I need help with a slow computer

Nate the great · 08-27-2010, 03:57 PM

This one has me baffled.

My computer is slow today and I cannot figure out why. Here's what I know so far:

Spybot didn't find anything
McAfee didn't find anything
CPU usage is fine (50% to 80%)
RAM is fine
hard disk has plenty of space, and was defragmented not too long ago

The only really odd thing is that Firefox is buggy. I can either click on the contents of the Window or I can click on the menu bar. I'm stuck with Opera until I get this fixed.

Any ideas? I'm desperate.

ardeegee · 08-27-2010, 05:37 PM

Have you tried a ctrl-alt-del and looked in the Task Manager to see if anything unfamiliar is running, or of something is sucking up lots of CPU time? (Edit, I see you have checked CPU time.)

happy_terd · 08-27-2010, 06:10 PM

Go to run and type msconfig and get rid of half the crap in startup you dont need.

Instead of spybot you should download SUPERAntiSpyware. It is free and works just like spybot but it doesnt only detect the easy to find stuff like Spybot does. It is better software.

poohbear_nc · 08-27-2010, 06:20 PM

Also try malwarebytes - there's free versions of it and superantispyware - I run both!

Also - if you have a symantec anti-virus program -- sometimes they go wild and hog all your CPU. Windows update manager can too.

happy_terd · 08-27-2010, 06:22 PM

superantispyware will detect 100 problems to spybot's 1.

Awesome software. I am even going to send them a 20 dollar paypal donation I like it so much.

It is just as easy to use.

Mickey330 · 08-27-2010, 07:39 PM

[Deleted post]

Whoops! I went off on a mini rant about McAfee ... when it was Norton 360 that I know bogs down systems.

Sorry.

Move along now ... nothing to see here.

Nate the great · 08-27-2010, 07:51 PM

I'll try your suggestions (except for msconfig because I already do it), but here's the thing: if this is malware of some kind then it's smart enough to fake Windows Task Manager and show only 50% CPU usage.

happy_terd · 08-27-2010, 07:57 PM

The usual suspects involved with slowing down a PC (feel free to add a couple...this top of head):

Slow processor
Hard drive errors or problems (no room or very fragmented)
Too many programs or processes running
Malicious programs
Not enough RAM

I think that is all of the most common issues.

ardeegee · 08-27-2010, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Task Manager and show only 50% CPU usage.

What CPU/how many cores do you have? If you have even a half-way modern CPU, 50% to 80% usage is a MASSIVE amount of computational power being used. On my computer (Phenom II, 4 cores running at 2.6 GHz) normal background level of CPU usage while running several "low-demand" programs (web browser, word processor, etc) is around 2 or 3 percent utilization. Playing a full-screen DVD-resolution Divx takes up only around 2 to 4 percent. If you aren't running some sort of media-encoding software and something it typing up 50% to 80% of your CPU, something is seriously wrong.

Nate the great · 08-27-2010, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardeegee

What CPU/how many cores do you have? If you have even a half-way modern CPU, 50% to 80% usage is a MASSIVE amount of computational power being used. On my computer (Phenom II, 4 cores running at 2.6 GHz) normal background level of CPU usage while running several "low-demand" programs (web browser, word processor, etc) is around 2 or 3 percent utilization. Playing a full-screen DVD-resolution Divx takes up only around 2 to 4 percent. If you aren't running some sort of media-encoding software and something it typing up 50% to 80% of your CPU, something is seriously wrong.

I have a 1.7GHz Pentium-M. (multi-core? what's that?)

Hey kid, back in my day i ran my computer on an apple core, and I was happy to have it. Heck, when I first got started all I had was a peach pit.

Nate the great · 08-27-2010, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy_terd

Go to run and type msconfig and get rid of half the crap in startup you dont need.

I did this again and shut down a couple more services and startup options. It seems to have cleared up the problem. Thanks.

It's not a solution, but at least it gives me time to actually fix the problem. Thank you.

FizzyWater · 08-27-2010, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy_terd

Instead of spybot you should download SUPERAntiSpyware. It is free and works just like spybot but it doesnt only detect the easy to find stuff like Spybot does. It is better software.

Thanks for the reco...I especially like that this can be run from a USB drive without installing yet another piece of software.

I'll be honest, though, if this hadn't been recommended here (and seconded), I doubt I would have tried it. The website looks cheesy and would have made me thought it was one of those fake spyware programs!

Nate the great · 08-27-2010, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Thanks for the reco...I especially like that this can be run from a USB drive without installing yet another piece of software.

I'll be honest, though, if this hadn't been recommended here (and seconded), I doubt I would have tried it. The website looks cheesy and would have made me thought it was one of those fake spyware programs!

That's what I thought. If I hadn't been desperate I would have avoided it even though it had been recommended.

nachtxeule · 08-27-2010, 09:54 PM

get chrome, firefox stinks anyways

JSWolf · 08-27-2010, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nachtxeule

get chrome, firefox stinks anyways

Chrome is all rusty.

I have a version of Firefox compiled to run on SSE2 based CPUs and it runs very well.

08-27-2010, 03:57 PM	#1
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	I need help with a slow computer This one has me baffled. My computer is slow today and I cannot figure out why. Here's what I know so far: Spybot didn't find anything McAfee didn't find anything CPU usage is fine (50% to 80%) RAM is fine hard disk has plenty of space, and was defragmented not too long ago The only really odd thing is that Firefox is buggy. I can either click on the contents of the Window or I can click on the menu bar. I'm stuck with Opera until I get this fixed. Any ideas? I'm desperate.

08-27-2010, 07:39 PM	#6
Mickey330 Addict Posts: 378 Karma: 1107420 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Western New York state (USA) Device: Kindle Oasis & the Kindle app on iDevices	[Deleted post] Whoops! I went off on a mini rant about McAfee ... when it was Norton 360 that I know bogs down systems. Sorry. Move along now ... nothing to see here. Last edited by Mickey330; 08-27-2010 at 07:43 PM. Reason: I can't read?

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08-27-2010, 05:37 PM	#2
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	Have you tried a ctrl-alt-del and looked in the Task Manager to see if anything unfamiliar is running, or of something is sucking up lots of CPU time? (Edit, I see you have checked CPU time.)

08-27-2010, 06:10 PM	#3
happy_terd Banned Posts: 13,045 Karma: 10105011 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Finally made it to Walmart. Device: PRS 420	Go to run and type msconfig and get rid of half the crap in startup you dont need. Instead of spybot you should download SUPERAntiSpyware. It is free and works just like spybot but it doesnt only detect the easy to find stuff like Spybot does. It is better software.

08-27-2010, 06:20 PM	#4
poohbear_nc Now what? Posts: 59,325 Karma: 135181808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	Also try malwarebytes - there's free versions of it and superantispyware - I run both! Also - if you have a symantec anti-virus program -- sometimes they go wild and hog all your CPU. Windows update manager can too.

08-27-2010, 06:22 PM	#5
happy_terd Banned Posts: 13,045 Karma: 10105011 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Finally made it to Walmart. Device: PRS 420	superantispyware will detect 100 problems to spybot's 1. Awesome software. I am even going to send them a 20 dollar paypal donation I like it so much. It is just as easy to use.

08-27-2010, 07:51 PM	#7
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	I'll try your suggestions (except for msconfig because I already do it), but here's the thing: if this is malware of some kind then it's smart enough to fake Windows Task Manager and show only 50% CPU usage.

08-27-2010, 07:57 PM	#8
happy_terd Banned Posts: 13,045 Karma: 10105011 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Finally made it to Walmart. Device: PRS 420	The usual suspects involved with slowing down a PC (feel free to add a couple...this top of head): Slow processor Hard drive errors or problems (no room or very fragmented) Too many programs or processes running Malicious programs Not enough RAM I think that is all of the most common issues.

08-27-2010, 09:54 PM	#14
nachtxeule Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 2098 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3.	get chrome, firefox stinks anyways

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