Another Windows running slow - too slow to use anymore

[Guest]

I have seen a lot of posts here about windows running slow, and it has
happened to me, too. It is at this point too slow to be useable. This is XP
Home/ SP2, with all current updates Takesw about 10 minutes to boot; if I
try to open a directory, a window appears, it goes blank, and about 30
seconds later the contents reappear. The hard disk is ticking away most all
the time, and the fans run full speed (this is a laptop). Windows is sick,
and needs help.
I have tried all the usual housecleaning things i have seen on this list:
defragging, disk clean, disk check, removing startup items and services, etc.
I have tried removing the virus software (PC-cillin), that helps a little but
not much. Task manager shows the CPU idle process at 99%, but something is
running in there, or why is it so slow? Virus scans with everythi8ng out
there come up negative.
Would reloading or repairing help this? If so, I need a little advice. The
computer I have came with an OEM version of XP, and the only option is to
wipe out the disk and reload their pre-SP1 XP. That is not acceptable. So, I
could go out and buy a new XP Home, but if so, what do I need (update, full
version, or ??) to repair and or reload without wiping everything out? The
versions I see for sale on Ebay are all OEMs, which I suspect will only
install by wiping the disk clean.
Well, suggestions for what to do?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have seen a lot of posts here about windows running slow, and it has
happened to me, too. It is at this point too slow to be useable. This is XP
Home/ SP2, with all current updates Takesw about 10 minutes to boot; if I
try to open a directory, a window appears, it goes blank, and about 30
seconds later the contents reappear. The hard disk is ticking away most all
the time, and the fans run full speed (this is a laptop). Windows is sick,
and needs help.
I have tried all the usual housecleaning things i have seen on this list:
defragging, disk clean, disk check, removing startup items and services, etc.
I have tried removing the virus software (PC-cillin), that helps a little but
not much. Task manager shows the CPU idle process at 99%, but something is
running in there, or why is it so slow? Virus scans with everythi8ng out
there come up negative.

Since you say nothing about running anti-spyware software, and this is
an increasingly severe problem these days, the very first thing I
would do is make sure that your system is malware-free. I recommend
that you go to Malke's Malware Removal site at
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware and
follow the instructions there.

Would reloading or repairing help this? If so, I need a little advice. The
computer I have came with an OEM version of XP, and the only option is to
wipe out the disk and reload their pre-SP1 XP. That is not acceptable. So, I
could go out and buy a new XP Home, but if so, what do I need (update, full
version, or ??) to repair and or reload without wiping everything out? The
versions I see for sale on Ebay are all OEMs, which I suspect will only
install by wiping the disk clean.
Well, suggestions for what to do?

Correct, OEM CDs can only do clean installations. Although a clean
reinstallation will almost certainly fix the problem, if the problems
you are experiencing are as result of something you've done improperly
like allow malware to get loaded (which is very likely), and you just
reinstall without finding out what happened, you will probably quickly
repeat the same error and find yourself back where you started.

A repair installation (which requires a retail CD) may or may not fix
the problem. If it's malware, it won't help.

 

[Guest]

I don't know if my pervious post made it through. My connection is very
unreliable. Sorry if this is a duplicate.

"

Since you say nothing about running anti-spyware software, and this is
an increasingly severe problem these days, the very first thing I
would do is make sure that your system is malware-free. I recommend
that you go to Malke's Malware Removal site at
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware and
follow the instructions there.

I went to the elephantoby website and got their instructions. I have scanned
with Trend sysclean, AVG, adaware, spybot. None of thes eprograms came up
with anything. Sorry for the typos, I'm typing fast so hopefully my
connection will hold long enough to post) Still running very slow, no
problems identified. If it's malware, and it may well be, it doesnly look
like any commerical products are going to find it.
One remaining question: there is a lot of stuff in the right-click menus. Is
ther a (hopefully small enough to download via dialup) tool that will
identify and selectively remove shell hooks?
Thank You.