over, while one that has been properly infected is safer rebuilt from scratch. We look at the symptoms first and agree the approach with you.
| What is happening | Usual cause | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| Slow start-up, many programs at launch | Accumulated software and start-up items | Clean-up, sometimes a reinstall |
| Pop-ups, a changed browser home page | Adware or unwanted programs | Removal and browser reset |
| Files renamed or locked with a ransom note | Ransomware | Disconnect, then rebuild and restore |
| Errors, crashes, updates that never finish | Damaged Windows files | Repair, or a clean reinstall |
| Will not start at all | Software, drive or hardware fault | Diagnosis first |
| Slow even when nothing is running | Old hard drive or overheating | SSD upgrade or cleaning |
Virus and malware removal
Most infections we see on home computers are not dramatic. They arrive bundled with free software, through a fake download button or a browser extension, and they show themselves as pop-ups, a changed search engine, or a laptop that is slower than it should be. Windows includes capable protection, described in Microsoft's guide to the Windows Security app, and for stubborn infections Microsoft offers a Defender Offline scan that runs before Windows starts.
Removal is only half the job. After an infection, any password typed on that computer should be treated as exposed, so we help you change the important ones, starting with email, because email resets everything else. Turning on multi-factor authentication for those accounts is the step that stops the same thing happening again.
Some infections should not be cleaned at all. If the computer was used for online banking or work and the infection is serious, a clean reinstall is the only way to be confident nothing is left. We will tell you when we think that is the case.
What a clean reinstall involves
A clean reinstall replaces Windows completely, so it starts the way it did on the first day. Microsoft explains the routes in its guide to reinstalling Windows. The work itself follows a fixed order.
- Back up your documents, photos, desktop and browser bookmarks, and note the programs you use.
- Check that the BitLocker recovery key is saved, if the drive is encrypted.
- Install genuine Windows, activated with the licence the computer already has.
- Install the correct drivers for your model, so sound, Wi-Fi and the touchpad work properly.
- Bring Windows fully up to date and turn on its built-in protection.
- Put your files back and reinstall the programs you actually use.
- Test everything with you before we finish.
We install genuine, licensed Windows only. Activation tools and cracked copies are a common source of the infections we are called to remove, so we will not use them under any circumstances.
Upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11
Windows 10 stopped receiving free security updates in October 2025, as Microsoft's lifecycle page records. A computer still running it keeps working but becomes steadily easier to attack. Whether it can move to Windows 11 depends on its processor and a security chip called TPM 2.0, set out in Microsoft's Windows 11 specifications.
We check that first. If the computer qualifies, we upgrade it, keeping your files, or do a clean installation of Windows 11 if it also needs one. If it does not qualify, we explain your options plainly, and our page on Windows 10 end of support covers them in detail.
Before you start: the BitLocker key
Many laptops encrypt their drive without the owner ever being told, and a reinstall, a hardware change or a firmware update can trigger a screen asking for the recovery key. Without that key the data cannot be read by anyone, including us.
So we check for the key before any reinstall and make sure you have a copy. If you are already looking at the blue recovery screen, our guide to the BitLocker recovery key screen explains where the key is usually kept.
Keeping it healthy afterwards
A reinstalled computer stays fast and clean when a few habits are in place. Leave automatic updates on, keep the built-in protection turned on instead of installing several competing antivirus programs, and download software only from the publisher's own site or a store.
If the computer is slow even after a reinstall, the cause is probably hardware: a traditional hard drive or a laptop that is overheating. An SSD upgrade or a cleaning usually fixes that. For help with your computer, message us with what it is doing.
Frequently asked questions
Not if it is done properly. We back up your documents, photos, desktop and browser bookmarks first, reinstall Windows, then put everything back. Programs have to be reinstalled, so we note the ones you use before starting. Please tell us about any files stored in unusual places, such as a second drive or a program's own folder.
Usually not. Most computers sold with Windows have a digital licence linked to the hardware, and Windows activates itself again after a clean installation of the same edition. If your computer has no valid licence, we will tell you, and you can buy a genuine one. We never use cracked copies or activation tools.
Often, yes, if the computer starts and connects to the internet. You allow a secure remote session and can watch everything we do. For serious infections, or where the computer was used for banking or work, we may recommend a clean reinstall instead, which is the only way to be sure nothing is left behind.
Most of the time goes on backing up, installing updates and putting programs back, not on Windows itself. A simple laptop with few programs takes far less time than a computer with years of files and specialist software. We give you a realistic estimate once we have seen what is on it.
It depends mainly on the processor and on a security chip called TPM 2.0. Many laptops from before 2018 do not meet the requirements, even if they have enough memory and storage. We check your model and tell you whether it can be upgraded, and what your options are if it cannot.
Written by Srinivasan Ramachandran, Founder, Listonics · Last reviewed November 6, 2026