I'm running XP SP3 and all the usual stuff (Office, etc).

Once a month I do a thorough cleaning using CCleaner, SuperAntiSyware, Malwarebytes, defrag, disk cleanup, etc.

I do have a bad habit of putting my PC in sleep mode overnight instead of power cycling it (I know, I know).

For the past 2 years, since I reformatted, added more RAM, put in a new faster HDD, it's been working great.

2 days ago, I noticed a distinct slow down of all functions. Tried power cycling, which usually does the trick, but not this time.

Everything is at a snails pace. Ran through all the maintenance and defragged again, which seemed to help for about an hour, then back to a crawl.

What could be causing this? I have 93% free space on my HDD and plenty of available RAM.

Please don't tell me I need to reformat. PLEASE DON'T...

Thanks...

Sounds like your PC is running with the brakes on. Try task manager, look for what's hogging all the CPU or allocated memory, then track it down by application to see if something is using up all your sys resources.

Bottom of desktop screen. Find a space with no icons on bottom. Right click on that space. Task manager opens as an option.

Beware of disabling any system or network level application when you go in there.

Is there a site where I can look up the process names in the task manager to see what they are, and if safe to delete?

I found this site, but it appears only to apply to start up applications. Sysinfo.org (http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php)

Check here for posts 3 and 5
https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/computers-beginners/frequently-ask-questions-about-computers-233870.html


Services XP sp3
Windows XP x86 (32-bit) Service Pack 3 Service Configurations by Black Viper (http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm)

Thanks Seahwk.

Since I installed CCleaner about a year ago, at your recommendation (thank you, thank you, thank you!), I have stopped using Disk Cleanup. I thought CCleaner replaced Disk Cleanup?

Based on the post you refer to, it seems I should be doing both. Is that correct?

Also, I have now done every thing that everyone has suggested, and my PC is still operating like it's just going to "stall" any minute. This happened rather abruptly over the past couple of days.

Based on SAS and Malwarebytes, plus my own antivirus program, I don't seem to have any malware.

Would you say it is time to reformat? I just did so 14 months ago and my PC was flying after that. I didn't expect to need another fresh install so soon. It this normal?

I'm very curious, if it's not a virus, is CCleaner really capable of cleaning the registry well enough to keep my PC running fast without a reformat? I really don't understand what is causing this.

Most of the posts I've read have to do with speed boosts for PC's. After a fresh install, I don't need a speed boost. So is this a problem I have on my PC right now, or just normal age related slow down?

I'd really like to understand what is happening. Would greatly appreciate it if you would not mind answering my list of questions here.

Thanks very much...

MSC

Was there anything installed (hardware/software) recently about the time when the computer started to crawl?

With posts 2 and 5 above, both posts could be done without issue

Make sure to disable indexing and go through the services guide and disable or set to manual on some of the services as suggested in the link.

Any changes you can think of made recently

Go to task mgr and look through all the running processes and look for anything that not sure of or what it might be related to, if not sure, can Google or post here.

Have you gotten all your MS updates?

If you like, you can post a Hijackthis log to see if anything out of place or not needed

As a matter of fact, I did add something about 2 weeks ago, and tweaked the registry at the same time.

I was trying to get IE7 to remember passwords on sites that it used to, but no longer does.

Came across this little utility called IE Passview and downloaded it. Allows you to display the password and user name in the registry sub-folder called Storage2 where IE7 stores passwords.

Here is the link:
Recover Internet Explorer forgotten passwords (http://www.winvistaclub.com/t171.html)
IE PassView - Password Manager Program for Internet Explorer (http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/internet_explorer_password.html)

In the process, I discovered that my registry only had sub-folder Storage1, so I added Storage2 sub-folder, and everything seemed to be working OK.

Here is the registry path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\IntelliForms\Storage2

(originally only had Storage1)

Knowing almost nothing about the registry, it certainly seems plausible that I could have screwed something up by adding Storage2.

I suppose it is also possible that this IE Passsview utility may be some bogus application that screwed something up. Although it does do what it claims to do.

Any suggestions based on this info?

The timing fits.

Thanks...

With that as you can always add it back, I would remove what was added to the registry to go back to the way it was previously.

Now with IE remembering pw's when you go to sites, there is IEpro7 that is an addon for IE and one of it's options is to save and remember sites you have visited and automatically puts the PW in when you go to the site.

Worth a look, personally I add this to new installations when have to as there are other tools that this has also but this is my main reason using it and also has the options to upload your bookmarks and if you ever need them again, you can download your bookmarks with the ones you uploaded previously.

As far as the PW's go, with IEpro7 installed, you would go to the site and enter your pw info and then right click on the little icon in right bottom corner and go to forms - then click save form

From this point on, when you visit that site, the pw will be entered for you

If interested in this type of option
IE7Pro - The Ultimate Add-On for Internet Explorer (http://www.ie7pro.com/)

There are other settings you can go through, but that is all user prefernce

Thanks Seahwk. IE7pro sounds a bit like Lazarus for Firefox, which I use. I shall check it out.

My main concern however, is the slow PC operation.

What is the best way to go about this?

I could just delete the sub-folder I added, or I could try a system restore to the day before.

Also, do you think I should uninstall Passview? It won't work anyway without the Storage2 sub-folder. Have you ever heard of it?

A strange aside, my other PC with XP has the Storage 2 sub-folder, but mine does not. Why would that be?

Can try either or combo of both to see if either may be some cause of slowdown

Can always add them back if need be

But can also try a system restore back to a couple days ago before the slowdown.

Thanks SH,

Any idea why my version of XP does not include Storage2 in the registry?

From what I have read, that is where it store the passwords and usernames for site logins.

If it was a full genuine installed version, could not say.

Only thing I could think of that may help for the reason it may not be there would be to do a repair installation of XP - The downside of that would be a repair installation would bring all the original system files back as if freshly installed and all updates installed would need to be reinstalled and if you haad upgraded to SP3 through updates, you would need an XP SP3 install disk and not the original one before SP3 and if you had an XP sp3 install disk, there is no way to tell if the storage2 would be put back as the SP3 update did not address missing files from original install.

Other than fresh install at this point, may be something just have to accept.

As long as system is working other than that, would consider the workaround with 3rd party apps

I see. I bought my PC new, with XP installed (old version... maybe SP1). Don't have an OS CD. Just a recovery CD which, as I understand it, does not contain the OS. It just pulls a fresh copy of the original XP off the D partition.

Bottom line; I can live without Storage2 sub-folder in registry, as you suggest, and NOT do a fresh install. That is what I am trying to avoid.

If you don't mind answering a few last questions, as I said, I really don't know much about the registry.

1) If I use System Restore, will that be able to fix anything that may have gotten messed up by my adding the sub-folder to the registry? Or are there any permanent registry changes that cannot be undone by System Restore?

2) I seem to remember reading somewhere that a System Restore should be done in the Safe Mode. True or false?

3) If the System Restore doesn't solve the problem, is there any reason I should NOT manually add the sub-folder Storage2 to the registry if I have to do a fresh install?

Thanks again SH...

1)
If you use system restore, your system will go back in time of the date of tha resotre point ()Any changes you made (software/hardware) will have to be reinstalled as system will not recognize as it was installed after the restore point date)


2)
You can do system restore in reg mode or safe mode, same results (get you back to time and date of that resotre point)


3)
You can then manually install the reg key again if needed and see how results may fair

Of course a fresh install is last step anyone wants to make but is always an option

Make appropriate backups of saved files and "whatever" do the fresh install and then re-install all your software and add the backups of files where they may need to go.

Really depends on your situation as it appears in front of you and how you may want to proceed.

If a fresh install is an option, I would suggest to install 1 app/product at a time and make sure all working properly before installing next program just to see if maybe on program installed may cause an issue as far as anything.

Hope this helps out in some way, only so many options and I hope I was able to give a good answer to all questions, though kind of round-a-bout but address the questions

With a fresh install though, you would be starting from scratch and go from there as far as installing, updating, the tweaks as mentioned earilier about posts 3 and 5 of how to help speed up PC and other changes you may have made

Really user option

Thanks for all the support SH. I made 3 significant changes, all on the same date about 2 weeks ago, so I am hoping that the Sys Restore will catch whatever is causing the problem.

I'll post the results. If things don't go well, someone may have to call the paramedics.

Last question, I swear (maybe). Under normal circumstances, how long should a PC run well before a fresh install is needed?

I used my PC for 7 years before I needed to do one. Now it's only been 14 months. (Hopefully just because I screwed with the registry).

Thanks again for all your support and time on this. I'm obviously still learning here...

Would be up to the situation as of how many apps added and what the purpose of the apps installed as far as just a game or something or something that would be a system type of app that may add possibly a service to the system which would run each time PC is booted or something added to the startup items that is running in backround.

Ideally you would not need to reninstall, but really depends on software changes/additions and what the software's purpose may be intended for.

Ccleaner is a big help with the registry and the services link mentioned earlier to go through the services to see if all services that are started are actually needed for the system to run.

The last thing I want to do is a fresh install and have been able to avoid that.

When your system is running as you like it and all software installed is running fine, a backup would be the best way to go.

Personally use Acronis True Image for my laptop and if need be, I can use the backup and the system will be fully recovered back to the date of the Image created by True Image (without fail in the 3 times I have had to use it) Just have to reinstall anything from the date is was restored to the date I used the image to go back to. I try to make a fresh backup about 1 time a month so not so many changes made since last backup.

Oh, that's good to hear. I don't add many apps, and am not a gamer.

I've heard people say on this site, that they do a fresh install at least once a year, so I thought maybe I should be doing that as well.

Took me a week last time to get everything working right and configured. Don't want to go through that again!

I too have a clone of my HDD after my last fresh install. I use Casper XP (great program). I actually cloned it on an extra internal drive I had, and have it safely tucked away in my desk.

If I do need a fresh install, I'll clone my "master clone" back to my current drive. Then, as you pointed out, must update the drive from the last 14 months.

You said that you update your back up image once a month. I see the wisdom in that, but have been hesitant to do so, since I didn't want any junk that may be on my HHD getting onto my back up. I wanted the back up to be as clean as new.

Well, off I go to do my System Restore. Wish me luck...

And thanks again.

No problem, but before I do my monthly backup, I make sure that I only have what I want installed working and running, do registry cleaning, clean junk files, do system defrag, reboot and then do the backup so if/when need to do one, I know the system will be working to satisfaction - clean and working

That reminds me. I know you use CCleaner. You introduced me to it and I use it all the time.

Since I started using CCleaner, I stopped doing Disk Cleanup, because I thought CCleaner did the same.

Yesterday I read an article that said to use both.

Does Disk Cleanup do more things than CCleaner alone?

Personally don't use ccleaner any longer, I use
Adv. System Care but I use the disk cleanup option to clear out old restore points - when removing old restore points, it removes all old ones except for the last restore point created - that is only reason I use the disk cleanup (just for the disk space and the last restore point that is kept I know is a good one)

Seahwk,

I see you are online. I discovered something major just before I was about to do a fresh install.

I did a Sys Restore back about 3 week, and immediately turned off Windows Update. Since I did not get the last update or 2, my PC seems to be running normally (not slow).

The other day when I did the Sys Restore, it ran well for an hour, then got very slow later in the day. That was after the Windows updates. I didn't make the connection at the time.

It "seems" like the Windows update is causing my problem.

Have you ever heard of this???

If this is correct, I don't know quite what to do, as I believe the high priority updates are important, I don't want to leave auto-updates turned off.

Any thoughts on this?

Personally I do manual updates as MS has updates the 2nd Tuesday of each month.

It could and happens, just need to narrow down which update that it may have been and then choose the option not to offer that update any longer.

If you do a restore and go back to updates manually, you will be able to see which updates are avail at that time (this would narrow down the possibilities) to do this though, you would have to do the manual update and then choose the Custom Option and this way you would be able to see which updates that are avail to update at that time.

It's a starting point if you do feel it is an update, it is possible.

For instance, MS has an update now KB 974445 that when installed on my XP machine will not let my IE go online for anything (just no connection page)

-I uninstalled this update and was able to get back online with IE
(Now the odd thing is, this update is intended for Vista and not XP but is showing up in XP updates)

This could be the problem for you but no way to tell except to go the trial and error.
-You can do the custom update and make sure not to install that update and see how system reacts.

Hope all that made sense

I see. I think I would have to go through the process to fully understand. It sounds a bit complicated in writing.

Question: since the problem seems to have been eliminated by doing a Sys Restore back to 9/25, there was only one 2nd Tues between then and now. That would have been 10/13. So that must be the date of the problem update.

If I don't do the fresh install, Is there any way I can choose not to install just the updates from 10/13, and go back to auto-updates from today forward?

Thanks SH...

One last thought, does it seem odd to you that this same update did not affect my other PC with XP on it?

SH,

Please see posts 23 and 24 above...

If you go to add/remove progams, there is a checkbox on top that you can check that says 'Show Updates", check that box.

Go down the list and you will see updates listed as well as your apps installed and the date they were installed

This will help in seeing exactly what updates were installed and when and you can choose Remove

If you remove any, you can always go back to update and the updates will be avail again to install

This is perfect. Thanks.

1) If I turn on auto updates, won't the one I removed try to load again?

2) Is there some way to have auto updates on, and block a specific update from loading automatically?

What you need to do is do the custom scan and then go through the updates that are lists, uncheck the update you do not want to update any more and below the txt that comes up is a check box that states, don't show me this update again - put check in that box and that update should not be offered any longer

Thanks, I found it. This is just what I needed!

If I select "Don't show this update again" will it also take it off the list of Auto-Updates?

Or does this only work if you load the updates manually?

Hmm... don't really know on that one.

What you can try is to:
-Get system how you want it and is working properly
-Manually create a restore point
-Check the "Don't show this update again" box
-reset back to auto update
-If it does come back, use the restore point you manually created to go back

This will tell if auto will still update if set back to auto even if you have the box checked

Make sense?

Yes. Thank you very much SH.

I have been reading this with interest. Especially after discussing some stuff with you earlier.

Just as a note, I was just reading another thread that someone's computer slowed down right after doing the last set of updates. So MS has mucked something up apparently. I always do them manually myself.

What I find interesting is that I'm one of the ones you refer to who does a clean install all the time. :p Just did it in July, last one before that was October last year. February earlier that year. If even the slightest thing starts acting quirky, I do a clean install, or if it's been a while I do it anyway. But I also have a list of everything I need to back up and it really doesn't take me that long, and I just reinstall programs as I need them - I never have everything on here at once. (That also means knowing what to back up, like where your preferences are kept and such. That got worse with XP cause of the user accounts it forces on you.)

However, another thing you can use images for is getting backed up files, not just for a full restore. I have scheduled images twice a month, as is -- yeah, it's doing a mess, but I only use it to get files back. Not all programs will do that, but I'm using Ghost and it will.

I'm sure a lot of people think it's over-kill, but on the other hand, I never have all these problems I'm constantly hearing about. If something goes really screwy, very likely it's cause a piece of hardware went bad or something. (Or I forgot that the driver CD thinks I have the wrong modem or something stupid.)

Hi Morgaine,

You couldn't have sent your post at a better time. I have spent the entire day trying to figure out if the Windows Update caused my slowdown, or if my PC is just due for a fresh install.

It turns out to be a mix of the two (I think).

When I do a system restore prior to the last Windows Update, my PC is 90% faster. I went back and forth, installing the updates, testing operational speed, then uninstalling the updates.

But then I noticed a subtle thing. As I have been spending the afternoon typing up a list of all the prep I must do before formatting my HDD (with no updates installed), I noticed that my PC kept getting slower and slower.

That brings me right up to getting your post.

I now believe that I need a fresh install. My PC hasn't acted like this for 18 months, since I did the last one. I can't say that I understand why is is slowing down before my very eyes. If I keep it running much longer today, I think it is going to crash. When I power cycle it, it speeds up again for a couple of hours, then creeps back to a crawl.

My assumption now is that the Windows updates just pushed it over the edge of whatever it had left (very technical explanation there).

Fortunately, the last time I did a fresh install (which took me forever as it was my first time and I had no notes about settings, etc), I bought an extra new internal hard drive (IDE), and used Casper to clone it just after I finished loading all my apps and configuring things. Then I stuck it in my desk and have been saving it as my "master HDD".

So this time, I will just clone from the master to my current drive and should have a very fresh version. I will however, have to update some things that I have changed / added in the past 18 months, but that is much easier than starting from scratch. I shall also update my master to my current state.

I hope this is all that is wrong. If it's still slow after the clone, I have no idea what to do.

I'm also going to take a chance and download the Windows Updates to current.


Question: does it seem reasonable that my PC would slow to a crawl after 18 months for no other reason than just normal use?

Thanks for the feedback. The clone shall be done in the next day or 2. Wish me luck...

Nice that you have that clone. Funny that I never take advantage of Ghost to store a freshly installed image, but I just never do. I think I've installed clean so many times I just don't think much about it. I could decide to do it suddenly tomorrow evening and not think a thing of it.

But the first time I did it was with Win95 and my brother helped me, and I wrote down all these instructions and had to follow them for a while. That's when I started a list of preferences I wanted and such, and I still have that. It did seem rather complicated at the time and it took me days of preparation, backing up and such. So I know where you're coming from.

Mine has never slowed down drastically in a short span like that. It sounds like this is kind of sudden. As for slowing down from normal use, yes it can do that. Mine will do that, but it's usually gradual. However, I don't use the cleanup programs and am not familiar with them, so I don't know how well they work. (Somehow it makes me nervous trusting something to clean up my registry.) I just defrag occasionally and I do turn some services off.

I'm tempted to blame it on the update and hopefully that's all it is. It's just what the other poster described.

What's interesting is that I'm constantly experimenting, and constantly installing and uninstalling stuff. And I play games. So I get a lot of muck. And yet I still have less problems than most people I know. But if I want to experiment, I now have this attitude, oh, the worst that can happen is I have to reinstall. LOL.

Certainly a difference in our attitude about that, huh? :D

P.S. Good luck.

Well thank you for the support. Maybe I'm making too big a deal out of the fresh install (or clone update). It gets a bit hectic around here, and I need quiet when I do these things, so I'm hesitant to start this until I know I can finish it.

I am concerned as well, about how abruptly my PC slowed down. Interestingly, last night, I was typing up some notes getting ready for this thing, all the while, no MS updates since Sept (Sys Restore), and my PC just kept getting slower. Almost to the point on not functioning.

Now I am wondering if it is just mucked up from use, or if the Windows Update messed something up that System Restore couldn't undo. Is that even possible?

One thing is for certain. When I download the last set of Windows updates from 10/13, my PC slows way down.

You commented above that someone else had the same experience. Do you think there is any chance that MS is now aware of this and has fixed, or will fix, the update?

Question; when I do the fresh install / clone, do you think it is risky to install the last Windows Updates from 10/13? I'd hate to go through all that work, only to install some screwed up update that will kill my registry.

I am surprised to hear you don't use a registry cleaner. I have had so many people swear by them. CCleaner "seems" to be everyone's favorite. That is the only reason I use it. It is fast and easy to use, but I really don't have any idea if it is messing anything up in there. When I do a registry clean, it is usually just deleting some temp stuff after an install.

The whole point was to KEEP my system clean so I wouldn't have to do another fresh install for a while. I guess that plan didn't work so well. Maybe I should take your cue and stop cleaning my registry.

PS: Just had an idea. Checked the speed on my wife's PC (XP SP3 with a slower processor) which included the Windows updates. Then did a Sys restore to before the Updates. Checked speed again. Seemed about the same. Did Sys Restore Undo. Checked speed again. Couldn't see a noticeable difference.

Can these same Windows Updates affect different computers in different ways?

Thanks Morgaine...

You're starting to ask too many things I don't know. I just have my own experiences -- not the expert some of these people are. :) Hopefully someone else will see the ones I don't know and answer them.


Well thank you for the support. Maybe I'm making too big a deal out of the fresh install (or clone update). It gets a bit hectic around here, and I need quiet when I do these things, so I'm hesitant to start this until I know I can finish it.

I certainly can understand that, especially if you are not experienced with it. If I had only done it once or twice, I'd be making a big deal of it too. I guess it depends on whether it's something you really, really despise and would prefer to stay way from, or if you'd be interested in getting to the point you can do it easily - that will just take doing it a few times until you know what you're doing and get comfortable. I'm pretty anal about backing everything up so that I don't just have my documents and saved games and such, but also have my preferences and that sort of thing. That took time to learn, and I have notes.

Your idea of cloning a good fresh install, with everything set the way you want, is a terrific idea! That way you get a fresh install, and only need deal with anything new you've done. I personally don't think I could handle it. I change too much, for one. And I also like to have control. Using a clone would be like having my computer doing something behind my back. LOL. I turn off as much automatic stuff as I can.


I am concerned as well, about how abruptly my PC slowed down. Interestingly, last night, I was typing up some notes getting ready for this thing, all the while, no MS updates since Sept (Sys Restore), and my PC just kept getting slower. Almost to the point on not functioning.

I do find that extremely odd.


Now I am wondering if it is just mucked up from use, or if the Windows Update messed something up that System Restore couldn't undo. Is that even possible?

Um, not sure. I don't use the restore. (Is that a big surprise?) I used it once not long after I got XP, and I know it certainly didn't do what I expected it to. I know that restore does not put things back exactly the way they were -- but I do not know which things it either doesn't restore at all or does incorrectly.

Let's just say I'm not terribly surprised that just using a restore point didn't work. That isn't a solution for everything. But you need someone else to tell you if this particular situation would be normal.


One thing is for certain. When I download the last set of Windows updates from 10/13, my PC slows way down.

You commented above that someone else had the same experience. Do you think there is any chance that MS is now aware of this and has fixed, or will fix, the update?

Has an update? No.
Security Bulletin Search Products Technologies KB Articles Service Packs (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/current.aspx)
This is straight to the list of bulletins. (Where I get them manually.) Last date is 10/13 and nothing since. Aware of it? I wouldn't have any idea. I know someone who might know though, cause he has access to all sorts of stuff and has to deal with this for his work. I can ask. In fact, I can ask about the restore issue too. Assuming someone here doesn't see this and answer that first. He's definitely a good resource.


Question; when I do the fresh install / clone, do you think it is risky to install the last Windows Updates from 10/13? I'd hate to go through all that work, only to install some screwed up update that will kill my registry.

Um... you may want to wait and see if we can find a better answer to some of your other questions, to see how sure it seems that the update is causing problems. You can always do it manually and skip the problem one for now. (I hope that is in this thread cause I wanted to make note not to get that one. ;) ) (No, I don't have Oct updates yet. I'm a bad girl.)


I am surprised to hear you don't use a registry cleaner.

LOL. I just don't end up with problems that have ever given me a reason to use one on a regular basis. If I don't like something my computer is doing, I prefer a fresh install. Cleaning the registry just feels like a temporary bandage to me. I make messes more places than the registry. (It's similar to how I can delete everything off a partition and then format it anyway when there's no point. Just makes me feel it's cleaner.)

Have you figured out that I'm really anal yet? :p


The whole point was to KEEP my system clean so I wouldn't have to do another fresh install for a while. I guess that plan didn't work so well. Maybe I should take your cue and stop cleaning my registry.

I'm not the only one with an opinion you know. :p That's my thing. It doesn't have to be yours. I think people do need to keep their computers, well more like their software, more cleaned up, and stop doing silly things on the internet, and they wouldn't have all the problems they do. But how you choose to keep things clean is kind of a personal thing. Like I said, that just feels like a temporary bandage to me. I've never believed a registry cleaner is some kind of permanent solution, but more like something to do between fresh installs. How long between installs is a matter of what you do and how messy things get.


PS: Just had an idea. Checked the speed on my wife's PC (XP SP3 with a slower processor) which included the Windows updates. Then did a Sys restore to before the Updates. Checked speed again. Seemed about the same. Did Sys Restore Undo. Checked speed again. Couldn't see a noticeable difference.

Curious.



Can these same Windows Updates affect different computers in different ways?

Another one I really don't know. I wouldn't be surprised, perhaps depending on the entire configuration of the computer? I'd test it on mine, except I don't want mine slowing down either. :eek: I don't even know yet what this particular update is, so I may not even need it. Some updates are dependent on programs you have, or even on prior updates you have.

I'm going to go back and see what that update was that was mentioned, and then I will post on the other group and ask that guy about all this and just see what his opinion is.

Morgaine,

Thanks for taking all the time with me on this...

I'm curious too, so I downloaded 1 of 10 Win updates, 1 at a time yesterday and checked speed & operational performance. Then uninstalled the update and did the next one. No difference. There doesn't seem to be an individual problem with one of the 10 updates from 10/13.

I did a Sys Restore to an even earlier date and turned off all my auto updates, including my virus-scan updates (very bad), and now my PC is running (close) to normal... about 90%.

I think I am going to do one last "blow out" test and download all updates at once from everywhere, and see if it affects speed. Curiosity again.

Then I think I will do that fresh install (clone) and be done with it. I realize I am spending more time "investigating" than it would have taken me to just do the fresh install. I just like to know what is going on. If this is normal behavior for a PC that needs a fresh install, then I will at least be able to recognize it next time, and not go down some garden path of "mysteriously corrupted" Windows Updates. I hope I am making "some " sense.

I do know it happens though. I met someone that repairs computers who told me he had a client that did a Windows Update which caused the "Blue Screen of Death".

Thanks for asking your friend about this.

MSC

Well, I did check about the updates and the guy I 'talked' with said he was unaware of any updates that were causing problems, and that in fact, it'd been quite a long time since an update had come out that caused any major problems like that. He thinks it is entirely unrelated. From the sounds of your experimenting, it seems you've already decided that for yourself.

I think one thing you need to understand that a problem like this happening does not say that x, y or z is the problem and that you can always solve it in a, b or c manner. There are sometimes problems that very much sound like something specific, but figuring out what is going on with a computer can be very difficult. I think you're assuming too quickly that reinstalling everything will solve the problem.

Slowing down over time can be typical. But slowing down suddenly like what you're describing has sounded a little odd to me.

Sometimes the virus scanners themselves can cause problems. What are you using? (I don't recall if you've ever said.) And because a scan does not produce something doesn't mean that everything from a virus/malware point of view is fine. You might want to try scanning with other programs.

It was suggested that you try to check into some hardware problems, such as your peripherals, hard drive, memory. That's getting into an area I don't know much about. There's only two things I know how to do when I wonder about non-software issues. One is trading off with another. For instance, if you don't know if the video problem is the monitor or your video card (if either), you can try with a different monitor, and also try your monitor on a different computer. That sort of thing. (That doesn't work for everything cause you start getting into driver issues and such.) The other thing you can do is get into device manager and see if there's a problem with anything. Those are the things I can do, and from there I have to start asking other people what they think. Well, I can also mess with drivers.

As I said, I'm not sure a sudden slow-down would be from normal usage -- quirky things that happen over time can most definitely be. So I don't know if you'll solve it that way, though if you still have the problem after a fresh install, that will tell you something. But also don't assume because something solves something one time, that it will solve the same problem the next time.

I'd certainly like to know how things turn out with this, but I think I'm fairly well tapped out in terms of my own knowledge. Unless of course you isolate something more specific.

Hey Morgaine,

I am actually right in the middle of a fresh install. I believe I also found the problem!

Got almost everything in and configured, with all auto-updates turned off. The PC was flying!!!

Have not yet turned on Windows updates.

Had my virus-scan on but not updated (it's made by Computer Associates and it's ver CA ISS 2007). It has caught every virus that ever came sniffing around, so I'm pretty happy with it. It is provided to me free by my ISP (Roadrunner). And it is constantly updating (every hour or so).

As soon as I hit the virus scan updates, my PC immediately went right back to where it was yesterday. Everything is slow, delayed, and loading in "chunks".

So after 12 hours of reloading and configuring, I'm right back where I started. YIKES!

It's still early here (7am), but I will be calling CA in a few hours to ask them for help. Obviously, there is no way I can do without virus updates, so I hope they have a solution. I've been getting these updates for years, and this has never happened before. I know that virus scanning can slow a PC down a bit, but I am operating at about 20-25% of normal.

Thanks again... MSC

I'm back begging for help. Can't get through to CA Security Software.

As noted above, the problem of the super-slow PC seems to be related to a Virus definition update in the past 2 weeks.

Does anyone know where these updates might be stored or how to find them?

The only way I can use my PC is to disable virus scanning for now. A risky thing to do.

If I could find the updates from the past 2 weeks, and delete them, I would at least have some protection until I hopefully get through to C.A.

Thanks everyone for hanging in with me here...

Wow. Well, at least you found a problem. You have the problem again, but it's nice to have isolated it. That sounds like a pretty direct correlation.

Can you still do a restore back to before you updated the virus database? If so, that might be your best option for now. Or did you do a clone after you did that fresh install, before you started messing with other stuff? If so, that's a good option too.

You can also try just uninstalling the AV, and hopefully it will take the updated database with it. Then you can reinstall and just not update it for now. (Hopefully it's less arrogant than MS and will let you turn off auto update. (Er, referring to your other thread.) If it's not obvious, there may be sneaky ways to find it.)

As for finding those updates... That may be a problem. I don't know your program. I use Avast and when I do an update it changes a file called Avast4.db which is its database. But it's a file, not a folder I can go into and start choosing to delete things out of. It also updates several dll's and a couple of other things. (You can find this out by setting your view to Details and then putting it in date order. You can see what changes when you do certain things, like change preferences or download something, etc.) So basically I have found no way on mine to delete the last things it did.

Now, I can go to the site and see the list of stuff with dates. (There were a ton added recently.)

(I updated mine. I hope I don't have a slow-down too.)

Problem solved late last night. Finally got a call back from CA.

They were well aware of the problem, but would not admit it. The tech knew the solution with no troubleshooting.

This update thing they sent me is CRAZY.

In order to solve the problem (get this), you must turn off Real Time protection. WHAT? Here's the thing, with this new crazy update, unchecking Real Time protection doesn't really turn it off!! It still shows that it is ON in the overview screen.

But unchecking the box fixes all PC problems related to their crazy update.

This is so counter-intuitive I can barely stand it!

Anyway, thanks to all for the great support and ideas.

Oh yeah, I reformatted my HDD for nothing. My PC is still disassembled on my living room floor with a HDD hanging out of it. Already spent 15 hrs installing software and configuring. Still a few hours to go.

Cheers...

Well, I'm glad you finally got that straightened out! Yeah, I wouldn't expect turning the protection off to fix the problem. It's supposed to protect the computer, not mess it up. (You sure it's not Norton? LOL) A little weird. I also love the way the other people always claim it's not on their end.

Just curious why your PC is all apart. You've got that clone on a hard drive that doesn't fit in the case? :p

Think of it this way, when you get it all how you want, you can do another clone, and then it'll be FAR less work next time. :D

Final solution:

Had to speak to a manager at CA (which wasn't easy). He told me they are having all sorts of problems with ver 2007, but since it is so out of date, the development engineers are not fixing the bugs.

He kindly updated me to 2008. Man what a difference in speed. Incredible. All this time I thought my PC was just getting yucked up. It was all the A-V software this whole time.

Case closed...