64 replies to this topic

[Lee]

Hi gbsk, Your main problem (so far) is a very slow computer. That is usually due to an over-worked CPU and RAM. Correctly set set up (not overburdened), your 2.2Ghz CPU and 1.5GB of ram should be adequate enough to have your P4 Computer zipping along. However, it is also easily overtaxed as many of today's programs and add-ons are heavy on resources. Add-on toolbars like Google or Ask toolbar, just ramp-up the load on your PC resources. IE is already a slow browser and any add-ons just makes it slower. Apart from security issues with the Google toolbar, it's a resource hog. Removing programs and apps. that are not essential, can create conflicts or that are heavy on resources, is the best way to cure a very sluggish PC. The other alternative is to purchase a more powerful computer. Let me know how your computer is running now. Are you able to boot to desktop or are you still working in safe mode with networking? Cheers, Lee

Edited by Lee, 20 March 2011 - 12:02 PM.

[gbsk]

Lee

This time the scan gave me a URL with numbers by the address instead of a generic site. here it is.
http://pcpitstop.com...?conid=24252940

I can't figure out why the computer is using so much memory. You even said the CP"U) was maxed out. It did not used to be that way until about a month ago. Ibought this computer and it had about half the RAM it has now and I had less trouble. I added more RAM about 2 years ago. I belong to a computer Yahoo group. I asked there about it and told how much RAM I was using for a few open tabs and the guy who owns a computer repair place said his computer did not use nearly that much RAM for a few open tabs. As I said before, I had 3 open tabs and there were 6 instances of IE open on the Task Manager. How can that be? Thsoe 3 tabs were not resourse intensive like using video player or lot s of graphics. One was What the tech site.


Thanks for helping,
GB

[Lee]

Hi gbsk, Your 2nd. Overdrive result shows considerable improvement over your 1st. one. Your CPU load test has dropped from 68% in your first test to only 1% in your second test and that's very good indeed. Your RAM Utilization at 54 % is very high though. Multiple open IE tabs wouldn't have helped. The three (main) images I have posted represent your running processes during the Overdrive test and the figures on the right show CPU and RAM usage (high total RAM usage). You can add-up the ram usage and except for multiple instances of IE you were running, the rest of the programs are basically idling and were not even active during the Overdrive test. All programs except Microsoft, security and your browsers could all be disabled from your startup menu. They will still work fine when needed, but won't be using RAM unnecessarily and will also improve your startup times. When you install a new program, choose "custom" install and don't allow it in the startup menu. Untick any extra add-ons (like toolbars) too. The last image is the Process Summary and it's recommendations and options. Your IE cache contains 944mb and your Temp. files are 385mb. You might like to clear them. These steps will also remove any tracking cookies you have in IE. 1. Open IE8 and from the Safety menu in the upper right, click Delete Browsing History... 2. Deselect Preserve Favorites website data, and select Temporary Internet files, Cookies, and History. 3. Click Delete. Think about all the info I've presented in this post, make some decisions and see how you go. Cheers, Lee.

Edited by Lee, 20 March 2011 - 11:40 PM.

[Lee]

I had 3 open tabs and there were 6 instances of IE open on the Task Manager. How can that be?

514mb of ram was being used by 6 instances of IE running during the Overdrive test. I thought you must have knowingly had them open, but it seems you did not.

You either have a Melware problem or some event conflict going on. To remove an obvious potential conflict, either Avast or McAfee needs to be removed and Avast is (by far) the better antivirus app.

- Download and run McAfee removal tool MCPR.exe (1.5mb download).
http://download.mcaf...atches/MCPR.exe
1.Click Save and save the file to desktop.
2.Make sure all McAfee windows are closed.
3.Double-click MCPR.exe to run the removal tool.
4.Restart your computer after receiving the message "CleanUp Successful".
Your McAfee product will not be fully removed until the system is restarted.

Try using your IE now with only one tab open and check the Task Manager to see how many instances of IE you have running (?).

Cheers,
Lee

[gbsk]

Lee I rechecked my add or remove Programs and McAfee was not in there. I think I deleted it when you told me earlier. I also tried to download the program to uninstall McAfee and it would not download because it said it already existed. Right now I just have this window open in IE. The Task Manager have these instances of IE running. 242 MB and 21 MB, I also did all the changes you suggested concerning the IE cache. The computer is running better but if I open a lot of windows, it slows down a lot. Even if I just have maybe 4 open, then put in another URL in a window, I will get a message saying something like IE can't find and have to refresh it a few times before the page will come up. As I said before, I thought and stil think I have some malware on this but a guy on the malware forum said he did not see anything and sent me here. This computer is usually much more responsive. Thanks for helping, GB

[Lee]

"McAfee Security scan" and "McAfee UI container" are recognised in your last Overdrive test. Open your search utility in the Start menu and look seperately for these three items: sysml.dll McAfee Security scan McAfee UI container --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Download- Autoruns:http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx 1: Extract the Autoruns Zip file contents to a folder. 2: Double-click the "Autoruns.exe". 3: Click on the "Everything" tab 4: Remove any entries that mention "File Not Found" by right-clicking the entry and select Delete. 5: Go to File then to Export As or Save in some versions. 6: Save AutoRuns.txt file to known location like your Desktop. 7: Attach to your next reply. Cheers, Lee

[gbsk]

Lee I did the 3 searches you suggested for McAfee. I found nothing in McAfee UI container and sysml.dll I deleted all the files manually in the other but I could not delete one, which is a scheduler. I tried to attach the AutoRun file you requested but it said I cannot attach this type of file. On the desktop, it is named as autoruns.arn. Since I downloaded this program to the desktop, I keep getting a message that a change has been detected to my desktop background to About.com. I keep saying no but it keeps coming back up. Thanks GB

[Lee]

I could not delete one, which is a scheduler

Removing all of McAfee can be a problem and I'm mystified as to why you were unsuccessful downloading and running the removal tool I recommended

You forgot to choose the save as "txt" option for the autoruns file when you saved it to your desktop. That's why you couldn't open or post it.

Cheers,
Lee

Edited by Lee, 23 March 2011 - 08:50 PM.

[gbsk]

Lee It would not seem to be a problem if I could not delete the scheduler since there is no McAfee to schedule but maybe I am wrong. I saved the AutoRuns as AutoRuns.txt. However, when I go to the desktop, it is just AutoRuns. It is 1.5 MB file so is 3 times the limit for uploading on this site. When I open the file, it is a notepad file with nothing in it or maybe it is just really slow loading so I am stymied as to what to do. Thanks GB

[Lee]

Hi gbsk.

Boy-o-boy, 1.5MB notepad file size for autoruns? That's 1500KB and the average autorun notepad file should be between 25-80KB. My autorun file is 32KB.

Autoruns (about)
This utility, which has the most comprehensive knowledge of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor, shows you what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login, and what extension load into various Windows processes, including Explorer and Internet Explorer. A "Hide Signed Microsoft Entries" option helps you to zoom in on third-party auto-starting images that have been added to your system.

You'll probably be surprised at how many executables are launched automatically!

Open autoruns again and go to 'options' at the top and check there is a tick besides 'hide Microsoft and Windows entries'. It should already be ticked and if it is, somehow you have a seriously overloaded PC.

Your last Overdrive test shows 3 McAfee entries that are using about 60MB of ram, not a lot but everything adds up.

Check the autoruns entries for McAfee and if any are there, right click on them and select 'delete'.
Also, how many startup entries are showing in your Win Patrol program? Any McAfee showing there can be disabled.

Cheers,
Lee

[Ztruker]

gbsk, zip the file then upload it. Should be well within the size limit then.

[Jkc73]

Excuse my interruption,


gbsk,

I notice you have the program Sandboxie on board, I think this is a fine program.

I used this program for some time till I too had similar browser slowdowns and found I had the settings incorrect for Sandboxie.

This may be part of your issue if you are running IE sandboxed.

Try running IE without Sandboxie running.

Best Regards,

[Jkc73]

gbsk,

I would also recommend to run another PCPitStop's Overdrive test, without Sandboxie running and only having 1 tab open.

Regards,

Edited by Jkc73, 24 March 2011 - 08:12 PM.

[Lee]

Thanks guys, I was starting to scratch my heads a bit here. I certainly would like to see that autoruns file. Sandboxie can be a terrible program to run generally except for testing or downloading a program your unsure of. Cheers, lee

Edited by Lee, 25 March 2011 - 12:37 PM.

[gbsk]

Lee

Sorry this is taking such a long time to get back to you. I worked late the past few nights so did not do what you recommended yet. I just looked AutoRuns Options. 'hide Microsoft and Windows entries' was not checked but 'hide Windows entries' was checked. I left the entries as they were. I found one instance of McAfee running on AutoRuns and I deleted it. I couted 12 programs on Startup in WinPatrol.

Ztrucker said that I should disable Sandboxie. Sandboxie was on the startup but it was already disabled. I `originally downloaded Sandboxie so it would dump the memory if I got drive by downloads in Opera but needed to get rid of some tabs I had open in Opera before I used it.

I ran AutoRuns again and this time I got a URL. Here it is..


http://www.pcpitstop...?conid=24252940

Thanks for helping.

GB