My desktop is very slow. It takes a while to boot up and the hard drive runs a lot. I run anti-virus and spyware removers. I de-frag the hard drive once a week or so. Any further suggestions??
Need lots more info..... What type is the CPU (Pentium 3, or 4, etc. or AMD K-series, or Athlon, etc.) and at what speed (900 MHz, or 1.8 GHz, etc.)? How much system memory (RAM) is installed? What operating system is installed (Windows 98, or ME, or 2000, or XP, etc.) and which version ("Home" or "Professional")? How old is the hard drive and do you know its speed (5400 RPM, or 7200 RPM, etc.)? What size is the hard drive and how much 'free space' does it have? What programs and services are started/running in the background? Which anti-virus and anti-spyware programs are you using? Is this a 'shared' PC or only used by you? There are many other questions, but the above very well may get this problem cleared up. If you don't know, or know how to find out, the specifications of your PC we can help you with that. We just need to know how technically inclined you are.
If we assume it's a Microsoft OS, a good starting point is to: Click on START, then ALL PROGRAMS, then ACCESSORIES, then SYSTEM TOOLS, then SYSTEM INFORMATION. Then hold down the left mouse button and back-sweep across the info in the right pane. While it's all high-lighted, hit control C, then paste it in your post.
There are also third party applications that do the same. My favorite is Lavalys's Everest Home Edition 2.20, which is freeware. Lavalys has removed the free edition from their Website (to focus on their 'pay' versions) and no longer supports it, but you can download it elsewhere.... http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html Not sure if you can copy and paste info from that though. But it's a nice tool for the geeks here.
An application I use to pull up information about a PC is called Belarc Advisory. Not only will it tell you about the CPU and memory you have it will also tell you about the hard drives and other hardware. It will also list all the software you have on your system and all the key codes. It also lists all the hotfixes that have been installed
What I like about it is you can print it up. Then when you have to reload your computer and it prompts you for the key codes you have them right there in front of you.
Run msconfig...look at startup items. See how many things that are being started and let us know. Also right click on the task bar and go to task manager. See what processes are currently running. Sort it by CPU. Then tell us the big hitters. COmpare that to the startup items in msconfig.
********************** OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600 OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation System Manufacturer eMachines System Model Product Name System Type X86-based PC Processor x86 Family 15 Model 3 Stepping 3 GenuineIntel ~2660 Mhz BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD IHD19EM, 6/18/2004 SMBIOS Version 2.3 Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32 Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1 Locale United States Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-215" Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time Total Physical Memory 768.00 MB Available Physical Memory 282.42 MB Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB Page File Space 1.08 GB Page File C:\pagefile.sys Hard drive 1s 120Gb. 47.4 Gb used Pentium 2 I use AVG anti-virus(free version) I use Zone Alarm Free version for Firewall I Use Spybot S&D and Windows defender for spyware removal
Well. . .you have a low-mid to low end PC (as current PCs go). As ServerSnapper suggested, a high number of items booting at startup can indeed slow your PC. Much of the time, for little more than self-righteous reasons, many software developers feel their apps should run at start-up. But you listed 18, which is not terrible. . .unless one or more of them is a serious resource hog. Norton Products are a great example. You have plenty of free hard drive space for virtual memory (swap/page file), and assuming you degrag regularly and apparently have no viruses or trojans lurking around, I can throw another couple variables that contributes to slowing down a PC. One being registry clutter. Over time, by adding and removing applications, your registry will begin to collect entries that are not entirely removed during an install and/or uninstall of a piece of software. Much like plaque in our arterial system, registry entries will begin to clog and slow the registry over time. There are many free registry cleaners available. Lastly un-necessary SERVICES can slow your PC. There are well over 100 services capable of running on your PC. A good 30-50% are not needed, depending on how you use your PC. To see your services, click START then RUN and type SERVICES.MSC. HERE is a great site for info on all the SERVICES and which ones to turn off.
One last thing I would like for you to do is go to http://www.hijackthis.de/, download the hijackthis file directly (link is in upper right corner of that page), unzip and run it, do a system scan, and copy and paste the results here. OR you may do an online analisys at that same 'site and post the URL of the results.
Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2 Scan saved at 8:16:33 PM, on 5/20/2008 Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600) MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16640) Boot mode: Normal Running processes: C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\ACS\acsd.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lxctcoms.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe C:\Program Files\eMachines Bay Reader\shwiconem.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\jusched.exe C:\Program Files\Lexmark 5400 Series\lxctmon.exe C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe C:\WINDOWS\wanmpsvc.exe C:\Program Files\Lexmark 5400 Series\ezprint.exe C:\Program Files\EarthLink 5.0\ConMgr.exe C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Album Starter Edition\3.2\Apps\apdproxy.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe C:\Program Files\palmOne\Hotsync.exe c:\WINDOWS\system32\ZuneBusEnum.exe C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\RealOneMessageCenter.exe C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://www.earthlink.net/partner/more/msie/button/search.html R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://red.clientapps.yahoo.com/customize/ycomp/defaults/sp/*http://www.yahoo.com R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.yahoo.com R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://us.rd.yahoo.com/customize/ie/defaults/sb/msgr8/*http://www.yahoo.com/ext/search/search.html R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = http://www.earthlink.net/partner/more/msie/button/search.html R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = http://red.clientapps.yahoo.com/customize/ycomp/defaults/su/*http://www.yahoo.com R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Windows Internet Explorer provided by Yahoo! R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local R3 - URLSearchHook: Yahoo! ¤u¨ã¦C - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn2\yt.dll O2 - BHO: &Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - {02478D38-C3F9-4EFB-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn2\yt.dll O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll O2 - BHO: Lexmark Toolbar - {1017A80C-6F09-4548-A84D-EDD6AC9525F0} - C:\Program Files\Lexmark Toolbar\toolband.dll O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll O2 - BHO: (no name) - {549B5CA7-4A86-11D7-A4DF-000874180BB3} - (no file) O2 - BHO: Yahoo! IE Services Button - {5BAB4B5B-68BC-4B02-94D6-2FC0DE4A7897} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yiesrvc.dll O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll O2 - BHO: (no name) - {7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file) O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll O2 - BHO: ZoneAlarm Spy Blocker BHO - {F0D4B231-DA4B-4daf-81E4-DFEE4931A4AA} - C:\Program Files\ZoneAlarmSB\bar\1.bin\SPYBLOCK.DLL O2 - BHO: (no name) - {FDD3B846-8D59-4ffb-8758-209B6AD74ACC} - (no file) O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! ¤u¨ã¦C - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn2\yt.dll O3 - Toolbar: Lexmark Toolbar - {1017A80C-6F09-4548-A84D-EDD6AC9525F0} - C:\Program Files\Lexmark Toolbar\toolband.dll O3 - Toolbar: ZoneAlarm Spy Blocker - {F0D4B239-DA4B-4daf-81E4-DFEE4931A4AA} - C:\Program Files\ZoneAlarmSB\bar\1.bin\SPYBLOCK.DLL O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LXCTCATS] rundll32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\LXCTtime.dll,_RunDLLEntry@16 O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zune Launcher] "c:\Program Files\Zune\ZuneLauncher.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ZoneAlarm Client] "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] "C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -hide O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunKistEM] C:\Program Files\eMachines Bay Reader\shwiconem.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\jusched.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [lxctmon.exe] "C:\Program Files\Lexmark 5400 Series\lxctmon.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Lexmark 5400 Series Fax Server] "C:\Program Files\Lexmark 5400 Series\fm3032.exe" /s O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [EzPrint] "C:\Program Files\Lexmark 5400 Series\ezprint.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ConMgr.exe] "C:\Program Files\EarthLink 5.0\ConMgr.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe /STARTUP O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Photo Downloader] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Album Starter Edition\3.2\Apps\apdproxy.exe" O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'NETWORK SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [DWQueuedReporting] "C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\DW\dwtrig20.exe" -t (User 'SYSTEM') O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [DWQueuedReporting] "C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\DW\dwtrig20.exe" -t (User 'Default user') O4 - Global Startup: HOTSYNCSHORTCUTNAME.lnk = C:\Program Files\palmOne\Hotsync.exe O4 - Global Startup: Kodak EasyShare software.lnk = C:\Program Files\Kodak\Kodak EasyShare software\bin\EasyShare.exe O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel present O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MI1933~1\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000 O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Services - {5BAB4B5B-68BC-4B02-94D6-2FC0DE4A7897} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yiesrvc.dll O9 - Extra button: ICQ - {6224f700-cba3-4071-b251-47cb894244cd} - C:\Program Files\ICQ\ICQ.exe O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ - {6224f700-cba3-4071-b251-47cb894244cd} - C:\Program Files\ICQ\ICQ.exe O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MI1933~1\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL O9 - Extra button: AOL Instant Messenger (SM) - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\aim\aim.exe O9 - Extra button: Real.com - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Shdocvw.dll O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.emachines.com O16 - DPF: {30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (Installation Support) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\Yinsthelper.dll O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab O16 - DPF: {DF780F87-FF2B-4DF8-92D0-73DB16A1543A} (PopCapLoader Object) - http://games.pogo.com/online2/pogo/zuma/popcaploader_v5.cab O23 - Service: AOL Connectivity Service (AOL ACS) - America Online, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\ACS\acsd.exe O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe O23 - Service: lxct_device - - C:\WINDOWS\system32\lxctcoms.exe O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs, LLC - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe O23 - Service: WAN Miniport (ATW) Service (WANMiniportService) - America Online, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\wanmpsvc.exe -- End of file - 10890 bytes
Decent machine were dealing with here - P4 2.66 GHz, XP SP2, 120 GB HDD (60% unused), 768 RAM - so it should be able to handle everything that is running with ease. I personally might add more RAM only because you're running XP and have 40 processes running (according to the HJT scan), and nearly 500 GB was being used at the time you looked up the system information. Having 18 startup items will certainly drag out Windows boot process. What is on that list? Most, if not all, of the items on that list are usually not necessary. They're mostly for secondary software that is loaded into the background so they can be accessed very quickly. If you need to run programs you should be able to start them when you want to, not when whomever wrote the software wants a process running in the background. I personally have my list of 19 pared down to 3. While in msconfig > Startup you can uncheck (and re-check if necessary) the boxes in the Startup Items column. You will have to restart your computer for the changes to take effect. You may also use Spybot S&D for this, if you have the tools installed. I see, from the HJT scan, that you have several BHOs (browser helper objects) and a few Toolbars installed. I'm NOT a fan of either. Three of those BHOs - the ones with O2 - BHO: (no name) in them - are "dead" (no program associations) so they should definitely be removed. That can be done within HJT. After a scan is finished, check the box next to any item that you want to remove and click the "Fix checked" box. The rest of them you can keep if you want. Me personally, I don't like them and I never allow them to get installed. Same goes for toolbars. I see you're using Firefox, so if those BHOs and toolbars are for Internet Explorer - and they probably are, and you don't use IE for much of anything, they're not doing you any good. I use IE only for 'sites that don't work correctly with FF, and that includes my wireless router. For more info on BHOs and Toolbars, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_Helper_Object http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toolbar Now a word on anti-virus, spyware removers/cleaners, and personal/software firewalls.... I don't use any of them on my personal XP Pro SP3 tower. I was using AVG but I recently removed version 8 because it was loaded with features I didn't want, and it slowed my system and browser down. I keep anti-virus running on my wife's PC and the kids PC because I can't be there every second to stop them from downloading and installing something that could be malicious. The laptop we have anti-virus and a firewall installed for when we connect to unsecured Wireless networks, e.g."free" Wi-Fi in hotels, bars, restaurants, etc. If you have a wireless router at home, it likely has its own firewall built in. I have software (Spyware Blaster and Spyware Guard) that does not allow spyware or BHOs to be installed in the first place - so I don't have to clean it up after the fact - and it also does not allow browser redirects (changing of the start up page) or browser hijacks. Info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware_Blaster http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html Downloads here: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sgdownload.html If you're going to use SB and SG, install SB first.
That looks like a typical Hijackthis log. Typical does not mean good though. I'll give you the 4 words I found in your list that will never be in my Hijack list. AOL, Yahoo, Kodak & Real Player. My hijack list has 14 items.
I need to clarify one thing. I changed the startup scripts. As far as the hijack list, you said it is OK to remove everything, correct?
will either sg or sb remove any spyware that is currently on the computer or will I need something else to do that??
NO. Not "everything". You must be very careful using that program. It makes registry changes. Messing with the registry without knowing exactly what you are doing can screw your operating system up beyond recognition. HJT even says Be careful what you delete with the 'Fixed checked' button. The only things I would delete right now are all of the BHOs and all of the Toolbars, i.e. all of the O2 and O3 entries. That's just me though. I do not allow BHOs and Toolbars to be installed on my PC. Only make changes that you are comfortable with. No. They are not 'cleaners'.
