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...