Slow & some pop-ups, revisited

Hello, Tech Team!
I've been referred by Tomk who kindly helped me with my pc issues in this thread: Slow & some pop-ups

These are my pc issues:
My pc is slow. ( I have a broadband connection.)
Characters are dropping off as I type even if I type in a deliberate manner. (My keyboard is not old and it is very clean.)
I am not getting e-mail notifications of replies to my thread. (I used to get them on older topics. I checked my settings.)

I've started Tomk's suggested readings which he listed in post#6.

Kathy

Hi Kathy, I have read all your posts with TomK. I would suggest you follow one or other or both of the 'My computer is slow' he has given you and see if there is an improvement with your system. There are also useful links in my signature, one referring to a slow performing computer. Please keep us posted after you have gone through the steps already offered. kind regards,

Kathy are you using a wireless keyboard? Change the batteries, or replace the keyboard. (Please tell me it isn't a Microsoft wireless keyboard.) An issue with the keyboard you are talking about sounds like a wireless keyboard issue. But, rather it is wireless or not, this is likely just a bad keyboard. Try using another keyboard for a while if you want to prove it to yourself.

Please keep us posted after you have gone through the steps already offered.

Hello, Tallin!
Will do, Thank you! What about the notification issue? Here under Post Options it says, "You are currently receiving email notification of replies." Have you heard of this happening to anyone else? Should I post this issue in a different forum?
Kathy

An issue with the keyboard you are talking about sounds like a wireless keyboard issue. But, rather it is wireless or not, this is likely just a bad keyboard. Try using another keyboard for a while if you want to prove it to yourself.

Hello, appleoddity!
I have a Windows Natural Keyboard with a wire connection. Why didn't I think of hooking up the old keyboard for a test run?!! I'll have to find it… Thank you!
Kathy

Hi Kathy,

Re you not receiving email notifications, please go to:

• My Controls
• Options on the left at the bottom
• Email Settings
• Board Preferences
• There are three - make sure #3 of the group of three is enabled/ticked
• Then from the dropdown menu choose (immediate email notification)
• Don't forget to click lastly (Amend my email settings)

If the above does not cure your problem, just post back here and I will get Administration to investigate further for you.

Hope you had success with the other keyboard.

Let us know.

kind regards,

Hello, Tallin!
All is set as you indicated. Please notify Administration to investigate for me, thank you! I haven't found the other keyboard, yet. I dug around last night for a bit, but probably won't find it until tomorrow. I think it's in a room which I can't get into right now. (There are large boxes of Christmas things in front of the door!)

I've been going through the steps on "Help! My computer is slow!" I have 448MB of RAM. I removed some startup programs. RubberDucky's StartUpLite helped. I already used the ATF cleaner. I deleted the temporary internet files and cookies. I want to keep the history right now.
When I was doing this:

…check the IDE channels to see if they are running in PIO or DMA mode.
To do this, go to start > run and type: devmgmt.msc in order to open the Device Manager.
Doubleclick IDE ATA/ATAPI-Controllers > rightclick the Primary IDE Channel > Properties > Advanced Settings tab. In the Transfer Mode dropdown list - it should be set to "DMA if available…

I noticed double instances of the Primary and Secondary IDE Channels. I attached a picture of it. Is this normal?

I'm going to defrag now and will continue with my reading.
Kathy

Hi Kathy,

Thank you for the request, duly answered and accepted.

I noticed double instances of the Primary and Secondary IDE Channels. I attached a picture of it. Is this normal?

I am consulting Tech Team members about your quote above, I do not have double instances of Primary and Secondary IDE channels. As I have not struck this before we will see what others think.

Oh! and I have advised Administration that you have no email notifications coming in. Is that still evident?

kind regards,

The two sets of primary/secondary controllers is related to the "VIA bus master interface" and the "Standard dual channel" interface. This appears to be Windows telling you that it detects two different IDE controllers. Most likely one of two things are taking place here. I saw this identical list of IDE devices just a couple days ago on a machine that only had one IDE port and they had added a second IDE controller to the system to support all their devices. Or, you have SATA ports that are running in IDE mode that might be showing up like that. It doesn't look like, in my opinion, anything to be concerned with.

Hi Kathy,

Have you also asked her to look in Junk Mail Folder and Deleted Items?
Clear Temps & Cookies?
FlushDNS ?
Close and reopen Browser?
Reboot machine?

It is "possible" that this is a temporary issue specifically with her ISP.
If the problem persists, she may benefit from contacting her ISP.

Thank you Doug for suggesting the above for Kathy to review.

Kathy, at the bottom of this post if you access Learning each day you will find toward the bottom how to do all the items listed in the quote above. In fact I will quote them for you below to save you time.

1.Scan for Adware, Spyware and all Malware WEEKLY/DAILY
2.Clean your 'Temporary Internet files' and 'History list' every 3 Days
3.Clear your SSL state every 3 Days.
4.Clear your Java files in your Java console every 3 Days
5.Empty the Recycle bin every 3 Days.
6.Defrag your hard Drive every 5 Days. (I actually Analise mine and only defrag when necessary)
7.Scan for Viruses and Trojans every 4 Days.
8.Degauss your monitor by turning it off completely and back on, every 5 days
9.Completely turn off' your machine every 5 Days. This is different than re-starting.

Now I suggest you open "control panel" and then "Internet options." With the 'internet options' open, youwill see the general tab. Next click on the "content" tab. You will see "clear SSL state." This normally is performed automatically but I have come across old data left in here. While you are here, you should clean the "auto complete" as well. There is a lot of data stored here that can breach your security and privacy. It is best to uncheck all three boxes and never use this feature, however if you like this feature, keep it.

To just clean the stored data, enable "auto complete" button and then the "clean passwords" then OK. Then enable the "clear forms" and then OK. It will wipe all of the stored information.

When you re-start, it does not shut down 100%

Now let's move on to the Java files. Open "control panel >settings and find "java plug-in" and click
on temporary internet files >settings >delete files >enable Applications and Applets, and > Trace and Log file > OK.

Now while we have it open, let's adjust the size from 'unlimited' down to "maximum 4 MB" and you
will be ready to go.

Another item that seems to get overlooked on today's maintenance routine is the "C:\windows\temp" folder. You should delete everything that is in this folder, BUT not the folder itself. If you have never done this, it will have a ton of stuff in it.
So run your disk cleanup, defrag, delete cookies etc often. There are other variations of these utilities
available although I have yet to find a problem with the ones that Windows provides.

To flush DNS cache click start, run, type cmd, and type ipconfig /flushdns and press enter. (Note the space between the g /) > Exit

DNS = Domain Name Server, the cache referred to is where Windows stores all IP addresses it collects as you surf typing the IP to the domain name to surf to, this cache can grow large over a period of time causing a slowdown on your computer surfing and interaction.

I am indebted to other members on this forum for most of this data, especially Crow who helped me so much when I first became a member here.

I hope the above is of some help and if followed particularly by new members may alleviate the necessity of posting a HJT log. If you have the above installed, run those very necessary update definitions once a week before using the tools, I have found I rarely have to post if ever to my selected HJT forum for help.

One last thing to make the above practice easier, make a New Folder on the Desktop name it Maintenance Folder, put a short cut of all Maintenance Programs installed, (not your Firewall and Antivirus software) in it, then carrying out that once a week housekeeping chore is made even more simple.

Keep us posted

kind regards,

Hi Kathy,

I have 448MB of RAM

If you install extra RAM this could make a huge difference. Performance will never be great on a machine with such a small amount of RAM…..

448MB (which is 512MB but probably with 64MB "shared" to run your video graphics) was fine a few years ago but applications now are RAM hungry and on Windows XP 1GB ( one Gig) is the sort of figure you should be thinking of:
If you go here:
www.crucial.com
click on the "scan my System" button (accept the Active X control, as its considered safe from this site) and after about 2 minutes Crucial will ( hopefully) identify what memory is installed in your machine, what the maximum capacity is, the type and specification of the memory needed, and its price….
You don't even have to buy the memory from them (unless you want to……
Post back if you need any further information on this.
Regards
paws

To tallin, appleoddity, paws and Doug, respectively:

Hello tallin!
(Thank you! ) Wow! I have a lot of homework! It's fun, though, isn't it? I still haven't received any notifications. Thank you for passing that on! After this post, I'll get right back to work. Thank you very much for quoting those for me!!
Kathy

Hello appleoddity!
Well, I had to look up a bunch of acronyms and now I know what they stand for, but I'm still chewing on them. (I saved the pages!) Still, you gave me comfort! I'm not completely lost, here; I recognized the pictures I found. As Scotty says, I'll get there in the end!
Kathy

Hello paws!
Thank you, I will definitely check that out, too! I've been wanting to add more memory but was intimidated and broke! I'm going to scan right after I post; I already have it up in another window. Thank you!
Kathy

Hello, Doug!
(If you see this! ) Thank you!
Kathy

Hi Kathy, Thank you for the private comments, much appreciated. Off to work you go - Post back if you need any help at all. Best regards,

Hello tallin!
Doug said to do this:

FlushDNS ?

What does this mean?
Kathy

Hi Kathy

To flush DNS cache click

• start
• run
• type cmd
• type ipconfig /flushdns and press enter. (Note the space between the g /)
• type Exit

DNS = Domain Name Server, the cache referred to is where Windows stores all IP addresses it collects as you surf typing the IP to the domain name to surf to, this cache can grow large over a period of time causing a slowdown on your computer surfing and interaction.

I have made the above clearer for you, but it is from my post #9 in this thread.

Keep us posted how things are going.

kind regards,

Ahhh…tallin!
I'm sorry! I hadn't noticed those instructions! Thank you for re-posting them for me! In my haste to proceed, I had scanned the beginning of that bit, copied it to notepad to do after cleaning. I thought that portion was only about scheduling scans after I'd finished cleaning it up. I'll try to be more careful in the future!
Kathy
(I'm still not getting e-mail notifications…has anyone said anything, yet?)