slow performance

[Guest]

Hello Forum-
My computer has been a bit sluggish for a week or two. It often hangs up -
just for a few seconds at a time - but i'ts annoying since I've always had
such excellent performance.

Here's what I have:
Windows XP SP2, 512 RAM 40 gig hard drive, (about half used/half free)

Here's what I've done so far:
Run several spyware scanners - McAfee VirusScan (also includes spyware)
Earthlink SpyBlocker, Spybot S and D, Adware (updated them all first)
Emptied temp folders, recycle bin, etc. etc.
Checkdisk
Defrag analysis said no defrag needed at this time
Removed unneeded programs

It seemed to happen right after I installed Aluria's Spyware Eliminator.
For that reason, I uninstalled it a day later, but it didn't correct the
problem.

I can't seem to find the correct date for a system restore, so haven't had
any luck there. And I shredded all my files I got rid of, so I can't go back
via internet history or recycle bin to find the date.

I haven't yet gone the route of removing startup items via msconfig,
because I don't really know what each item means, and the info I've seen
regarding that is gibberish to me.

BUT - I feel like something has gone awry rather than my computer just being
overloaded, since it seemed to happen right after I intalled the Spyware
Eliminator...

Ideas?

 

[jeffrey]

Hi,

I have read that not all Spyware detecting software is safe to use. I am
not sure about your spyware eliminator. I use on my computer Spybot Search
& Destroy, Pestpatrol, Spyblaster, Spyguard and Guardbar on my computers.
It seems that your Spyware Eliminator might be the cultprit though. The
ones I listed except for Guardbar have been recommended by many MVP`s and
even on Microsoft site. Another you might want to try is Adaware SE. One
spyware detector isn`t enough, you need to run at least 2 different ones,
what one misses, the other usually catches.

Jeff

 

[Guest]

Yeah - that's what I've been thinking. It did seem, from the looking around
I did that that was a safe one, and a highly rated one.
AdAware I have - I think I just mis-spelled it in my first post.
Funny thing - I've had hardly any spyware detected at all from any of the
programs I've used.
I have side step - some programs call it spyware, but since I use it, I keep
it. Spybot keeps finding DSO exploits, but I understand that is a spybot
bug. I had one other thing that Broderbund puts on your computer with some
of it's software (I forget what it's called) but that's been removed. I
haven't really found anything else!
Argh - it's really annoying.

 

[lvee]

Run your antivirus, ad-aware, SpyBot Search& Destroy, and Spyware blaster
again, only this time in Safe Mode. I found 8 things in Safe Mode that
were not detected in normal mode. Make sure you either quarantine, or send
whatever you find to the recovery options, just in case.
Also, before you run them in safe mode, check for updates, I do, nearly
everyday. It seems there's always something new to protect against.

 

[Kelly]

As for: DSO exploits

To avoid the False-Flag for the DSO Exploit (W3), open Spybot/Advanced
Mode/Settings/Ignore Products. On the All Products Tab, scrol to DSO
Exploit and check that item only. Randy (silj)

 

[Guest]

Hmm -good idea, but it didn't help my programs come up with anything new in
my case. Yes - I always update before searching for spware.
Still running slow.. . makes me nuts.

 

[Guest]

I've finally found the answer. My computer does this hanging thing if I
check "enable spyblocker alerts" on my Earthlink Spyblocker.
Duh. I kept looking for spyware and it was the spyware blocker!
If I disable alerts (that alert if spyware is running, it doesn't block from
downloading) I can still scan...
Problem solved for anyone else who may run into this!