Computer help (slooooooowing)

[TravelGal]

I know we've been down this road a thousand times before (isn't that the line from a song?) but SOMETHING happened on Tuesday of this week. I noticed a lot of internet sites were "down for repairs" That made me think there was some attack launched on the www. Perhaps goofy, but that's what I thought.

Since Tuesday I've noticed that my computer freezes. I run Webroot Spysweeper every morning at 9 AM. (I reminds me to turn on my business phone in addition to sweeping the computer.) It finds only the usual suspects.

I ran AdAware yesterday afternoon also because I thought something was wrong. Again, nothing very much was found. A few traces of doubleclick, etc.

This morning when I went to start Spysweeper, it said 1 hour and 30 minutes til completion (it usually takes about 15 minutes). It did not, in fact, take that long because once it passed the first 10 minutes or so, it sped right up. That made me think there is something in the registry that is really mucking things up.

Any thoughts before I haul it into the store? Thanks.

Oh, by the way, I have to leave in a few minutes to attend a half day seminar about New Zealand (shout out to Kiwi fan!) followed by a dinner about Mozambique (!) so I won't be able to reply to any "try this" suggestions until tomorrow.

:(

[dando]

What about anti virus programs? Have you run a virus checker recently? That's the most obvious cause of the probs you described.

EDIT: also, make sure that your spyware checkers are updated with the latest versions. In addition to what 2c mentioned, did you install any programs recently? Assuming that you are using a PC, you might want to do a CRTL-ALT-DELETE to check the list of programs and processes that are running.

-Kevin

[racer2c]

Stupid question time...when was the last time you shut your PC down completly?
Also, check to see if any of your various scan tool (anti-virus, spam etc) aren't running in the background. A quick look at your hard drive activity light will act as a clue if a scan is robbing your resources. It happens to me from time to time.

[TravelGal]

Back from the trenches. Ten bucks to anyone who knows the national language of Mozambique WITHOUT looking it up. I sure didn't.

Thanks guys for the helpful suggestions. Believe me, there are no stupid questions when you're dealing with me and computers.

I realized as I was driving around yesterday that I forgot to say that the Spysweeper runs at 9 AM and the AVG runs at 10 AM. So, yes, I have a virus sweep every single day in addition to the spyware sweep. Spysweeper updates itself automatically, usually every day or two.

I'm one of those odd ducks that does not like to leave my computer on over night. Just before I turn it off, I run disk clean up.

When I turn on the computer the next morning, the first thing I do is check for AVG updates. That is, before I download the morning's mail.

I have not installed anything lately except a Microsoft Update. I think it was Security Patch #554,692. But now I'm wondering if it is the same update mentioned in another thread that is gumming up things for quite a few people. Doesn't seem like it because this was so quick. ?????

I think the control-alt-delete thing is a good idea but I don't know which of the programs there I can disable (or whatever word) to keep them from running in the background all the time.

The thing that gets me is that the computer freezes. At that moment I look to see if the red light is on, showing some sort of disk activity. It never is. I have this horrible image of all my data being sent to Mars for use of unscrupulous aliens.

In the interest of full disclosure I should probably add that I'm on a home LAN with a Linksys router. The other two computers do not seem to be similarly affected. I use Firefox unless a link is in Outlook Express. Windows XP Home. Maybe it's just pooping out and needs to be reinstalled. ????

I'm probably overthinking this but I don't like it when something changes significantly if I don't think I did anything to cause it.

Thanks for listening.

[pfc_m_drake]

If it started acting up on Tuesday (and you're sure it was Tuesday) you could try doing a system restore to some point previous to Tuesday.

[TravelGal]

If it started acting up on Tuesday (and you're sure it was Tuesday) you could try doing a system restore to some point previous to Tuesday.

Thank you SO much for saying that. Yes, I'm sure it was Tuesday. I was thinking I might do just that but I didn't know if it was too simplistic a solution.

[pfc_m_drake]

I can't guarantee it will fix the problem, but it's definitely worth a shot.

[TravelGal]

I can't guarantee it will fix the problem, but it's definitely worth a shot.

:D Thanks again. I know I get some rather looney ideas about computers and how they work or don't work so I didn't know if I dared trust that one. Now that you mentioned it I figured it is okay to test.

[EDwardo]

.... Assuming that you are using a PC, you might want to do a CRTL-ALT-DELETE to check the list of programs and processes that are running.

-Kevin

Here is a link to a freeware program called "Process Explorer". It shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts as well as a ton of other stuff.

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html

[dando]

Sounds like you have spyware and AV well covered. :thumbup: Restoring the system sounds like the best option. It could be a bad update install, or it might be time to do a repair install of the OS.

-Kevin

[TravelGal]

Here is a link to a freeware program called "Process Explorer". It shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts as well as a ton of other stuff.

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html

OOOOOOOOh. Me likey. Now if I can only understand the "description" column. And, more to the point, if I can only figure out if it means it is something I must keep running, might like to keep running, or better run into the ditch and pitch.

edit: Just saw Kevin's reply too. Gosh, I hate that thought but I'm sure you're right. ESPECIALLY, (get this) since the spyware thing seems to be back to normal. No hour plus notifications.

[cameraman]

Ten bucks to anyone who knows the national language of Mozambique WITHOUT looking it up. It used to be a Portuguese colony before it went thru a 15 year civil war followed by an aids epidemic. What are they up to, 15-20% of the population HIV positive? Given that the country could best be described as a train wreck and the population is split among half a dozen ethnic groups who all speak different languages and generally don't like each other all that much.... I'd guess it is still Portuguese.

Are they finally getting their **** together to the point where they are promoting tourism?

[TravelGal]

It used to be a Portuguese colony before it went thru a 15 year civil war followed by an aids epidemic. What are they up to, 15-20% of the population HIV positive? Given that the country could best be described as a train wreck and the population is split among half a dozen ethnic groups who all speak different languages and generally don't like each other all that much.... I'd guess it is still Portuguese.

Are they finally getting their **** together to the point where they are promoting tourism?

Yes, Pm me yer address and I'll mail ya the check!

BUT, (not "but" about the check but "but" about the country), they really only promote a few resorts on islands off the coast. The main part of the country, which quite large for those you without a map handy, is still apparently to be avoided.

[cameraman]

Well they have been quite busy removing land mines and other uxos for the last few years. It used to be one of the most dangerous places on the planet. For the last few years the US has been helping by funding a mine clearing effort to the tune of a couple million dollars a year. I read that they should be done clearing the high and medium impact areas by the end of this year and have the entire job done by 2009.

I think a vacation there is still a few years off tho'...