ACER laptop slow down after installing programmes: HELP!!!!

[Wim]

I have a pretty fast laptop (ACER Travelmate 5612WMSMi with Intel Core
Duo Processor 1.66 GHz x 2, 667 MHz FSB, 2 MB L2 cache, 1GB DDR2
(support dual-channel) memory). After a while, it started slowing down
terribly: Start-up times grew from 2 minutes to 5 minutes, shutting
down from 30 secs to 2 minutes, hibernation from 17 secs to 4 minutes.
Starting Outlook and Firefox, etc. takes much longer.

Acer Helpdesk agreed that this slowdown is unacceptable and suggested
to restore the factory defaults (which brings the laptop back to the
configuration when I received the laptop, without all the added
programmes installed). This process is very easy (well done Acer!) but
of course the subsequent reinstalling of all favourite programmes (MS
Office, Firefox, Skype, Picasa, GDS, FMA, SecondCopy, XTNDConnect,
WinRar, WinZip) and all its required updates, incl. Microsoft Update)
takes a hell of a long time. Acer suggested to track to changes in
performance after each and every programme installation. That's what I
did, and after the Restore to Factory Default the laptop was running
like brand new again. VERY FAST!! Made me very happy again. And MS
Office + updates, MS Windows update, NAV, etc. did not significantly
slow down the computer.

But all of a sudden (AND unfortunately I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE AFTER
INSTALLATION OF WHICH PROGRAMME) the computer went back to its previous
very slow performance.
I tried to restore to a previous system restore point, but since I did
not do that the same or next day, the relevant system restore point had
already been deleted by the system and replaced by automatic system
restore points on the days after (while I have my space allocation for
the system restore set to maximum = 6.6GB on each disk x 2 = 13GB!!) .
I then un-installed all programmes I remembered I installed in the days
around the moment the laptop slowed down, but to no avail.

Before I do Acer's Restore Factory Defaults again and re-install all
requires programmes again (and even more consistently monitor the
impact of each programme installation on the system's performance), I
call upon the very experienced Google community to help me out! Which
programme is causing the problem, why, and how to solve the problem?
Let me know if you need screenshots of the programmes I have installed,
the processes running and listed in Windows Task Manager, the registry,
etcetera. Please help me out, before I spent my

In Windows Task Manager Performance Tab the two CPUs are presented, and
at start-up the 1st one is generally working to its maximum while the
second CPU is much less active. Is that normal, is this an indication
where the fault is?

Wim Eising
Durban
South Africa

 

[DL]

Skype, Picasa, GDS, FMA, SecondCopy, XTNDConnect,WinZip, WinRar, are all I
believe configured by default to run in the background, use their options to
modify this behaviour

 

[wisccal]

What process or processes have the highest processor usage? Try killing
them if they are not system processes

Regards,
Steve

 

[Microsoft MVP]

Norton is notorius for slowing systems down. It often runs in the
background to check for viruses so you may want to tweak the settings.
Also, Limewire may be allowing people to connect to your computer and
download files that you share.
To diagnose the problem, you may want to simply do a reinstall , but not
install all the programs right away. Then you can add programs one at a
time until you find the culprit(s).

 

[Rock]

hi,
I have a similar problem too! Eversince I've bought this laptop almost
a year ago (Travelmate 3012WTMi) I've had to reformat about 4 times.
However, I've noticed that its not related to installing and
uninstalling programs... it just happens randomly. One day my laptop
is working beautifully and then the next day it slows down to a crawl.
My friend has also tried to tweak the ram availability with a program
called Systweak Memory Optimizer. I've cleaned and reduce my programs
to a bare minimum with only having Microsoft Office 2007, Limewire, MSN
Messenger, Norton, iTunes and Winamp. I've also configured some
programs so that it doesn't run when I'm not using it. Nothing works!
So far, everytime it happens... I always reformat and start from scratch
because its really bad. Could this be a virus or an Acer problem???
:biggrin: Please let me know if you find a better solution. Thanks!

Either of the Norton home products, NIS or NAV, can cause slowdowns and
problems. There are other alternatives, , and which work better.

There are good alternatives, some of which are free that are much less heavy
on resource use. Anti-Virus: Avast (free), AVG (free), NOD32; Firewall (all
free): Sunbelt Software Kerio Personal Firewall, Comodo Personal Firewall,
Zone Alarm (Note the latest release of Zone Alarm has some bloat. I wouldn't
recommend the latest release)

Are you also routinely checking for non viral malware using a combination of
programs run in safe mode? There are good free programs for this: Ad-Aware
SE Personal, SpyBot S&D, Windows Defender, BHO Demon, Spyware Blaster,
HijackThis.

Here are some links for dealing with malware.

Malware Removal
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

THE PARASITE FIGHT
Finding, Removing & Protecting Yourself From Scumware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

Richard Harper's Guide to Cleaning Pests
http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm

You are running Limwire. Note that file sharing can be a vector for
infection.

Lastly don't bother with that Memory Optimizer. Such programs are snake oil
remedies that don't do any good. Fortunately you didn't waste your money on
it. The problems lie elsewhere. I would guess in malware in the type of
programs you run ( Norton for one). A properly maintained system with
quality apps should not need the OS reinstalled.

 

[Wim]

It seems I have found the culprit of my slow machine. I read on the
internet the following: (@ forum.sysinternals.com)

High interrupt rates on I/O are often associated with the transfer
mode for an IDE device having reverted from DMA to PIO. Pre-SP2
versions of XP in particular were rather sensitive to errors and would
flip to PIO mode. They needed to be reset to "DMA if available" in
Device Manager, usually by uninstalling the IDE driver and letting
Windows reinstall. Check out MS KB article 817472 here.

If not I/O-related then interrupts are possibly malfunction or bad
connection in another device - try re-socketing connections.

Posted: 23 August 2005 at 1:29pm

IDE set to PIO.. uninstall, reboot, DMA 5... yeah fast system again!

Thanks so much I would have never looked there..

 

[Rock]

It seems I have found the culprit of my slow machine. I read on the
internet the following: (@ forum.sysinternals.com)

High interrupt rates on I/O are often associated with the transfer
mode for an IDE device having reverted from DMA to PIO. Pre-SP2
versions of XP in particular were rather sensitive to errors and would
flip to PIO mode. They needed to be reset to "DMA if available" in
Device Manager, usually by uninstalling the IDE driver and letting
Windows reinstall. Check out MS KB article 817472 here.

If not I/O-related then interrupts are possibly malfunction or bad
connection in another device - try re-socketing connections.

Posted: 23 August 2005 at 1:29pm

IDE set to PIO.. uninstall, reboot, DMA 5... yeah fast system again!

Thanks so much I would have never looked there..

Great, glad it's sorted and thanks for posting back the resolution.

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

i have also had a similar problem with my acer travlmate 2414lmi. it
totally slowed down to a point where i decided to replace the hard disk
(quite drastic i know - but it eventually died on me) as it resulted in
it totaly slowling down and refused to multitask.

however with the new hard disk, everything seemed fine for a while.
just recently it has started to majorly slow down, the only background
application i have running mcafee. to open firefox takes forever.

i have not added any updates to my machine either or have many
applications and if i happen to listen to a cd, the processor goes mad
and the hard drive goes mental - and it basically sounds like there are
cockroaches in the machine!

no one has been able to help me out on this issue yet! looks like the
only option is to go back to the sytem default and go through the whole
process of adding what you need etc which is a pain!

Do a thorough check for malware, following all of the steps at one of these
Web pages.
Help with malware:
All MS-MVP Sites.
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/darnit.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315

So How Did I Get Infected Anyway?
For quite a few people it's by installing programs like Messenger Plus,
whose ads for malware don't identify the malware as such and try to convince
you that you owe it to the author. See also:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=27971
Don't ever do a "default" install of anything. Always choose Custom and see
what else is being carried along. Don't install any extras you're not sure
of.

Also, McAfee and Norton do a lot to slow down a computer.