Slow Computer Performance

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

Yes, they are.

Beware of any suggestions that 512MB is insufficient. How much RAM you
need for good performance is *not* a one-size-fits-all situation. You
get good performance if the amount of RAM you have keeps you from
using the page file, and that depends on what apps you run. Most
people running a typical range of business applications find that
somewhere around 512MB, or sometimes even less, works well, others
need more. Almost anyone will see poor performance with less than
256MB. Some people, particularly those doing things like editing large
photographic images, can likely see a performance boost by adding much
more.

If you are currently using the page file significantly, more memory
will decrease or eliminate that usage, and improve your performance.
If you are not using the page file significantly, more memory will do
nothing for you. Go to
http://billsway.com/notes_public/winxp_tweaks/ and download
WinXP-2K_Pagefile.zip and monitor your pagefile usage. That should
give you a good idea of whether more memory can help, and if so, how
much more.

Without any background on what this person has installed and running
the background, it's not good to assess it as sufficient. I do manage
around 55 old Dell GX260 that have 512MB RAM and do work well enough
but in terms of services and anything that fires up via RUN key or
Startup folder, it is minimal. When booted, my 512MB machines will sit
idle with 225MB +/- in use. Fire up word, open IE or Seamonkey and
student the remaining RAM gets eaten up.

It's just not a good assertion to say 512MB is sufficient. 1GB for the
average Joe user, yes.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Gerry]

Snidley

Reports from Disk Defragmenter provide an insight into what the computer
is used for, apart from how much files are fragmented . It is easier to
ask for factual information using this approach than asking questions
which those seeking help might have difficulty answering. This is
something I have learned over a number of years trying to resolve
problems without direct access to the computer.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Gerry]

Thee Chicago Wolf

Read Ken's post carefully. He links the need for RAM to use of the
pagefile.


--



Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

Read Ken's post carefully. He links the need for RAM to use of the

pagefile.

Yup, I did catch that. Thanks though.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Lameex]

I'm running Defrag now to see if that mpv file defragments. And... it didn't.
It was the only one that wouldn't.

The .tmp files were cleaned up by disk cleanup

The computer is a Dell Dimension DM051 Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4CPU 3.00GHz 2.99
GHz, 504MB of Ram. Don't know what the speed is unless I answered that
question with all the gobbeldy gook I just wrote.

 

[Lameex]

By the way, I have about 29 add ons. I can write tham out but if there's
afaster way for me to show them 2 you let me know

 

[Gerry]

Lameex

My reaction is that's too many. I would examine the function of each and
eliminate duplication. I have 11 enabled and 2 disabled. Toolbar helpers
tend to get installed when you only need one.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Gerry]

Lameex

Your computer seems to be a Dell Dimension 5150 but I cannot quite match
the CPU. It has four memory slots and takes matched pairs up to 4 gb. I
imagine you have 2 x 256 mb = 512 mb with 8 mb being used to support
some like a graphics card.
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim5150/en/sm/specs1.htm#wp1052310

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim5150/en/sm/parts1.htm#wp1364711

However, before adding memory you need to determine what difference
replacing McAfee would make to system performance. Replacing it with
freeware substitutes would cost nothing whereas adding memory would
require a cash outlay.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Lameex]

I've got 3 other other malwares. Is there any special wayto get rid of them?

 

[Daave]

Just as I suspected. :-(

You have two choices:

1. A clean install will ensure you start off with a clean slate. And
depending on how much your PC has been compromised, it might be the only
reasonable solution.

or

2. You can attempt to rid yourself of the malware. At this point, you
will need expert guided advice. That includes installing and running
specialty programs like HijackThis and ComboFix and posting your results
in an appropriate forum, then following all the advice you recieve,
which will involve removing particular files and registry entries and
posting new scan results and further analysis/instruction. It might take
a while, and there is no 100% guarantee everything will have been
removed. But depending on the nature of the malware, it might be worth a
shot. Every now and then David Lipman posts the following information,
which is what you need to look at right now if you choose to follow
Method #2:

<quote>

1. Download and execute HiJack This! (HJT)
http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/threat_analytics/HJTInstall.exe


2. Disable Notepad's word wrap:
In Notepad.exe; Format --> uncheck; "Word wrap"


3. Download/run Deckard's System Scanner:
http://www.techsupportforum.com/sectools/Deckard/dss.exe

[Daave's Note: There is a warning that a "recent rootkit infection has
been interfering with Deckard's System Scanner (DSS) resulting in
possible damage to the Operating System." Has this been addressed?
To OP: You may want to hold off on DSS for the time being!]


4. Save the scan results (Main.txt and Extra.txt)


5. And then post the contents of Main.txt and Extra.txt in your post in
one of the below expert forums...


{ Please - Do NOT post the HJT and Deckard's System Scanner Logs here! }


Forums where you can get expert advice for HiJack This! (HJT) and
Deckard's System Scanner
Logs.


NOTE: Registration is REQUIRED in any of the below before posting a log


Suggested primary:
http://www.thespykiller.co.uk/index.php?board=3.0


Suggested secondary:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum22.html
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html
http://www.malwarebytes.org/forums/index.php?showforum=7


Suggested tertiary:
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup
http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25
http://www.atribune.org/forums/index.php?showforum=9
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/Malware_Removal_HiJackThis_Logs_Go_Here-f37.html
http://gladiator-antivirus.com/forum/index.php?showforum=170
http://forum.networktechs.com/forumdisplay.php?f=130
http://forums.maddoktor2.com/index.php?showforum=17
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showforum=18
http://forums.techguy.org/f54-s.html
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/index.php?showforum=27
http://forums.subratam.org/index.php?showforum=7
http://www.5starsupport.com/ipboard/index.php?showforum=18
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30
http://makephpbb.com/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=2
http://forums.techguy.org/54-security/
http://forums.security-central.us/forumdisplay.php?f=13

</quote>

I'm not too familiar with the first site (thespykiller), but I am
familiar with Bleeping Computer. And if you wind up going there, you
will probably going to need to see this page:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix

In the event you choose to go with Method #1 instead, you will need to
have the proper method to return your PC to its original state. And if
that method involves using an installation CD, you will also need to
make sure you have all the installation media/files for your programs.
Also copy all your data and settings to another hard drive (or to CDs or
DVDs) if you haven't done so already; this includes douments,
spreadsheets, powerpoints, music and video files, etc., e-mail folders,
Web browser favorites, and any other important settings. This page has a
very good step-step method for performing a clean install:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

And remember not to use McAfee or Norton! Instead use one of the free
versions of AVG, Avast, or AntiVir.