How do I find the right newsgroup to try to get my question resolv

[JerryI]

Beginning several months ago, my computer (XP, Service Pack 2) speed seems to
have slowed considerably. I have noticed in particular, for example, that if
I click on a .jpg file, it takes about 30 seconds to load Irfanview and
display the image, whereas, if I click on my Irfanview desktop icon Irfanview
loads in about 1 second. Then If I click on the desired file, it loads in a
second or two. Same behavior for other types of files, e.g., .doc, .txt,
..pdf ,.xls) It's always a lot faster (like 30 seconds faster) to load the
app (Word, Note Tab Light, Adobe Reader, Excel) first and then find the
file. I do not see this problem with other computers, and therefore believe
that there is some way to fix it.

I have turned off my virus protection and have disabled everything possible
via msconfig and I have defragged the hard disk, to no avail.

I have been unable to find a newsgroup where anybody will respond to give me
a single hint how to try to resolve this problem.

Any help?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Try a clean boot to see if a third party app that runs at startup is causing
this. If performance is noticeably better then you can progressively
re-enable startup items until you hit the one that is problematic. If you
find such an app then you can deal with it depending on what it is. If
there is no change then consider doing a repair install of Windows to try to
resolve it.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

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

Given the description you posted, start by running a /thorough/ check for
hijackware, including posting your hijackthis log to an appropriate forum,
if only to rule /out/ the possibility.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=5878
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Introduction
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://defendingyourmachine2.blogspot.com/
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

When all else fails, HijackThis v2.0.2
(http://aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to use.
It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware with
assistance from an expert. **Post your log to
http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22,
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html,
http://forums.subratam.org/index.php?showforum=7,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30, or other appropriate forums for review
by an expert in such matters, not here.**

If the procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting this
isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair shop.

 

[JerryI]

Colin:

Thanks for the info. I tried the clean boot routine and got nowhere. Looks
like the repair install of windows is my only hope, which sounds pretty scary
to me.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

See
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx
for the proceedure. The main thing is that you want the second "R" (the
first is the Recovery Console) during the early text mode.

Colin:

Thanks for the info. I tried the clean boot routine and got nowhere.
Looks
like the repair install of windows is my only hope, which sounds pretty
scary
to me.

 

[JerryI]

I think I have solved my problem!

I googled "slow right click" and found
a website that offered several prospective solutions
http://www.anetforums.com/posts.aspx?ThreadIndex=30641
Four of those solutions included:
--------------------------------------------------------------
1)
go into any folder
click tools->folder options
go to the "view" tab
and uncheck the "automaticaly search for network folders and printers "
click ok...

This did not solve all of my problems.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2)
I found what make this on my computer.
As explain, when i right click i have 10 sec hang .. so during this time,
exec netstat -a and find a line with a "SYN_SENT".
In my case it is a connection to an old share not available now (
192.168.0.5 )

so look in registry to find all entry whith the old IP address not available
a this time ...
In my case i found several key with "\\192.168.0.5\share\soft.exe %1"
Actualy y have no adaptater whith this network on .. so unable to contact
the network address .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3)
I found a different problem. I checked the System Log and found several
references to DISK errors. This is not a good thing because it means you have
bad disk sectors and the system is struggling through those rough spots. I
ran the disk check utility and it found all sorts of bad sectors...bad
news... the hard drive is on the verge of failure. I backed up all my data
files and installed a new hard drive. Everything is super fast now....
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4)
I've had same problem for months, opening files by double-click had up to 1
minute delay but opening from application was instant.
Solution I found was to recreate user.
ie create new user, copy all email, favourites, desktop, address book etc to
new user
delete old user with delete files options.
reboot.. create new user with old name and copy back all files/links.

Worked for me. No delays any more
----------------------------------------------------------------------

My Efforts and Conclusions:

First I disabled the network and the problem disappeared. Thus it is network
related.

Results of netstat -a with network disconnected

Active Connections
Proto Local Address Foreign Address State
TCP LAPTOP:epmap 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING
TCP LAPTOP:microsoft-ds 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING
TCP LAPTOP:1025 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING
TCP LAPTOP:10110 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING
UDP LAPTOP:microsoft-ds *:*
UDP LAPTOP:isakmp *:*
UDP LAPTOP:1038 *:*
UDP LAPTOP:1039 *:*
UDP LAPTOP:1040 *:*
UDP LAPTOP:4500 *:*
UDP LAPTOP:ntp *:*
UDP LAPTOP:1900 *:*
UDP LAPTOP:2200 *:*

Connect network and I get the following addl data

UDP LAPTOP:2959 *:*
UDP LAPTOP:2963 *:*
UDP LAPTOP:ntp *:*
UDP LAPTOP:netbios-ns *:*
UDP LAPTOP:netbios-dgm *:*
UDP LAPTOP:1900 *:*
UDP LAPTOP:2958 *:*
UDP LAPTOP:2962 *:*

When I click a pdf file, I get (extraneous?) additional items:
TCP LAPTOP:2969 ISAACSBONHAM:microsoft-ds TIME-WAIT
TCP LAPTOP:2971 ISAACSBONHAM:http SYN_SENT

When I right-click a pdf file, I get (extraneous?) additional items:
TCP LAPTOP:2973 ISAACSBONHAM:microsoft-ds TIME-WAIT
TCP LAPTOP:2975 ISAACSBONHAM:http SYN_SENT

or
TCP LAPTOP:xxxx ISAACSBONHAM:microsoft-ds TIME-WAIT
TCP LAPTOP:xxxx ISAACSBONHAM:netbios:ssn TIME-WAIT

These persist a while, then disappear. If I rt-click again, they do not
appear.

If I dbl-click a jpg I see:
TCP LAPTOP:xxxx ISAACSBONHAM:microsoft-ds TIME-WAIT
TCP LAPTOP:xxxy ISAACSBONHAM:microsoft-ds TIME-WAIT
TCP LAPTOP:xxxz ISAACSBONHAM:microsoft-ds TIME-WAIT

or stuff like:
TCP LAPTOP:xxxz ISAACSBONHAM:microsoft-ds TIME-WAIT
TCP LAPTOP:xxxw ISAACSBONHAM:microsoft-ds ESTABLISHED

or
TCP LAPTOP:xxxx ISAACSBONHAM:netbios:ssn TIME-WAIT
TCP LAPTOP:xxxy ISAACSBONHAM:netbios:ssn TIME-WAIT
TCP LAPTOP:xxxz ISAACSBONHAM:netbios:ssn TIME-WAIT

These foreign addresses go away one-at-a-time after a couple minute.

BTW netstat -a 5 reruns every 5 seconds until you hit ctrl-c

Since ISAACSBONHAM is an old computer name that no longer exists, I used
Regseeker to find all entries with ISAACSBONHAM and deleted those entries. I
think the problem has been solved.

Thx for all your help. Hope this helps someone else