Slow Mouse Response

[Bob]

My 6 month old HP Pavilion with Pentium 4 3.2 GHz processor is very slow in
opening new applications. When I click on an icon on the desktop, start
menu, control panel, etc. there is nearly always a 10 second (sometimes
more) lag before the application opens. This is not new; it has always been
that way. When I first got it, I complained to HP support, but they
couldn't do anything, and even went so far on one occasion to tell me that a
10 second delay was normal. It surely isn't on my laptop (1 GHz or my
former computer). I don't have a lot of things in the start up program that
might cause this. And there is no lag when I use the keyboard program keys
to open an application such as Outlook Express or IE, or when I use the
"windows"
key to, for example, show desktop. It's only when I use
the mouse. I even tried a different mouse with USB connection. Nothing
seems to work. I'm not sure whether this is a hardware, software, or maybe
even a mouse problem, but it certainly is annoying! Anyone have any
suggestions about what I might do to fix this?

 

[Shep©]

My 6 month old HP Pavilion with Pentium 4 3.2 GHz processor is very slow in
opening new applications. When I click on an icon on the desktop, start
menu, control panel, etc. there is nearly always a 10 second (sometimes
more) lag before the application opens. This is not new; it has always been
that way. When I first got it, I complained to HP support, but they
couldn't do anything, and even went so far on one occasion to tell me that a
10 second delay was normal. It surely isn't on my laptop (1 GHz or my
former computer). I don't have a lot of things in the start up program that
might cause this. And there is no lag when I use the keyboard program keys
to open an application such as Outlook Express or IE, or when I use the
"windows"
key to, for example, show desktop. It's only when I use
the mouse. I even tried a different mouse with USB connection. Nothing
seems to work. I'm not sure whether this is a hardware, software, or maybe
even a mouse problem, but it certainly is annoying! Anyone have any
suggestions about what I might do to fix this?

You haven't mentioned one of the most important if parts of the
system.What O/S?????

Anyway,start here,
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/house.html
Although originally for win95/98/ME it still carries though for Wn2k
and WinXP.

HTH

 

[Bob]

">

You haven't mentioned one of the most important if parts of the
system.What O/S?????

oops, sorry. Windows XP Home Edition.

 

[Random Person]

Hi Bob. Can you please go to task manager (press Ctrl-Alt-Del once) and
tell us the number of running processes you have? I suspect
adware/spyware/malware/bloatware infection.

 

[Bob]

Hi Bob. Can you please go to task manager (press Ctrl-Alt-Del once) and
tell us the number of running processes you have? I suspect
adware/spyware/malware/bloatware infection.

There are 41 processes running now. Is that unusual?

 

[Bob]

There are 41 processes running now. Is that unusual?

Get Lavasoft Ad-Aware. It'll find the trojans
(adware/spyware/malware/bloatware). Then get Kerio Personal Firewall -
it will let you know who's trying to set up a network connection. Both
are free for home use.


--

Map of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
http://home.houston.rr.com/rkba/vrwc.html

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
--Benjamin Franklin

 

[Random Person]

Hmm, I have 28 running processes and even then I'm doing some work at
the moment. Ad-aware doesn't get them all (e.g. bloatware), I'm afraid.

Can you take a look and see what your CPU and memory use is? If most of
your memory is free and your CPU is 99% free, then it is something
else...

 

[Quaoar]

My 6 month old HP Pavilion with Pentium 4 3.2 GHz processor is very
slow in opening new applications. When I click on an icon on the
desktop, start menu, control panel, etc. there is nearly always a 10
second (sometimes more) lag before the application opens. This is
not new; it has always been that way. When I first got it, I
complained to HP support, but they couldn't do anything, and even
went so far on one occasion to tell me that a 10 second delay was
normal. It surely isn't on my laptop (1 GHz or my former computer). I
don't have a lot of things in the start up program that might cause
this. And there is no lag when I use the keyboard program keys to
open an application such as Outlook Express or IE, or when I use the
"windows" key to, for example, show desktop. It's only when I use
the mouse. I even tried a different mouse with USB connection.
Nothing seems to work. I'm not sure whether this is a hardware,
software, or maybe even a mouse problem, but it certainly is
annoying! Anyone have any suggestions about what I might do to fix
this?

Start here for improving slow performance:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm

Q

 

[Bob]

Get Lavasoft Ad-Aware. It'll find the trojans
(adware/spyware/malware/bloatware). Then get Kerio Personal Firewall -
it will let you know who's trying to set up a network connection. Both
are free for home use.

I have Ad-Aware and run it two or three times a week. Doesn't make any
different in the response time.

 

[Bob]

Hmm, I have 28 running processes and even then I'm doing some work at
the moment. Ad-aware doesn't get them all (e.g. bloatware), I'm afraid.

Can you take a look and see what your CPU and memory use is? If most of
your memory is free and your CPU is 99% free, then it is something
else...

CPU Usage is now alternating between 0 and 1%, occasionally 2%.

 

[Random Person]

What about memory usage?

 

[Random Person]

"I have Ad-Aware and run it two or three times a week. Doesn't make
any
different in the response time."

I used to use Ad-Aware, but I don't anymore. Just use the right browser
(Firefox) and don't download/run any dodgy stuff, and you'll be fine.

And for the record, some of the nastier stuff can not be removed by Ad
Aware.

 

[Bob]

"I have Ad-Aware and run it two or three times a week. Doesn't make
any
different in the response time."

I used to use Ad-Aware, but I don't anymore. Just use the right browser
(Firefox) and don't download/run any dodgy stuff, and you'll be fine.

And for the record, some of the nastier stuff can not be removed by Ad
Aware.

Yes, I use Foxfire too, except in those few sites where Foxfire won't work.
I also occasionally use Microsoft's antispyware. As for your previous
question about memory usage, if you mean physical memory, total is 515372,
available is 216428, system cache is 301068. I'm still wondering if the
problem is really system performance as opposed to mouse performance (if
there is such a thing). When I use Windows key-D to get to desktop, it is
instantaneous. But when I use the mouse to click on the desktop icon in my
Quicklaunch toolbar, there is a 10 second lag. Same function, but different
results with different method.

 

[Shep©]

Yes, I use Foxfire too, except in those few sites where Foxfire won't work.
I also occasionally use Microsoft's antispyware. As for your previous
question about memory usage, if you mean physical memory, total is 515372,
available is 216428, system cache is 301068. I'm still wondering if the
problem is really system performance as opposed to mouse performance (if
there is such a thing). When I use Windows key-D to get to desktop, it is
instantaneous. But when I use the mouse to click on the desktop icon in my
Quicklaunch toolbar, there is a 10 second lag. Same function, but different
results with different method.

Anyway,start here,
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/house.html
Although originally for win95/98/ME it still carries though for Wn2k
and WinXP.

HTH

 

[CK]

My 6 month old HP Pavilion with Pentium 4 3.2 GHz processor is very slow in

opening new applications. When I click on an icon on the desktop, start
menu, control panel, etc. there is nearly always a 10 second (sometimes
more) lag before the application opens. This is not new; it has always been
that way. When I first got it, I complained to HP support, but they
couldn't do anything, and even went so far on one occasion to tell me that a
10 second delay was normal. It surely isn't on my laptop (1 GHz or my
former computer). I don't have a lot of things in the start up program that
might cause this. And there is no lag when I use the keyboard program keys
to open an application such as Outlook Express or IE, or when I use the
"windows"
key to, for example, show desktop. It's only when I use
the mouse. I even tried a different mouse with USB connection. Nothing
seems to work. I'm not sure whether this is a hardware, software, or maybe
even a mouse problem, but it certainly is annoying! Anyone have any
suggestions about what I might do to fix this?

Given that you've mentioned elsewhere in this thread that you're pretty
much OK for malware and CPU usage, I'd be thinking about your graphics
card. Have you got the most appropriate drivers? (In that newer drivers
are sometimes optimised for newer cards and newer operating systems).
Try different drivers, reducing the colour depth of the desktop, turning
off Active Desktop and turning off the menu animations. If it helps,
then you can turn anything that you want back on again, and see which
things slow it down again.

HTH.

CK

 

[kony]

My 6 month old HP Pavilion with Pentium 4 3.2 GHz processor is very slow in
opening new applications. When I click on an icon on the desktop, start
menu, control panel, etc. there is nearly always a 10 second (sometimes
more) lag before the application opens. This is not new; it has always been
that way. When I first got it, I complained to HP support, but they
couldn't do anything, and even went so far on one occasion to tell me that a
10 second delay was normal. It surely isn't on my laptop (1 GHz or my
former computer). I don't have a lot of things in the start up program that
might cause this. And there is no lag when I use the keyboard program keys
to open an application such as Outlook Express or IE, or when I use the
"windows"
key to, for example, show desktop. It's only when I use
the mouse. I even tried a different mouse with USB connection. Nothing
seems to work. I'm not sure whether this is a hardware, software, or maybe
even a mouse problem, but it certainly is annoying! Anyone have any
suggestions about what I might do to fix this?

- Boot into safe mode to see if the lag persists.

- Do you have elaborate software suites installed that add
lots of items to file or folder context menus? For example,
Norton/Symantec or McAfree software? Any other kind of
realtime system "help" thing like from an OEM?

- Try disabling system restore (only temporarily as a test
if you want that feature)

- Defrag the hard drive

- Scan the hard drive with windows. If all else fails,
also run the HDD manufacturer's diagnostics on it.

- Bench the hard drive. ATTO, Sisoft Sandra, HDTach, are a
few (Google will find them).

- Check for Shared IRQs in Device Manager

- Usually the easiest way to regain the
performance/responsiveness your system was supposed to have,
is to wipe the system and install XP clean, NOT an OEM
image/configuration but from XP original installation files
then only adding standard (Non-OEM specific) things like the
newest stable drivers from the chipset manufacturers,
applications, etc, again trying to avoid Notron/McAfee/OEM
suites.

You might also run HijackThis (Google for it) to get a more
comprehensive view of what's loading, not just
spyware/viri/etc but the supposed-valid programs as well.

 

[Bob]

Given that you've mentioned elsewhere in this thread that you're pretty
much OK for malware and CPU usage, I'd be thinking about your graphics
card. Have you got the most appropriate drivers? (In that newer drivers
are sometimes optimised for newer cards and newer operating systems).
Try different drivers, reducing the colour depth of the desktop, turning
off Active Desktop and turning off the menu animations. If it helps,
then you can turn anything that you want back on again, and see which
things slow it down again.

But he said that there is no problem when he uses the KB. It's on;y
when he uses the mouse that he has a problem.

I would get a Microsoft Intellimouse (Directron $3) and install the MS
Intellimouse driver. If the problem persists, take it back and get a
full refund. Then buy a decent computer - one that works.


--

Map of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
http://home.houston.rr.com/rkba/vrwc.html

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
--Benjamin Franklin

 

[Bob]

- Boot into safe mode to see if the lag persists.

- Do you have elaborate software suites installed that add
lots of items to file or folder context menus? For example,
Norton/Symantec or McAfree software? Any other kind of
realtime system "help" thing like from an OEM?

- Try disabling system restore (only temporarily as a test
if you want that feature)

- Defrag the hard drive

- Scan the hard drive with windows. If all else fails,
also run the HDD manufacturer's diagnostics on it.

- Bench the hard drive. ATTO, Sisoft Sandra, HDTach, are a
few (Google will find them).

- Check for Shared IRQs in Device Manager

- Usually the easiest way to regain the
performance/responsiveness your system was supposed to have,
is to wipe the system and install XP clean, NOT an OEM
image/configuration but from XP original installation files
then only adding standard (Non-OEM specific) things like the
newest stable drivers from the chipset manufacturers,
applications, etc, again trying to avoid Notron/McAfee/OEM
suites.

You might also run HijackThis (Google for it) to get a more
comprehensive view of what's loading, not just
spyware/viri/etc but the supposed-valid programs as well.

Aren't you overlooking the fact that when he uses the KB, there is no
performance delay. It's only when he uses the mouse that the delay
occurs.


--

Map of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
http://home.houston.rr.com/rkba/vrwc.html

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
--Benjamin Franklin

 

[kony]

Aren't you overlooking the fact that when he uses the KB, there is no
performance delay. It's only when he uses the mouse that the delay
occurs.

I am intentionally overlooking it to the extent that once
the mouse has clicked it, which the system obviously
registers (lest it would never launch, instead of taking
longer) it should load faster. However I did also suggest
booting to safe mode and trying that, it was meant as a list
of several things to try, not only one thing. Once safe
mode has been tried the other variables are more likely,
such as things running in the background.

Further there was some presumption that after awhile the
obvious things such as a mouse driver would have been tried
already- I would expect anyone with a system problem to try
to fix it to a certain extent, wouldn't they?

 

[Bob]

I did also suggest
booting to safe mode and trying that, it was meant as a list
of several things to try, not only one thing.

I still don't understand. If he has no performance delay when he uses
the KB, but does when he uses the mouse, would that not mean there is
something happening with the mouse driver and not the system itself?
If it were something in the system itself (other than the mouse
driver), then he would not see immediate execution when he used the
KB.

Or maybe I am missing something.


--

Map of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
http://home.houston.rr.com/rkba/vrwc.html

"The societal purpose of the media is to inculcate and defend the
economic, social, and political agenda of privileged groups that
dominate the domestic society and the state. The media serve this
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of concerns, framing of issues, filtering of information, emphasis
and tone, and by keeping debate within the bounds of acceptable premises."